U-boat Archive - U-172 George E. Badger Report

U.S.S. GEORGE E. BADGER (DD196)

DD196/L11-1

Serial 005-43

c/o Fleet Post Office,

New York, New York,

December 17, 1943.

From:	The Commanding Officer.
To:	The Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet.

Via:	Commander Task Group 21.13.
	Commander Escort Division One.

Subject:	Sinking of Enemy Submarine - Report of.

Reference:	LantFlt. Conf. Ltr. 13CL-43 of 12 August 1943.

Enclosure:	(A) ASW-1 Forms.
	(B) Sound Recorder Traces (With Advance Copy Only).
	(C) Chart of Search Plan (With Advance Copy Only).

1. The following report is submitted in accordance with reference (a).

2. Task Group 21.13 consisting of U.S.S. BOGUE (CTG21.13), U.S.S. DUPONT, U.S.S. GEORGE E. BADGER (ComCortDivOne), U.S.S. OSMOND INGRAM and U.S.S. CLEMSON was conducting offensive anti-submarine patrol in the area 27⁰N; 30⁰W, December 12, 1943, on course 230⁰T, speed 15 knots. At approximately 0927 GCT an aircraft from the U.S.S. BOGUE reported an enemy submarine bearing 190⁰T distance 50 miles from the carrier. This vessel and the U.S.S. DUPONT were immediately ordered to proceed and investigate. Following instructions from Bogue’s planes this ship arrived at the scene of contact at 1052 GCT and began conducting sound search at 15 knots Northward of the original contact area. U.S.S. Dupont also reached the designated area at approximately the same time and commenced sound search to Southward.

3. U.S.S. DUPONT was the first to establish sound contact on the submarine, and attacked with hedge hogs at 1214 GCT. The first contact made by this vessel was at 1342 GCT bearing 005⁰T, distance 1200 yards, but no attack was undertaken as the U.S.S. DUPONT was still in contact with the submarine.

4. After contact was temporarily lost by U.S.S. DUPONT, this ship detected the submarine bearing 230⁰T, distance 1000 yards at 1445 GCT and attacked with 5 depth charges at 1448 GCT. From that time until 1914 GCT either this ship or the U.S.S. DUPONT maintained contact on the submarine practically continuously. It is to be noted that such a performance could not have been executed without the invaluable assistance rendered by Bogue’s planes which kept a constant check on the submarine’s position by observing oil slicks and employing sono-buoys. During the afternoon a total of ten depth charge attacks were made by this vessel, and sixty-eight MK VI charges were expended with settings varying from 160 to 600 feet. Two other runs were made, but no charges were dropped. In the first case, the submarine successfully turned away out of range, and in the second, the charges were on deep settings, and the sound range at loss of contact, (125 yards), indicated the target was shallow. A summary of all runs made appears in paragraph 11 of this report.

5. Throughout the entire period of attack oil was observed in varying quantities rising to the surface. Between the sixth and seventh attacks, at 1734 GCT,



	U.S.S. GEORGE E. BADGER (DD196)

	DD196/L11-1
	Serial 005-43
	December 17, 1943.

	Subject: Sinking of Enemy Submarine - Report of.
	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

	an aircraft from U.S.S. Bogue reported hearing three pronounced underwater explosions. The seventh attack was launched at 1750 GCT, and again at 1754 GCT two loud explosions were reported by the plane after the depth charges had detonated. No other evidence of damage was noted at this time.

	6. Following the depth charge attack by this vessel at 1914 GCT, contact could not be regained by this vessel or U.S.S. DUPONT. However, GCT 21.13 ordered both ships to remain in the area until the following morning. In accordance with CTG 21.13 visual dispatch at 1835 to U.S.S. GEORGE E. BADGER and U.S.S. DUPONT, ---“Use last contact as center point and each escort steam in 10 mile square AAA Do not overlap, will rejoin you here at daylight”, Commander Escort Division ONE in this vessel, designated the U.S.S. DUPONT to search to Eastward of the area of last contact, while the U.S.S. GEORGE E. BADGER was to search to Westward. At 1948 an improvised box search plan, Enclosure (D), prepared in collaboration with Commander Escort Division ONE, was executed. Under circumstances prevailing at the time (i.e. that the U-boat had been submerged almost all day, and expended considerable battery power in evasive tactics), this search plan was thought more effective than the conventional retiring search curve. In view of the above conditions it was the opinion of this command that contact would be regained by radar rather than sound gear. However, to minimize the possibility of submerged escape and sound range of the day was taken into consideration. At no time was the last point of contact with the enemy outside effective radar range, although the range was opened sufficiently to give the impression that search had been abandoned. Results obtained justified the employment of this rather unorthodox plan.

