// IMMEDIATE //
From: CMDR Greg Turner, (ComSubRon 4A)
To: ComSubPac
Date: 26 December,1941
Subject: Patrol Report, USS Permit (March, 02 –Patrol #1)
Remarks: 1st War Patrol, USS Permit SS-178
Date:
26 December,1941 Patrol
Area: South China Sea (SC-2)
Sub:
SS-178 USS Permit Class:
P
Crew:
Green Status:
Operational
Hull
Damage: (0%) System
Damage: (0%)
Total
Patrol Time: 6.42 Days Repair Time: Operational
Fuel
Used: 36,390 Gallons (38%) Realism Rating: 95%
Ships
Sunk: 2 Tonnage:
21,410 / (7,130)
Pilots
Saved: 0 Photo
Recons: 1
Weather:
Mostly – Partly Cloudy Seas:
Moderate – Heavy
Patrol
Mileage: 1,694 Nautical
Ordnance Remaining: 0 -Torpedoes, 59 - Deck Gun Rounds
(Medals Awarded:) None
16
Dec 06:14 22-04N x 113-52E Photo Recon N/A SUCCESS
1941
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23
Dec 04:44 19-56N x 119-09E Standard Merchant 13,360 SUNK
1941
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23
Dec 04:56 19-57N x 119-12E Troop Ship 8,050 SUNK
1941
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19
Dec 05:44 21-35N x 120-03E Standard Merchant N/A DAM
1941
Total: 21,410 Raw / 7,130
Adjusted
Damage Sustained:
2
Depth Charges:
36
Commanders Comments:
Departed manila Harbor 10
December 1941 in route to the South China Sea.
Had
16 MK-14 Steam Torpedo’s on board with the Magnetic Exploders. Arrived on
station 00:02 12 December 1941. Seas were Heavy and skies were Mostly Cloudy.
At daylight I dove to periscope depth and remained submerged until dark then
surfaced and began patrolling again.
Saturday, 13 December 1941: Dove to periscope depth
at daybreak to avoid being spotted by air search or surface search. Ran
submerged at 1/3 speed and made periscope observations every hour. No contacts
spotted. Surfaced at 18:18 and commenced charging the batteries while running
at 2/3 speed.
Sunday 14 December 1941: Dove to periscope depth at 07:06 as the sun came up.
Uneventful day. Surfaced at 18:20 to charge batteries and patrol on the
surface. At 19:02 the port lookout reported a brief flash of light bearing
350`. I headed toward the area to search for any contacts. Patrolled a box
pattern but failed to spot anything. At
01:56 Radio reported a request from ComSubPac for us to make a Photo Recon of
MACAU Harbor at 22-04N x 113-52E before 05:39 17 December 1941. I continued
searching the area until 03:00 then secured and headed toward MACAU at full
speed.
Monday 15 December 1941: Another routine day Dove to periscope depth at
daybreak and surfaced after dark.
Tuesday 16 December 1941: At daybreak due to Heavy
Seas and Overcast Skies I elected to remained surfaced to close on my
destination of MACAU. At 21:17 dove to periscope depth just outside of port
entrance and continued to close. Sound reported hearing pinging at 23:49 but a
periscope sweep showed no contacts. The docks were lit up brightly as was the
city. To the NNE of the docks spotted 2 lighthouses and 5 lighted channel
markers heading NNE from them. I suspect they were marking a navigational
hazard. To the SSW of the docks I spotted a very odd looking grove of trees. I
suspect it might have been camouflage for a building or supplies. At 05:42 I
made visual on 1 Yagumo DD patrolling the harbor at 3,400 yds. A sweep at 06:06
revealed a second DD (Shiratsuyu) patrolling the harbor also. As we waited for
the sun to get up high enough to get a good photo the crew and I heard an
aircraft fly down our port side. It flew on without spotting us. At 06:14 I made a fast sweep of the harbor
and spotted 1-Standard Merchant and 1-Large Freighter then I got the Recon
Photo’s and headed out of the harbor at 1/3 speed. By 14:00 we had cleared the
harbor and made it into 249 feet of water where I dove to 153 feet to await
darkness to surface. Ascended to periscope depth at 16:58 and swept the area
before surfacing. Surfaced at 17:08
with the air in the boat very foul. I headed out for deep water at standard
speed while charging the batteries.
