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IMMEDIATE
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From: LCDR. Ronny Gundersen
To: CMDR. Greg Turner II
Cc: ComSubPac
Date: 9 January 1943
Subject: Patrol Report, USS Trigger (July 02 - Patrol # 5)
Remarks: 4th War Patrol, USS Trigger, SS-237
Date: 9 January 1943 Patrol
Area: Formosa - F4
Sub: USS Trigger, SS-237 Class: Gato
Crew: Elite Status:
Operational
Hull Damage: Moderate (62 %) System
Damage: Light (23 %)
Total Patrol Time: 27.2 Days Repair Time: 19 Days
Fuel Used: 89,623 (76 %) Realism
Rating: 115%
Ships Sunk: 3 Tonnage: 34,170 / 11,378
Pilots Saved: 0 Photo Recons: 0
Weather: Mostly Cloudy - Overcast Seas: Calm – Moderate - Heavy
Patrol Mileage: 954 NM
Ordnance Remaining: 2 - Mk 14's, 95 - Deck Gun Rounds
(Medals Awarded – Bronze Star + V)
Date Time Location Ship Type Tonnage Status
1). 21 Dec 42 02:00 22-40N
x 120-21E (DD) Asashio
2,370 SUNK
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2). 24 Dec 42 15:22 22-34N
x 120-32E Conv. Factory 3,710 DAM
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3). 24 Dec 42 19:36 22-29N
x 120-30E Oil Tanker 14,740 SUNK
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4). 27 Dec 42 06:50 22-29N
x 119-43E Oil Tanker 14,940 SUNK
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5). 27 Dec 42 07:01 22-30N
x 119-43E Large Freighter 4,490 SUNK
Total: 63,100
Raw / 21,012 Adjusted
Damage Sustained:
1. Deck Gun - Destroyed
2. Torpedo Tubes 2,5 - Disabled
3. Engine 1 - Disabled
4. Radio - Disabled
5. Diving planes - Disabled
6. Fwd. Batteries – Destroyed
7. Torpedo Tubes 3,6 - Moderate Damage
8. Officers Quarters Hull - Heavy Damage
9. Fwd. Battery Hull - Heavy Damage
10. Storage Room 2 Hull - Heavy Damage
11. Aft Battery Hull - Heavy Damage
12. Fwd. Battery Room - Moderate Flooding
13. Engine 2 - Light Damage
14. Aft Battery Room - Minor Flooding
Aircraft Spotted:
1
(unidentified)
Aircraft Shot Down:
None
Depth Charges:
17
Commander's Comments:
13:14
Arrived our assigned patrol area F-1 around Formosa after a transit
from F-4 north through F-5.
Weather has been bad so far with heavy seas and overcast. I guess this
is good weather for testing
our new SJ radar, which was installed just before we left Pearl. The
crew is optimistic and eager to
find enemy ships since our last patrol resulted in another 11 symbols
on our battle flag.
Loaded with food, water and other necessary stuff, not to forget the 24
Mk-14 Torpedo’s and
95 Deck Gun shells, we're ready to do our share of war effort.
18:25
A spike is detected on the SJ radar indicating a contact 19,070 yds
away, but after only a few seconds the spike disappears. I hope it's not faulty
equipment that is causing this. Our radar operator blames the landmass of
Formosa for hiding the ship(s) from the radar. I decide not to chase after a
possible ghost so we continue our patrol as planned.
Monday 21 December 1942
00:47
Two small spikes can be seen on the SJ radar indicating multiple
contacts at 327' relative, 13,060 yds out. We change course and speed up to
take a closer look.
01:32
This time the radar was right. Our lookouts spotted a YUGUMO class DD
4,320 yds out at slow speed. It's clearly escorting a convoy. Four minutes
later a Converted Factory ship and a Standard Merchant are spotted behind the
YUGUMO, heading 178'T at 3 kts. They are 5,523 yds away. Another Standard
Merchant is also seen later, but now it seems the DD has detected us as it
speeds up and starts pinging. The convoy was heading directly away from us so
now we have no chance to get into a good firing position. We dive and turn away
to avoid the DD's (now there are two of them).
