USS
Archer-Fish War Patrol #3
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(UNCLASSIFIED)
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Patrol Report
Endorsements
Sailing List - Patrol #3
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(Enclosure)
• The U.S.S. ARCHER-FISH arrived Pearl Harbor from her Second War Patrol April 27, 1944. Normal refit was accomplished by the Submarine Base. Commander G.W. Kehl USN was relieved as commanding officer by Lieut. Com’dr. W.H. Wright, USN May 18, 1944 in accordance with ComSubPac Serial 0-1305. Conducted six day training period. Not deparmed or sound tested as the last three days were spent in making the forward battery soft patch tight and testing same. Readiness for sea on May 28, 1944.
1330 (VW) - Departed Pearl Harbor for Third War Patrol in company with PC-569. 1630 (VW) - Conducted training exercises with aircraft in connection with lifeguard duties. 1745 (VW) - Escort departed.
En route Midway conducting daily section training dives, ship and fire control drills.
0800 (Y) - Pilot came aboard; entered Midway lagoon, received 13,000 gallons fuel, the coils on #1 evaporator were renewed by Proteus repair force necessitating an overnight stay, fresh provisions were topped off.
0630 (Y) - Departed Midway. 1237 (Y) - Sighted Tambor bearing 197 degrees true, range five miles on opposite course. Dived.
En route area holding daily section dives, ship and fire control drill. Emphasis was placed on obtaining a quick solution with the newly installed DRT.
1940 (K) - SD radar contact 30 miles opening. Not sighted Aircraft contact #1
1257 (K) - SD radar contact at 22 miles, closed to 18 miles. Not sighted. Dived. Aircraft contact #2. As visibility was good am skeptical of this contact. 1431 (K) - SD radar contact at 2 miles. Not sighted. Dived. Aircraft contact #3. As visibility was good am skeptical of this contact. 1445 (K) - Surfaced. 1858 (K) - SD radar contact 12 miles closing. Not sighted. Dived. Aircraft contact #4. 1920 (K) - Surfaced.
0530 (K) - Dived to patrol Empire - Mirianas route as we will have only one day in our western area. Will spend the day submerged out of areas closing Sofu Gan to tune SJ radar tonight. 1158 (K) - Sighted submarine on the surface; believed to be Kingfish at estimated range of 6000 yards. He dived at this range so surfaced immediately and cleared area to northward at flank speed. 1458 (K) - OOD sighted float plane. Dived. Aircraft contact #4. SD was not in use as have decided in general not to use it within 100 miles of an enemy base or when patrolling a convoy route.
1900 (K) - Closing Sofu Gan to tune SJ radar.
0212 (K) - SJ radar contact, two targets, range 6000 yards. The initial range indicated small ships so tracked ahead and at - 0445 (K) - dived to look them over. One was a fishing vessel of from 80-100 tons with no visible armament. The other a two masted diesel trawler of from 300-500 tons, had a 3" aft., a 50 cal. on the pilot house and a small caliber gun under canvas forward. This vessel emitted single pings at long intervals so decided to trail. Ship contact #1. 1215 (K) - Surfaced on base course of targets. 1330 (K) - A group of four or more planes detected on SJ passing to northward at minimum range of 10,000 yards. Aircraft contact #6. 2127 (K) - SJ radar contact on Muko Jima at 70,000 yards.
0958 (K) - Dived at 10 miles to close Muko Jima Retto to inspect for inshore traffic. 1400 (K) - Float plane circled island and disappeared to south. Aircraft contact #7.
1122 (K) - Sighted plane, distance 5 miles. Dived. Aircraft contact #8. 1631 (K) - Sighted Swordfish and altered course to pass him at good distance while proceeding to lifeguard station.
0800 (K) - On station for lifeguard duties in compliance with Op-Ord.
1600 (K) - No strike was scheduled for today but had listening watch on aircraft frequencies. Heard our name for tomorrow used several times and the position of two downed pilots were given. Closed to investigate. Heavy seas and winds up to 30 knot force handicap us in search.
0200 (K) - In position, aircraft frequencies manned. 0935 (K) - Received information from ComSubPac that raid today will be the only raid. 1230 (K) - Sighted plane 5 miles closing. Dived. Aircraft contact #9. 1255 (K) - Surfaced. 1400 (K) - Made contact with friendly planes. Positions we had heard yesterday were repeated and we spent the remainder of the day searching those areas. Many friendly planes passed overhead during the next hour, all with IFF response. 1530 (K) - Two planes closing from high altitude. No IFF response at two miles. Dived. Aircraft contact #10. 1537 (K) - Two bombs. 1634 (K) - Surfaced. Manned aircraft frequencies, SD and IFF. All quiet. Continued search for aviators. 2144 (K) - Ordered to new station to intercept cripples from a major fleet action.
