TO: Submarine Commanders, SubRon 4A

FROM: ComSubPac / ComSubRon 4A

DATE: December 1944

SUBJECT: Mission Orders (Cycle 13 March 2003)

RMKS: 1 The naval battles at Leyte Gulf during 20 thru 26 October were decisive victories for the United States. The four sea battles fought have demolished much of the striking power of the Japanese Navy and has reduced the IJN to just a few Major units. What remains of the IJN task force from Leyet has retreated to Borneo and Shikoku.

RMKS: 2 B29 air strikes – originating from the newly completed air fields in the Mariana Islands – will target the Japanese mainland. All boats assigned to patrol Southern Japan, especially the Tokyo Bay area, will be prepared to render lifeguard Duty in support of these strikes.

RMKS: 3 The Japanese in the Pacific are almost beaten and have very few front line units left and the merchant fleet has been reduced to under two million tons. Fuel oil supplies on the Japanese Mainland are at a critical low. The Japanese have begun employing converted freighters for the transportation of oil. It is now open season on ‘ALL’ IJN vessels; Oil Tankers, Converted Tankers and Aircraft Carriers will remain TOP PRIORITIES.

RMKS: 4 The Carrier / Battleships Ise and Hygua are reported to be in Singapore Harbor loading large amounts of oil drums for transportation to Japan. These ships, loaded with thousands of tons of oil, MUST NOT reach the home waters of Japan.

RMKS: 5 All boats on patrol in the vicinity of Luzon are to stand ready to support the continuing invasion of the Philippines.

RMKS: 6 As stated in cycle 12’s mission orders the Japanese have developed a gruesome new method of attack called Kamikaze (which means ‘Divine Wind’). These attacks have already proven particularly deadly and hard to stop. Submarines on Lifeguard Duty should stay submerged as much as possible when enemy aircraft are in the area, lest they be attacked in this manner.

RMKS: 7 SubRons are assigned to the following areas of operation:

SubRon 1M PacFlt ~ Empire (Northern Japan NJ-5 thru NJ-7)

                   SoWesPac ~ Java Sea

SubRon 2M PacFlt ~ Empire (Southern Japan SJ-1 thru SJ-3)

                   SoWesPac ~ Malaysia

SubRon 3A PacFlt ~ Formosa

                  SoWesPac ~ Java Sea

____________________________________________________________________________________

SubRon 4A~

 

                    PacFlt – Philippines

 

                    CAPT. Turner III, USS Redfish - (Philippines – PH-8 – 1 Dec 44-Feb 28 44)

                  

        CMDR. Gundersen II, USS Bowfin - (Philippines – PH-4 – 1 Dec 44-Feb 28 44)

 

        CMDR. Doyle, USS Parche - (Philippines – PH-3 – 1 Dec 44-Feb 28 44)

 

        CMDR. Cox II, USS Ray - (Philippines – PH-7 – 1 Dec 44-Feb 28 44)

 

        CMDR. Vormann, USS Puffer - (Philippines – PH-1 – 1 Dec 44-Feb 28 44)

 

        LCDR. McBeach, USS Batfish - (Philippines – PH-2 – 1 Dec 44-Feb 28 44)

                   

                    SoWesPac – Sulu Sea

                    CMDR. Edwards, USS Barbero - (SS-1+2 – 1 Dec 44-Feb 28 44)

 

        CMDR. Schow II, USS Bashaw - (SS-3+6 – 1 Dec 44-Feb 28 44)

                    CMDR. Hipply II, USS Flounder - (SS-4+5 – 1 Dec 44-Feb 28 44)

____________________________________________________________________________________

SubRon 5A PacFlt ~ Yellow Sea

                  SoWesPac ~ Philippine Islands

SubRon 6A PacFlt ~ Empire (Southern Japan SJ-4 thru SJ-9)

                   SoWesPac ~ South China Sea

SubRon 7A PacFlt ~ Empire (Northern Japan NJ-1 thru NJ-5)

                   SoWesPac ~ Malaysia

All commanders are to Acknowledge receipt of these orders.

 

Good Luck and Good Hunting

CAPT. GregTurner III  
CO SubRon 4A

Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood

Commanding SubPacFlt

 

// SENDS //