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Post by keyboy on Jul 16, 2017 9:35:39 GMT
Patrol After Action Reports are due no later than July 23rd, 2017. November 4th 1942Good morning gentlemen, I won't take up much of your time, as I know that you are preparing to get underway. We have all patrol areas covered this month; but please just ensure that if your patrol is in the China Sea, then you will need to remember that you will be in shallow waters and as a result, you will not be able to dive towards or below test depth. Reports received today, say that the Japanese lost a lot of aircraft at the Battle of Santa Cruz, so Tokyo would like a trophy from the US. Make sure it isn't you and your crew.
Usual China Seas reminder, but above all remember your training and use the experience of your last patrol to guide you and your crew back home next month. God speed. - Captain Lyndon Woodbury - SUBRON Commander ALL Boats have been upgraded with: SJ Radar - July 1942 and Modified MK 14 Torpedoes (Dud 1-3) - August 1942
Ships on Patrol:USS Cavalla - silentshark USS Grunt - crushedhat Currently at Sea
USS Seal - tamari USS Catfish - cajun USS Haddock - keyboy RefitUSS Defiant - wsmithjr - December 1942 USS Stingray - captbridge - December 1942 USS Blackfish - keyboy - December 1942 USS Cuttlefish - gregory smith - January 1943 USS Pontus - gridz - February 1943 --------------------------------- Special Instructions: None--------------------------------- [P1a]Patrol Assignment 1942 Jul-Dec Patrols
China Sea ( Shallow Water - Cannot exceed test depth)None SolomansUSS Cavalla - silentshark USS Grunt - crushedhat Java SeaNone IndochinaNone Indochina (M)None Important Information needed in Patrol Report
Boat Name and ID: Commanders Name: Patrol Assignment: Successful Patrol: Yes or No Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: (Include ship name) Number of War Ships Sank: (Include ship name) Capital Ships Sunk: (Include ship name) Total Tonnage Destroyed: Special Assignment Completed: Yes, No, or N/A Refit Time: Awards Requested:
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Post by crushedhat on Jul 23, 2017 2:15:53 GMT
24 December 1942USS Grunt pulls into Brisbane harbor, her crew ready to celebrate the holidays, unaware of the recent local trouble between the allies (see Battle of Brisbane). Standard Report FormatBoat ID: USS Grunt Successful Patrol: Yes Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: 1 Number of Non-Capital Warships Sank: 0 Capital Ships Sank: 0 Total Tonnage Destroyed: 2,800 Special Assignment Completed: NA Refit Time: 1 month, ready Feb 43 Awards Requested: Gold Star to Combat Patrol Insignia for entire crew Battle Star for Submarine Narrative: Grunt was returning to the Solomons for its fourth combat patrol, though this one was to prove far less profitable than our previous trip there. We left Brisbane on 3 November, arriving in our assigned patrol area on the 14th on the tail end of a multi-day battle between the US Navy and the IJN. Perhaps this was a contributing factor to the lack of traffic we were to experience over the next two months. Hoping to catch more Japanese supply runs, I once again patrolled New Georgia Sound and Bougainville Strait. The night of the 19th we encountered two small freighters (2,800 and 2,000 tons) accompanied by a 28-GO escort (400 tons). I initiated a surface torpedo attack from medium range, firing three torpedoes each at the two Marus and two of the stern fish at the escort. All, three fish hit the larger of the two freighters, blowing it to pieces. Unfortunately, the remainder of our torpedoes missed. There was a tense moment as Sound reported high-speed screws heading our way and then one of the lookouts spotted the wake of a runaway torpedo. Quick maneuvering saved Grunt form being sunk by one of her own fish. In all the chaos, the escort was unable to locate us and we continued shadowing her and the other Maru, making another attack, this time submerged, at medium range. Three torpedoes were fired at the remaining freighter and three at the escort. WE completely missed the escort and, while two fish hit the Maru, they were both duds. This time the escort detected us, though evasive maneuvering on our part rendered the brief attack ineffective, after which the escort gave up. Given the lack of luck with this target, and the fact that we still had the bulk of the patrol ahead of us, I decided not to pursue further. As it turned out, that may have been a mistake. The day before Thanksgiving (26 Nov), radar reported a contact. After a fruitless day of chasing elusive blips, we had nothing to show for it but fatigue and frustration. We heard about the heavy damage the Navy took off Tassafaronga on the 30th. And then, on 3 December the lookouts spotted a mast on the horizon. As we approached, it turned out to be another small freighter (3,200 tons) escorted by another 28-GO. Not wanting to fire the Mk14s in the daylight, due to their telltale trail making them both easier to dodge and us easier to detect, I chose to trail the target till nightfall. Unfortunately, a sudden squall caused us to lose them before we could get into attack position. That was to be our last enemy contact this patrol. With supplies running low, not to mention spirits, I headed for Brisbane two weeks later. Only upon arriving did we hear about the riots between the US and Aussies in Brisbane around Thanksgiving. Fortunately the situation had had time to cool off and the crew were happy to be back in time for Christmas, Grunt pulling into Brisbane on Christmas Eve. Especially given that they would be on leave over the Christmas/New Years holidays. Grunt should be ready to patrol again in Febraury. Hopefully it’ll be a more profitable venture. Respectfully submitted, Neil Balaton, LCdr, USN, commanding USS Grunt
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Post by silentshark on Jul 23, 2017 19:41:33 GMT
Boat Name and ID: USS Cavalla (SS-244) Commanders Name: Eugene Fluckey Patrol Date: November 1942 (1 month patrol) Patrol Assignment: Solomons (3rd Patrol) Special Assignment Completed: NA Successful Patrol: Yes
Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: 0 Number of War Ships Sank: 0 Capital Ships Sunk: 1 Total Tonnage Destroyed: 21,000 (40,600)
Ships Sank: November 17th, 1942 - CVE Shinyo 21,000t
Ships Damaged: NA
Refit Time: 3 months, ready for patrol March 1943
Awards Requested: Navy Cross for LCDR Eugene Fluckey Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia for crew Battle Star for Sub
Notes: Sailed from Brisbane on November 1st.