0447 (K) - SJ contact at 8500 yards. Ship contact #2. Closing target while tracking. 0455 (K) - Sighted target from the bridge. Shortly thereafter both sight and radar contact were lost. The target had been tracking on a south easterly course. Assumed target to be submarine from contour and fact he was lost sight of suddenly. Target stood out very clearly for a full minute before disappearing. Range 6000 yards. 0505 (K) - Dived. Contact never regained. 0835 (K) - Surfaced and cleared to NW. 1132 (K) - Sighted plane. Dived. Aircraft contact #11. 1220 (K) - Surfaced.
1347 (K) - Sighted plane. Dived. Aircraft contact #12. 1349 (K) - One bomb. 1429 (K) - Surfaced.
1037 (K) - Sank mine in Lat. 24°-27'N, Long. 139°-57.5'E. 1445 (K) - Sighted plane. Dived. Aircraft contact #13. 1455 (K - One bomb. 1616 (K) - Surfaced. 2221 (K) - Ordered to resume assigned schedule in rotating patrol.
0426 (K) - Dived 5 miles south of Tobishi Bana to check reenforcement of Iwo Jima. Seventy six planes were counted on the ground. A fighter umbrella is constantly in the air and bombers taking off or landing at frequent intervals. Eight small (300-500 ton) wooden ships were counted anchored off west shore. Aircraft contact #14.. Ship contact #3. 2015 (K) - Surfaced. 2055 (K) - Directed to take station for an air strike on Iwo Jima tomorrow.
0400 (K) - On station, listening watch on aircraft frequencies. 0746 (K) - Sighted enemy bomber closing. Dived. Aircraft contact #15. 0805 (K) - Heard distant explosion. All clear at periscope depth. Surfaced. A dog fight is to west of the island. During the next fifteen minutes observed four planes burst into flames and fall west of the island. Proceeding this position. Thirty planes with IFF response approached passing high overhead. These are Grummans but there are still eighteen enemy fighters flailing about over the island and bombers are taking off at short intervals. Looks like our planes never reached the target today. 0931 (K) - Four fighters closing us from high altitude. No IFF response. At two miles dived. Aircraft contact #16. 0940 (K) - Back at periscope depth. One bomb. The three other plans intend us no good. Back to 150 feet, will continue search coming up at fifteen minute intervals. From this time to sunset twenty three enemy fighters and thirty eight bombers were observed taking off or landing. Aircraft contact #17. 1503 (K) - The small ships west of the island were observed milling around to the NW, returning to their anchorage at sundown.
June 25, 1944 Between midnight and 0400 observed 41 planes land on Iwo Jima, all burning running lights. Aircraft contact #18. 0424 (K) - Dived west of the island and continued search for downed aviators. Counted 23 planes taking off or landing during the day. Aircraft contact #19. 2030 (K) - Surfaced.
1008 (K) - JOOD sighted periscope during high periscope sweep. Opened range for an hour. Ship contact #4. 1130 (K) - OOD sighted what he believed at the time to be the shears of a submarine beyond horizon and dived. Planed up to 50 feet and observed instead the masts of two ships. Ship contact #5. 1251 (K) - Surfaced Started tracking at flank speed to gain firing position ahead of the convoy which was now determined to be three ships. Visibility is getting poor but the convoy tracks on course 135 degrees at 15.5 knots. 1821 (K) - Dived. We are in position ahead but we have to close Iwo Jima to 5 miles and may be sighted at any time. 1830 (K) - A ship resembling a LST, high freeboard and boxlike, is standing in toward the east shore of Iwo Jima. A destroyer is leaving this ship and passing up around the west shore anchorage. The masts of eight to ten small ships can be seen at anchor to westward of island. Unable to close the range to the destroyer to less than 8000 yards. 2030 (K) - Secured from Battle Stations, pinging indicates the destroyer is still in the vicinity of the small craft but darkness and a land background have called a truce. 2228 (K) - Surfaced. 2245 (K) - SJ contact 12000 yards. Ship contact #6. Made surface radar approach, night black. With good solution giving an 80 track came in for bow shot. At range 2000 yards target clearly visible decided he was one of the 300-500 tonners seen so often around here. Not a torpedo target and gun action is out as this would flush targets at Iwo. Withdrew.
0438 (K) - Dived 4 miles west of Iwo Jima. 0518 (K) - Five small ships stood out from the beach pausing either side of us and steadying on a north westerly course. There are still eight small ships at anchor. A fighter plane is circling overhead. Aircraft contact #20. Spent the next hour and a half investigating these craft but none is big. 0610 (K) - Sighted destroyer and one small ship standing up from the South. The small ship is 500 tons more or less and passed us close aboard en route the anchorage we have been investigating. The destroyer broke off and proceeded to the east shore of the island passing from view around Tobiishi Bana. It is superfluous to say that he is elusive. Spent the remainder of the morning rounding the point and gaining position on this ship. Characteristics check most closely with Hatsuhara type dog dog. During the approach aircraft circled the island continuously and two ships of the LST type (2000 tons estimated) were observed unloading near the beach. 1005 (K) - The destroyer gave us a zero angle on the bow at range 4000 yards and placed us in good position for stern shot with MK 18s. On the next observation the destroyer had swung away presenting a 50 port angle on the bow and now had hoisted a CAST pennant 7. