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23 May 1944. |
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| 1. Pursuant to references (a) and (b), enclosures (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) are submitted covering subject contact with, and subsequent sinking of enemy submarine on the morning of 19 May 1944. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| W.R. BARNES. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ASW (FOTC NOB NOR) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| IV. NARRATIVE: Attack and Destruction of Enemy Submarine, 19 May 1944. | |||||||||
| LUDLOW was in company with U.S.S. WOOLSEY, U.S.S. MADISON, U.S.S. BENSON and U.S.S. NIBLACK engaged in submarine hunt during period involved. Disposition taken for the night placed U.S.S. WOOLSEY, U.S.S. BENSON and U.S.S. MADISON 10 miles ahead of best estimated submarine track position and U.S.S. NIBLACK and U.S.S. LUDLOW 10 miles astern of above position, with ships to conduct night radar and sound search along submarine estimated track. | |||||||||
| A plane A.S.V. contact at 0228B was received giving submarine position about 22 miles astern of U.S.S. LUDLOW and U.S.S. NIBLACK position. Orders were received to investigate contact and about 2330 U.S.S. NIBLACK (senior ship) and U.S.S. LUDLOW went to 25 knots and turned back. | |||||||||
| No contact was made in vicinity of first report, but a later report of plane A.S.V. contact moved submarine position about 10 miles to the northeast, with flare having been dropped near contact. U.S.S. NIBLACK and U.S.S. LUDLOW then set course to sweep over area of new contact. | |||||||||
| While steaming on course 080°T, speed 20 knots on scouting line 10,000 yards distance, Commanding Officer, U.S.S. LUDLOW, noticed faint pip on bridge P.P.I. screen bearing about 082°T, distance 7,000 yards. C.I.C. was directed to check this bearing for target but upon sweeping bearing by hand, no target could be discovered ad pip had completely disappeared. At the same time U.S.S. NIBLACK directed a course change to 070°T to center aircraft flare, now just sighted, between the two ships. U.S.S. LUDLOW notified U.S.S. NIBLACK of disappearing pip and signified intention to remain on 080°T course to investigate. | |||||||||
| Sound operator made first contact on wake on starboard bow, which he classified as such, then, at 0320 announced target, bearing 100°T, range 500 yards. Next report had ship passing submarine on starboard side. Speed was reduced and ship swung out to make attack. U.S.S. NIBLACK was notified of positive contact and stood over to join. Sound contact was easily regained and held and ship stood in to make deliberate attack. Contact was lost at 400 yards and medium barrage | |||||||||
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| IV. NARRATIVE: Attack and Destruction of Enemy Submarine, 19 May 1944. (Cont'd) | |||||||||
| ordered in view of the short elapsed submerged time of the submarine. Fathometer actually gave 10 fathoms on this run. Pattern was fired at 0337. The remote P.P.I. was knocked out by concussion on this run, and the depth charge racks jammed. The signalman detailed to drop a flare became excited and forgot to let go his flare. | |||||||||
| Ship was swung around after the attack, contact easily regained, and stood in for a second attack. The depth charge crews, handicapped by working in pitch black darkness, were not able to complete reloading and resetting depth charge projectors or to clear jammed racks by the time ship had arrived at firing point, so dummy run was made. Ship dropped two (2) flares and stood off. U.S.S. NIBLACK, who had just arrived, took charge of the target, made good contact, and conducted three(3) attacks. Information as to target bearings, ranges, and estimated depth were passed between ships. | |||||||||
| U.S.S. NIBLACK believed that torpedo exploded in her wake during one attack, so that conducting of a creeping attack, which had been discussed via T.B.S. was postponed until ships were sure submarine had gone deep. Upon completion U.S.S. NIBLACK third attack, she hauled off to break out depth charges. This vessel, with P.P.I. again operating and depth charge racks properly functioning, took over the attack. | |||||||||
| Contact was readily made, with C.I.C. giving approximate ranges and bearings to target, and ship stood in to make standard, deliberate attack. Contact was lost at about 500 yards and deep barrage fired at 0444. Again bridge P.P.I. was knocked out and bridge lost steering control temporarily. | |||||||||
| Ship was brought around, contact regained, opened out to about 2,000 yards and the third deliberate attack made at 0455. This last attack depleted the supply of ready charges so ship slowed and swung a big circle, breaking out and preparing depth charges while U.S.S. NIBLACK took over target and made a deliberate attack. | |||||||||
| Upon completion of U.S.S. NIBLACK 4th attack this ship | |||||||||
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| IV. NARRATIVE: Attack and Destruction of Enemy Submarine, 19 May 1944. (Cont'd) | |||||||||
| came on in, and at 0518 fired a deliberate attack, very deep setting, contact having been lost at about 550 yards. | |||||||||
