49  VW  V  OI
BOMBRON 79  CHERRY POINT NC  JULY 7    1935
BOMCOM ONE NYC
79BS  Y146  D
A	1	MIKE  137
	2	A-29-392  396BS  KANE  ZF9
	3	1015    1745
B	1	OI-F-SN
	2	1025
	7	SEE    - C -
C	1	ON SURFACE DECKS AWASH TIME 1412  POSITION 405-395 COURSE OF PLANE 47 DEG.  SPEED 160  COURSE OF SUB 300 TO 330  SPEED OF SUB UNDETERMINED
	2	VISUAL
	3	UNABLE TO DESCRIBE LARGE APPEARING SUB COULD NOT SEE GUNS AS PLANE APPROACHED FROM ASTERN
	4	1500 FEET
	6	ATTACKED DIRECTLY FROM ASTERN
	7	3 DC's TYPE MARKS 17  SETTING 25 FT
	8	SPACING 100 FT BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND  50 FT BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD
	9	220 MPH AT 50 FT ALT
	10	SS SUBMERGED BETWEEN 15 AND 30 SEC.
	11	BOMBARDIER COULD SEE BLUE OUTLINE OF SUB AS PLANE FLWE OVER NO. 1 DETONATED 25 FT SHORT OF SUB OUTLINE IN WATER NO. 2 AND 3 DET. NEXT TO SUB
	12	ABOUT 15 SEC. AFTER FIRST BOMB DETONATED A VERY LIGHT BLUE SUBSTANCE /OIL/ APPEARED.  BUBBLES ALSO APPEARED IN SUBSTANCE A FEW SECONDS LATER ONE MAN APPEARED ON SURFACE.  AFTER A SLIGHT DELAY MORE MEN APPEARED APPARENTLY WEARING FLOTATION BELTS AND SEEMED TO HAVE ON BLACK SWIMMING TRUNKS.  MEN APPEARED TO WAVE AT PLANE.  ALTOGETHER BETWEEN 25 AND 50 MEN WERE FLOATING ON THE SURFACE.  A BROWN SUBSTANCE IN LARGE BLOTCHES WAS ALSO OBSERVED AFTER SINKING.  PLANE CIRCLED FOR ONE HOUR THEN SIGHTED FREIGHTER AND LEFT SMOKE POTS AT SITE OF SINKING COLON WENT TO AND SIGNALED FREIGHTER TO FOLLOW DIRECTION OF PLANE ALSO SIGNALING THEM THAT SUB HAD BEEN SUNK IN THAT AREA AND THE SURVIVORS WERE ON THE WATER.  FREIGHTER ACKNOWLEDGED BUT DID NOT COMPLY.  IT FLEW THE PANAMANIAN FLAG.  PLANE STARTED TO RETURN TO WHERE SMOKE POTS HAD BEEN DROPPED SEMICOLON SIGHTED A COASTAL PATROL BOAT AND SIGNALED IT BY BLINKER AND RADIO GIVING MESSAGE AS WAS GIVEN FREIGHTER THIS SHIP FOLLOWED DIRECTION OF PLANE.  PLANE RETURNED TO AREA BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND MEN OR SMOKE POTS BUT DID SEE OIL VISIBILITY WAS 4-5 MILES.  COASTAL PATROL BOAT REMAINED IN VICINITY.
	13	TOTAL TIME SPENT IN VICINITY 2 HOURS AND 15 MIN.  A-29 FLEW BY BUT GAVE NO SIGN OF RECOGNITION.  RADIO MAN IN LT. KANES PLANE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT OTHER A-29 WITHOUT SUCCESS.  PLANE N0392 LEFT AREA DUE TO SHORTAGE OF FUEL.
	14	PLANE THREW OUT 4 LIFE VESTS AND SAW ONE DEFINITELY PICKED UP.

