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Post by keyboy on Oct 23, 2017 11:09:57 GMT
Patrol After Action Reports are due no later than October 29th, 2017. November 3rd 1943Good morning gentlemen, I won't take up much of your time, as I know that you are preparing to get underway. We have most 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.
With the Japanese losing the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, 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 and Mk 18 Torpedoes (Dud 1-2) - September 1943
Torpedo Loads as of September 1943: Maximum Load of 24 Torpedoes - 16 x Mk14 and 8 x Mk18 - May adjust the mix by +/- 4
Ships on PatrolUSS Catfish - cajun USS Blackfish - keyboy USS Silversides - tamari Currently at Sea
USS Grunt - crushedhat USS Haddock - keyboy USS Defiant - wsmithjr USS Redfin - captbridge RefitUSS Flasher - lars -December 1943 USS Rover - silentshark - January 1944 --------------------------------- Special Instructions: None --------------------------------- [P1a]Patrol Assignment 1943 Jul-Dec Patrols
China Sea ( Shallow Water - Cannot exceed test depth)USS Blackfish - keyboy SolomansNone MarshallsNone Marshalls (R)None Marshalls (L)USS Silversides - tamari Marianas (W)None MarianasUSS Catfish - cajun Philippines (T)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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tamari
Lieutenant Commander
Posts: 38
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Post by tamari on Oct 28, 2017 1:34:14 GMT
November and December 1943
Boat Name and ID: USS Silversides SS-236 Commanders Name: Oscar Garrard Patrol Assignment: Marshalls - Lifeguard Successful Patrol: Yes Number of Freighters or Tankers Sunk: 2 freighters (Miyaura Maru, 1900 tons / Taiko Maru, 3000 tons) Number of War Ships Sunk: 0 Capital Ships Sunk: 1, BB Yamashiro - 29,800 tons Total Tonnage Destroyed: 34,700 Special Assignment Completed: Yes Refit Time: 1 month (2 systems damaged) Ready in February 1944 Awards Requested: Battle Star, SCPI, Navy Cross
Expert Executive Officer roll needed
Silversides left Brisbane in early November, assigned to search and rescue for the invasions of Tawara and Makin. We were then free to patrol the area in December.
We rescued 3 airmen from a downed B-24, and moved to our patrol area. In the first week of December, three ships were spotted around midnight, 2 freighters with their escort. I ordered a surface attack with the bow torpedoes, and one freighter was quickly sunk, while the other limped away. The escort rattled the boat some, but we evaded her quickly. It moved to rescue those on the sinking ship, leaving the damaged one on its own. We ran it down and put enough shells on target to send it under the waves.
A few days later, a sight I thought I'd never see again came into view - another convoy containing capital ships! As happened the first time, it was in broad daylight, so we didn't have time to wait for nightfall. A fat battleship was our best choice for attack, and I decided to try the new electric torpedoes out the back. Minding that we had aviators on board, I didn't try for blank range, but accepted the middle ground and the skill of our XO to get hits.
Three torpedoes found their mark, crippling the BB. The escorts shook up the boat, but we evaded them with only minor damage. Getting another sighting, I fired two more electrics out the back, and they both hit home, causing the battleship, ID'd as the Yamashiro, to roll over and start sinking. The escorts landed some telling hits (we lost an AA gun, once again, and a Diesel engine) but we evaded them and withdrew in textbook fashion. Our second BB of the war!
No other targets were found before we headed back to base. The trip back was uneventful, and we sailed into harbor with another successful patrol.
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cajun
Lieutenant Commander
Posts: 13
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Post by cajun on Oct 31, 2017 3:22:13 GMT
Boat Name and ID: USS Catfish Commanders Name: Dreux Barbier Patrol Assignment: Marianas Successful Patrol: Yes Number of Freighters or Tankers Sunk: 2: F Tenshin Maru (4200), F Akashisan Maru (4500) Number of War Ships Sunk: 0 Capital Ships Sunk: Total Tonnage Destroyed: 8700 tonnes Special Assignment Completed: n/a Refit Time: Standard Refit Time Awards Requested: Battle Star
We ran across 2 convoys and 2 more ship + escorts. I had good hits in the first encounter, but everything else that hit was a dud.