Smooth transit to Patrol area, zero encounters along the way.
On the evening of November 17th, approximately 200 nautical miles NW of New Ireland, made contact with CVE Shinyo.
Attacked from the surface and at medium range with a full spread - 4 torpedoes from forward and 4 from the aft tubes.
Also launched forward tubes 5 and 6 sending fish towards the CVE's closest escort, DD Shimakaze, weighing in at 2600t.
1 torpedo hit the DD and failed to detonate, immediately alerting the destroyer to our presence. The destroyer moves to our location at flank speed.
Moments later, 5 fish hit Shinyo, 4 detonate and nearly split the CVE in half. Burning and heavily damaged, she somehow finds the strength to remain afloat.
I dive the boat and order a course directly towards the aproaching destroyer.
The DD's well trained skipper executes a text book counter attack and scores severel hits on our boat, damaging the radio and SD radar. Diesel engine #2 is also damaged.
I order the boat down below test depth, but the enemy is still able to detect our location.
The destroyer moves in for a second pass.
I order the boat all ahead and at full speed but I am unable to escape the blast. The dive planes are damaged and a fuel tank begins leaking.
I order the boat deeper. This causes some damage to the hull.
The destroyer detects us and launches a third wave of depth charges.
We quickly change course and speed - this time manuvering away from the majority of the blast but diesel #1 is damaged and we begin to take on water.
The crew is able to stop the leaks and prevent further flooding.
I order the boat even deeper.
The intense amount of pressure causes even more damage to our hull but the extreme depth allows us to lose the enemy escort.
I surface the boat hours later. Water is pumped out and the diesel engines are repaired. Unfortunately, the radio, SD radar, dive planes and fuel tank have been damaged beyond repair.
With a leaking fuel tank, I am forced to abort the patrol but not before sending the enemy CVE to Davy Jones's locker!
From long range and periscope depth, I fire 6 more torpedoes at CVE Shinyo. 3 hit, 1 explodes, breaks her back and sends her under.
It was a risky move to attack with inoperable dive planes and a leaking fuel tank but the range of the attack and cover of darkness, combined with another dive well below test depth, provided us a safe escape from the scene.
A course is set for Australia.
We arrive in Brisbane on November 28th.
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Post by keyboy on Jul 24, 2017 0:48:21 GMT
30th December 1942
To: Vice Admiral Thomas T. Tompkins
Submarine Squadron 9 (SUBRON 9) Report: Two US submarines set sail from Brisbane from the 1st November 1942 onwards. I submit the following results.
Submarine | Freighters Sunk | Tankers Sunk | Warships Sunk | Capital Ship Sunk | Total Sunk | Status | USS Grunt
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,800 tons | Refit | USS Cavalla
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21,000 tons | Refit | Totals
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23,800 tons |
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Both submarines completed a successful patrol and each will receive a Battle Star.
Both Captains completed a successful patrol and each will receive the Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia.
US Submarines Lost: NonePROMOTIONSLCDR Dreux Barbier of the USS Catfish promoted to the rank of CDRAWARDS AND DECORATIONS
NAVY CROSSLCDR Eugene Fluckey of the USS Cavalla----------------------------- SILVER STAR
None---------------------------- BRONZE STARNone-------------------------------- PURPLE HEARTNone------------------------------- UNIT AWARDS NoneSincerely yours
Captain Lyndon Woodbury, Submarine Squadron 9 Commanding
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