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c13Garrison · 09-03-13, 11:24 PM

"Maggie, would you get me a cup of coffee?"

"Yes Sir" replied the curvacious WAC as she got up from her desk.

Thor looked back down at the blank action report, and noticed his hand holding the pen trembling.

He looked out the window at the beautiful scenery of Hawaii, remembering how alien a thought that had so recently been. He took a breath and started to write as the clock struck 0900.
________________________
2nd War Patrol, USS Narwhal

Departed Pearl February 14, 1942, with orders for Bungo Straits again. Requested to watch the straits.

March 7, close to arriving on station, sighted convoy of junks and sampans heading south. Engaged on the surface at long range, action took 40 minutes and was successful but used most of our ammo. 6 ships sunk.

Arrived on station early morning of March 7, 15 miles south of southern narrows of Bungo Straits.
------------------------

He paused, looking out the window as the coffee was delivered. He didn't watch Maggie turn back towards her desk.

_________________
March 8, 1230 hours.
Sonar reports warships approaching at long range, bearing 330 at NW, heading ESE. At 8500 yards periscope sight shows a destroyer escorting a small old freighter. Concluding it must be a high value target, I decide to fire 3 at the freighter followed by one at the destroyer. Settings were shallow and magnetic.

As firing bearing approached noted many small guns on the freighter.

1302 at a range of 1800 yards fired a spread of three then slewed to shoot #4 at the destroyer. I immediately called downscope and set a heading of 240 & 200 feet at 1/3. 2 torpedoes exploded premature, 3rd ran deep of freighter and 4th ran astern of accelerating destroyer. Both ships began maneuvering, and destroyer started echo ranging at 1500 yards.

1308 destroyer lays a pattern of 16 depth charges, & sonar reports freighter Also closing. I reverse our turn, getting a bad feeling, and order 090 to make for the shallower shelf to our east in case depth control became an issue.

1310 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. I call battle-stations.
1312 destroyer lays a pattern of 12 depth charges. I order 220 feet, finding the thermal layer at 205.
1316 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges.
1317 destroyer lays a pattern of 16 depth charges.
1321 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges.
1323 destroyer drops a single depth charge.
1326 freighter lays a pattern of 6 depth charges.
1329 destroyer lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. We arrive over the shelf, I order a course of 155.
1332 destroyer lays a pattern of 12 depth charges. I order 250 feet, feeling for the bottom. Sonar reports floor close at 230 feet. I order 230.
1336 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges.
1337 destroyer lays a pattern of 16 depth charges. Heavy damage forward, deck guns and periscopes destroyed. Forced deep to 247 feet.
1341 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges.
1344 destroyer lays a pattern of 14 depth charges. Heavy damage forward and aft, bulkheads destroyed, diesels destroyed, batteries damaged, heavy flooding. Boat forced to the bottom at 255 feet, further damage from sea floor. At this point everyone stopped writing anything down, all hands were needed.

Many further attacks occur, then after 3 hours cease all together. Bulkhead repairs are made, and we are able to lift the boat from the sea floor. I order ahead at 1 knot, and we proceed ahead for the remainder of the day and into the night until batteries exhausted. We then wait until just before dawn and surface. There are no ships in sight. We set course for Midway, at our maximum economical speed of 4 knots after waiting out the bulk of the day submerged. I will not take the boat below 70 feet.

March 11th, mid afternoon, Sonar reports a merchant closing from the NE to the SW. It will pass close, so I conclude we will engage if it is unescorted. Periscope confirms it is solo, Kinposan Maru. I set all 4 tubes for shallow and contact and fire at 1800 yards. All 4 hit, all are duds. We turn through the east and south to bring stern tubes to bear. I fire 2 Mk10 torpedoes at 700 yards, both run true and detonate. The ship begins listing and slowing, turning away. Bringing bow tubes to bear, I fire our first reload when target is nearly stationary at 1000 yards. Set for contact, the torpedo strikes and explodes, causing a cargo explosion that destroys the ship. We resume course for Midway, arriving Pearl on April 19th.

Request additional liberty for all crew.
S.Thor Hardin
-------------

Thor looked up, finishing just as Digby entered the office. Maggie looked up with a smile and immediately asked if he'd like some tea. That damned Digby was all charm. He watched her exit and turn down the hall.

"That Maggie, she sure is Celtic United..."

"Hm?"

"Nothing Sir" Digby chuckled. "Here are the master casualty reports for you to sign off on."

Thor looked at the list of 30 names who would receive the Purple Heart, and signed as he said, "Digby, not another Mk14 ever gets loaded on my boat. Understood?"

"Understood, Sir."

Digby saluted crisply and turned just as Maggie brought him his tea. ...damn Mk14s.

(( In a curious note, after this mission where we barely survive, 2 of my engineers picked up the 'Damage Control' special ability, and my torpedo chief became a 'Torpedo Expert', all three abilities appropriate considering what the boat had been through.))

