/ / IMMEDIATE / /
To:
ComSubRon 4A
CC:
ComSubPac
From:
CMDR Ronny Gundersen
Date:
5 September 1943
Subject:
Patrol Report, Cycle 8 (October 2002)
Remarks:
3rd War Patrol, USS Pogy
Sub: USS Pogy SS-266 Class: Gato
Crew: Elite Status:
Operational
Hull Damage: Light (5%) System
Damage: None (0%)
Total Patrol Time: 3.2
Days Repair
Time: Operational
Fuel Used: 3,311
Gallons (2%) Realism Rating: 115%
Ships Sunk: 7 Tonnage:
112,180 /
37,356
Warships: 1 Merchants:
6
Pilots Saved: 0 Photo
Recons: 0
Weather: Clear Sea:
Moderate
Patrol Mileage: 355
Nautical
Miles
Ordnance Remaining: 0 - MK 14 Torpedo’s, 74 – Deck Gun Rounds.
(Silent Hunter Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star with combat V)
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Total: 112,180
Raw / 37,356 Adjusted
Damage Sustained:
Aircraft Encountered:
3
Depth Charges:
28
Commander’s Comments:
RMKS/ 1. Early
morning of 2 September 1943 we arrived north of Spratly Islands.
4 September at 00:32 we entered our designated
patrol area IC-1.
The sea is moderate and the weather is clear. No
encounters so far in our patrol.
RMKS/ 2. 4
September 1943
03:17 a convoy bearing 074' has been detected by
radar at 11,440 yds. It seems they are heading our way. After some time a
destroyer suddenly comes out from the darkness, heading straight for us. We
immediately dive to radar depth to avoid detection but still have a bearing on
that convoy.
The escort is a YUGUMO DD, spotted at 4,000 yds
speeding at approx. 23 kts. At the same time we change course to 000'T to close
in on the convoy. Another DD comes into view, a KAGERO class DD this time,
about 3,000 yds away. None of the escorts detects us and continues on their
path behind us. Soon the Merchants appear. The convoy consist of 4 Tankers, the
closest only 4,800 yds
away 1 Large Freighter and 1 Supply ship. The Tankers
line up just perfect for an attack. In the lead is the Large Freighter.
04:05 Torpedo’s are set to 18 ft. depth and slow
speed. Torpedo 1 & 2 are fired at the closest Tanker
from 1,000 yds, torpedo 3 & 4 at the next Tanker (Tanker 2) from 1,600 yds. 1 hi-speed torpedo, at 10 ft. depth, is fired at the Large Freighter from 600 yds. Torpedo 1 & 2 hit the Tanker and it starts to sink. Torpedo 3,4 and 5 misses. The convoy has now started their evasive manoeuvres. Our last fwd torpedo is fired at the closest Tanker (Tanker 2), and that torpedo hits and sink the Tanker. The escorts are pinging for us like mad, but we are hiding in the middle of the convoy by now and they have a hard time finding us. The closest escort is less than 1,000 yds away. I order flank speed ahead to turn the sub as fast as possible. When in position torpedo 7 is fired at the now closest Tanker. New adjustments are made and torpedo 8 & 9 are fired at the last Tanker. Torpedo 7 hits it target and that tanker goes down like a rock. Torpedo 8 is a hit also, but torpedo 9 is a dud. This only damages the Tanker, which is now on fire at about 1,600 yds heading away from us at 5.5 kts. She's now too far away to use our last loaded aft torpedo as she is now alerted and will surely outmanoeuvre our torpedo at this distance. I decide to follow the tanker to finish her off, but we are detected by escorts and have to dive to 250 ft. A huge thermal layer is found at about 200 ft, and at 250 ft they lost us. There are now 3 escorts searching for us. Eventually they give up their search and return to the convoy. They dropped 13 DC's in the water, but we were never near those "buckets o' fun".
05:25 we have finally closed in enough on the
damaged Tanker so that we can use our deck gun to sink her. It seems only the
crew necessary to keep the ship floating is on board. No enemy sailors
man their deck gun, so after 6 rounds from our
deck gun (4 of them hit) the Tanker sinks. Only seconds later the Tanker is
gone, and no crewmembers can be seen in the water. We continue patrol, very
satisfied with tonight’s catch.
RMKS/ 3. 10:15
Sonar reports hi-speed screws bearing 107'R. We go to periscope depth (PD) to
investigate the contact. The first thing we spot is two aircraft circling around.