Two DC's are dropped on us causing a good deal of damage. In the
Forward Torpedo room Tubes 2,3,5 and 6 are damaged. I can also hear screams
coming from there; I guess someone is hurt in there. After all, most of the
crew is gathered fore in the boat to dive faster. I guess I'll hear more of the
situation as the damage reports are called in. In the Officers Quarters there
is severe leaking from the hull. There is also a severe leaking in the Forward
Battery compartment, and our batteries there are also damaged beyond any
repair. The Radio Room also got a hit. Our Radio is totally smashed, no one can
ever repair that one. Our radioman is also lying motionless there. Some of the
crew attends to him immediately. A Severe leak is detected in Storage Room 2,
and in our Aft Battery compartment water is pouring in due to Heavy leaking
there. Engine 1 is Totally Destroyed and is not possible to repair at sea. Our
diving planes are also so damaged that they cannot be repaired before we are
back at home base. And last, as we'll find out later, our Deck Gun was ripped
off the boat. Only a plate and some of the bolts fastening it to the deck are
left. The water is filling the boat at an alarming rate. In a couple of minutes
we'll not be able to rise to the surface whatever we do. As a last resort we go
to periscope depth and if necessary take up the fight with the DD's. 3 Aft
Torpedo’s are fired at an ASASHIO coming right for us from our aft. Two of them
miss but the last one hits and sinks her. This scares the last Destroyer I
guess, because she's heading back to the convoy at full speed. When it's over
4,000 yds away we surface. At 02:11 we lost visual contact of the DD. Luckily
for us only 4 DC's was dropped until the DD ran away. We're heading for
shallower water as the boat is leaking severely even while we're surfaced.
My XO reports in on crew status:
Our radioman is not dead, only unconscious as he was tossed against
some of the hardware in the Radio Room. Our MM1 Jensen is wounded with a broken
forearm and some nasty deep cuts, but
he's alive and in good mood after all. He's always been a "happy
go lucky" kind of guy, so this is
only a new "experience" for him as he tells me. In the
Forward Torpedo room two men are out of action. TM1 Gilbert has broken some of
his ribs and has to lay still for some days. More seriously, our TM2, Jackson
is dead. His head had been hit hard as he was tossed against a sharp edge
during the depth charging. TM2 Jackson is covered with some blankets and the
wounded are put in the Crews Mess as repairs are done on the boat, fighting to
keep the water out.
02:32
Leaking in Aft Battery compartment is repaired. Unfortunately this was
the minor of the leaks, but it
helps (I hope).
02:44
The severe leak in Storage Room 2 is repaired. That's good news,
especially when my XO tells me the crew has control of the other leaks too.
Hopefully the leaks will be repaired before we sink.
Almost half the boat is now filled with water. Only a few minutes later
my XO reports that the
remaining leaks in the Forward Battery and Officers Quarters are
repaired. The repair crew is now concentrating on the Forward Torpedo Tubes.
The outer doors of Tube 2 and 6 are damaged but tube 6 seems to be repairable.
Tube 2 is beyond repair. The torpedo in tube 2 is jammed so we're unable to get
it out. Tube 3 is damaged but the crew says they can fix it, which is good.
Tube 5 on the other hand is severely deformed and the torpedo in that tube can
be very risky to get out. I decide to leave that tube the way it is to avoid
more injuries and possibly deaths on board. Fortunately our pumps work fine and
the flooding in the Forward Battery compartment is now only moderate.
03:52
The damage to tube 3 is repaired. 12 minutes later tube 6 is also
repaired. All water in the boat is
pumped out. Our radioman also awakens wondering about the damage our
boat received. Except for some small cuts and bruises he looks ok. When all
repairable damage is repaired I order a test dive to see how weak our hull has
become after the beating it took. When we came to 336 ft the hull started to
complain so we surfaced again. The repair crew did a good job.