| U.S.S. NIBLACK again took over target and made deliberate attack, then holding contact, commenced directing this ship in on creeping attack. Before this attack could be completed U.S.S. NIBLACK lost contact and instructed this vessel to start pinging. Contact was immediately regained about 1,200 yards ahead and it was decided that this vessel would direct U.S.S. NIBLACK in on creeping attack. Submarine however appeared to be heading for this vessel as range constantly closed and ship was swung out and around in an effort to come in on submarine's quarter. Range was not sufficiently opened however and ship ended up with submarine ahead about 700 yards, ship dead in the water, and range steady. U.S.S. NIBLACK was started in on a creeping attack, but contact was lost before attack could be completed, and both ships swung out to search for, and relocate submarine. | |||||||||
| This vessel, after opening about 2,000 yards, came back through the submarine's last plotted position, dropped a green dye marker and stood on about 1,500 yards when contact was regained on the starboard bow, about 2,100 yards distance. A final deliberate attack was then made at a very deep setting, with contact lost at about 500 yards. Contact was regained immediately after the depth charge explosion and held until the submarine surfaced. | |||||||||
| After this vessel's 5th attack U.S.S. NIBLACK stood in to make a deliberate attack, but was not satisfied with attack and did not fire. This vessel then, with solid contact at about 1,750 yards, directed U.S.S. NIBLACK in on a creeping attack. U.S.S. NIBLACK commenced firing pattern at 0705 using only depth charge racks. A large continuously rising stream of air bubbles was noted in the vicinity of about the 4th charge, and guns and director trained on that spot. At 0712, submarine surfaced about 200 yards from the air bubble and about 1,500 yards sharp on the starboard bow of this vessel. Fire was immediately opened with 5" gins #1 and #2, and ship swung hard left to bring #3 and #4 to bear. The first shots from the 5" guns were seen to be direct hits. U.S.S. NIBLACK also opened fire promptly and obtained early hits. The starboard 20 and 40 MM. battery opened up as the ship swung to | |||||||||
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| IV. NARRATIVE: Attack and Destruction of Enemy Submarine, 19 May 1944. (Cont'd) | |||||||||
| unmask them, and together with U.S.S. NIBLACK, soon had the air full of bullets. At this point a patrol plane which had been circling over the attack area for about an hour, dove low over the submarine and laid a stick of bombs or depth charges alongside the sub. | |||||||||
| After about two (2) minutes of fire, a signalman reported a white flag being waved from the submarine. Fire was checked and a careful inspection of the submarine made, but no flag observed so fire was resumed. Later information from survivors indicates that the submarine Commanding Officer waved his white cap from the conning tower, but was quickly blown over the side and seriously injured by 5" fire. | |||||||||
| After an additional two (2) minutes of fire the submarine settled low in the water and was seen to be badly damaged and sinking so fire was checked. At 0719, the submarine's bow went under and she sank on about a 30 degree angle. This vessel then stood in to pick up survivors while the U.S.S. NIBLACK depth charged the submarine a final time and joined in rescue of survivors. This vessel recovered three (3) officers and ten (10) men, none badly injured. The U.S.S. NIBLACK recovered one officer, the Commanding Officer, and six (6) men. This ship saw at least two (2) other badly wounded men in the water but they sank before they could be reached. | |||||||||
| COMMENTS | |||||||||
| 1. Sound conditions were good, average ranges of making contact being about 2,000 yards. All contacts were lost at 400 - 550 yards, though survivors story does not indicate that this should necessarily have been so on earlier runs. | |||||||||
| 2. Q.B.F. equipment was excellent in denoting doppler. | |||||||||
| 3. Mk. 9 Mod. 2 depth charges, even at deep and very deep settings and at 15 knots, have considerable concussion effect on own ship. Lost bridge P.P.I. twice, second time could not immediately repair it and was handicapped considerably in maneuvering with U.S.S. NIBLACK on a very dark night. | |||||||||
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| IV. NARRATIVE: Attack and Destruction of Enemy Submarine, 19 May 1944. (Cont'd) | |||||||||
| Believe equipment should be better shock mounted. Lost steering control once but regained immediately. | |||||||||
| 4. On four out of six runs there was no change of bearing during run in. Believe that possibly submarine was lying to until range was about 600 - 700 yards, then using a burst of speed to get clear, and depending upon his depth to mask the maneuver. | |||||||||
