ANALYSIS OF COORDINATED ANTI-SUBMARINE ACTION BY USS BAKER
 
AND USS THOMAS
     
 
Employment Offensive A/S Operations
Time 2033 GCT 5 July 1944
Depth of Water 2450 fathoms
Position 42-16.5N/59-49W
Weather conditions Day; Visibility good; Sea Force 3; Wind S, Force 1
Sonar conditions Excellent
Contact first made by Sonar
Range 2200 yards
Number of attacks 2 DC; 2 DC on surfaced sub; gunfire; ramming
 
     
  1.  BRIEF OF NARRATIVE.  
     
          (a)  First contact with the submarine involved in this action was made on 2 July when CARD aircraft sighted a swirl  and slick in a position 156 miles to the northeast of the sinking.  Sono-buoys were dropped and contact was maintained throughout the day although intermittent bad weather required the recalling of aircraft and the cessation of listening several times.  Two DE escorts conducted a sonar search in the area without result.  Sonar conditions were reported as being very poor.  From 2 July until 5 July bad weather prevented further aircraft search.  
     
          (b)  At 1907 (Zone plus one hour and 20 minutes) 5 July, BAKER stationed 20,000 yards on the port beam of the CARD made sonar contact at a range of 2200 yards.  Foxer was streamed and a “short pattern shallow (five Mark 8 charges)” was ordered.  When the depth charge racks and “K” guns reported ready this pattern was changed to a “full pattern medium (13 Mark 8 depth charges)”.  
     
          (c)  The first pattern was fired at 1913.  Contact was regained at 350 yards.  At the same time the remote control training unit for the sonar stack failed and it became necessary to train by hand.  The report stated it was impossible to obtain cut-ons, so baker steadied on the center bearing for the second attack which was made at 1920.  As the pattern detonated personnel aft reported a huge geyser of water mixed with oil.  
     
          (d)  While searching to regain sonar contact the SL radar operator reported a number of small pips resembling sea returns at 1200 yards range.  All guns and torpedo tubes were trained on the bearing.  1925 sonar contact was regained 200 yards on the starboard quarter.  1931 radar reported a large pip at 1200 yards.  Simultaneously, the bow of the submarine broke surface at a steep angle on the radar bearing.  
     
 
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                                                                                                  Enc. (A) to  
                                                                                                  CominCh con. Ser.____02598__  
                                                                                                  dated ____31 July,____1944.  
     
     

 

 
 
     
          (e) Immediately, gunfire was opened up at a range of 1200 yards.  Difficulty with communications to the torpedo tubes was experienced and the Assistant Gunnery Officer was dispatched to fire in local control.  A 1035 two torpedoes were fired with the submarine abeam to port.  It was considered the range too short for the torpedoes to arm.  BAKER then passed 75 yards ahead of the submarine and fired the port K-Guns.  Charges straddled and detonated close aboard on both bows.  Gunfire continued and at 1941 BAKER again passed close ahead of the submarine and laid a full 13 charge pattern.  At this time many of the submarine’s crew were observed abandoning ship.
   
          (f)  During this action THOMAS, who had been ordered to assist, was closing and also firing on the submarine.  1930 Commander Escort Division 48 ordered THOMAS to ram the submarine.  At 1946 THOMAS slowed to 15 knots, then back emergency full and rammed the submarine on the starboard side estimated the submarine’s speed to be about 12 knots.  Submarine then sank beneath THOMAS.  30 survivors were recovered.  
     
  2.  EVALUATION OF TARGET.  
     
          (a)    Submarine.  
     
  3.  EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE.  
     
          (a)  Submarine sunk – 30 survivors recovered.  
     
  4.  ANALYSIS OF DEPTH CHARGE ATTACKS.  
     
          (a)  While the action was well conducted in most regards, the following points are noted:  
     
                  (1)    Initial contact was made at 2200 yards when BAKER was 20,000 yards from the CARD group.  It appears that under the circumstances a deliberate attack in accordance with FTP 223, Article 1431 was indicated.  It is not clear why a five charge depth charge pattern was initially ordered.  
     
                  (2)    Fuses of the Mark 8 charges were not set in accordance with FTP 223, Article 1436.  
     
          (b)    First Depth Charge Attack.  
     
