COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET-SECURITY	August 7, 1943.
	NARRATIVE OF LIEUTENANT C. R. STAPLER, U.S. NAVY
	An attack had already been made by Lieutenant (jg) SALLENGER on one of two submarines, bearing 2980, 82 miles from the ship.  More planes were immediately dispatched to the scene of the attack, Lieutenant (jg) Forney and I in 2 TBF-1's and Lieutenant HODSON and Lieutenant (jg) JACKSON in 2 F4F-4's.
	At 1033 GCT while flying at an altitude of 5000 feet, we saw the submarine 100 on the starboard bow, distance 12 miles.  It was turning in a tight circle, making about 6-8 knots at the time of sighting.  We pushed over in a gentle dive, changing course to starboard to make a stern attack by the time the U-boat had turned another 900.  This also enabled us to use the sun as a cover.  When about 5 miles away, I signaled Lieutenant HODSON to make a strafing run, which he did in excellent fashion.  As we came in, the submarine put up considerable AA fire which, judging from the explosions in front of us, were from 20mm guns.  I weaved somewhat on account of this fire, steadying down for the attack and then firing several bursts with my 30 caliber fixed gun.
	At 1037 at a speed of 195 knots in a 200 dive, I released the two depth bombs at an altitude of 185 feet.  My course was 2750 T and that of the U-boat was about 3000.  It had turned a little sharper than I estimated and its stern was transversing noticeably to port.  The bombs landed very close aboard the port side just ahead of the conning tower, the explosion sending up a large geyser of water that almost completely covered the submarine.
	As we pulled out, the turret gunner was able to do some strafing with his 50 caliber machine gun.  From our position, we watched Lieutenant (jg) FORNEY make his bombing run, and the fighters clear the decks, thus stopping the AA fire.
	Right after these two depth bomb attacks, the U-boat straightened its course, slowing down to 3-4 knots.  It then started turning to starboard.  At about 1059 it commenced submerging with a very slight angle of dive.  I turned sharply to attack with the mine and had almost reached the dropping point when the bow and conning tower broke water again.  The submarine was now barely moving through the water, struggling to resurface.  This condition persisted for about 5 minutes, then she commenced to settle.
	ENCLOSURE (A)                                      - 1 -

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET-SECURITY
	August 7, 1943.
	NARRATIVE OF LIEUTENANT C. R. STAPLER, U.S. NAVY CONT'D
	The bow came up slightly, the conning tower disappeared and finally the bow went under.  There was no noticeable swirl.  During this entire time, the U-boat was losing large quantities of oil.
	Twenty seconds later, I dropped the Mk. 24 Mine about 200 feet ahead of the oil slick and 100 feet to starboard of the submarine's last track.  The dropping course converged with that of the U-boat by about 100.  At the instant of dropping, the plane was making 120 knots, altitude 205 feet, time 1106.  The other TBF came in, dropping its mine to port.
	Where the submarine was last seen, there was a large patch of oil at least 200 feet in diameter and appearing to grow.  No debris was noticed, but at 1111 a very light blue bubbly area about 100 feet in diameter suddenly appeared about 300 feet ahead and to starboard of where the U-boat had gone under.  This area was circular and though it seemed to contain air, the air did not come up in large bubbles.
	We were recalled to the ship at 1126 at which time the light blue bubbly area still persisted.  We were relieved by 3 TBF's.
	C. R. STAPLER.
	ENCLOSURE (A)                                             - 2 -