09-03-13, 11:24 PM	#4533
c13Garrison Ensign Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Chicago-ish, USA Posts: 223 Downloads: 14 Uploads: 0	Patrol 2. "Maggie, would you get me a cup of coffee?" "Yes Sir" replied the curvacious WAC as she got up from her desk. Thor looked back down at the blank action report, and noticed his hand holding the pen trembling. He looked out the window at the beautiful scenery of Hawaii, remembering how alien a thought that had so recently been. He took a breath and started to write as the clock struck 0900. ________________________ 2nd War Patrol, USS Narwhal Departed Pearl February 14, 1942, with orders for Bungo Straits again. Requested to watch the straits. March 7, close to arriving on station, sighted convoy of junks and sampans heading south. Engaged on the surface at long range, action took 40 minutes and was successful but used most of our ammo. 6 ships sunk. Arrived on station early morning of March 7, 15 miles south of southern narrows of Bungo Straits. ------------------------ He paused, looking out the window as the coffee was delivered. He didn't watch Maggie turn back towards her desk. _________________ March 8, 1230 hours. Sonar reports warships approaching at long range, bearing 330 at NW, heading ESE. At 8500 yards periscope sight shows a destroyer escorting a small old freighter. Concluding it must be a high value target, I decide to fire 3 at the freighter followed by one at the destroyer. Settings were shallow and magnetic. As firing bearing approached noted many small guns on the freighter. 1302 at a range of 1800 yards fired a spread of three then slewed to shoot #4 at the destroyer. I immediately called downscope and set a heading of 240 & 200 feet at 1/3. 2 torpedoes exploded premature, 3rd ran deep of freighter and 4th ran astern of accelerating destroyer. Both ships began maneuvering, and destroyer started echo ranging at 1500 yards. 1308 destroyer lays a pattern of 16 depth charges, & sonar reports freighter Also closing. I reverse our turn, getting a bad feeling, and order 090 to make for the shallower shelf to our east in case depth control became an issue. 1310 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. I call battle-stations. 1312 destroyer lays a pattern of 12 depth charges. I order 220 feet, finding the thermal layer at 205. 1316 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. 1317 destroyer lays a pattern of 16 depth charges. 1321 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. 1323 destroyer drops a single depth charge. 1326 freighter lays a pattern of 6 depth charges. 1329 destroyer lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. We arrive over the shelf, I order a course of 155. 1332 destroyer lays a pattern of 12 depth charges. I order 250 feet, feeling for the bottom. Sonar reports floor close at 230 feet. I order 230. 1336 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. 1337 destroyer lays a pattern of 16 depth charges. Heavy damage forward, deck guns and periscopes destroyed. Forced deep to 247 feet. 1341 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. 1344 destroyer lays a pattern of 14 depth charges. Heavy damage forward and aft, bulkheads destroyed, diesels destroyed, batteries damaged, heavy flooding. Boat forced to the bottom at 255 feet, further damage from sea floor. At this point everyone stopped writing anything down, all hands were needed. Many further attacks occur, then after 3 hours cease all together. Bulkhead repairs are made, and we are able to lift the boat from the sea floor. I order ahead at 1 knot, and we proceed ahead for the remainder of the day and into the night until batteries exhausted. We then wait until just before dawn and surface. There are no ships in sight. We set course for Midway, at our maximum economical speed of 4 knots after waiting out the bulk of the day submerged. I will not take the boat below 70 feet. March 11th, mid afternoon, Sonar reports a merchant closing from the NE to the SW. It will pass close, so I conclude we will engage if it is unescorted. Periscope confirms it is solo, Kinposan Maru. I set all 4 tubes for shallow and contact and fire at 1800 yards. All 4 hit, all are duds. We turn through the east and south to bring stern tubes to bear. I fire 2 Mk10 torpedoes at 700 yards, both run true and detonate. The ship begins listing and slowing, turning away. Bringing bow tubes to bear, I fire our first reload when target is nearly stationary at 1000 yards. Set for contact, the torpedo strikes and explodes, causing a cargo explosion that destroys the ship. We resume course for Midway, arriving Pearl on April 19th. Request additional liberty for all crew. S.Thor Hardin ------------- Thor looked up, finishing just as Digby entered the office. Maggie looked up with a smile and immediately asked if he'd like some tea. That damned Digby was all charm. He watched her exit and turn down the hall. "That Maggie, she sure is Celtic United..." "Hm?" "Nothing Sir" Digby chuckled. "Here are the master casualty reports for you to sign off on." Thor looked at the list of 30 names who would receive the Purple Heart, and signed as he said, "Digby, not another Mk14 ever gets loaded on my boat. Understood?" "Understood, Sir." Digby saluted crisply and turned just as Maggie brought him his tea. ...damn Mk14s. (( In a curious note, after this mission where we barely survive, 2 of my engineers picked up the 'Damage Control' special ability, and my torpedo chief became a 'Torpedo Expert', all three abilities appropriate considering what the boat had been through.))