/ / IMMEDIATE / /
To:
CAPT. Greg Turner III
Cc:
ComSubPac
From:
CMDR. James D. Cox II
Date:
25 January 1944
Subject:
Patrol Report, USS Sea Dragon, SS-194 (October 02 - Cycle IX)
Remarks:
3rd War Patrol USS Sea Dragon
Date: 26 January 1944 Patrol
Area: Yellow Sea, (YS-1)
Sub: SS-194 USS Sea Dragon Class:
Sargo
Crew: Elite Status:
Operational
Hull Damage:
(0%) System
Damage: (0%)
Total Patrol Time: 41.6
Days Repair
Time: 0 Days
Fuel Used:
About 99,998 (99%) Realism
Rating: 95%
Ships Sunk: 8 Tonnage:
34,390 / 11,452
Pilots Saved: 0 Photo
Recons: 1
Weather: Clear to Partly
Cloudy Seas:
Calm to Moderate
Patrol Mileage: 1,040
Nautical
Miles
Ordnance Remaining: 2 - MK 14 Torpedo’s, 95 – Deck Gun Rounds.
(Silent Hunter Awards: Bronze Star)
Date Time Location Ship Type Tonnage
Status
1) 21 Dec 43 08:49 38-39N x 121-52E Photo Recon N/A O.K.
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2) 23 Dec 43 12:59 39-07N x 120-47E Large Freighter 6,840 SUNK
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3) 23 Dec 43 12:59 39-07N x
120-47E Large Freighter
6,840 SUNK
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4) 23 Dec
43 12:59 39-07N x 120-47E A. Merchant Cruiser 8,320 SUNK
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) 23 Dec
43 13:13 39-07N x
120-46E Troop Transport
4,020 SUNK
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6) 23 Dec
43 13:14 39-07N x
120-46E Troop Transport
4,020 SUNK
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7) 23 Dec
43 13:22 39-07N x
120-45E Small Freighter
1,450 SUNK
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8) 23 Dec
43 13:22 39-07N x
120-45E Small Freighter 1,450
SUNK
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9) 23 Dec
43 14:04 39-06N x 120-44E
Small Freighter
1,450 SUNK
Total: 34,390
Raw / 11,452 Adjusted
Damage Sustained:
None
Commander's Comments:
Left
Pearl Harbor on the ( Friday ) 3rd of December, 1943:
For the East China Sea area known too all Submariner's as "No
water
in the Bath tub" or ( The Yellow Sea ).
Arrived
in The Yellow Sea Area ( Tuesday ) 14th of December, 1943 at 08:43 hrs. Started
moving North, Northwest, at periscope depth by day, and on the surface at night
to save as much fuel as possible to get too ( YS-1 ).
Arrived
at ( YS-1 ) on the ( Thursday ) 16th of December, 1943 at 12:35 hrs.. Picked
out a good spot on the Ocean to use the radar as the SeaDragon eye's, to pickup
enemy shipping. Doubled the lookout's for enemy aircraft. Nothing picked up on
this day.
( Friday to
Monday ) 17th to the 20 th of December, 1943. Started
the day the same as the day before, with lookout's doubled, and radar ON. At
noon "Cookie" came to the conn with coffee for the XO, and me. As he
said lunch would be servied at 12:30 hrs., and to find out what we would like
for dinner. ( big deal: NO veggie's ). This is getting to be a drag patrol,
with nothing popping up on the radar, and lookout's getting board. With know
fuel to do what we are here for. Man I just hope the big brass know's what they
are doing.
(
Tuesday ) 21st of December, 1943 at 00:12 hrs.
Hey! The radio is working, as the radio man told me "In coming
Radio message, Sir." An here we go for a Photo Recon of a place called
"Port Arthur." At 05:00 hrs. had made it passed the harbor escort's for a look see at this place
called Port Arthur. Took the picture, and exited the harbor, and escorts with
know problem. Hope there's more to this patrol than just taking picture's.
(
Wednesday ) 22nd of December, 1943: Same
as all the other day's. Lookout's, looking hard, and nothing on the radar.
" I think; My radar man is blind. I just hope the word doesn't get out
that he is."