06:30
Everyone not on lookout and radar/sonar duty are gathered on deck to
take a last farewell to TM2
Jackson. As the Captain I took the role of priest in this burial at
sea. After a short ceremony I
gathered my officers to find out if we should continue our patrol or go
home with our wounded men
and damaged boat. Our Pharmacist Mate agreed that the wounded were fit
for continued patrol as long as there were no violent shakes or sudden rough
movements of the boat for the next two days. We would not be home in Pearl for
over 15 days anyway, so for the wounded there would be no difference anyway. We
agreed to continue our patrol despite the condition of the Trigger, but due to
our wounded we would not attack escorted convoys for the next two days so they
could heal somewhat from their wounds. When I informed the crew of our plans to
continue our patrol, they were actually happy to get a chance to revenge their
lost friend. In their eyes I could also see that they knew the danger and
seriousness of our decision. The Gunner’s Mates were trained to replace the
wounded TM's. Hopefully they will be ready for our next encounter.
07:39
Surface contact detected by SJ radar at 13,000 yds. Looks like four
ships. Seconds later two air
contacts are detected by the SD radar at 17,000 yds closing in fast. I
decide to dive to safety at 160
feet in respect of the wounded on board.
08:43
Low speed screws detected by sonar. Going to periscope depth to see
what it is. I hope the aircrafts
detected an hour ago are gone now. Through the periscope I can see the
masts of 2 Troop Transports, 1 Tanker and 1 Large Freighter heading 327'T.
Going to radar depth to scan for aircraft.
Suddenly an AKIZUKI DD shows up in the convoy, and with the wounded
guys on my mind I order a dive to 160 ft and we resume patrol.
Tuesday 22 December 1942
17:30
On surface for night patrol. Weather is still overcast with Heavy Sea.
Wednesday 23 December 1942
11:19
Surface contact detected by sonar. Low speed screws bearing 095'
relative. Going to periscope depth to check it out. I could spot 1 mast at
12,943 yds. It's a Merchant of some sort. I also spot 1
unidentified escort. As they close in I can see 2 Standard Merchants
escorted by 1 ASASHIO DD. The
convoy is zigzagging with most probable true course 086'T. The speed of
the convoy is 15 kts, and they are heading away from us now. We have no chance
to pursue them so we disengage and resume patrol.
11:41
The sound of the convoy is closing. They have changed course again and
are now heading towards us it seems. I order periscope depth. Now I see all the
ships in the convoy. It's 1 Standard Merchant,
1 Oil Tanker, 1 Small Freighter and 1 Supply ship escorted by 1 ASASHIO
DD. We never got closer than 4,580 yds to the Oil Tanker before they started to
gain distance on us. Oh well, better luck next time. We continue patrol at 160
ft.
17:27
On surface again. The weather has changed slightly. It's now Moderate
Sea and Mostly Cloudy.
Thursday 24 December 1942
05:09
Surface contacts detected by SJ radar at 319' relative. We change heading
to intercept.
Our Pharmacist Mate informs me that the wounded men are in such a
condition that they are healed
enough to withstand some light shaking from DC's. This is good news and
means we can attack almost all targets now. We're back in business.
05:20
And good is that! Out of the night suddenly 2 Carriers and 1 escort
shows up. Heading straight for us at 25 kts. I immediately order a dive to
periscope depth. The closest and biggest Carrier is 7,000 yds away. The escort
I spotted is a YUGUMO DD. The small Carrier is a CHITOSE class. The large
Carrier could be a UNRYU class. They are changing course to 70'T, away from us.
Hopefully they will change course again before they are gone.
05:35
They turn again. But they are over 8,000 yds away. Now they are heading
045'T, as directly away from us as possible. I guess they are heading for
Takoa, so I order a turn directly north at flank speed, thus trying to cross
their path later. On the SJ radar I can see a fourth spike, and I guess this is
an escort I didn't spot earlier. If there is a Santa, those ships will turn and
head towards us again,
giving us a perfect firing solution. I have visual contact with them
again now. This time they're
heading 292'T, and we're closing in again. I can also identify the last
DD as a MUTSUKI class. They spotted us as we tried to dive. Shells are fired on
us and the Destroyer’s starts pinging.
The Carriers are 4,500 yds away and begin with their evasive maneuvers.
No use in wasting my torpedo’s, so I head for deeper water and go to 250 ft.
06:13
Their sonar hit us. As one of the DD's close in I dive to 315 ft. And
to top off our luck on this patrol
their DC's hit us, causing Hull damage in the Aft Battery with
appropriate Severe leaking. Engine 2
also took a hit, but only Minor damage was done. I order a depth change
to 200 ft to ease on the
leaking. It's time for our own evasive maneuvers.
