[Bubblehead1980]

TMO 2.5 Update BH
100 difficulty with cams/contacts on for this patrol.


USS Seal SS-183
War Patrol Report
Third War Patrol
18 March- April 1942
Areas G6, M!-II in Banda and Ceram Seas.


Prologue

Returned from second war patrol on 7 March and had relatively short refit period. Ready for sea 18 March.


Narrative


Departed Fremantle 0730 18 March for patrol area. Set course along western coast of Australia to to Savu Sea, Straits of Timor to Banda Sea. Entered patrol area in Banda Sea just after midnight on 24 March and submerged for patrol that morning at 0800.

At 0820 hours, sound reported distant, fast, heavy props bearing 192 degrees. Turned Seal towards contacts at standard speed (submerged) and began closing, slowing with periscope observations every 10-15 minutes. Due to contacts speed, decided to surface and close, to avoid draining batteries. At 0854 spotted smoke of merchants, then tall masts of warships Seal had located a task force at 6-19 S 125-30 E Course 002 degrees Speed 13 knots. A contact report was sent and began racing ahead at flank speed maintaining distance of 10 NM tracking visually via smoke plumes.

Submerged at 0915 for attack. Observation revealed 10 smaller troopships, similar to TYOHEI MARU class, with one CA (Takao Class) and two CL (unknown class, possibly Naka) pl screen of at least 8 DD. Planned to fire on CA from 1400 yards. When at 2700 yards a DD moving at very high rate of speed was about to overrun Seal, ordered silent running, rig for depth charge and went to 150 feet, continuing to close as it was unlikely DD was detect Seal at such as high speed. After the DD passed over, came back to scope depth, readied all bow tubes but just then pinging(at time did not know a PETE floatplane was in area, but when went to external view for screenshots moments later, a PETE was flying overhead. i suppose the PETE spotted sub at periscope depth, and alerted the warships below. ) began and target made a hard evasion turn to port, ruining the set up. Desiring not to waste torpedoes, withheld fire, rigged for silent running and depth charge, ordered 250 feet.

A brief, but intense depth charging followed with a few close charges. Seal was forced to 350 feet to evade. After an hour most of the DD's departed area sans two which stayed behind dropping charges, pinging and hunting. Secured General quarters and was not able to surface until dusk. A pursuit through the night did not regain contact with the task force. Submerged for patrol the next day with no contacts. Surfaced at dusk.


At 0156 hours on 26 March, spotted enemy destroyer bearing 357 degrees 7500 yards. Numerous other DD and then a CA, came into view in the night sky, called General Quarters-Torpedo, moved ahead and submerged for attack. 3000 yards off track of target. As began to close, could make out the silhouette of a large, flat deck and island structure of a carrier in the night sky! Immediately began a plot and showed Course 064 Speed 11 knots. Sent contact report of Task Force sighted at 3-07 N 125-30 E in Ceram Sea, Course 064 Speed 11 knots .Went to depth of 100 feet and closed at high speed for 7 minutes, back at scope depth had penetrated the screen and would fire at 1000 yards from the CV. All tubes were readied forward. Upon next observation, noticed the water was lapping the scope as the seas had suddenly grown choppy, then heavy. Also noticed a DD in the screen moved forward and would have to fire early to avoid the torpedoes being intercept by him.

At 0245 fired four MK 14 torpedoes at range of 2000 yards from all four bow tubes . Two were fired at middle of target (MOT) while a 2 degree spread forward and aft of center bearing on the TDC spread dial was used. Torpedoes were set for 18 feet. Did not attempt keel shot in heavy seas. Raised scope at 0246 anticipating torpedo imapact when boom....torpedo one prematurely detonated, perhaps 15-20 feet from the carrier...torpedo two and three folllowed. Alerted, the carrier sped up and made hard turn to port, torpedo 4 just missed the stern, running through the wake. While possible the close proximity of torpedoes when detonated damaged the CV, they were not hits. Pinging began just after last torpedo missed, and Seal wen to 250 ft, rigged for silent running and depth charge. No depth charges ever fell on Seal, just few off in distance. The rough seas ruined sound conditions and shielded the boat. Secured from General Quarters and surfaced at 0500, attempting to regain contact with the CV.

At 0658 that morning, a D3A "Val" dive bomber, presumably from the CV appearing at bearing 340 closing fast. Seal submerged and felt explosions of depth charges as she passed 110 feet, no damage. Further attempts to surface were thwarted through the day by carrier based aircraft, including a pair of Zeros which suddenly appeared and strafed Seal before she would submerge. QM2 S.L. Russell was standing aft lookout when wounded by the gunfire from the Zeros at 1131, but survived.

At 1230 Sound made contact at bearing 030 and at periscope depth, smoke was spotted. General Quarters-Torpedo was called. Soon identified a DD leading two AK. Closed for attack. The lead AK was KANGA MARU and the second in column was the large AK KOBYASHI MARU 9980 tons. DD identified as Yagumo Class. Closed to 1000 yards off track and at 1311 fired three MK 18 torpedoes. First torpedo was observed running below the target, second impacted amidships and set off a massive explosion, toppled masts and setting off repeated secondary explosions. Third torpedo hit but was a "dud". Believe the KOBAYSHI MARU was carrying ammunition and other volatile cargo. Time: 1317 KOBAYASHI MARU sunk 9980 tons sunk at 3-07 S 125-30 E.

The DD closed and turned into him for a "down the throat shot" firing at 580 yards with 0 AOB. Ordered emergency depth of 250 feet after firing. Heard a torpedo explosion but was not a hit as DD kept coming. Torpedo prematurely detonated. DD passed overhead and let a pattern of DC go, which exploded above as Seal passed 120 feet. The DD made consistent contact and attacks for two hours, eventually losing contact with Seal, then going quiet to listen for about 45 minutes, before leaving area at high speed to rejoin its other charge. Surfaced to pursue but aircraft appeared and kept Seal submerged remainder of the day. Surfaced that evening and closed Staring Bay, Celebes. (I did this in hopes of catching Nagumo's force departing for Operation C, the Indian Ocean raid, which was added by my update mod) but while did make sonar contact at distance, was never able to close to visual range.


Following week passed without contact, just daily routine of submerged patrol and nightly surfacing. until 5 April off Ambon, detecting a tanker with heading for the strait between Ambon/Buru Island. at dawn. Submerged and attacked, firing two MK 14 torpedoes at HARUNA MARU, one impacted but was a dud, the other missed due to targets evasive movements. Fired two more torpedoes, both of which were skillfully dodged by the plucky little tanker. As was bringing stern tubes to bear, sound reported warships closing fast. Two patrol boats from Buru were closing in and just as fired stern tubes, the tanker made a hard turn to the east, ruining the shot and all torpedoes missed. . With patrol boats now at 4500 yards, ordered silent running, rig for depth charge and went to 250 feet. Initially the patrol boats had contact and put a few close depth charges on Seal, but after went to 325 feet seemed to lose contact. Seal secured GQ and remained submerged rest of the day.


Following days and weeks Seal found no contacts and endured heavy seas and storms finally clearing on the 14th of April. On 15 April at 0914, while on submerged patrol, 5-30 S 130-0 E in the Banda Sea, a Red Cross Hospital ship was spotted on course 120 degrees 11 knots.


On 18 April at 1442 a ship spotted! Bearing 069 6 NM. 2-36 S 130-22 E in Ceram Sea. General Quarters-Torpedo was called. After pulling ahead for attack , identified target as a large AK of KOBYASHI MARU class. At 1544 fired three MK 14 torpedoes at target. In the heavy seas, all three ran under target, in spite of torpedo depth being set at 10 feet, the minimal in such waves. Fired fourth torpedo, which impacted target, but failed to detonate.

At 1641 with final torpedo loaded into tube 3, fired on target from 700 yards. Torpedo detonated just a few yards from target. A gun action was considered, however the heavy seas and fact the vessel was armed with 4 inch guns forward and aft made a battle surface not favorable for Seal. Secured and went to 200 feet. Surfaced at 1930 hours, set course for Fremantle via Timor Sea. Arrived Fremantle on 26 April at 1700. Terminated patrol.

Ships Sunk:

Name: KOBAYASHI MARU
Class: AK
Tons:9980
Date: 26 March 1942
Time: 1317
Location:3-07 S 125-30 E.
Cause: Torpedo- MK 14- hit amidships.


Remarks:

Tough patrol with a lot of disappointment due to torpedo failures. The miss on the carrier was dejecting, to say the least. Obviously, we know the torpedoes are prone to failure in the mod, but sometimes they do work and was hoping it would be one of those times. Odds are will not encounter another ship of such value in this career (way I designed things), quite a dejecting moment in the sim.

Depth charge attacks were not as intense nor persistent as previous two patrols.