	7. At 2323 GCT on course 000⁰T, speed 15 knots with seas moderate to heavy, contact was made by SF-1 radar, range about 9,000 yards, bearing 352⁰T. C.I.C. maintained an accurate plot and determined enemy course to be 348⁰T, speed 7-8 knots. Echo ranging was discontinued and speed was changed to 12 knots in an effort to conceal our presence. Course 340⁰T was steered to bring the U-boat into the path of the moon. However, at about 2351 GCT plot noted the U-boat had stopped, range 6400 yards, and it was feared the submarine was diving. Although there was slight probability of hitting at that range, it was decided to engage with gunfire in the hope that some damage could be inflicted before the submarine could submerge. A spread of four star shells was fired from the 3”/50 cal. Battery with a mean fuse range of 7,000 yards. Three of the four shells functioned but failed to disclose the target. The U-boat did not dive, but proceeded at its former speed. No change of course was perceptible. This vessel then closed the range at 17 knots on course 010⁰T. Higher speeds were attempted, but 17 knots was the maximum at which it was possible to keep the forward gun manned, due to sea conditions. At a range of 3500 yards the U-boat wake and the silhouette of the conning tower were visible from the bridge , but not to personnel at the guns. Target angle was estimated at 200⁰. In another attempt to engage with gunfire, two illuminating projectiles were fired from 3”/50 cal. Gun #1, fuse range 4,000 yards. The disappointing results were due, no doubt, to the thin spread of star shells. At this point gun #1 was pointed on the horizon using radar range and relative bearing and three rounds 3”/50 cal. Common ammunition were fired. No hits were obtained but at 2418 the last shell splashed fairly close aboard the starboard bow of the submarine, which commenced diving immediately.

	- 2 -

U.S.S. GEORGE E. BADGER (DD196)

DD196/L11-1

Serial 005-43

December 17, 1943.

Subject: Sinking of Enemy Submarine - Report of.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

8. Sound contact was established at 1800 yards and the range was closed at 15 knots zig-zagging. While going in to attack hydrophone effect was noted, but it subsided rather quickly. There was no other evidence of a torpedo having been fired. At 0024 GCT an attack was made with five charges, mean depth setting 125 feet. It was believed at the time that this run was made partly on the submarine and partly on a knuckle, but it was deemed advisable to fire none the less, not only because the submarine had just submerged and presumably was still shallow, but also because the position was reasonably well established by reference to the plot of the course and speed of submarine, obtained during the surface action.

9. At 0112 GCT sound contact was again established, and at 0115 GCT four depth charges were dropped at a mean setting of 175 feet, leaving this vessel with only three charges on board. It is believed by all concerned that the last run was the best that had been made, and would have been decisive, if more charges had been available for use. A strong smell of Diesel oil was noted, immediately afterward and great patches of oil were clearly discernable in the moonlight.

10. The U.S.S. DUPONT was called by voice radio when the radar contact was made, and arrived at 0101 GCT. No contacts or attacks were made by that vessel at this time. After this vessel’s attack at 0115 GCT, contact was lost and at 0140 GCT the search plan mentioned above was again put into effect. Both U.S.S. DUPONT and this vessel continued to search the area until 0759 GCT, when they were ordered to rejoin the U.S.S. BOGUE.

11. A summary of all runs made follows:

No.	GCT	No. of Charges Mean Depth Setting	Fathometer Reading	Range at Loss of Contact

1.	1448	5 - 550'	None	500 yards.
2.	1527	7 - 550'	92 F	600 yards.
3.	1601	8 - 375'	None	150 yards.
4.	1641	8 - 225'	100 F	800 yards.
5.	1655	8 - 425'	105 F	750 yards.
6.	1713	8 - 475'	None	650 yards.
7.#	1729	None	None	400 yards.
8.	1749	8 - 275'	None	550 yards.
9.	1821	6 - 475'	90 F	550 yards.
10.#	1835	None - 500'	None	125 yards.
11.	1853	5 - 225'	None	250 yards.
12.	1914	5 - 375'	None	600 yards.
13.	0024	5 - 125'	None	? yards.
14.	0115	4 - 175'	None	450 yards.