- 1 -

		ALSO DROPPED LIFE RAFT BUT DID NOT SEE IT IN WATER.  A RADIO MAN STATES THAT EACH TIME HE CONTACTED NSC THERE WAS A DISTURBANCE BY SOME STATION WHICH KEPT REPEATING A CALL NSC AND GAVE NO CALL SIGNS ITSELF.  THIS WAS VERY LOUD AND MADE RECEPTION AND SENDING DIFFICULT.
F	1	1400    405-395
	2	OVERCAST    CEILING 400    VIS. 4-5 MILES HAZE    TEMP 30    WSW-18
	3	CHOPPY
	4	GOOD
G	1	SUCCESSFUL
	2	600    R-4    S-4
	3	STATION
	4	SUCCESSFUL
T    1900
COMBOMRON 79
SENT 1958
END ACK PLS
MIN PLS BE ITE WIT U
OI  V  VW  R  49  1958  E

1015	LT KANES PATROL IN A-29 NO. 392 (CALL LETTERS ZF9) FROM 396 BOMBRON OF BOMGR 41 LEFT CHERRY POINT AT 1015EWT 7 JULY 1942 FLYING RECONNAISSANCE PATROL OI-F-SN WHICH IS ROUTINE PATROL EAST FROM CHERRY POINT TO 100 FATHOM LINE, THEN NORTHWARD ALONG 100 FATHOM LINE AND RETURN.  WEATHER REPORT OF PATROL INDICATED BROKEN CLOUDS AT 2000 FEET WITH VISIBILITY RESTRICTED BY HAZE TO 3-5 MILES AND 15 TO 18 MILE S.W. BREEZE WITH ROUGH SEA.
1025	AIRPLANE REACHED PATROL AREA OI-F-SN.
1412	PATROL FLYING AT 1500 FEET IN LOW BROKEN CLOUDS SIGHTED AT 5 MILES OFF PORT WING A U-BOAT ON SURFACE WITH DECKS AWASH.  (AT 0025EWT JULY 7 AN ARMY REDF FIX HAD BEEN MADE AT 3500 N 7430 W).  U-BOAT SUBMERGED WHILE PLANE WAS 2 MILES AWAY.
1414	ATTACK MADE DIRECTLY ALONG COURSE OF U-BOAT WHICH HAD SUBMERGED BETWEEN 15 AND 30 SECONDS BEFORE DEPTH CHARGES WERE  RELEASED.  3 MK 17 DC'S SET FOR 25 FEET WERE RELEASED IN TRAIN, WITH SPACING OF 100 FEET BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND BOMB, AND 50 FEET BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD.  BOMBARDIER COULD SEE BLUE OUTLINE OR SILLOWETTE OF SUBMERGED U-BOAT AND MARKED THE IMPACT OF FIRST BOMB AT ABOUT 25 FEET ASTERN, WITH 2ND AND 3RD BOMBS NEXT TO SUBMARINE.
1415	ABOUT 15 SECONDS AFTER 1ST BOMB DETONATED A VERY LIGHT BLUE SUBSTANCE APPEARED, AT FIRST BELIEVED TO BE OIL BUT LATER BELIEVED TO BE AIR BUBBLES.  A FEW SECONDS LATER ONE MAN APPEARED ON SURFACE.  AFTER SLIGHT DELAY TWO GROUPS OF MEN APPEARED ON THE SURFACE UNTIL BETWEEN 25 AND 50 MEN WERE SEEN.  A BROWN SUBSTANCE IN LARGE BLOTCHES APPEARED.
1424	AIRPLANE RADIO OPERATOR CALLED NIP AND SENT MESSAGE "SUB SUNK POSITION 393376."  THIS IS A POSITION AT 3423N 7510W.

1.

