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To: CAPT. Greg Turner III

Cc: ComSubPac

From: CMDR. James D. Cox II

Date: 24 March 1944

Subject: Patrol Report, USS Sea Dragon, SS-194 (December 02 - Cycle X)

Remarks: 4th War Patrol, USS SeaDragon

Date: 25 March 1944 Patrol Area: Southern Japan, (SJ-7)

Sub: SS-194 USS SeaDragon Class: Salmon/Sargo

Crew: Elite Status: Operational

Hull Damage: (0%) System Damage: (0%)

Total Patrol Time: 20.5 Days Repair Time: 0 Days

Fuel Used: 70,472 Gallons (70%) Realism Rating: 95%

Ships Sunk: 6 Tonnage: 56,342 / 18,762

Pilots Saved: 0 Photo Recons: 0

Weather: Partly Cloudy Seas: Moderate

Patrol Mileage: 395 Nautical Miles

Ordnance Remaining: 0 - MK 14 Torpedo’s, 0 – Deck Gun Rounds.

(Silent Hunter Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star + V)

Date Time Location Ship Type Tonnage Status

1) 13 Mar 44 22:57 33-31N x 135-52E (CL) Nagara 5,570 SUNK

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2) 13 Mar 44 23:09 33-31N x 135-52E (CL) Kuma 5,832 SUNK

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3) 13 Mar 44 23:14 33-31N x 135-52E (CA) Takao 15,780 SUNK

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4) 14 Mar 44 10:25 33-16N x 136-18E (DD) Fubuki N/A SUNK

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5) 14 Mar 44 10:31 33-17N x 136-17E Oil Tanker 14,970 SUNK

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6) 14 Mar 44 11:21 33-23N x 136-05E Standard Merchant 14,190 SUNK

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7) 14 Mar 44 11:21 33-23N x 136-05E Oil Tanker N/A DAM

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Total: 56,342 Raw / 18,762 Adjusted

Damage Sustained:

None

Commander's Comments:

Left Pearl Harbor on the (Saturday) 4th of March 1944: For the Southern Japan area.

Arrived in Southern Japan Area (Sunday) 12th of March 1944 at 13:24 hrs. Started moving North, Northwest, at periscope depth by day, and on the surface at night (SJ-7) to get between Kii Suido and Ise Wan off of Honshu, Japan.

Arrived at between Kii Suido and Ise Wan on the (Monday) 13th of March 1944 at 12:35 hrs. Picked out a good spot along the coastline, where the water was half-ass deep. Headed northeast at 1/3 speed. Using the radar as the SeaDragon eye's, to pickup enemy shipping. Doubled the lookouts for enemy aircraft. Nothing picked up until about 20:00 hrs. at 32,000 yds. on radar the 13th. When radar picked up a "lucky" contact along the coast line. Watching it on radar for about 30 minutes. The contact did not look like it was moving at all. Ordered SeaDragon too standard speed, and closed on the contact.

At 22:30 hrs. the SeaDragon was about 15,000 yds. from the target by radar. Slowed to 1/3 speed. When lookout's spotted the contact visionally at about 10,000 yds. looked like the ship's were at anchor, and ordered the SeaDragon to periscope depth. At 8,000 yds., I looked through the periscope to find 1-CA, 2-CL, 3-DD's at anchor, with 2-DD's patrolling around the spot of the cruiser's pinging away at a speed of 24 kts.

Moved in from the Southwest at a course of 040 degrees, at 1/3 spd. to give the SeaDragon a fighting chance if the 2-DD's picked up the SeaDragon, as we moved in to a range of 3,000 yds. to pick off the cruiser's with Mk-18's. Setup 3 Mk-18's from the bow, One torpedo each for the cruiser's. Before firing the torpedo's, I ordered the SeaDragon to "all stop," To give the SeaDragon a good fighting chance. Fired 3 torpedo's, as each one went to there target's. Heard 3 hit's, raised perscope for a look see. As the 2-DD's went crazy trying to find us, as they moved in on the cruiser's to help them in anyway they can. As the torpedo's be came reload again. We set still in the water, not making a sound. All but the forward torpedo room. As the torpedo's were setup too do there job again.

Fired 3 more Mk-18's again, same as before. Heard 3 more hit's. This time the 2-DD's are going crazy trying to find out where the torpedo's are coming from, as the DD's moved East. Setup 3-Mk-18's on the cruiser's again, same as before. Took a look see out the periscope to find out what was going on with the 2-DD's, only to find the Nagara Light Cruiser was getting up steam to start moving.