| 5. Survivors claim that submarine was soon aware that at least two destroyers were working him, that had there only been one they would have surfaced and fought. Also stated that although they were sure they were done for, no appreciable damage had been done to them until the final attack. There were unaware that the submarine had lost all the air seen on the surface but said they were forced to surface after taking about a foot of water in the submarine. | |||||||||
| 6. Ship had just recently received Mk. 9 Mod 2 depth charges and Commanding Officer appreciates, that lead required is considerably less than with Mk. 6 and 7's. No attack teacher period had been held using data for new charges and no data was available showing most favorable amounts of lead. | |||||||||
| 7. The 5" fire was particularly effective. First shots were direct hits. 75 rounds were fired with an estimated 40% hits on conning tower or hull. 20 MM. and 40 MM. fire did not seem to be either effective or desirable. | |||||||||
| 8. Communication with assisting aircraft was very good, and information from one plane was directly responsible for gaining initial contact. | |||||||||
| 9. Although S.A. Radars on both attacking ships were secured, submarine was able to detect presence of destroyers. This indicates submarine either is able to detect S.G. Radar or has own surface search Radar. Comment of survivors indicated that submarine was not equipped with a surface radar. It is believed submarine was not equipped with aircraft detection radar as plane flew almost directly over submarine in obtaining initial contact before its presence was known. Statements of survivors also verified this. | |||||||||
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| IV. NARRATIVE: Attack and Destruction of Enemy Submarine, 19 May 1944. (Cont'd) | |||||||||
| RECOMMENDATIONS | |||||||||
| 1. It is recommended that an auxiliary shaft revolution speed indicator be installed and so connected through a selector switch in I.C. that it can feed ship's speed to stable element, master gyro, computer and D.R.T. This is desirable as a standby speed input in case of casualty to the pit log, and a necessary speed input to D.R.T., particularly when ship's speed is less than five (5) knots, as pit log will not register at speeds less than five (5) knots. Failure of the pit log to register at low speeds throws a large error into the D.R.T. when directing a creeping attack and causes the D.R.T. plot to register an entirely false submarine target speed. | |||||||||
| 2. It is recommended that letters of commendation be addresses to the following named personnel from Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, for reasons as indicated: | |||||||||
| (a) Lieutenant J.P. MC GRADY, Jr., 96031, U.S.N.R.; As C.I.C. Officer during the attack and destruction of an enemy submarine he performed his duties in an outstanding manner by always maintaining a careful and accurate plot of the submarine's positions; by maintaining a valuable flow of information to the Conning Officer in the pilot house, so that he was properly enabled to maneuver the ship in conditions of total darkness and with the bridge P.P.I. out of commission; and that he plotted and directed the attacking ship in the final run that successfully forced the submarine to the surface. | |||||||||
| (b) Lieutenant (jg) R.G. LAURIE, 177127, U.S.N.; In that when an enemy was forced to surface he so promptly and accurately brought it under fire that no other possibility than to surrender was left to the enemy; that the performance of the ship's battery in this engagement and in all other gunnery exercises has shown his performance of duty as gunnery officer to be outstanding. | |||||||||
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| IV. NARRATIVE: Attack and Destruction of Enemy Submarine, 19 May 1944. (Cont'd) | |||||||||
| (c) Lieutenant (jg) CLYDE B. ANDERSON, 165623, U.S.N.; In that in an engagement with an enemy submarine he performed his duties as sound officer in an outstanding manner by keeping the Conning Officer well supplied with the information necessary to carry out attacks; that his coolness and resourcefulness were an example to his men; and that his directing of the sound-men and his recorder operation were in a large measure responsible for the final defeat of the enemy. | |||||||||
| (d) Ensign ROBERT P. JAVINS, 309744, U.S.N.; In that in an engagement with an enemy submarine he performed his duties as assistant C.I.C. Officer and Plotting Officer in an outstanding manner by properly evaluating information received and keeping an accurate plot of target position, and by so doing contributed greatly to maintenance of contact and tracking of submarine, which factors were essential to defeat of the enemy. | |||||||||
| (e) SOWERS, Everett G., 626 93 63, SoM3c., U.S.N.R.; In that, as sound operator during an engagement with an enemy submarine he did outstanding work in gaining and maintaining contact with the enemy, through wakes and depth charge explosions; that the information which he obtained was at all times concise and reliable and that his performance of duty contributed greatly to the final defeat of the enemy. | |||||||||
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| W.R. BARNES, | |||||||||
| Lieutenant Commander, U.S.N., | |||||||||
| Commanding | |||||||||
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