/ / IMMEDIATE / /
To: ComSubRon 4A
CC: ComSubPac
From: LCDR K.S. McBeach
Date:
24 March 1944
Subject: Patrol Report, Cycle 10 (December 2002)
Remarks: 2nd War Patrol USS Gato
Sub: USS Gato, SS-212 Class:
Gato
Hull
damage: Light (5%) System Damage: None (0%)
Crew: Green Status:
Operational
Total
Patrol Time: 24 Days Repair Time: 1 Day
Fuel
Used: 71,573 Gallons Realism
Rating: 109%
Ships
Sunk: 10 Tonnage:
68,470 / 22,800
Warships:
0 Merchants:
10
Pilots
Saved: 0 Photo
Recons: 0
Weather:
Clear Sea:
Calm
Patrol
Mileage: 754 Nautical Miles
Ordnance Remaining: 0 - MK 18-1 Torpedo’s, 51 - Deck Gun Rounds.
(Medals Awarded: Navy Cross, Bronze Star)
1) 12 March 44 12:46 33-12N, 135-30E Oil Tanker 9620 SUNK
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2) 12 March 44 12:46 33-12N,
135-30E Oil Tanker 9620 SUNK
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3) 12 March 44 12:46 33-12N,
135-30E Oil Tanker 9620 SUNK
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4) 12 March 44 13:09 32-15N,
135-30E Large Freighter 5030 SUNK
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5) 12 March 44 18:34 32-43N,
135-29E CFS 5380 SUNK
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6) 12 March 44 22:13 33-07N, 134-49E Oil Tanker 4360 SUNK
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7) 12 March 44 22:13 33-07N,
134-49E AMC 6670 SUNK
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8) 13 March 44 01:13 33-06N, 134-44E CFS 3650 SUNK
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9) 14 March 44 04:12 33-37N,
134-50E Oil Tanker 12510 SUNK
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10) 14 March 44 18:33 32-56N, 134-29E Small Freighter 2010 SUNK
Total: 68,470 / 22,800
Damage
Sustained:
1.
Officer's Quarters - Moderate
2. Fwd Battery - Moderate
Aircraft
Encountered:
8+
Depth
Charges +Bombs:
26 DC + 21 Bombs + 44 shells
Commander’s Comments:
RMKS/1. 1 of March 1944, Received orders to patrol in SJ-7 in Southern
Japan
RMKS/2. 2 of March 1944, Leaving Pearl Harbor for Southern
Japan (SJ-7). Estimate 9-10 days to the Patrol Area. Estimated use of fuel,
32,000 gal. USS Gato is loaded with 24 Mk 18-1 Torpedoes.
RMKS/3. 11 of March 1944, Entered the area of Southern Japan
in the evening. Calm sea, Clear weather. Used 31,740 gallons so far. 85,482
gallons left, plenty for patrolling. Making good speed on 2 eng. STD (14 knots).
The sub. is ready for battle, the crew is drilled and in good mood. Plan to
patrol the bay south of Kii Suido, not to close to the mines if I can avoid it.
RMKS/4. 20:04, Radar contact at B342,
D9,000 yards. Continue on high scope to investigate.
20:06, Visual contact (#1
contact). Sampans heading south, I manoeuvre to avoid. Don't want the
Japs to know I'm in the area to soon. Come to due East.
RMKS/5. 22:53, Entered patrol zone SJ-7, clear night with a
full moon. Manage to get a good position fix.
RMKS/6. 12 of March 1944 03:38, Seems to be another day clear weather and calm
sea. Will have to patrol submerged during daytime. Radar
contact B320, D32,800 yards.
RMKS/7. 03:50, Radar plot gives target Heading 098, 14kn at 27,000
yards, Bearing 324
03:55, Updated Plot, H135, 13kn at
23,200 yards, Bearing 327
04:00, Target Heading 145, 12kn at
20,000 yards, Bearing 328. Seems to be a big convoy with six escorts according
to reading. Will follow at horizon distance to establish target ID and try to
come in to position.
