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Proceeding thence to the South China Sea with USS DACE I (SS-247) commanded by Cdr. B.D. Claggett, DARTER formed a coordinated attack team with that boat. The period from 12 October to 24 October was productive of many targets and attacks for DARTER, and she sank 9,900 tons of enemy shipping and damaged 19,900 tons in this time.
In the early morning of 23 October 1944 both DARTER and
DACE contacted and tracked a large enemy force heading north through
Palawan Passage enroute to engage our forces in the Battles for Leyte Gulf.
They attacked while the enemy were unable to alter course appreciably,
and in brilliant pre-dawn submerged attacks, sank the heavy cruisers ATAGO
and MAYA, and so severly damaged the heavy cruiser TAKAO
that she was useless for the rest of the war. During daylight, DARTER
tried a submerged attack on TAKAO, which had been stopped, but
was driven off by screening destroyers. Thus a night coordinated attack
plan was drawn up by the two boats.
Since she could not surface to take sights, DARTER was
forced to navigate on a 24-hour-old dead reckoning plot. At 2200 TAKAO
got underway, and DATER began a surface attack. Detecting two
radars sweeping, she decided to do an end around, and then make an attack
at radar depth. At 0005 on 24 October 1944, DARTER grounded on Bombay
Shoal at 17 knots and rode up to a draft of nine feet forward. Efforts
to get off the reef were unsuccessful and a message was sent to DACE
requesting assistance.
DACE closed DARTER and, after confidential gear had been smashed and classified matter burned, the men of DARTER were transferred to DACE. This was all done before dawn, and there were no losses of DARTER personnel.
DARTER's demolition charges failed to go off properly, and DACE used her remaining torpedoes in trying to destroy her without success, the torpedoes hitting the reef and exploding before they could reach their target. She did, however, score 21 four-inch hits on DARTER. USS ROCK (SS-274) was called in and fired ten torpedoes at DARTER, with similar lack of success due to their hitting the reef.
USS NAUTILUS III (SS-168), on her 13th patrol, arrived
on 31 October 1944, and scored 55 six-inch hits on DARTER. Her report
states, "It is doubtful that any equipment in DARTER at 1130
this date would be of any value to Japan -- except as scrap. Estimated
draft of DARTER -- 4 feet." Apparently the Japanese got no use
out of her, for an American naval officer was amazed in 1962 to see her
hulk still intact, appearing to be indestructible.
It must be realized that Cdr. McClintock understood fully the dangers involved in the end around maneuver in which DARTER grounded -- indeed, the incident is a classic example of calculated risk, and he was not held in any way at fault in the incident. It was simply one of the unfortunate tactical losses which must be expected in wartime, but which, in this case, was minimized by the fact that DARTER's full complement of personnel was saved. In order to keep this fighting and successful crew together the entire DARTER crew was ordered to take over the submarine USS MENHADEN (SS-377), then building at Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
DARTER's four patrols (including her last) resulted in
23,700 tons of enemy ships being sent to the bottom, and 30,000 tons being
damaged. She began her patrolling career south and west of Truk in January
and February 1944. She damaged a freighter on this first patrol. In the
second patrol of this vessel, she covered the area in and around the Celebes
Sea; she sank a freighter here. DARTER's third patrol was again
in the eastern Celebes Sea, and she sank the large minelayer TSUGARU
on 29 June 1944. She was credited with sinking the heavy cruiser ATAGO
and damaging the heavy cruiser TAKAO on the night of 23 October
1944, shortly before she stranded. DARTER was awarded the Navy Unit
Citation for the last patrol.