Completed charging and had an uneventful night.
Wednesday 17 December 1941: Submerged at daybreak
and ran at 1/3 speed while making observations every hour. No contacts.
Surfaced at 18:40 and headed east to patrol.
Thursday 18 December 1941: 06:50 Dove to 200 feet as
the sun came up and to let the crew rest for the rest of the day. Surfaced at
17:52.
Friday 19 December 1941: I remained surfaced and doubled the lookouts to try
and spot more shipping. The day was a quiet one until 05:27 when the lookouts
reported a ship bearing 099` heading 040 degrees. Identified it as a Yagumo
class DD at 2,400 yds. I went to Battle Stations and dove to periscope depth.
At 05:35 my XO spotted 1 Standard Merchant, 1 Small Freighter between 2,300 and
2,800 yds. Ten minutes later he reported a second Standard Merchant and a
second Yagumo DD. I made ready all tubes for the leading Standard Merchant. Torpedo
depth was set at 23 feet. By 05:43 I was around 700 yds off the track of the
convoy. Fired 2 torpedo’s at 05:44 from 500 yds at the lead Merchant. One of
the torpedo’s detonated under the ship and lifted it momentarily from the water
and started fires above deck but failed to break its back. (DAM) The second torpedo
missed under. I immediately fired 2 torpedo’s at the second Merchant from 612
yds also set for 23 feet. Sound reported hearing one torpedo actually bounce
off the keel and sink and the second torpedo faded out on its original bearing
apparently passing under the ship. The
DD turned back and began searching for us with sonar and I ordered 300 feet
heading 161 degree’s. As I leveled off active sonar found me and the DD’s
headed in. I began a series of turns and high-speed runs to try and confuse the
DD’s. The DD’s began making runs and dropping the depth charges. At one point
an aircraft was heard to fly over and drop 2 depth charges or bombs. Sporadic
depth charging and contact was made by the DD’s until 07:10 at which time they
gave up the search and sped away to the north. Sound lost contact at 07:30 and
I headed for periscope depth. Arrived periscope depth at 07:42 and a sweep
showed no surface contacts but I did spot an aircraft to my port side. I dove
back to 250 feet and turned to course 000` to see if I could catch up to the
damaged Merchant. Surfaced at 18:20 and searched for the damaged ship but never
made contact.
Saturday 20 December 1941: Periscope depth at Dawn
and Surfaced after Dusk with no contacts.
Sunday 21 December 1941: At 01:55 Radio reported
ComSubPac requesting another Photo Recon of MACAU. Was assigned to a sub out of
FreeMantle so we continued patrolling. Dove to periscope depth at dawn and had
the torpedo technicians check and recheck the torpedo’s to try and determine
why they were running deep and erratic. No problems were found but I still
suspect it had to do with the new Magnetic exploder. Surfaced after dark to charge the batteries and let some air into
the boat.
Monday 22 December 1941: Periscope depth at Dawn and Surfaced after Dusk with
no contacts.
