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IMMEDIATE /
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From: LCDR DJ Hipply
To:
CMDR. Greg Turner II
Cc:
ComSubPac
Date: 29 December 1942
Subject: Patrol
Report, USS Porpoise (Cycle 5,
July 2002)
Remarks:
2nd War Patrol, USS Porpoise
Date: 29 December 1942 Patrol Area: Java
Sea/Formosa
Sub: USS Porpoise SS-172 Class:
P
Crew: Veteran Status: Operational
Hull Damage: Moderate System
Damage: None
Total Patrol Time:
26.5 days Repair Time: 8 Days
Fuel used: 28,580 Gallons Realism Rating: (95%)
Ships Sunk: 8 Tonnage: 87,799 /
29,237
Pilots Saved: 2 Photo Recons: 1
Weather: Overcast Seas: Heavy
Patrol Mileage: 832 Nautical Miles
Ordnance Remaining: 0 -
Mk-14, 0 -Deck Gun Rounds
(Medals
Awarded -) SubRon Special
Mission
Date Time Location Ship Type Tonnage Status
1)
25 Dec 42 10:22 07-46S,118-26E (CL) Naka
5,595 SUNK
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2)
25 Dec 42 10:34 07-46S,118-26E (CA) Myoko 14,980 SUNK
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3)
26 Dec 42 05:41 05-10S,119-16E (CVL) Zuiho 13,594 SUNK
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4)
26 Dec 42 05:50 05-10S,119-16E Armed Merchant 7,550 SUNK
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5)
26 Dec 42 05:55 05-10S,119-16E Standard Merchant 5,180 SUNK
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6)
26 Dec 42 06:14 05-10S,119-16E (CA) Tone 15,200 SUNK
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Regular
Patrol
7)
27 Dec 42 19:23 25-02N,123-01E Oil Tanker 12,850 SUNK
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8)
27 Dec 42 19:31 25-02N,123-01E Oil Tanker 12,850 SUNK
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9)
31 Dec 42 08:40 25-11N,122-23E Small Freighter 950 DAM
Total: 87,799 Raw /
29,237 Adjusted
Damage Sustained:
Hull damage – Moderate
Aircraft Shot Down:
Depth Charges:
None
Commander's
Comments:
Special Mission
RMKS/ 1. 3/12/42
Departed Midway for our assigned patrol area off Formosa. The
weapons loadout is 16 Mk-14 torpedoes and 95 deck gun shells. Sd and SJ radar
is installed.
RMKS/ 2. 12/12/42
Arrived on station at 07:11
and began patrolling for enemy shipping. The seas are moderate and the weather
is clear.
07:12 radar detected
Aircraft 17000 yds, dove to 150 ft, heading 090 d, speed 1/3.
07:35 Radar depth, all clear, surface,
proceed standard speed, charge batteries
10:10 radar detect ship contact, 7100
yds, heading 270 d
10:19 Visual contact, 8 DD,1CA, 1CL,
sub to periscope depth.
10;25 Commence attack on CA,
10:35 Fire 3 torpedoes at 10 ft, 5
seconds apart, 1100 yds = 2 hits, 1miss, CA sunk
10:36 Dive to 350 ft to evade DD’s.
10:39 Periscope depth, a CL circling my
way, set up attack, DD’s all over the place but unaware of sub.
10:44 Fire one stern torpedo, 8ft
depth, 5 seconds apart, 840 yds = 1 hit in the bow, CL still afloat.
10:47 CL still circling, slowing down,
DD’s heading this way, commence attack on CL, hope to get her before the DD’s
attack.
10:52 Fire 1 bow torpedo same as above,
930 yds at CL, hit midship = sunk. No torps loaded, it’s getting crowded here,
time to leave.
10:53 Dive sub to 350 ft, all 8 DD’s
above us, silent run, heading 270 d , no depth charges!
13:45 Radar depth, all-clear, surface,
get report of photo recon, proceed to recon area standard speed to charge batteries.
15:58 Aircraft sighted, dive to 200 ft,
bomb dropped, torp tubes 1,3,4,6 damaged, pressure hull damage. Somebody will
get KP for missing that plane!
16:14 Radar depth, all clear, surface,
continue to recon.
17:00 3 aircraft spotted, 17,000 yds,
dive to 150 ft. Three bombs dropped no damage.