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Post by keyboy on Nov 4, 2017 9:57:47 GMT
Boat Name and ID: USS Blackfish Commander's Name: Kurtis Mayfield Patrol Assignment: China Sea Successful Patrol: Yes Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: 3 - Koan Maru (3200t), Azusa Maru (11,400t), and Tsurushima Maru (4600t) Number of War Ships Sank: 0 Capital Ships Sunk: 0 Total Tonnage Destroyed: 19,200t Special Assignment Completed: N/A Refit Time: Standard
Award Requests: Bronze Star for CDR Kurtis Mayfield Battle Star for Sub Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia for crew
Crew Names: Crew Skill: Trained CDR Kurtis Mayfield Chief Engineer: Lt Larry Wilson, USN Pharmacist's Mate: PhM1c Earl Coleman, USN Executive Officer: Lt Christopher White, USN 3rd Officer: Lt (jg) Bobby Bryant, USN 3rd Officer: EXPERT
November 5th 1943 Having left Brisbane and out to sea, we headed for the East China Sea.
November 15th 1943 Just after dusk we reached our patrol area and were immediately presented with an unescorted freighter. The ship was identified as the Koan Maru (3200t) and it received the coup de grace from one of the two MK 14's that actually detonated, after the gunnery team had failed with one of the two full salvoes fired from the 3” Deck Gun. We looked for further targets till the early hours of the following morning, but to no avail.
December 13th 1943 After waiting a month for the next enemy contact, the crew were just waiting for an opportunity to get back into action. Early evening on the 13th, contact was made with just two escorted ships. After the solutions were plotted, I took the Blackfish to within medium range and fired a full salvo from our tubes at the three targets before submerging back beneath the waves. Three of the four eels fired at the Azusa Maru (11,400t) hit and only one of them was a dud. The torpedoes that did hit, just about did enough to slowly send the ship down. Two of the three torpedoes hit the Tsukikawa Maru (4500t) and both the MK 14 and MK 18 detonated, which was enough to sink her. Only one of the three Mk 14's hit the escort and whilst it detonated, it was not enough to sink her and I just hoped it would cause enough distraction to avoid detection. Alas, that plan failed, as we were detected immediately and fired upon. Damage was taken up on deck and Lt Larry Wilson reported that one of the diesel engines had stopped as a result of the first attack. The next attack was avoided by the use of an effective evasive maneuver. It was at this point the escorts lost contact with us and we slowly and quietly slipped away.
December 14th 1943 A day later we reached the end of our patrol and started to make our long way back to base.
December 24th 1943 Arrived in Brisbane, Australia, after traversing the rest of the Arafura Sea and finally getting to the Coral Sea, with no enemy contact on our way to the mainland, we made good speed and got back on Christmas Eve. Refit will be completed during the New Year.
USS Blackfish will be ready for the February patrol
Patrol report submitted by Commander Kurtis Mayfield, commanding the USS Blackfish, Subron 9, Pacific Fleet.
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Post by keyboy on Nov 4, 2017 10:11:32 GMT
30th December 1943
To: Vice Admiral Thomas T. Tompkins
Submarine Squadron 9 (SUBRON 9) Report: Three US submarines set sail from Brisbane from the 1st November 1943 onwards. I submit the following results.
Submarine | Freighters Sunk | Tankers Sunk | Warships Sunk | Capital Ship Sunk | Total Sunk | Status | USS Silversides
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 34,700 tons | Refit | USS Blackfish | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19,200 tons | Refit | USS Catfish | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8,700 tons | Refit | Totals
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 62,600 tons |
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All three submarines completed a successful patrol and each will receive a Battle Star.
All three Captains completed a successful patrol and each will receive the Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia.
US Submarines Lost: NonePROMOTIONSNoneAWARDS AND DECORATIONS MEDAL OF HONORNone------------------------------ NAVY CROSSLCDR Oscar Garrard of the USS Silversides----------------------------- SILVER STAR
None---------------------------- BRONZE STARCDR Kurtis Mayfield of the USS Blackfish-------------------------------- NAVY COMMENDATION RIBBON None------------------------------- PURPLE HEARTNone------------------------------- UNIT AWARDS NoneSincerely yours
Captain Lyndon Woodbury, Submarine Squadron 9 Commanding
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