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Charleston · 10-15-05, 11:02 AM

Personal Diary
L.cmdr C. Charleston
Commanding Officer
SS-294 USS Escolar

Second War Patrol

1. Assigned to patrol Palau Islands. Left Brisbane 0600 hours 4-22-1943. Set course to Palaus via east of Solomon's and north of Rabaul.

2. Trip uneventful till SJ radar contact on 5-5-43 N., 140-51 E. , 4-37 North with contacts at 10,000yrds. Seas calm, visibility fair. Visual contact established at 3,000 yrds with tanker and single escort.

Closed to 1500 yrds and fired two fish at tanker for surface attack. Came under gun fire simultaneously from escort, minor damage to scope. Dove to test depth and engaged escape course. Escort made ineffective ASW attack, no damage sustained from depth charges. Sonar reports breaking up sounds from tanker. Ship estimated at 8722 tons. Lost contact with escort at 0150. Surfaced 0400 for repairs.

3. 5-6-1943, 139-18 E. and 5-45 N. I thought I had stumbled on to a plentiful hunting grounds but almost lost my boat and crew this date. Seas were moderate, visibility fair. Single SJ radar contact at 8,000 yrds with visual established at 3,000 yrds. Ship appears to a lone, medium sized merchant. Plotted direct intercept course with surface attack, planned to fire fish at 1500 yrds or less.

At 2,000 yrds merchant opened up with intense gun attack. There were gun flashes coming from all along the decks of this bastard. Severe damage to my boat's hull with heavy flooding. Cash drive despite damage, boat was not going to last much longer surfaced. No choice but to engage enemy with submerged attack and surface to repair damage ASAP.

Four fish fired at 1,000 yrds, sonar reported multiple hits and quickly followed by breaking up and sinking sounds of enemy. Surfaced and set about repairs.

Intelligence later identified target as a sub trap (Q-ship?) at 7526 tons.

Hull jury rigged with multiple patches which stopped flooding but I deemed Escolar too damage to continue patrol (hull 20% integrity). Set course back to Brisbane.

4. 5-7-1943 137-22 E., 6-56 N, must have stumble along new shipping route. SJ contact with single contact 1945 hours at 10, 000 yrds. Target almost on direct heading. Visual at about 2800 yrds, appeared to be an unescorted tanker. Closed to 1000 yards with submerged attack (taking no chances after last night's disaster) and fired 3 fish. Visual through scope confirmation of hits and sinking. Enemy estimated at 10, 259 tons.

5. Rest of return trip to Brisbane uneventful. Docked on 5-20-1943 at approx. 0200 hours.

6. Reported possible new heavy traffic shipping route to HQ. Sending crew out on much deserved R&R while ship under goes major repairs.

Patrol Results:
Tanker: 8, 722 t.
Sub trap: 7,526 t.
Tanker: 10, 259 t.

total: 25,507 t.

Career Total: 57,545 t.

OCC: What's a sub trap? Help me out, were there Japanese Q-ships on the prowl in 1943? Thanks!

10-15-05, 11:02 AM	#4
Charleston Seaman Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 40 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Personal Diary L.cmdr C. Charleston Commanding Officer SS-294 USS Escolar Second War Patrol 1. Assigned to patrol Palau Islands. Left Brisbane 0600 hours 4-22-1943. Set course to Palaus via east of Solomon's and north of Rabaul. 2. Trip uneventful till SJ radar contact on 5-5-43 N., 140-51 E. , 4-37 North with contacts at 10,000yrds. Seas calm, visibility fair. Visual contact established at 3,000 yrds with tanker and single escort. Closed to 1500 yrds and fired two fish at tanker for surface attack. Came under gun fire simultaneously from escort, minor damage to scope. Dove to test depth and engaged escape course. Escort made ineffective ASW attack, no damage sustained from depth charges. Sonar reports breaking up sounds from tanker. Ship estimated at 8722 tons. Lost contact with escort at 0150. Surfaced 0400 for repairs. 3. 5-6-1943, 139-18 E. and 5-45 N. I thought I had stumbled on to a plentiful hunting grounds but almost lost my boat and crew this date. Seas were moderate, visibility fair. Single SJ radar contact at 8,000 yrds with visual established at 3,000 yrds. Ship appears to a lone, medium sized merchant. Plotted direct intercept course with surface attack, planned to fire fish at 1500 yrds or less. At 2,000 yrds merchant opened up with intense gun attack. There were gun flashes coming from all along the decks of this bastard. Severe damage to my boat's hull with heavy flooding. Cash drive despite damage, boat was not going to last much longer surfaced. No choice but to engage enemy with submerged attack and surface to repair damage ASAP. Four fish fired at 1,000 yrds, sonar reported multiple hits and quickly followed by breaking up and sinking sounds of enemy. Surfaced and set about repairs. Intelligence later identified target as a sub trap (Q-ship?) at 7526 tons. Hull jury rigged with multiple patches which stopped flooding but I deemed Escolar too damage to continue patrol (hull 20% integrity). Set course back to Brisbane. 4. 5-7-1943 137-22 E., 6-56 N, must have stumble along new shipping route. SJ contact with single contact 1945 hours at 10, 000 yrds. Target almost on direct heading. Visual at about 2800 yrds, appeared to be an unescorted tanker. Closed to 1000 yards with submerged attack (taking no chances after last night's disaster) and fired 3 fish. Visual through scope confirmation of hits and sinking. Enemy estimated at 10, 259 tons. 5. Rest of return trip to Brisbane uneventful. Docked on 5-20-1943 at approx. 0200 hours. 6. Reported possible new heavy traffic shipping route to HQ. Sending crew out on much deserved R&R while ship under goes major repairs. Patrol Results: Tanker: 8, 722 t. Sub trap: 7,526 t. Tanker: 10, 259 t. total: 25,507 t. Career Total: 57,545 t. OCC: What's a sub trap? Help me out, were there Japanese Q-ships on the prowl in 1943? Thanks! __________________ A cool sub and TV show that started my love affair with submarines.