17:30 Radar depth, all clear, surface,
standard speed to charge batteries
17:45 batteries full, speed full
18:11 Torp tubes 4,6 repaired
20:10 torp tube3 repaired
20:55 torp tube 1 repaired
RMKS/ 3. 13/12/42
02:25 arrive at Kendari,
dive to 10 ft above bottom, proceed at 2/3 speed.
04:28 complete photo recon,
proceed to leave, harbor is crawling with 17 ships, BB, CV, CA and many MR.
04:35 periscope depth, we
are 2200 yds from CV, wonder if CV has her torp nets down, set torps to slow,
fire tubes 7,8,9,10 set as above = 3 hits, 1 did not arm, CV still afloat. Turn
sub to solution bow tubes.
04:38
set torps as above, fire tubes 1,2,1 dud, 1hit = CV sunk, should have had the
nets up
04:41 solution bow tubes on
armed merchant cruiser,1510 yds, set torps as above, fire tubes 3,4, 2 hits=AMC
sunk
04:42 solution bow tubes on
standard merchant, 1510 yds, set torps as above, fire tube 5, 1 hit Standard
Merchant sunk
04:43 solution last bow
tube on CA, 1720 yds, set torp as above, fire tube 6, 1 hit= CA afloat
04:43 turn sub 180 d, line
up stern tubes, and wait for reload
05:02 solution stern tubes on CA, 1650 yds, set
torps as above, fire tubes 7,8, 2 hits = CA sunk we are dry of torpedoes, what
a load out of good torps!
05:03 we are getting out of here, dive to 100 ft,
speed 2/3, 270 d.
05:24
Planes arrive over harbor, drop 23 bombs, we are gone, 140 ft, 1/3 speed
12:54
Radar depth, all clear, surface, speed standard- charge battery, head for Surbaya
lifeguard duty
13:19
aircraft spotted, dive 150 ft
15:15
Radar depth, all clear, standard speed
15:40
aircraft spotted, all seem to be headed for Kendari, looking for us, dive to
150 ft
18:00
radar depth, all clear, surface, charge battery
23:07
batteries full, flank speed to Surbaya
RMKS/
4. 15/12/42
04:20
arrive on lifeguard station, sub to 200 ft, rest and wait
12:30
surface, recharge oxygen, dive to 170 ft, and wait
19:02
surface, recharge oxygen, wait on surface
20:01
pilots down, proceed flank speed to 1st pilot
21:52
spot downed pilot
22:22
rescue 1st pilot, flank speed to 2nd pilot
23:49
spot downed pilot
23:57
rescue pilot
23:57 proceed to regular patrol area
RMKS/
5. 17/12/42
Regular
patrol
15:02
seas heavy, weather overcast, out of torps, will look for unescorted ships for
deck gun attack.
15:31
aircraft spotted, dive to 150 ft, no attack, KP cured the lookouts
15:35
contact 1 oil tanker, 2DD’s, dive to periscope depth, Porpoise withdraws
16:01
surface, continue patrol
18:12
radar contact, 1760 yds, 2 MR’s, no escorts
BINGO
19:12
approach 1st contact, oil tanker, commence deck gun attack, 1200
yds,36 shells fired, 31 hits 5misses = sunk, pursue 2nd tanker
19:31
attack 2nd tanker, 1100 yds, 34 shells fired, 28 hits, 6 misses =
tanker sunk.
RMKS/
6. 18/12/42
01:46
– contact BB convoy 1400 yds, dove to 170 ft
02:18
– BB convoy over head to the north, Porpoise withdraws
03:06
- surface, continue patrol
09:52
– convoy contact 13,000 yds, 3 MR’s, 5 DD’s, Porpoise withdraws, continue with
patrol
RMKS/
7. 19/12/42
Seas
moderate, weather mostly cloudy
15:18
– convoy contact 1150 yds, 6 MR’s, 5 DD’s, withdrew and continued patrol.
RMKS/
8. 20/12/42
08:40
– Convoy contact 1230 yds, 5 MR’s, no escorts BINGO
08:54
– start attack on smallest ship, we only have 15 shells left
09:05
– commence firing 1010 yds, fire 15 shells, 12 hits, fire starts, 3 misses =
Supply ship Damaged and escapes.
09:20
- that’s it we are out of ordinance, loww on fuel, and tried. Set course for Midway
RMKS/
9. 29/12/42
13:01
– Arrive dockside Midway
Torpedo
Performance
Hits - 13 Miss
– 1 Did
Not Arm - 1
Premature - 0 Dud - 1
LCDR. DJ
Hipply
CO: USS Porpoise,
SS-172
U.S. Navy
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