RMKS/8. 06:00, Visual on escort (#2 contact). I follow at parallel
course on high scope.
06:23, Visual on STD Merchant
at 12,000 yards 15kn Heading 098 Bearing 332. Dive to establish thermal layer.
Sea is Iso thermal down to 400 feet.
RMKS/9, 06:33, Closing up on SJ-8. aborting attack come too due
West. Stay submerged for patrol the rest of the day. Sending position report on
convoy. Dive to patrol at RD.
RMKS/10. 11:29, Radar contact B000, D33,000 yards
11:31, SD Radar
contact at 17,000 yards. Enemy fighter sighted at 6,000 yards dive,
level at 150 feet. (#1 air contact)
11:41, SD radar clean, SJ radar contact at
29,000 yards B000, Battery at 440V
11:51, Radar plot gives target Heading
068, 13kn at 26,000 yards B003
RMKS/11. 12:09, Visual on Merchant B301 (#3 contact), Radar reading gives a 3 column, 2-row
convoy.
12:11, Contact on SD radar. Dive to look
for thermal layer. (none)
12:27, enemy fighter spotted at B335
D5,000 yards Heading NNE.
12:34, down to Pd, coming to 271 at 1/3. Establish
two enemy fighters covering the convoy. No escorts present. Convoy heading East
at 6,000 yards, Three Oil Tankers ID, One in front row to the right and. Two in
the back row to the left and middle. Level at 80 feet moving in for attack
position. Fwd torpedo’s on back row OT and aft torpedo’s on the front row OT.
12:42, at Pd updating plot, Target at
2,200 yards, level at 80 feet.
12:44, starting attack. Fired Tube 7-8
angle 085` at Starboard front row OT at 1,600 yards
Tube
1-2 angle 355` at port back row OT at 1,500 yards
Tube
3-4 angle 050` at starboard back row OT at 1,350 yards
Level at 100 feet, come to West. Following the
convoy.
12:46, Sonar picking up three targets
breaking up. Coming to Pd to confirm.
12:47, Air cover closing in, CFS forward
450 yards, hip shot. Tube 5-6, Dive come to 025` FULL ahead.
12:52, CFS ship hit and burning CFS H170`
at 6.6kts Dive, 4 Bombs dropped, (close)
13:05, Getting fire solution on LF, fire
Tube 1 at 1,600 yards. coming around, fire Tube 7 and 10 at 2,000 yards.
13:09, LF sinking.
13:11, Enemy fighters still in the area. On
SD radar at 4,000 yards moving away, no visual. Level at 150 feet come to 170
speed 2/3
13:50, CFS at 7,000 yards. Battery at
180V, SD radar clean. Level at 20 feet. Attacking with deck gun. 4 shells
shoot, first missed. SD radar contact, closing in fast. New fix on CFS at 4.5
kts, dive level at 120 feet. 3
Bombs dropped. (not close)
14:00, CFS at 5,000 yards doing 4.5kts,
Batteries at 160V. The fighters are still in the area. Will have to come down
to 1/3 and put some slack on the Freighter until evening. Level at 100 feet 1/3
ahead.
15:03, Batt at 100V still aircraft keeping
me down.
15:40, Batt at 60V, CFS at 7,000 yards
dead counting
16:12, No visual on fighters, SD radar
contact at 3,000 yards
17:13, 40V, Would like the fighters to
leave.
17:33, SD radar clean, going up to 20
feet. SD radar contact. CFS at 12,000 yards. Back down to 80 feet. Sun set at
18.02 AC will have to go home by then.
18:10, 30V on the battery and on the surface,
all ahead FLANK.
18:20, Visual on CFS.
18:27, CFS at 5,900 yards, I am opening
fire with the deck gun.