06:30
The repairs on Engine 2 are done, and it looks like our pump can keep
up with the Minor flooding in the Aft Battery compartment. I order a depth
change to 110 ft. to help the pumps a bit.
07:04
The damage on the Aft Battery Hull is repaired. The escorts are fading
away. I guess they've lost us.
Excellent! We'll keep heading away from them until we can't hear them
anymore. I order a dive to
160 ft. our speed 1/3. I guess aircraft will fill the air any minute
now. Of the 13 "Barrels o'Fun" the Japs threw at us, only the first
two did any damage. The rest of them were medium to far away.
07:58
The pinging from the escorts can no longer be heard. I order a course
change to resume our patrol.
The men still want to revenge their fallen friend, they are just not as
eager as before after this
last incident. I don't blame them. I also take my time to read up on
the excellent book
"Submarine tactics: How to avoid detection", written by CMDR
Jeff Johnson.
14:49
Sonar reports low-speed screws bearing 269' relative. Going to
periscope depth to investigate. Nothing could be seen through the periscope.
Ordered radar depth, and radar detected 4 contacts 11,290 yds away. Turning to
intercept convoy. Before long they are within visual range.
The convoy is heading 175'T at 11,7 kts. It consist of 2 Troop
Transports, 1 Tanker and 1 Small
Freighter. The two Troop Transports will be my primary targets. Torpedo
depth is set to 16 ft. No
escorts can be seen, and on this patrol that is a very, very good
thing. When they come closer, the two Troop Transports look more like two
Converted Factory ships. Oh well, I'll target the Tanker and the closest Factory
ship. Torpedo depth for Factory ship is 21 ft and 14 ft. for the Tanker.
15:21
Fired 3 torpedo’s at Factory ship and 1 at the Tanker. This resulted in
1 hit on the Factory ship, 1
miss, 1 dud and 1 premature explosion. We had to crash dive to avoid
ramming by the Tanker. Fired two aft torpedo’s at the Tanker at 1,200 yds when
at periscope depth again. Both torpedo’s missed. The Factory ship was only
Lightly Damaged by the torpedo as it still maintains 10 kts.
We will not get a third firing opportunity, so I break off the hunt and
resume patrol. Both me and the
crew are bitter at Lady Luck for this wasted opportunity. The
replacements for the wounded TM's are
naturally one of the causes for all the misses, but at least they do
their best. All honor to them for that.
19:01
Surface contacts detected by radar at 13, 520 yds. Three spikes are
displayed on the radar, two small and one big. Looks like two escorts and one
merchant, but as they come closer all the spikes have the same size. Visual. 1
Armed Merchant Cruiser, 2 Oil Tankers. The Oil Tankers will be my primary
targets. Going to periscope depth to avoid detection by the convoy. It is now
4,800 yds away, heading 345'T at 14.3 kts. Torpedo depth is set to 25 ft. The
ships looks heavy loaded. Fired 2 torpedo’s at last Tanker at 2,275 yds. That
was as close as we got. The first torpedo is a dud, but the next hits and blows
the Tanker sky high! Yeeha! The crew cheers. Finally they have revenged their
friend. After only a few seconds the sinking Tanker is gone. The remaining two
ships head away from us at 15 kts. They escape.
Friday 25 December 1942
00:22
The lookouts have spotted sails on the horizon. A closer look reveals 4
Sampans about 6,000 yds away. They probably haven't seen us so we change course
and run away from them. It's still Mostly Cloudy and Moderate Sea; this should
hide us at this distance.
18:12
A surface contact is detected by radar at 14,470 yds, heading away from
us. A few minutes later we
lost contact.
Saturday 26 December 1942
00:05
Multiple surface contacts detected by radar at 12,460 yds. This time
they're getting closer. We speed
up to standard speed to intercept the convoy.
00:23
Visual sighting. It's one of the escorts, a KAGERO class DD. And in
line in front of the KAGERO is a YUGUMO class DD. After the KAGERO comes 1
Large Freighter, 1 Troop Transport, traveling at 6 kts.
Now an AKIZUKI DD comes into view. A great many escorts for only two
transports.