 
Time 1911 GCT
Range at which contact was made 2200 yards
Range at which contact was lost 100 yards
H.E. Yes
Doppler Moderate high
Target movement Left
Number of charges 13 (4 set to fire magnetically)
Depth settings Medium
 
     
 
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                                                                                                  Enc. (A) to  
                                                                                                  CominCh con. Ser.____02598__  
                                                                                                  dated ____31 July,____1944.  
     
     

 

 
 
     
          On this attack there was no bearing movement until the range had closed to 400 yards, when the bearing began to draw left.  The rudder was put full left and the pattern was fired five seconds late to counter the turn and presumably to allow for the deceleration caused by the use of full rudder.  The plot of this attack and later PW testimony indicates it was very accurate.
   
          (c)  Second Attack  
     
 
Time 1920 GCT
Range at which contact was made 350 yards
Range at which contact was lost 125 yards
H.E. Not stated
Doppler None
Target movement Assumed to be stern chase
Number of charges 13 (4 set to fire magnetically)
Depth settings Shallow
 
     
          The shallow settings of the depth charges probably caused most of the pattern to detonate above the submarine.  Attention is again directed to F.T.P. 223, Article 1436.  
     
  5.  GUNFIRE PHASE  
     
 
BAKER expended:  142 rounds of 3”/50 cal
  322     “      of 40 mm
  5310   “      of 20 mm
   
THOMAS expended: 29 rounds of 3”/50 cal
  640      “    of 20 mm
 
     
  6.  INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM PRISONERS OF WAR.  
     
          The following information was obtained from prisoners of war.  It cannot be considered as fact and is included as being of interest only:  
     
          “U-233 was proceeding at 30 meters in the early evening of 5 July.  The torpedomen were servicing either a torpedo or tube (a seaman PW states that the U/B had gone to this depth in order to effect this servicing instead of remaining at the depth of between 50/80 meters at which she usually traveled).  Suddenly a high whining sound was heard throughout the U/B, soon followed by screw noises passing overhead.  Almost immediately DCs burst all around the U/B which was severely shaken up; glass was smashed and loose gear flew all over the boat.  The boat descended rapidly to about 120 meters at which point a water entry in the after compartment had developed to such a degree that she became stern  
     
 
- 3 -
  
                                                                                                  Enc. (A) to  
                                                                                                  CominCh con. Ser.____02598__  
                                                                                                  dated ____31 July,____1944.  
     
     

 

 
 
     
  heavy.  As a result of this a torpedo which had been withdrawn from one of the tubes in the after compartment and which was on the loading rails suddenly slid into the tube with such violence that is disemboweled one of the torpedomen who happened to be in the way.  Presumably the cap was damaged by this and the water entry increased considerably.  Just what happened in the after part of the boat is not known as not a single man escaped from the stern compartment, electric motor room or the Diesel room.  The U/B continued to sink by the stern at an alarming angle, completely out of control, with chlorine gas spreading throughout the boat from the after compartment.  Possibly at this moment the door between the control room and the Diesel room was sealed off.  Shortly after this another pattern of DCs fell around the boat without, however, causing further damage.  The order was given to blow all tanks and the U/B surfaced rapidly regaining an even keel.  As she reached the surface she was immediately brought under a very accurate fire by the attacking destroyers.  The chief engineer opened the conning tower hatch and the top of his head was promptly blown off.  Successive crew members who attempted to leave the boat by this hatch were no more fortunate, until the conning tower itself was littered with dead and dying.  The 30 survivors who were ultimately picked up all left the boat by the forward hatch and cowered behind the conning tower while shells and bullets tore through the plating around the conning tower without, however, piercing the conning tower itself.  One shell appears to have penetrated the pressure hull and exploded in the Petty Officer’s living quarters killing everyone in it and filling the compartment with acrid fumes.  The survivors jumped overboard and within 15 minutes of surfacing the bow of U-233 rose high in the air and she sank almost vertically.  Thirty survivors were picked up, including the badly wounded Captain who later died aboard the CARD, the first and second Watch officers and a Midshipman under instruction.”
   
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
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                                                                                                  Enc. (A) to  
                                                                                                  CominCh con. Ser.____02598__  
                                                                                                  dated ____31 July,____1944.