TO:                 Submarine Commanders, SubRon 4A

 

FROM:           ComSubPac / ComSubRon 4A

 

DATE:            March 1945 

 

SUBJECT:   Mission Orders (Cycle 14 April 2003)

 

RMKS: 1       Admiral Spruance, Commanding Fifth Fleet and Task force 58, is formulating an attack on the Island of Iwo Jima in the Bonins, code named ‘Operation Detachment’. Iwo Jima must be secured as a stepping stone to the Japanese mainland for our B-29 Aircraft. An Amphibious landing will follow the air strikes.

 

RMKS: 2       The U.S. Airforce will launch an all-out fire raid against Japan. These B-29’s, based in the Marianas, will target Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka, Yokohama and Kawasaki. All boats assigned to Empire Waters will support this operation and provide LifeGuard support as needed.

 

RMKS: 3       An intelligence message states that the Japanese intend to try to evacuate some stranded pilots from the north of Luzon to Formosa by submarine. Any commander who encounters an IJN submarine between Luzon and Formosa will make every effort to sink it.

 

RMKS: 4       Following our successful January landings upon Luzon in the Philippine Islands a new submarine base will be established at Subic Bay. The tender U.S.S. Fulton is presently loading in Brisbane for departure to Subic Bay with the advance contingent. With luck the Seabees will have the new construction completed before the spring monsoon arrives.

 

RMKS: 5       Very few IJN Capitol Ships remain. Intelligence believes that the Sea of Japan is thick with shipping. A plan to penetrate this area, code named ‘Operation Barney’ will begin, consisting of nine boats. The group, code named ‘Hell Cats’ will consist of three ‘wolf packs’ named Hep Cats, Pole Cats and Bob Cats.

 

RMKS: 6       A large Japanese merchantman, the Awa Maru, will be transporting Prisoner-of-War supplies from Meiji, Japan to Singapore for the relief of our captured troops, and will return via Hong Kong and Formosa to Japan. This ship will be marked with large ‘WHITE CROSSES’ on its funnel, which will be lighted at night. The State Department of the United States has classified this ship as a ‘HANDS OFF’ target and will ‘NOT, REPEAT NOT’ be attacked if sighted and is to be given a clear passage.

              

                                   

RMKS: 7       SubRons are assigned to the following areas of operation:

 

SubRon 1M              PacFlt  ~ Yellow Sea

                                    SoWesPac  ~ Malaysia

           

SubRon 2M              PacFlt ~ Formosa

                                    SoWesPac ~ Sulu Sea

 

SubRon 3A              PacFlt ~ Empire (Northern Japan NJ-1 thru NJ-4)

SoWesPac ~ South China Sea (March 1 to April 15)

 

SubRon 4A              PacFlt ~ Empire (Southern Japan SJ-5 thru 9)

                                    SoWesPac ~ Indochina

           

____________________________________________________________________________________

SubRon 4A~

 

                    PacFlt – Southern Japan

 

                    CAPT. Turner III, USS Trutta - (SJ-6 – 1 March 45-May 31 44)

                  

        CMDR. Gundersen II, USS Bowfin - (SJ-7 – 1 March 45-May 31 44)

 

        CMDR. Doyle, USS Plaice - (SJ-8 – 1 March 45-May 31 44)

 

        CMDR. Cox III, USS Redfin - (SJ-5 – 1 March 45-May 31 44)

 

        CMDR. McBeach, USS Batfish - (SJ-9 – 1 March 45-May 31 44)

                   

                    SoWesPac – Indochina

       CAPT. Edwards, USS Barbero - (IC-1 – 1 March 45-May 31 44)

       CMDR. Schow II, USS Blackfin - (IC-4 – 1 March 45-May 31 44)

                   CMDR. Hipply II, USS Blenney - (IC-2 – 1 March 45-May 31 44)

                   CMDR. Vormann, USS Puffer - (IC-3 – 1 March 45-May 31 44)

___________________________________________________________________________________                  

SubRon 5A              PacFlt ~ Empire (Northern Japan NJ-5 thru 7)

                                    SoWesPac ~ South China Sea (April 15 to May 31)

 

SubRon 6A              PacFlt ~ Formosa

                                    SoWesPac ~ Malaysia

 

SubRon 7A              PacFlt ~ Empire (Southern Japan SJ- 1 thru 4)

                                    SoWesPac ~ Java Sea

 

 

RMKS: 8       All commanders are to acknowledge these orders.

 

 

Good Luck and Good Hunting

 

CAPT. GregTurner III  
CO SubRon 4A

 

Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood

Commanding SubPacFlt

 

 

//     SENDS    //