Setup 2 of the Mk-18's on the Nagara Light Cruiser, and fired. As the 18's were racing to there target. I ordered 2 more torpedo's for a total of 4 setup, (3-Mk-18's, 1-Mk-14 all total). On the second order, 1-Mk-18, and 1-Mk-14 (Mk-14 set for slow) with one targeting the Takao Class Heavy Cruiser, and one targeting at the Kuma Class Light Cruiser a few minute's later (about 8 minute's I think) with a boardside of 1-Mk14 from the bow (at the Kuma) and 1-Mk-18 (at the Takao) from the stern, as the SeaDragon was ordered to 1/3 speed, and 35 degrees to starboard all within the 8 minute's I think to put the stren tube's in to play. The 2-DD's at this time were pointed away from the SeaDragon pinging away at 16 kts., with NO Xmas bell's singing in the background. Heard 2 hit's, raised the periscope to see are work, only to find the Nagara Class Light Cruiser going to the bottom, and a few minute's later another hit on the Takao Class Heavy Cruiser. One of the torpedo's missed the Kuma Class. About 1 to 2 minute's later heard an explosion in the distance. Raised the periscope again to find the 2-DD's heading to where the explosion was triggered.

Setup 1 torpedo's (Mk-18) on the Kuma, an fired. About 2 maybe 3 minute's later she was on her way too the bottom too. Looked around for the DD's, But couldn't see them throught the periscope. Moving at 1/3 speed away from the area. Setup 1-Mk-14 (Set for slow) on the CA. Putting her on the bottom at 23:14 hrs., as at this time the SeaDragon was @ 2/3 speed now, and going for deep water too make good her escape, with 5 stern torpedo's left.

(Tuesday) 14th of March, 1944. Started the morning with lookout's doubled, and radar ON. "Cookie" came to the radar room with coffee me, as I was looking at the radar screen for any contact's. At about mid-morning, radar picked up a contact bearing 135 degrees, the SeaDragon was pointed at 180 degrees, setting on the surface re-charging batterys. Ordered up standard speed, with a course of 45 degrees to intercept the contact.

At 09:00hrs. we were about 15,000 yds. away by what the radar was telling us. Ordered the lookout's to look shape, as we were getting close to the contact. At 09:30hrs. lookouts spotted the convoy visionally. Found that the convoy was heading on a course of 220 degrees, speed 8 kts., Ordered the SeaDragon too radar depth, with a new course of 220 degrees, and a speed 2/3kts. On the way down to radar depth, we spotted a lone Destroyer going down the starboard side of the convoy at 24 kts., and 6 Merchant ship's heading 220 degrees, speed of 8kts., If everything went right, where the SeaDragon was the convoy would come along the starboard side, at a distance of 2,500 to 3,500 yds. away. Just the right range for the 6-Mk-18's, & 1-Mk-14 in the aft torpedo room.

At 09:40hrs. ordered the SeaDragon to periscope depth, with the convoy still coming on. At a course of 220 degrees, spd. 8kts., Range: 10,000 yds., Ordered the SeaDragon to 1/3 speed, and kept a close eye on the convoy. Still only one lone destroyer in the group of ship's coming across from the starboard side to the port side of the convoy. Now this guy (DD) is about to mess up a good thang.

Setup 4 torpedo's (All Mk-18's) in a group of two each. Targeted 2-Oil Tanker's in the rear of the convoy, 1-Tanker on the port side and 1-Tanker in the middle rear of the convoy. Fired all 4 torpedo's at a range of about 2,400 yds. heard 4 hit's, raised the periscope, only to find 1-Tanker burning, looked to my left about 10 to 20 degrees only too find that lone DAMN Destroyer sinking. "Where the HELL did he come from." Turned the SeaDragon to a course of 145 degrees, and waited for the stern tube's to be loaded. As the stern tube's came up one-by-one from reload, I fired the first one at a Standard Merchant, getting a hit on her. Fired another 2-Mk-18's at her, only get miss'es. 1-Mk-14 at the burning tanker, only to get one hit from the Mk-14. Out of torpedo's, ordered the SeaDragon to the surface for deck action, and a new course of 330 degrees. Put the burnin Oil Tanker on the bottom with deck gun's. Turned the deck gun on the Standard Merchant, putting her on the bottom. With 26 deck rounds left try'ed to put another Oil Tanker on the bottom, Only to have the other 3 ship's, an her (Burning Oil Tanker) to escape from the SeaDragon.

( Wednesday Night ) Left SJ-7, 15th March, 1944: Heading for open water, This "old rust buck" of a war horse can get us home. What a patrol?

( Friday ) 24th of March, 1944: We made it. Pearl Harbor is just around the bend. This crew did it's job on war patrol number 4 in the SeaDragon. Man it's good to be home.

CMDR. James D. Cox II, USN

CO: USS SeaDragon, SS-194

U.S. Navy

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