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From: LCDR. James D. Cox

 

To: CMDR. Greg Turner

 

Cc: ComSubPac

 

Date: 05 July 1942

 

Subject: Patrol Report, USS Pompano (May 02 - Patrol # 3)

 

Remarks: 3rd War Patrol, USS Pompano, SS-181

 

Date: 04 July, 1942                                                Patrol Area: Northern Japan (NJ-3)

Sub: SS-181, USS Pompano                              Class: P

Crew: Veteran                                                         Status: Operational

Hull Damage: (0 %)                                                System Damage: (4 %)

Total Patrol Time: 28.4 Days                               Repair Time: 1 Day

Fuel Used: 91,717 Gallons (96 %)                      Realism Rating: 95%

Ships Sunk: 3                                                         Tonnage: 59,754 / (19,898)

Pilots Saved: 0                                                        Photo Recons: 0

Weather: Partly Cloudy                                        Seas: Moderate to Heavy

Patrol Mileage: 1,403 Nautical Miles

 

Ordnance Remaining: 0 -Mk-14's, 95 -Deck Gun Rounds

 

(Medals Awarded - Navy Cross, Silver Star)

 

    Date                      Time          Location                 Ship Type(Class)                Tonnage         Status

 

1). 17 June, 42          04:20          38-01N x 141-54E        Oil Tanker                               11,870          SUNK

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2). 18 June, 42          10:28          38-08N x 141-51E       Standard Merchant                  13,520          SUNK

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3). 19 June, 42          12:58          38-54N x 141-52E       Akagi Class Carrier                 34,364          SUNK

 

Total: 59,754 Raw / 19,898 Adjusted

 

Damage Sustained: (4%)

1). Forward Torpedo Room

2). Deck Gun

 

 

Aircraft Shot Down:

         NONE

 

Commander's Comments:

 

Arrived on station at 14:30 hrs. Monday, 15 June, 1942; Started patrolling area for any sign of the Japanese Navy.

 

Tuesday, 16 June 1942; Still patrolling area at 1/3 speed, NO sign of a ship or Sampan know where! Have gone as far as putting double the lookout's up top side, In hope's for the Pompano's luck to change.

 

Wednesday, 17 June 1942; Lookout's reported contact at 03:57. Moved in for the attack on what turned out to be a lone Oil Tanker heading south. Got in front of him, and waited for him to come to us.

At 1,100 yds fired 4 torpedo's spread at Oil Tanker with a draft of 27 ft., made adjustment as order and "fired". Got 2 good hits on her! Fire spread from bow to stern as she started to the bottom, Bow first. Two of the four torpedo's went under the tanker, and traveled about 4,000 yds before the torpedo's prematured. As I am sure the crew set the torpedo's as ordered, I can't understand what may have gone wrong with the two.

            At 21:30 came across 2 Battleship's (1 Yamato Class Battleship), 1 Heavy Cruiser, and 2 DD's making 27 kts. Unable to get into firing position. Last seen heading north at 38-05N, 141-51E. Sent a radio message to HQ's about the sighting. 12-torpedo's left.

 

Thursday, 18 June 1942; We were patrolling on the surface at about 10:00 hrs when the lookout's reported 2 ship's off the port beam. Moved in for a look-see, found out it was 1 Standard Merchant, and 1 Small Supply Ship, With 1 DD coming up the rear. Ordered periscope depth, and moved in for the kill.           Setup on the Standard Merchant, as she looked too be the fat's of the two. Set torpedo's as ordered from a draft of 29 ft. and fired a spread of 6 torpedo's. 4 of the torpedo's hit her dead center,             But 2 torpedo's went under the ship, just as if you had planned for them to go that way? Something's just not right here as me and the XO are trying to figure out what's going wrong!

            The next attack, the XO is going to be in the forward torpedo room watching what's going on with the torpedo settings. 6-torpedo's left.

 

Friday, 19 June 1942; The morning start out great, with a good old breakfast like mom made back home. Patrolled all morning to come up with nothing. Went to the galley to have lunch when the lookout's came up with a Carrier Task Force heading north. Was dead in front of them as the task force moved to us.

            Ordered periscope depth and waited for them to come up. At 12:40 the XO headed for the forward torpedo room. As the Task Force came in there were 1 CV (Akagi Class Carrier), 1 CVL, 2 CL, & 4 DD's as escort's making 19 kts in heavy sea's. Setup torpedo's as ordered from a draft of 26 ft. and fired a spread of 6 torpedo's at the "Akagi", 5 of the torpedo's hit just aft of the island on the flight deck. The 6th torpedo prematured about 200 to 300 yds from the target.

            As we did not stick around to see what was going to happen next, we started down to 250 ft. as the escort's were coming in for us. The Pompano came under a great depth charging from the 4 DD's, about sixty charge's in all came raining down on us for a good 2 hour's, But all-in-all the Pompano stood the test of all the Jap's could rain down on her, before the escort's moved off to the North at high speed. Came to periscope depth to find the carrier just starting its death dive to the bottom of the ocean stern first.

 

Patrolled from the 20th to the 23rd; Without seeing a Jap NOWHERE! Had to return to base because of fuel.

 

Arrived at base; At 15:30 hrs on the 4th of July.  

 

 

LCDR. James D. Cox

CO; USS-Pompano, SS-181

U.S. Navy

                                               

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