1433	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NIP AND ASKED IF HE GOT THE MESSAGE.  PLANE WAS STILL CIRCLING AREA.
1436	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NIP AND REPEAED MESSAGE 'SUB SUNK POSITION 393376."  PLANE WAS STILL CIRCLING AREA.
1442	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NIP AND SENT "PLEASE SEND OTHER AIRCRAFT TO 393376 WE ARE RUNNING LOW ON GAS THERE ARE MEN ON THE WATER SEND HELP".  PLANE WAS STILL CIRCLING AREA.
1451	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NIP AND REPEATED ABOVE MESSAGE SENT AT 1442.  PLANE WAS STILL CIRCLING AREA.
1456	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NSC AND SENT "DO YOU WANT TO SHOOT A BEARING ON ME?"  PLANE WAS STILL CIRCLING AREA.
1500	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NSC AND SENT "OUR SHIP IS 392------TIME OF ATTACK WAS 1425".  THIS TIME SHOULD APPARENTLY HAVE READ 1415.  PLANE WAS STILL CIRCLING AREA.
1511	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NSC AND SENT "SEND HELP".  PLANE WAS APPARENTLY ON WIDE CIRCLE AND LOOKING FOR HELP.  PLANE THREW OUT 4 LIFE VESTS AND SAW ONE PICKED UP.  LSO DROPPED LIFE RAFT BUT DID NOT SEE IT IN WATER.
1515	PATROL SIGHTED A FREIGHTER AND LEFT 3 SMOKE POTS AT SITE OF SINKING.  WENT TO FREIGHTER AND SIGNALLED TO FOLLOW DIRECTION OF AIRPLANE, ALSO SIGNALLED THAT SUB HAD BEEN SUNK IN THAT AREA AND THAT SURVIVORS WERE IN THE WATER.
	FREIGHTER ACKNOWLEDGED BUT DID NOT COMPLY.  IT FLEW PANAMANIAN FLAG.
1516	NSC CALLED AIRPLANE AND SENT "SEND DETAILS OF SIGHTING AND ATTACK".
AFTER 1515	PATROL RETURNED TO AREA BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE MEN OR SMOKE POTS BUT DID SEE OIL.  VISIBILITY WAS 4 TO 5 MILES.
BETWEEN 1415 & 1630	AN A-29FLEW BY BUT GAVE NO SIGNS OF RECOGNITION.  RADIO MAN IN LT KANES PATROL ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT OTHER A-29 WITHOUT SUCCESS.  RADIO OPERATOR IN LT KANES PATROL HAD DIFFICULTY CONTACTING NSC DUE TO SOME VERY LOUD

2.

	DISTURBANCE BY A STATTION WHICH KEPT REPEATING NSC CALL BUT GAVE NO CALL HIMSELF.
	REGARDING THE A-29 WHICH WAS SEEN LT DAVIS FLEW A SPECIAL MISSION IN A-29 BETWEEN 1500 AND 1900, SEE MISSION REPORT NO. 138; LT GOREE FLEW A-29 ON OI-F-NS SOUTHWARD BETWEEN 1455 AND 2015 SEE MISSION REPORT NO. 139; LT WORD FLEW A-29 ON OI-F-SN (WHICH WAS THE SAME AS THE MISSION OF LT KANE) BETWEEN 1505 AND 2015 SEE MISSION REPORT NO. 140.
1524	NSC CALLED LT KANES PATROL AND SENT "RELIEF PLANE ON WAY".  WHEN THIS TRANSMISSION FINISHED AIRPLANE ZF9 (LT KANES PATROL) SENT "SIGHTED SUB FIVE MILES AWAY IT STARTED TO SUBMERGE WHEN WE WERE TWO MILES FROM IT WE DROPPED 3 BOMBS 30 SECONDS AFTER IT WENT DOWN WE THEN SAW MEN COME TO THE SURFACE THEY ARE STILL IN THE WATER THIS WAS AT 1415".  AIRPLANE WAS APPARENTLY TRYING TO LOCATE LOST SITE OF ATTACK AT THIS TIME.
1533	NSC CALLED AIRPLANE AND SENT "TRANSMIT MO ON 314 KCS USE TRAILING WIRE ANTENNA HELP ON WAY".  AIRPLANE WAS SEARCHING FOR LOST CONTACT AT THIS TIME.  TRANSMISSION WAS DIFFICULT.
1540	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NSC AND SENT "WHO WANTED TO CONTACT MO ON 314 KCS".
1603	NSC CALLED AIRPLANE AND SENT "SEND SERIES OF MO SIGNALS ON 314 KCS FOR HOMING BY OTHER AIRPLANES".
1609	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NSC AND SENT "DID YOU SEND HELP".  PATROL HAD LOST CONTACT WITH ORIGINAL LOCATION AND WAS SEARCHING.
1622	NSC CALLED AIRPLANE AND SENT "SEND SERIES OF MO ON 314 KCS FOR HOMIONG BY OTHER PLANES".
1632	AIRPLANE RADIO CALLED NSC AND SENT "WE ARE GOING HOME COAST GUARD BOAT AT THE POSITION NOW".  THIS WAS THE COAST GUARD CUTTER 472 WHICH GAVE THE POSITION LATER REPORTED IN NAVY "ENEMY ACTION AND DISTRESS DIARY" AS 3513N 7446W.  EDC REPORTED THE COAST GUARD CUTTER POSITION AS 37 MILES

3.