(
Thursday ) 23rd of December, 1943, at 06:00 hrs.:
The radar man came alive with "Radar contact" bearing 090', Coming
toward the SeaDragon, as the SeaDragon went too battle station's, and a hard to
port to come to a course of 090'.
At
07:45 hrs. lookout's reported the enemy in sight, as the the SeaDragon went to
radar depth of 48 feet. All the time keeping a close eye on the convoy and
escort's. In all there were8-Destoyer's, 2-Large Freighter's, 1-Armed Merchant
Cruiser, 2-Troop Transport's, and 3-Small Freighter's. A total of sixteen
ship's coming at the SeaDragon. Course of the convoy is 270' at 5 kts.. Turned
the SeaDragon to a course of 340' in hope's of getting in some good hit's.
Hope's are running high as the crew is doing there job to the best that every
man can do.
The
convoy turned too a course of 320' at 5 kts., this gave the SeaDragon a great
firing position. At about 08:47 the SeaDragon fired 8-Torpedo's. ( 2-torpedo's
at each Large Freighter, 3-torpedo's at the Armed Merchant Cruiser, and
1-torpedo at one of the Troop Transport's. ) Turned the SeaDragon to a course
of 270' as the torpedo's went racing for there target's. At this time the
SeaDragon was at periscope depth, and was thinking about going deeper when the
XO said we had only had 39 more feet under us. So the SeaDragon would be at
periscope depth for this part of the battle. "Damn, This is a bad place to
do battle in, "Know water in the bath tub." Now I know what a fish
out of water feel's like." Looked out the periscope to find that 2-Large
Freighter's, and One Armed Merchant Cruiser heading to the bottom to meet
"Davie Jone".
Took
a periscope look, To see 8 mad escort's coming in pinging away to find the
SeaDragon. But, At this time we had no place to run to. Took another look to
see the escort's turning away at 18 to 20 kts., There must have been a miss in
one of the 8 torpedo's, and the torpedo explosed along way's away. When I did
look again, The convoy had turned to a course of 250', going away from there
escort's, running from where the torpedo had explosed, and right straight to
the SeaDragon. As the torpedo's became loaded, I waited for 4 torpedo's to be
readied. Fired two each at the Troop Transport's. In a few minute's they too
were going to the bottom to see "Davie". Looked around for the
escort's, to find them coming in slowly. Fired 1 torpedo blindly, set for a
range of 9,000 yds. and waited. It missed it's target ( 1 Small Freighter ). An
the escort's turned to that explosion. That gave SeaDragon time too setup on
the on coming convoy.
By
that time the convoy was still heading at 250', and still at 5 kts.. Setup 4
more torpedo's, An fired 2 each at each Small Freighter, As 1 Small freighter (
The third one ) was turning to the North. Putting the first two on the bottom.
At this time the escort's were coming in. I had them on radar, but not visial.
As one torpedo came ready for firing, I set it up on the 1 Small Freighter that
was left, an fired. The torpedo found it's mark, putting it to on the bottom.
At
this time the SeaDragon came to radar depth. Had the escort's on the radar, but
still NO visial on them from the periscope. So, I used the radar to move out of
the escorts way as the SeaDragon was on the surface at this time running at
flank speed, Fuel or No fuel. The time
had come for the SeaDragon to make good her escape, An she did.
(
Friday Night ) Leaving YS-1, Christmas Eve, 24th December, 1943:
Heading for open water, as slow as we can go to save fuel. I just hope this
"old rust buck" of a war horse can get us home. The night is clear as
the lookout's, XO, and me are on the brige looking for Santa Claus, and 8
raindear on this Christmas Eve night. I just hope we can get out of here
safely.
(
Tuesday Night ) Returning to Pearl Harbor, 28th December, 1943:
Look's like we are head home from the East China Sea at a very slow pace. It's
going to be a long ride home.
(
Tuesday ) 25th of January, 1944: We made it.
Pearl Harbor is just around the bend. This crew did it's job on this patrol.
Man it's good to be home.
CMDR. James D. Cox II, USN
CO: USS Sea Dragon, SS-194
U.S. Navy
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