COMPOSITE SQUADRON THIRTEEN
     
                                                                                                                          July 13, 1943.  
     
          Two sections, each consisting of one TBF-1 and one F4F-4, were launched at 1253 - July 13, 1943, to search ahead of Convoy GUS 9 to a distance of 200 miles.  The weather was variable.  Visibility ranged from 8 to 15 miles.  The sea was smooth, with occasional white caps.  Could cover varied from 0.3 to 0.7.  Section #1 composed of Lieutenant R. P. Williams, USNR, in the TBF, and Lt.(jg) E. H. Steiger, USNR, in the fighter, started their return leg at an altitude of 7,000 feet.  The TBF was using radar intermittently whenever local cloud conditions and visibility warranted.  Toward the end of the leg the radar was secured, and the section dropped down to 5,500 feet to keep below a cloud layer.  
     
          About eight minutes later, at 1521, the TBF's turret gunner noticed a white wake about 10 miles distant on the plane's quarter.  Both planes turned to port as soon as the TBF's pilot, Lieutenant Williams, saw the wake.  Williams, using cloud cover during his approach, ascertained that a fully surfaced submarine was causing the wake.  Its course was approximately 1300T, and speed between 12 and 14 knots.  That particular area had about 0.3 cumulus cloud cover with the base around 2,500 feet.  When beyond cloud cover, Williams signaled Steiger to commence a strafing run.  Steiger broke off immediately and strafed the submarine, approaching on its starboard bow.  Williams commenced a bombing run as soon as he had attained favorable position on the submarine's starboard quarter.  During his approach he noticed a man running across the deck forward of the conning tower as if to man a gun.  Williams released a stick of four Mark 47 depth bombs, set for a depth of 25 feet about 10 seconds after Steiger had completed his strafing run.  Release was made at about a 250 foot altitude, while the plane was on a 250 glide.  The intervalometer was set to space the bombs 70 feet apart at a speed of 220 knots.  Williams radioman photographed the resulting explosions through the tail-gun aperture.  (All TBF tail guns have been temporarily removed to facilitate photography from the radioman's station).  The developed picture (Photo #1 enclosed) indicated that the explosions of the first and second bombs straddled the U-boat's bow about 35 feet forward of the conning tower.  
     
          Both planes pulled up to 3500 feet and circled to observe the results of their attack.  The submarine immediately went into a tight right-hand circle and gradually slowed to a stand-still.  Oil leaking from it completely covered the area bounded by the submarine's turning circle.  Meanwhile the crew manned its guns and commenced "AA" fire.  Williams observed that the bursts were consistently below and usually behind the aircraft circling at 3,500 feet.  Radio contact was established with the ship and details of the attack were transmitted.  Shortly thereafter, Williams indicated to Steiger that he wished to make another pass over the submarine for the purpose of taking additional photographs.  Steiger made a second strafing run, closely followed by the TBF.  It later developed that no pictures were obtained on that run.  
     
          As soon as word was received aboard the ship, the U.S.S. BARKER was immediately ordered to the scene of the attack and additional planes were launched.  Four TBF's manned by Lt.(jg) J.F. Schoby, USNR., Lt.(jg) C.E. Lair, USNR., Lt.(jg) W.V.A. Wilson, USNR., and Lt(jg) H.W. Hayman, USNR, were catapulted.  They were followed immediately by Lt. Comdr. C. W. Brewer, USN., in an F4F-4.  While these planes were enroute Williams noticed white water aft of the submarine and asked Steiger by radio if he had sufficient ammunition for another  
     
                                                                                                                  ENCLOSURE (A)  
     
     

 

     

   
run to investigate submarine's course of action.  Steiger replied that he had "only one gun left, but would make the run".  On this run, when only a few hundred feet from the U-boat's port quarter, Steiger's plane suddenly swerved to the left, its nose dropped, and it plunged into the water about 100 feet off the submarine's port bow.  A thorough search of the area made later revealed no trace of the pilot or plane.
     
          Brewer arrived in time to see the splash of Steiger's plane as Williams informed the ship that the submarine "had gotten one of our planes".  Brewer passed the word by radio to the oncoming TBF's that he was starting his strafing run.  Approaching the submarine's stern down-sun from cloud cover he expended around 1200 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition.  Lt.(jg) J. R. Bronstein, USNR, the F4F-4 member of the #2 section on search, had just arrived in the vicinity and started a strafing run from the U-boat's starboard beam.  He held his fire while Brewer passed over the submarine, and was interrupted a second time as Lt.(jg) Schoby, in the first TBF to arrive from the ship, approached from the submarine's starboard bow.  Diving at a 200 angle, speed 245 knots, Schoby dropped four Mark 47 depth bombs from an altitude of 100 feet.  All explosions were close aboard or under the submarine, from starboard bow to port quarter (Photograph # 3 enclosed).  Depth and intervalometer setting were identical to those used by Williams.  The water thrown by the explosions appeared to lift the U-boat vertically about 10 feet before completely enveloping it.  When the U-boat could next be seen some 30 feet of its stern protruded from the water at a 450 angle.  About five seconds later it slid under the surface.  
     
          Immediately after the sinking approximately 35 survivors, the majority clustered around two dark gray life rafts, were counted in the water.  There was a minimum of debris.  Visible were a few small irregular objects and two large life rafts, almost entirely submerged, in addition to those used by the survivors.  About one hour later, an oil slick covered an area roughly a mile square.  Brownish scum, apparently a result of the depth charge explosion, accumulated near the down-wind edge of the slick, and a small area near where the submarine sank was colored a light apple-green.  
     
          Brewer and Hayman remained in the area to guide the destroyer to the survivors and to give it air protection while it recovered them.  (For details of rescue operations, and for pertinent comments by survivors, see enclosure (B) and (C) ).  All other planes were ordered back to the ship at 1635, Brewer and Hayman returning aboard at 1850.    
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
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