# Did not fire.

12. In every attack made the submarine apparently either turned sharply at a range of about 100 yards, or reversed his engines, threw out a knuckle, and backed down into his own wake. The maneuver of backing down was mentioned by the survivors as being the evasive tactics regularly employed. It was also noted that the submarine changed his depth between each run, range at loss of contact varying between 150 and 800 yards.

- 3 -



	U.S.S. GEORGE E. BADGER (DD196)

	DD196/L11-1
	Serial 005-43
	December 17, 1943.

	Subject: Sinking of Enemy Submarine - Report of.
	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

	13. Although the fathometer was used on every run, little reliance was placed upon the readings obtained because of the profusion of wake currents and the turbulent water conditions brought about by repeated depth charge attacks in a limited area. Such water disturbances tend to give false fathometer readings; and hence, the depth charge settings for successive attacks were governed primarily by the range at which contact was lost on the previous run. However, the importance of using the fathometer to estimate the depth of a submerged U-boat prior to firing should not be overlooked, for the instrument was employed to great advantage when the U-613 was sunk by this vessel on July 23rd of this year.

	14. At 0910 GCT December 13 a plane from the carrier regained contact on the submarine and at 0915 GCT the U.S.S. CLEMSON and U.S.S. OSMOND INGRAM were dispatched to the scene. At 1053 GCT this ship was also ordered to the area to assist the other two vessels in maintaining sound contact.

	15. The submarine was detected by this vessel’s sound gear at approximately 1107 GCT and although no attacks were made due to lack of depth charges. Commander Escort Division ONE attained remarkable success in coordinating and expediting the attacks of the U.S.S. CLEMSON and U.S.S. OSMOND INGRAM, by giving ranges and bearings via TBS. From that time, until the submarine surfaced, this ship was maneuvered at slow speeds so as to remain at a range of between 1500 and 2500 yards, sound contact could be established whenever needed for information purposes, while the immediate area was left clear for the operation of the two attacking vessels.

	16. After a depth charge attack by the U.S.S. CLEMSON at 1213 GCT the submarine surfaced at 1216 GCT and was immediately subjected to overwhelming gunfire by all three destroyers. U.S.S. OSMOND INGRAM maintained heavy and accurate fire while closing the enemy at high speed. U.S.S. BOGUE’S planes dive bombed and strafed the U-boat with ferocity, undoubtedly hastening the conclusion of the action. The range of this vessel’s forward 3”/50 cal. Gun was fouled by U.S.S. CLEMSON, but the after battery opened fire at 1217 GCT, range 1400 yards. Six rounds 3”/50 cal. common ammunition were expended. Before INGRAM came into the line of fire. GEORGE E. BADGER’S fire resulted in one hit at the water line below the conning tower. Personnel aft believed two additional hits were obtained on the hull, however, with the tremendous volume of fire, it was extremely difficult to determine responsibility for the numerous hits observed. Several machine gun tracers, believed to have been fired by the U-boat at CLEMSON and INGRAM splashed harmlessly both forward and aft of this ship.

	17. At 1221 GCT the submarine sank, and between 1240 GCT and 1315 GCT a total of 23 survivors were rescued by this vessel. This number includes one officer and three warrant officers.

	- 4 -



	U.S.S. GEORGE E. BADGER (DD196)

	DD196/L11-1
	Serial 005-43
	December 17, 1943.

	Subject: Sinking of Enemy Submarine - Report of.
	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

	18. It was disclosed by survivors that attacks made by this ship and the U.S.S. DUPONT on the afternoon of December 12th caused leaks in the fuel and ballast tanks of the submarine. In addition, it was stated that partial flooding of the forward torpedo room resulted from the first attack of the day, presumably by DUPONT. The prisoners of war further maintained that the night depth charge attack by this vessel at 0024 GCT and 0115 GCT broke all gages, irreparably damaged radio and electrical circuits, and put one diesel engine permanently out of commission. Some estimated that if more depth charges had been fired in these attacks, the U-boat would have been compelled to the surface at that time: the submarine sunk by shell fire.

	19. All personnel of this vessel performed their duties efficiently and in accordance with the best traditions of our naval service.




	E. M. HIGGINS.

















	- 5 -