DE635/A16-3                               U. S. S. ENGLAND (DE 635)
Serial No. 021
                                                                                                                  c/o Fleet Post Office,  
                                                                                                                  San Francisco, Calif.,  
  CONFIDENTIAL                                                                                   24 May 1944.  
     
 
From: The Commanding Officer.
To    : The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
   
Via   : (1)  Commander Escort Division Forty.
  (2)  Commander Escort Division Thirty-Nine.
  (3)  Commander Third Fleet.
   
Subject: Attacks on Japanese Submarine, 24 May 1944, from 1000 Love until 1200 Love. - report of.  
   
Reference: (a)  Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter 2CL-44.
   
Enclosure: (A)  ASW-1 for each attack.
 
     
          1.        The following report and enclosures are submitted in accordance with reference (a).  
     
          2.        After attacks on submarine earlier in the morning of 24 May, the OTC ordered the GEORGE and RABY to begin a retiring search while the ENGLAND searched in the immediate area of the attack.  At sunrise had lowered boat to recover several pieces of submarine deck planking.  Hoisted boat at 0815 and at 0815 formed on GEORGE to conduct retiring search.  Formed with GEORGE as guide, RABY to port and ENGLAND to starboard, interval 4000 yards.  
                  At 0944 ENGLAND made sound contact bearing 227° true.  At this time course was 270° true, speed fifteen knots.  We were 18 miles bearing 177° true from position of hit early in the morning.  Immediately changed speed to 10 knots and prepared for Projector Mark 10 attack.  Made one dry run on sub because of insufficient information to fire accurately.  On second run fired full salvo but with no success.  Finally at 1108 fired another full salvo but missed again.  About 1040 on a dry run we had obtained fathometer reading of 35 fathoms.  On all runs, including firing runs, data was not of the best and firing was not thought, at time of firing, to be accurate enough to insure hitting.  
                  During our runs on the sub the GEORGE and RABY were circling us at 2000 yards.  At 1115 OTC and CCD40 decided to try a creeping attack using depth charges, ENGLAND's CIC to conn GEORGE in.  At 1125 GEORGE took station at a range of 1200 yards.  The GEORGE was about 4000 yards distant (this is considered much too far - should not have been more than 1500 yards).  While ENGLAND was conning GEORGE in teh GEORGE used a speed of five knots.  The ENGLAND was stopped.  The submarine apparently suspected what was happening as  
     
 
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CONFIDENTIAL                     U. S. S. ENGLAND (DE 635)  
 
 
 
Subject:  Attacks on Japanese Submarine, 24 May 1944, from 1000 Love until 1200 Love. - report of.  
 
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  he changed course and headed directly for the ENGLAND and had closed in to 240 yards before the GEORGE reached firing time.  Formed for a second try at creeping attack but again sub began to close the ENGLAND.  This time the GEORGE would have reached him prior to the time he reached us.  Perhaps he knew this, for while the GEORGE was still several hundred yards distant the sub was heard blowing tanks and his propellers were heard as he increased speed.  It was considered he was changing his depth, possibly to fire torpedoes, so the ENGLAND got underway immediately and requested the GEORGE to proceed in and drop on last best information; this the GEORGE did, she increased speed to fifteen knots and dropped as directed by ENGLAND.  The sub couldn't have move very far out of range as the GEORGE dropped a 32 charge pattern at 1154 - deep settings.  
                  At 1203 ENGLAND droppeed 13 charge deep pattern on doubtful contact about 400 yards from the GEORGE's pattern.  Only doubtful contacts were regained after this although all ships were searching in the area.  At 1247 on orders from OTC formed for retiring search and searched until 1900, although we did not pass back through the immediate area.  
                  It is believed that the submarine was possibly damaged, although no evidence of damage was observed.  
                  It was with much regret that we departed this area.  This had been a very tricky sub and we particularly wanted him destroyed.  
     
     
     
                                                                                                       W.B. PENDLETON.  
     
  Advance Copies:  (1)  Cominch  
                              (2)  ComDesPac  
  Enclosures to Advance Copy (1):  (A)  ASW-1 forms (2)  
                                                                       (B)  DRT track  
                                                                       (C)  Recorder traces.  
     
     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     
     

FBE4-39/  
UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
ESCORT DIVISION THIRTY-NINE
     
                                                                                                    USS SPANGLER(DE696)  
                                                                                                    June 12, 1944  
  CONFIDENTIAL  
     
  SECOND ENDORSEMENT to  
  DE635/A16-3  
  Serial 021  
  Dated 24 May 1944  
     
 
From: Commander Escort Division THIRTY-NINE
To    : Commander-in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Via   : Commander Third Fleet.
 
     
          1.        Forwarded.  
     
          2.        It is considered very probable that the submarine's last minute maneuvers may have permitted him to avoid the large pattern laid by GEORGE.  However, local search by three vessels failed to produce any further contacts.  Actually the search line passed over the point of attack one hour after the last depth charges were dropped, covering a sound search width of 12000 yards having started approximately four miles from the point of last attack.  Wakes were still present on passing, but they were not sufficiently strong to prevent gaining a contact had there been one.  
                                                                                                   
          3.        This report fails to mention that the purpose of departing the area at 1900 (L) was to lure the submarine into surfacing, and that a radar search passed the are approximately two hours later with no contacts.  This radar search had an effective front of thirty-two miles.  
     
     
                                                                                                     
                                                                                                    HAMILTON HAINES  
     
  Copy to:  
         CCD 40  
         USS ENGLAND  
     
  Advance Copy to:  
         Cominch  
          Comdespac