Then we notice the BB group is now turning toward us. They are 2,700 yds away,
heading 031'T at 20 kts. Surrounded by CA's, CL's and a bunch of destroyers I
can see a NAGATO class BB, now 1,700 yds away. Quickly all torpedo tubes are
readied and the torpedo’s are set to 22 ft depth. At flank speed ahead I order
to change course to close in to 1,200 yds on the NAGATO. Suddenly the escorts
have been alerted about our presence (maybe not so strange as we are nearly
rammed by the passing cruisers), and they start to ping us. At 1,320 yds I
order to fire all fwd torpedo’s at the NAGATO and turn the boat so we can
launch our aft torpedo’s at her too. All ships in the group are firing their
guns at us and splashes are everywhere. None of them hit us, but a few of them
are uncomfortably close. Torpedo 1,2 and 3 premature, but 4,5 and 6 hit their
target. The NAGATO is now burning, but still has a speed of 17 kts. Once our
aft torpedo’s are lined up at her I order to fire all aft torpedo’s and dive to
250 ft at full speed. This is not a place to stay. On our way down we are hit
by a depth charge (DC) and moderate leaking in the radio room, SD radar
moderate damaged and moderate damage to the aft batteries are the result. None
of the crew was harmed, but quite a few bruisers and cuts have been generously
given to the crew in those parts of the boat. The pumps are keeping up with the
leaking just fine, and after about 30 minutes the crew have repaired the hull.
It was estimated that it would take about 1 hour to fix the radar and about
1:30 to fix the batteries. The escort’s keep on dropping DC's at us until we
finally reach the thermal layer and they loose contact with us. All of our last
four torpedo’s hit the NAGATO (THAT must be counted as a miracle) and when the
very last torpedo hits, we can all hear how the NAGATO breaks up in a couple of
violent explosions before she begins her long journey down to the ocean floor. By
the pinging we count 8 escorts up there hunting for us, but none of them find
us, and by 12:16 we are safe again. The crew are ecstatic by the sinking of the
NAGATO. We who have always seemed to be jinxed when it comes to capitol ships.
By 12:35 all our damages are repaired and we
continue normal patrol. A total of 15 DC's were tossed after us, and only the
first 2 or 3 were close.
RMKS/ 4. 16:20
Sonar reports low-speed screws bearing 067'R. Going to PD to check it out. It's
a small convoy heading 035'T at 12,3 kts. They are 17,200 yds away. We are on a
good intercept course, but because of a spotted aircraft we have to dive again.
16:47 we are at PD again. The convoy are larger
than I first thought. The convoy is now counting
3 Supply ships, 2 Converted Factory ships, 2 Troop
Transports, 2 AMC's, 2 Large Freighters, 2 Tankers and 1 Standard Merchant. The
only close ships are the Std. Merchant and a Supply Ship. The Std. Merchant
will be my target and torpedo depth is set to 18 ft. and torpedo speed is set
to slow.
17:02 Fired torpedo 1 & 2 at the Std. Merchant
at 900 yds. Both hit but fail to sink her. We have to dive to avoid being
rammed by the other ships. When at PD again the burning Merchant is 1,300
yds from us. I order to fire torpedo 3, and
after 43 seconds a big explosion confirms the sinking of the Merchant. A Converted
Factory ship is close by and our last fwd torpedo is fired at it. The torpedo
hit and damages the ship moderately. I order to turn the boat and use our last
aft torpedo on it too. Our absolutely last torpedo is fired and hits the CFS
and a fire breaks out. The rest of the convoy is now far away, and we surface
to use our deck gun. After a short gun duel the CFS slowly start to sink. We
were not hit once. Maybe our luck has come back to us on this patrol. The rest
of the convoy were heading 055'T at 16 kts when we dived to avoid possible
patrol aircrafts. We headed south to start our trip home.
RMKS/ 5. 5
September 1943
06:29 we leave our patrol area in the South
China Sea. Our final course is set for home sweet home.
Some of the crew have found an appropriate
broomstick to mount on our periscope when arriving
homeport. Yesterday was a pretty hectic day, but
also VERY rewarding. Talk about hitting the
bulls eye in the enemy shipping lanes.
CMDR Ronny Gundersen
CO: USS Pogy, SS-266
SubRon 4A
U.S. Navy
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