TO: Submarine Commanders / SubRon 4A

 

FROM: ComSubPac / ComSubRon 4A, (CMDR Greg Turner II)

 

DATE: February 1943

SUBJECT: Mission Orders (Cycle 6 August 2002)

RMKS: 1 As your are aware, with the death of the late Rear Admiral Robert English, I have been appointed to replace him as Commander Submarines Pacific Fleet. I will look forward to working with all of you…

RMKS: 2 ONI, FRUMEL has suffered a severe setback of their code-breaking operations. On 29 January the New Zealand corvettes H.M.S. Kiwi and H.M.S. Moa, operating in the Guadalcanal area, intercepted the IJN submarine I-1. The submarine was loaded with Japanese code books. The Kiwi and Moa cornered and rammed the I-1 and drove her ashore in a sinking condition. Some of the crew and burned some of the code books, but many were left on the hulk. Unfortunately some of the crew escaped capture and made it to Rabal and reported the loss of the books and possible capture by allied forces. The Japanese have altered their coding procedures and issued new code books. There for the intelligence information regarding ship movements is minimal.

RMKS: 3 Premature explosions and dud torpedoes continue to be a baffling issue. I am not however convinced that the fault lies in the Magnetic Exploder. While many commanders that the device should be deactivated in favor of contact hits, commanding officers are ordered to employ the magnetic exploder during all attacks on the enemy.

RMKS: 4 SubSoWesPac is pursuing the development of an advanced base, code named ‘Potshot’ in the Exmouth Gulf on the Northwest coast of Australia where the tender Pelias will be stationed. This is expected to reduce, by 1000 miles, the distance that our submarines will have to traverse to reach their patrol areas.

RMKS: 5 All commanders are to be maximum alert when attacking unescorted merchants. One of our boats attacked a lone merchant last month only to find it to be an armed Q-ship. This Q-ship fired on our boat and than dropped several patterns of depth charges which caused extensive minor damage to the boat. "KEEP ALERT"

RMKS: 6 SubRons are assigned to the following areas of operation:

SubRon 1M PacFlt – Mariana Islands (special mission)

SoWesPac – Sulu Sea

SubRon 2M PacFlt – Palau Islands

SoWesPac – Java S

SubRon 3A PacFlt – Empire (Southern Japan)

SoWesPac – South China Sea

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SubRon 4A ~

                                                                                                                                                                          

                       PacFlt  - Aleutian Islands     

             CMDR Turner II, USS Gato (Aleutians –AL-1 – April 43 - May 43)                                                                                          

  LCDR Cox, USS Swordfish (Aleutians – AL-1 –  May 43)

 

 LCDR Gundersen, USS Pogy (Aleutians – AL-2 – March 43 - April 43)

 

 LCDR Bearden II, USS Trigger (Aleutians – AL-1 – March 43 - April 43)

 

 LCDR Doyle, USS Steelhead (Aleutians – AL-2 – April 43 - May 43)

 

                   SubSoWesPac – Solomon Islands

                                                                                   

            LCDR Edwards, USS Growler (Solomon Islands – SI-1+2 –March 43 – May 43)

 

LCDR Schow II, USS Greenling (Solomon Islands – SI-3+4 – March 43 - May43)

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SubRon 5A PacFlt – Caroline Islands

SoWesPac – Philippine Islands

SubRon 6A PacFlt – Empire (Northern Japan) (special mission)

SoWesPac – Indochina

SubRon 7A PacFlt – Yellow Sea

SoWesPac – Malaysia (special mission)

SubRon 8A PacFlt – Formosa

SoWesPac – TF-42 (Solomon’s) (special mission)

COMMENTS: All Boats going to the Solomon Islands will be under operational control of Task Force 42.

 All commanders are to Acknowledge receipt of these orders.

Good Hunting and God’s Speed

CMDR. GregTurner II
CO SubRon 4A                                                                                                                                                                      

Good Luck and Good Hunting

Rear Admiral Charles A. Lockwood

Commanding SubPacFlt

 

// SENDS //