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET-SECURITY
	August 7, 1943.
	NARRATIVE OF LIEUTENANT N. D. HODSON, U.S. NAVY
	Lieutenant STAPLER and I sighted surfaced sub reported by Lt. (jg) SALLENGER about 15 off our starboard bow and about 10-12 miles away.  We were at about 4500 feet altitude.  We let down in a direct approach to about 3000 feet and at about 6 miles out, Lieutenant STAPLER sent me ahead to strafe.
	My first attack was from the starboard quarter, second attack from the port beam, just a few seconds before Lieutenant STAPLER's depth bomb attack which was from the starboard quarter.  My third attack was from the starboard beam at about the same time as Lt. (jg) FORNEY made his depth bomb attack which was also from the starboard quarter.  I then continued strafing until my ammunition was expended.
	After the attacks the U-boat started circling to starboard.  As it completed about 2700 of this turn, it settled slowly and went under the surface for about half a minute, during which time the TBF's started their approach to drop the Mk. 24 mines.  However the U-boat resurfaced, conning tower and bow awash, stern down.  About 3 minutes later it disappeared again with hardly any forward motion, stern down.  The TBF's came in dropping the Mk. 24 mines, Lt. STAPLER's entering the water about 400 feet to starboard and ahead of the last seen position of the U-boat and Lt. (jg) RORNEY's about 600 feet to port and ahead of the same spot.
	On my first run I fired a test burst about 2 miles away and the bullets fell obviously short.  I then held my fire until I was in range.  It was during this first run that I noticed small puffs of AA fire near me and gun flashes from the after end of the conning tower.  These flashes from the conning tower continued even after two or three runs, during which I concentrated all my firepower on this area.  I observed no personnel around the guns but did see some thick smoke after one run as though ready ammunition had been ignited.  After the AA fire had ceased, I flew by low and slow;  I observed three mounts of twin 20mm guns on the after end of the conning tower and a platform (about 35 feet in length) on the forward deck with 5 or 6 circular holes about 36" in diameter.
	ENCLOSURE (B)                                          - 1 -

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET-SECURITY
	August 7, 1943.
	NARRATIVE OF LIEUTENANT N. D. HODSON, U.S. NAVY (con't)
	The oil from the sub marked its track on the water.  After the final submergence, the oil continued on a course which almost bisected the 3600 turn it had made.  Then it stopped.  About one half way across this circle, I observed a light blue circle as though the water was filled with air bubbles.  I circled low but saw no debris except depth bomb markers, the oil slick, and the bluish circle mentioned.  At a speed of 120 knots, it took me 12 seconds to fly across the 3600 circle made by the course of the sub.  This would make a radius turn of about 1200 feet.
	N. D. HODSON.
	ENCLOSURE (B)                                          - 2 -

 

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET-SECURITY
	August 7, 1943.
	NARRATIVE OF POTTER, Wellington H., 234 34 49, ARM2c, USN
	The first glimpse I had of the U-boat was from a distance of about ten miles.  She was fully surfaced, making about six knots on an erratic course.
	Climbing to the rear of the plane to take pictures, I did not see it again until after the pilot had released his depth charges.  As the plane flew over the U-boat, it appeared in full view.  The depth charges threw water over the entire deck.
	After we had circled the U-boat about three times, watching the F4F strafe her decks, she appeared to be making a dive, but the dive was sluggish.
	She remained submerged for about 30 seconds after which she came to the surface bow first.  For an instant I could see the base of her conning tower but no farther aft.
	The U-boat submerged again shortly, settling slowly with little forward motion.  Immediately we closed in and dropped the mine.  After this disappearance, I never saw her again.  There was a growing oil slick on the surface over the spot where she went down.  Shortly thereafter, and about 50 feet ahead of this, the pilot brought my attention to an unusual disturbance in the water.  I can best describe them as looking like large smoke rings.
	Several fluorescein sea markers were dropped as a point of reference for the relieving planes.
	Wellington H. POTTER.
	ENCLOSURE (C)

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET-SECURITY
	August 7, 1943.
	NARRATIVE OF HUTCHINSON, William I., 636 05 43, AMM3c, USNR
	The submarine was sighted by the pilot 10-12 miles away.  The F4F-4 pulled ahead and started strafing.  They opened fire on both planes, and were still firing after we dropped our depth bombs.  The best I could make of it, one depth bomb was very close, and one a little over when they exploded.
	The sub was zigzagging and the F4F-4's were giving it all they had, also I got in one burst on the conning tower with the turret gun.
	The sub tried to go down but had to come up again, then she sank when they were trying to come back up.  We dropped our mine about 20 seconds later, and I believe the mine went off.  All I could see was a blue looking circle about 100 feet in diameter 4 or 5 minutes later.
	The sub looked white to me.  There were guns on the conning tower and aft of it.  That is about all I could make out.
	William I. HUTCHINSON
	ENCLOSURE (D)