	960 TRUE FROM HATTARAS LIGHT.
1640	NSC CALLED AIRPLANE BUT INTERFERENCE FROM OTHER STATIONS WAS SO BAD HERE THAT OPERATORS WERE UNABLE TO GET THE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION.  MESSAGE BEING SENT BY NSC WAS "SEVERAL PLANES NOW ENROUTE INCLUDING NAVY FLYING BOAT REMAIN IN AREA AS LONG AS FUEL PERMITS OR UNTIL RELIEVED".
1649	INTERFERENCE FROM OTHER STATIONS BLOCKED OUT CALLS BEING MADE BY AIRPLANE (ZF9) (lT KANES PATROL).
1652	TRANSMISSION BY ZF9 (LT KANES PATROL) AGAIN BROKEN BY OTHER STATIONS.
1700	LT KANES PATROL LEFT AREA FOR BASE.
1745	LT KANES PATROL LANDED AT CHERRY POINT GIVING POSITION OF ATTACK AS 405395 (3452N 7454W)  AND SUBMITTING COMPLETE REPORT (SEE MISSION REPORT NO. 137).
	TRUE POSITION WAS FOUND BY REVERSING BEARINGS OF RETURN FLIGHT TO CHERRY POINT.
1758	NSC CALLED ZF9 (LT KANES PATROL) AND SENT 'WAS COAST GUARD BOAT SURFACE VESSEL OR FLYING BOAT ALSO WERE ANY SURVIVORS PICKED UP BY THEM.  THESE HAD BEEN SENT TO ORIGINALLY REPORTED POSITION 60 MILES S.W. OF ACTUAL POSITION.  AT THIS TIME LT KANES PATROL HAD LANDED AND OTHER PLANES INCLUDING FLYING BOAT AND COAST GUARD CUTTER WERE SEARCHING.
1835	POSITION OF COAST GUARD CUTTER 472 WAS GIVEN AS 37 MILES 96 TRUE FROM HATTERAS LIGHT AND REQUESTED PLANES TO HELP SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS.  EDC REPORTED THAT NAVY THINKS THIS POSITION IS THE CORRECT ONE.  (IT IS NOTED THAT THE COAST GUARD CUTTER WAS REPORTED AT THE SCENE BY LT KANES PATROL BUT THAT THE AIRPLANE AT THAT TIME WAS STILL SEARCHING FOR LOST CONTACT.)  65TH OBSERVATION GROUP PLANE REPORTED IT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE COAST GUARD CUTTER AT THE GIVEN POSITION.  NAVY WAS REPORTED AS SENDING PLANES FROM CHERRY POINT.
1847	NSC CALLED LT KANES PATROL AND REPEATED MESSAGE QUOTED AT 1758.

4.