When we’re 5,800 yds from the convoy, two of the escorts suddenly turn
our way. I immediately order a dive to periscope depth. At 3,940 yds they turn
away again. Phew! But now I must close in on the convoy submerged, and I think
that will be too slow.
00:50
I was right. We couldn't get closer than 3,360 yds to the Troop Transport.
As one of the escorts come
directly towards us again we have to dive. The last heading the convoy
had was 032'T. A few seconds later our sonar man picks up the sound of two more
escorts in the convoy.
06:14
Surface contact detected by radar bearing 357' relative at 14,100 yds.
Looks like a convoy of at least
4 ships. Speeding up to standard speed and change course to intercept.
At 06:30 or so they must have changed heading because now they increase the
distance. Considering the time of day it is we abort the chase and dive to 160
ft for daytime patrol.
19:30
Contact detected by SJ radar bearing 241' relative at 11,600 yds. We
turn and speed up to intercept.
19:46
Visual sighting. A DD of the HATSUHARU class at 3,300 yds. Its speed is
23 kts. We dive to periscope depth. At 2,800 yds it turns and head back into
the darkness and we lose visual contact. I guess the convoy is close now, so we
stay at periscope depth. Sonar tracks the sound of their screws. They pass us
without ever coming into visual range. This time the darkness worked against us
(as everything else has on this patrol). As we surface again and turn on our
radars, all we can do is watch them outrun us on the radar. We resume patrol.
Sunday 27 December 1942
05:45
Radar detects surface contacts bearing 036' relative at 12,580 yds.
Visual sighting of a Tanker at
7,212 yds heading 205'T at 12 kts. A supply ship follows in line. We
head 210'T, a parallel course,
at flank speed to get in a better position. Curse our damaged engine.
Because of it we can't do more
than 13 kts. Looking closer at the Tanker I can see two more ships on
its port side. It's and Armed
Merchant Cruiser and a Standard Merchant. On the other side of the
Supply ship is a Large Freighter. At last a Small Freighter is spotted. At
06:20 we head towards the convoy at flank speed and dive to periscope depth. At
3,000 yds I fire tube 1 at the Tanker as it begins to increase distance to us.
The torpedo HIT! I don't believe it! The Tanker looses speed fast, and the rest
of the convoy scatter as suddenly as scared birds. We close in on the Tanker to
finish it off. A huge fire spreads on its deck. A Large Freighter is also
coming into range and I'll make that my primary target now before the Tanker.
At 920 yds we fire the first torpedo at the Freighter. It misses. The next one
prematures, then a hit and the torpedo in the last Forward tube is a dud. Oh
how I wish we had our Deck Gun now! At 06:47 we fire 1 aft torpedo at the
Freighter, which of course misses. And now an aircraft is spotted too. Will our
bad luck never end? We fire a new torpedo from the Forward tubes at the Tanker,
now 650 yds away, and it hits and sink the ship. Woohoo! We fire our last two
aft torpedo’s at the Large Freighter, but one miss and the other prematures. The
Freighter lies almost dead in the water; I can't believe we missed it! At 1,000
yds we fire another torpedo at the Freighter, but that one also prematures and
it is 1 minute until our last torpedo is loaded in a tube. That last one MUST
hit. One minute later it is fired and....it HITS and destroys the Large
Freighter. Hooray! I can't believe we just wasted six (!) torpedo’s just to get
that last ship. Oh well, with no more torpedo’s on board we have to head back
to port. The aircraft never bothered us that much. It just dropped a couple of
bombs far away from us and disappeared. How nice of him.
17:59
We're leaving our patrol area. This has been a very exciting and scary
patrol for all of us. I think
we all have been reminded that we're not untouchable in our sub just
because we're out of sight.
The journey home gives us time to think and remember our fallen friend
and how close we were to
certain death. At least our new SJ radar helped us a great deal in
finding ships we normally would not. Unfortunately our torpedo crew was not
100% due to injuries and death. The replacements did a good job under the
circumstances, but apparently that was not enough.
I would also recommend a Purple Heart to TM2 Jackson.
LCDR Ronny Gundersen
CO: USS Trigger, SS-237
U.S. Navy
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