Tuesday 23 December 1941: While patrolling surfaced
at 03:57 lookouts spotted a ship bearing 010` at 4,200 yds. I came to course
115 degrees to dive ahead of the ship. As everyone topside scrambled down the
hatch my XO reported that the ship was a Troop Ship. We were in a perfect
firing position and I secured the engines and waited for the ship to close
within range. At 04:13 the Troop Ship had closed to 850 yds and I ordered 1
torpedo fired with a depth setting of 10 feet. About halfway to the target the
torpedo prematured. I immediately fired a second torpedo with the same settings
and range. I watched the wake of this fish travel right up to the side of the ship
without an impact. My soundman reported it passed under the ship and faded out
on the original heading. By now the convoy was taking evasive action after
being alerted by the premature detonation of the 1st torpedo. The
Troop Ship turned away from us to the NNE but the remaining 2 Merchants turned
almost directly toward us. At 04:15 I
fired 1 torpedo at the forward Merchant from 600 yds set for 23 feet. Sound
reported hearing it hit the ship but failed to explode. The 2 Merchants passed
on both sides of my boat and at 04:17 as the stern Merchant opened out past 500
yds I fired 1 torpedo set for 18 feet. This torpedo hit and started a massive
fire blow deck. I fired a 2nd torpedo from 870 yds, which also hit,
causing more damage. I came to course 000` and at 04:23 fired a 3rd
torpedo from 600 yds at the damaged ship. Sound reported another impact but no
detonation. The Merchant was loosing speed but maneuvering frantically. I trailed the Merchant on its starboard beam
while awaiting the torpedo’s to be reloaded. At 04:37 I fired a 4th
torpedo from 630 yds, which again was a dud. By now the Merchant had turned its
stern to us and presented no shot. I elected to surface but to keep all hands
below deck to avoid any possible machine gun fire due to the close range. After surfacing small arms fire could be
heard hitting our submarine but no damage was inflicted other than to chip the
paint. I went to flank speed and passed about 400 yds down the ships port side
then turned hard to port and fired a 5th torpedo from aft at 546
yds. This torpedo impacted and blew out a large portion of the ships side just
under the funnel. I observed the ship roll over and sink bow first. (SANK) A few survivors were
spotted in the water as we manned the bridge but the Troop Ship was spotted
bearing 115` at 3,800 yds. I ordered the Deck Gun manned and paralleled the
Troop Ship. It took the 4th shot to get the range but after that the
Deck Gun crew hammered shell after shell into the Jap ship. The funnel and
topside was thoroughly wrecked before the enemy decided to abandon ship. As one
boat was pulling away on the far side I saw one of our shell pass behind what
was left of the funnel and hit squarely on the lifeboat blowing it to bits. I
seriously doubt there were any survivors. In 12 minutes of firing, the Deck Gun
had fired 36 rounds for 29-Hits and 7-Misses. The Troop Ship slowed to a stop
and just settled beneath the waves. (SUNK) Being sure this convoy
sent out a distress signal I headed north at Flank speed to clear the area. At
07:00 having put sufficient distance between the battle action and us I ordered
the depth to 200 feet. During the day I had the remaining 4 torpedo’s checked
and rechecked to try and determine why they were running deep and failing to
detonate. No problems were found. After
a hearty meal and a few hours sleep my crew was once again eager to get at the
Jap’s. Surfaced at 18:27 and went
looking for more targets.
Wednesday 24 December 1941: 01:47 a lookout spotted a
single Standard Merchant emerging out of the dark bearing 020` at 4,500 yds. I
came to Flank speed to get into firing position and made ready the last 4
torpedo’s. After a short run I went to periscope depth at 01:52 almost 4,500
yds ahead of the target ship. I lost visual on the Merchant for a few minutes
as it passed through a rainsquall but regained contact with ease. As the ship
came out of the squall I was startled to see several ships emerging. Identified
2-Troop Ships, 1-Small Freighter and 1-Standard Merchant. I crossed the convoy’s track and made ready
to fire the last stern torpedo. I let the Merchant ship pass by in order to
fire on the next 2 ships in line (Troop Ships). At 02:08 as the lead Troop Ship passed by at 750 yds I fired the
last aft torpedo set for 10 feet. Once again a frustrating dud. The convoy
immediately turned to starboard about 55 degrees and the Small Freighter turned
almost due south leaving the convoy. I
came right to 127degrees and setup on the second Troop Ship. At 02:14 I fired 1
torpedo from 700 yds set for 10 feet. This fish prematured short of the target.
Fired a 2nd torpedo with the same depth from 654 yds and this fish
ran under the target. Out of frustration I reset the depth to 8 feet and at
02:16 fired a 3rd (And my last) torpedo from 612 yds. This torpedo
was heard to hit the target but failed to detonate. Being out of torpedo’s I
ordered the boat down to 250 feet as we let the convoy sail away.
After
loosing contact on this convoy I surfaced the boat and set course for Manila
Harbor. A successful patrol due to the fact that we did sink an enemy ship but
very frustrating in terms of torpedo performance. The crew of the USS Permit
did an outstanding job.
CMDR.
Greg Turner
CO,
USS Permit SS-178
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