1455-1705	LT PENNOYS PATROL IN DB-7B WAS ON OI-N PATROL - NEG.  (MR 491).
1630-1715	LT QUINNIS PATROL IN DB-7B WAS ON SPECIAL MISSION - NEG.  (MR 492).
1540-1745	LT DAVIS PATROL IN A-29 WAS ON SPECIAL MISSION - NEG.  (MR 138).
1510-2000	LT GOREE'S PATROL IN A-29 WAS ON THE SOUTHERN PATROL OI-R-NS - NEG.  (MR 139).
1520-2000	LT WORD'S PATROL IN A-29 WAS ON THE NORTHERN PATROL OI-F-SN - NEG.  (MR 140).
1725-2045	LT HERMAN'S PATROL ON DB-7B ON OI-N - NEG.  (MR 496).
	THIS ATTACK WAS DESIGNATED GREEN 3, AND THE FOLLOWING MISSIONS WERE FLOWN FROM CHERRY POINT: (NOTE THE THUNDERSTORMS)
	MR 495 - DB-7B - 1935 TO 2000 NEG. THUNDERSTORMS MR 141 - A-29 - 1945 TO 2100 NEG. " MR 142 - A-29 - 1945 TO 2100 NEG. " MR 143 - A-29 - 1920 TO 2220 NEG. " MR 144 - A-29 - 1915 TO 2218 NEG. "
	JULY 8, 1942
	MISSIONS IN GREEN 3:
	MR 145    FORMATION OF 3 A-29'S UNDER LT MCDAVID FROM 0605 TO 1030 - NEG. CAVU
	MR 146 - A-29 FROM 1020 TO 1415 - NEG. CAVU
	MR 508 - C47A FROM 1225 TO 1520 - REPORTED OIL SLICK OF FRESH BLUE OIL ABOUT 100 FEET LONG AND 10 FEET WIDE AT 415418 (3528N 7438w) AT 1345 AND A YELLOW BOARD ABOUT 10 FEET LONG AND ABOUT A FOOT WIDE FIVE MILES TO WEST.
	MR 147 - A-29 FROM 1520 TO 1935 - NEG. CUV 5.
	JULY 9, 1942
	MR 152 - A-29 FROM 1030 TO 1130 - NEG. - OVERCAST VISIBILITY 0.
	MR 148 - A-29 FROM 1620 TO 1935 - NEG. - OVERCAST CEILING 400 VIS 1-3 MI.

5.

1240Q

FROM COM 5 - NAC - ESF RECEIVED 1342 AT 3618N 7332W.  NAVY BLIMP JUST FOUND 5 MEN IN WATER WEAK, NAKED AND BEARDED.  DROPPED LIFERAFT, FOOD, WATER, BLANKETS AND FIRST AID EQUIPMENT.  SENDING DC-480 AND HALL BOAT.  THE 5 MEN HAVE LIFE JACKETS.  THIS POSITION IS ABOUT 75 MILES 52 FROM POSITION 3513N 7446W WHERE ARMY A-29 PLANE ATTACKED SUB AND DROPPED LIFEJACKETS JULY 7.  DC 480 MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO REACH SCENE.  NAVY REPORTED THAT SEARCH OF 15 MILES REVEALED 5 DEAD BODIES IN LIFE JACKETS, MANY EMPTY LIFE JACKETS, AND LARGE SHARKS AROUND.  OBTAINED 20 EXCELENT PHOTOGRAPHS.  SURVIVORS WERE LOCATED ALONG AN OIL SLICK EXTENDING IN AN E-W DIRECTION, ABOUT 15 MILES EITHER SIDE OF THE ABOVE POSITION.  HALL BOAT LATER REPORTED BODIES SCATTERED OVER ABOUT 10 MILES.

6.

                                                          

HEADQUARTERS I BOMBER COMMAND

Office of the S-2 Officer.

90 Church St., New York,

N.Y.

July 9, 1942

MEMORANDUM :

TO                         :  Commanding General, I Bomber Command.

Made by Lt. Kane, 396th Bomb Sq,

A-29, at 1412, 7 July 42, in 3452N  7454W.

                This attack was made by an A-29, 7 July 42.  The aircraft was flying at 1500 feet, just above a layer of broken clouds, making good use of cloud cover, when the U-boat was sighted on the surface, 7 miles away bearing 300 degrees from the aircraft.  An attack was made from 50 feet at 220 mph, on a course of 0 degree relative to U-boat.  Three mk 17 depth bombs, set for 25 feet, were released in train about 20 seconds after the U-boat submerged.  The No. 1 bomb fell just short of the stern, No. 2 just abaft the conning tower, and No. 3 just forward of the conning tower.  The U-boat was visible beneath the surface when the bombs fell.  About 15 seconds after the explosions large quantities of air appeared and continued for about 20 minutes.  About 30 members of the U-boat's crew came to the surface.  A considerable amount of what appeared to be Diesel fuel formed a slick on the surface.

                Analysis.

                The bombs were well placed in positions likely to cause destruction, and the appearance of the air, men and oil verifies this assumption.

                Conclusions.

                This attack is assessed as a positive sinking.

                Comments.

                This was an excellent attack in every respect.  It is well to stress the sound judgment displayed by the pilot in using the available cloud cover. Undoubtedly this was the principal reason why the aircraft was able to approach so close before being detected and to make a successful attack.