18:34, 24 shells, two missed, Target
destroyed. Back to Patrol destination, 2/3 ordered. Time to recharge the
batteries.
RMKS/12. 20:57, New surface contact B028` at 34,000 yards.
21:13, Radar plot gives target at 24,000
yards, Heading 171` at 12kts. Come to 252` all ahead FULL.
RMKS/13. 21:40, Visual on enemy convoy (#4 contact). Dive, come to 350. Radar gives a single
column convoy with 4 escorts. One in each corner. At 6,000 yards B083` doing
11kts, Heading 183`. STD ahead. Coming ahead of the convoy. Come to 183`. The
sea seems Isothermal this time of the year or the layer is too deep. Have the
84-fathom ground to my SW, At Pd 630 feet under keel and decreasing. Four ships
in the convoy. LF, CFS, OT and Last an AMC. Convoy at 3,000 yards H183` at 11
kts. Level at 120 feet and letting the escort pass.
22:11, at Pd OT passing on starboard at
500 yards, Firing order.
1. Tube 1-3 on CFS.
2. Tube 7-9 on AMC.
3. Tube 5-6 on OT.
All torpedo’s will hit within a 10 sec
difference. OT hit at sinking AMC and CFS on fire. Fire T10 at AMC distance 600
yards. Fire T4 at CFS at 1,600 yards. AMC hit and sinking. T4 missed target,
the CFS is evading. Incoming DD's, diving hard evading manoeuvres to the east.
Active pinging on the hull, all ahead FLANK, level at 450 feet. (Hull sounds at
420 feet) 223 feet under keel. 13 DC dropped shaking us pretty hard.
22:38, In a wheel 5 DC' dropped. PH
damaged in OQ, Fwd Battery damaged. Level at 100 feet. 8 more DC's at big
depth's not close, moving out of the wheel. DD's moving aft. 26 DC dropped
total.
22:48, at Pd, pinging aft, no visual.
Moving away from the pinging. Rd, doing 2/3, Lonely echo at 10,800 yards Escort
at 8,000 yards. Come to West, FULL ahead.
00:48, CFS visual at 7,300 yards H343`
doing 2.3 kts. Surface at 5,000 yards open fire with deck gun.
01:13, CFS sinking 9 shells used 3 missed.
RMKS/14. 13 of March 19 44 06:41, Calm sea, Clear weather. Just about to prepare
for dive, for submerged day patrol when the radar watch called out a SJ radar
contact B033` at 35,000 yards.
06:49, Radar plot gives Target at 32,000
yards doing 10 kts at H200`, come to 110` all ahead FULL.
RMKS/15. 07:16, Visual on a STD Merchant at 19,000 yards doing 15knots H185`. (#5 contact) Identifying
2 STDM, 3 LF and 1 escort, saving my three torpedo’s for an OT. Breaking off.
RMKS/16. 11:27, Multiple contacts at B165` D32,200 yards.
11:46, SD radar contact at 17,000 yards.
11:47, Radar plot gives target at 27,600
yards doing 12 knots H021` come to 021`
12:10, Updating Radar plot, Target at
19,000 yards, 16 kts, H022`. Probably a Heavy guarded Merchant convoy.
RMKS/17. 12:28, at PD, Visual on 2 escorts at 13,000 yards (#6
contact) Difficult to get a good radar plot due to the size of the
convoy. Convoy probably on route Heading 030`.
RMKS/18. 12:45, Visual contact on a 3 column convoy. Aircraft spotted.
13:04, all ships identified, 7 LF, One CFS
and 9 (nine) Escorting ships. Heading 0371 at 11 kts. Dive, level at 200 feet,
leaving the area.
RMKS/19. 15:48, at Rd. New surface contact on SJ radar, B278` at 32,000 yards (Batt
360V)
15:59, Radar plot gives contact at 30,200
yards, 13kts heading 224`
16:00, SURFACE, come to NW, FULL ahead.
RMKS/20. 16:07, Air contact on SD radar.
