Balao Patrol 6, April-June 1944, ex Midway. Mod list as recently posted, with patch now immediately following primary mod. Anomalies follow:
- Despite saving within the office prior to the patrol, the inability to move the 5" gun to the bow remained when we returned to base. The crew slots simply disappear, though the crewmembers themselves are moved into DC.
- No second crew positions were created when we upgraded to twin 40mm installations on the return.
- Our last official assignment was a waypoint off northern Honshu, where we were ordered to sink something somewhere. Sealed, eyes-only orders from ONI directed us to the San Bernardino Straits, where we encountered two Japanese fleets in heavy weather at night and observed the following:
a. Wx report listed no precipitation but driving rain was constant.
b. Japanese DDs in the second fleet were actively pinging but could not seem to detect us, even at periscope depth within visual range. Their radar was performing as advertised but nothing trumps a correctly applied Mk 16. Two DDs in the first fleet detected and attempted to close with us during the night surface attack but we cannot conclude their sonar was performing normally.
c. One of the more memorable sights was the Nagato barreling down on us, blazing like the Ghost Rider. Every single casemate was individually ablaze, port and starboard. There was no sign of any other damage or suggestion of the cause.
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