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One TBF, Pilot Ensign McLane, and one F4F-4, pilot Lt.(jg) Bomar, were flying at 5500 feet on course 236°T, speed 150 K. TBF gunner saw wake of fully surfaced submarine 20° on port bow, its course 055°T, speed 10 K., distant 10 miles. Planes immediately took cloud cover, making wide sweep to port for stern approach. F4F made strafing run from directly astern at 280 K., 25° diving angle, during which no anti-aircraft fire was encountered. TBF followed immediately in a 16° dive, releasing 2 Mark 47 depth charges from 200 feet altitude, at 250 K. His approach was made from astern on the submarine's starboard quarter. Bomar observed both explosions from his position off submarine's port bow, 300 feet altitude. First bomb exploded close aboard on starboard quarter. Second bomb appeared to explode beneath submarine slightly to port, about 30 feet forward of stern. Radioman saw bombs enter water aft of the submarine and a big explosion. Both fighter pilot and gunner saw stern of submarine rise 4 to 6 feet out of water, forcing the bow under. Submarine settled until only conning tower was visible, then slowly surfaced. F4F expended remaining ammunition on base of conning tower as submarine settled, thinking it was submerging. Upon surfacing U/B was dead in water and remained so for 15 minutes, then got under way at about 10 K. |
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Shortly after the submarine regained a fully surfaced condition she commenced AA Firing. When way was regained, U/B strove to keep stern bearing on planes and AA fire ceased while they were forward of conning tower. When planes were at 2500 feet altitude about 1-1/2 miles from submarine, AA burst ahead of and level with them. At 4000 feet, all AA explosions were far below. Both planes saw flashes aft of the conning tower, but observed no other flashes. |
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While circling, for attack with Mark 24 mine should U/B dive, McLane requested supporting planes from carrier. Two TBF's were launched at 1211; pilots, Lt.(jg) B.M. Beattie with two Mark 47 depth charges and one Mark 24 mine, and Ensign C. B. Humphrey with four Mark 47 depth charges. At 1215 two F4F-4's, piloted by Lt. Comdr. C. W. Brewer and Lt.(jg) M. G. O'Neil, were launched. Bearing of 250°T, and distance 105 miles from the ship had been given pilots prior to departure. TBF's made good a track of 240°T, and arrived over submarine at 1250. F4F's made good a track of 250°T, and due to inaccurate original bearing, heavy haze in area, and necessity for flying an expanding square search, did not arrive over objective until a half hour later. Several attempts to rendezvous F4F's to other planes by means of RDF bearings failed. |
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TBF's in the vicinity of the submarine were ordered by ship to withhold attacks until arrival of fighters unless U/B attempted to submerge. At 1321 Brewer and O'Neil sighted submarine from 9000 feet altitude, distance 4 miles. Cloud cover was immediately taken. At 1322 Brewer asked plane with four depth charges if he would be ready to make a bombing run in about three minutes. Humphrey indicated that he was ready. At 1324, with submarine on course 160°T, making 10 to 12 knots, Brewer and O'Neil made coordinated strafing attack, emerging from cloud cover at 2500 feet, distance 3000 yards, and approaching from submarine's starboard quarter and beam respectively. At 1326 Humphrey entered a 45° dive from 4300 feet and approached submarine from 10° on port bow. Due to the steepness of dive and speed of 270 K. he released early, his four depth charges exploding about 1000 feet short. |
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- 1 - ENCLOSURE (A) |
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