16:15,
Visual on a CV group H210` at 23kts (#7 contact)
D20,000 yards. Airplanes coming in fast, crash dive. Level at 200 feet come to
East. Leaving the area. 14 Bombs dropped by planes. 6 pinging contacts to my
north drifting West. 2 Explosions on distance, probably DC dropped at random.
RMKS/21. 18.27, Surface to recharge and send contact report.
RMKS/22. 21:23, New contact on SJ radar, B006` D33,800 yards
21:30, Radar plot gives contact at 29,000
yards, 15 kts, H159`.
21:40, Updating radar plot. Contact at
21,100 y, 13.5 kts, H159`.
22:00, Target at 8,000 y, 14 kts, H159`.
Radar gives a 3 column, 3 row convoy.
RMKS/23. 22:03, DD spotted at B000`, looks like a Shiratsuyu class. (#8contact)
22:13, Convoy seems to have changed course
to 094`, come to 090` to go around.
23:54, Two AMC sighted heading 093` doing
15 kts, One OT identified. The convoy is leaving my PZ. Wasn't able to get a
good position for an attack. Sending a contact report.
RMKS/25. 14 March 1944 02:34, At Course 270`. Radar
contact B009` at 33,300 yards.
02:43, Radar plot gives contact at 25,800
yards doing 19 kts Heading 080`
02:50, Updating plot. Contact at 26,400
yards, doing 9.3 kts H032`, Come to 348`, STD ahead.
03:18, at Course 359. Contact at 17,900 y,
13 kts, H033`, Closing minefield, FULL ahead.
03:28, Contact at 14,900 y, 15 kts, H032`
03:51, Have to come in position is about 6
miles from Kii Suido. Come to C301`.
04:00, Come to 258` Rd ordered, STD speed.
Sonar picked up Low speed screw B326` at 45 feet. 1/3 ahead, multiple sonar
contacts just ahead.
RMKS/26. Visual
on convoy 3,000 yards ahead, (#9contact) come to
Pd. 4 column, 2-row convoy. OT in front row, second ship from the left. That is
my target :-) 566 feet under keel. At 750y, 100% solution. Fire Tube 1-2 at OT.
04:12, OT hit and sinking. Got a good
solution on SF aft of OT. Fire Tube 3 at 600y.
04:13, SF hit and burning. Escort closing
from behind. Dive and evading to the south.
05:30, Lost ping contact. Heading SSW, no
torpeodo’s left. Plotting course out of the PA. Staying submerged for the rest
of the day letting the crew rest. Have been some intensive couple of days.
RMKS/27. 15:22, At Rd. Single radar contact at B281`, D30,000y. The crew is still
"hungry". SURFACE to investigate.
RMKS/28. 16:00, Visual B300` (#10contact) A burning ship
heading 247` at 4.3 kts. Seems to be my SF!?? I damaged this morning.
Fantastic, what are they doing here?
18:00, The ship is passing on my port
side. It is soon dark.
18:28, level at 20 feet ahead 1/3. prepare
to fire Deck Gun. Open Fire at 5,000 y. The ship is manoeuvring towards us.
18:33, ship is sinking. Took seven shells,
2 missed. No survivals spotted. Come to South
back on route out of the P.A.
RMKS/29. 15 of March 00:10, New Radar contact at 10,000y. Probably
sampans. Manoeuvre to avoid.
03:22, Leaving the Southern Japan P.A,
Calm sea, Clear Weather. 754 patrolling miles. Can't wait to see Pearl Harbour.
RMKS/30. 24 of March, Entering Pearl Harbor. :-)))
Torpedo Performance:
Hits = 23
Duds = 0
Premature = 0
Miss = 1
Comments: RMKS/12. 12:47. I Suspect
tube 5 or 6 missed due to the amount of shells needed to sink the CFS. But none
was noticed.
LCDR K.S. McBeach
USS Gato, SS-212
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