TMO Update BH V2.0
100 difficulty, cams off, map contacts off.
USS BARB SS-220
Area CLOSET March 26, 1944
After several days of patrol in area with nothing but daily aircraft contacts and
chasing a contact report which did not show up at expected rendezvous, either due to own navigation error or course change by convoy, possibly both, crew was going restless. Then on 26 March just after midnight, SJ made contact.
26 March
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TORPEDO ATTACK NO.1
0014 SJ contact bearing 007 28,355 yards
Numerous pips, likely convoy, appears Northbound.
(Ship Contact No.2)
0015 Increased speed 18 kts to intercept.
0025 GENERAL QUARTERS-TORPEDO-SURFACE
0026 Eight pips in two columns with one pip forward and one in rear, likely
escorts.
0050 Spotted convoy bearing 040 9000 yards.
0052 Contact Report sent to COMSUBPAC
Convoy Sighted 23-53N 131-47E
Estimated Course 066 degrees
Estimated Speed 9 kts.
0102 Lead escort is minesweeper.
0103 Spotted large Tanker similar to AKATSUKI MARU (11800 tons) Class.
0105 Directly astern of AKATSUKI MARU was a mid sized tanker
similar to ICHIYU MARU (5115 tons) Class.
0112 APR-1 detecting radar emissions from astern of convoy.
Rear escort appeared to have radar.
0117 Tubes 1,2,3,4,5,6 made ready to fire. Depth set for 8 ft.
0125 Fired Tubes 1,2,3 at ICHIYU MARU. Range 2893 yards.
Fired Tubes 4,5,6 at AKATSUKI MARU. Range 2500 yards
Torpedoes 1,2,3 impacted ICHIYU MARU. Massive fireball and
explosions after second torpedo hit loaded tanker.
Torpedoes 4,5,6 hit AKATSUKI MARU. First torpedo set off massive,
skyward reaching fireball
engulfing the entire vessel. Second and third torpedo hits were
somewhat redundant, but further wrecked the vessel.
0138 During turned away, lead escort spotted BARB. BARB received some machine gun/Auto Cannon fire, few rounds heard stringed aft , starboard. No damage. Escort continued pursuit as second escort, with its radar
signal sweeping BARB's area coming in fast. BARB making 21 kts plowing through seas to get away.
0145 Oddly, both escorts disengaged, returned to convoy.
BARB moved for end around and follow up attack.
0146 AO AKATSUKI MARU 11800 tons sunk
23-52N 131-47E
0150 AO ICHIYU MARU 5115 tons sunk
23-51N 131-47E
TORPEDO ATTACK NO.2
0247 Stern tubes brought to bear on convoy, approached
large AK which suddenly turned hard away at high speed.
BARB not detected, routine evasive maneuver. Switched setup on
small AK believed to be CHOKO MARU 1800 tons. Unable to set up
on others due to proximity to the radar equipped escort. APR-1
was buzzing at this time.
0250 Fired Torpedo Tube No. 10 at AK CHOKO MARU. 1950 yards.
0252 Torpedo impact! Large fire visible just forward of bridge structure.
Large hole visible forward. Vessel appeared to be sinking.
TORPEDO ATTACK NO. 3
0307 CHOKO MARU out of range. Spotted mid sized AK similar to MOMOYAMA MARU 4037 tons crossing stern of BARB.
0309 Fired tubes 7,8,9 at MOMOYAMA MARU. Range 2000 yards.
0313 Torpedoes missed!
Based on sound, missed just astern. Speed setting in TDC
was slightly too slow, perhaps should have been 5 kts instead of 4.5 kts.
0314 Pulled away from convoy to conduct torpedo reload as
all tubes empty after three attacks with seven out of ten torpedoes hitting
targets. Two tankers sunk, one AK damaged.
0315 APR-1 detected enemy radar emissions focusing on BARB's bearing. Escort, a unidentified DE type began closing at high speed. BARB increased to flank speed.
0323 DE turned back to convoy.
0330 Secured General Quarters. Torpedo reload ordered, all tubes.
0400 Convoy changed course to 040 degrees.
0530 Lost SJ contact with convoy, backtracking along course.
0600 Torpedo reload completed.
0610 Searching for convoy.
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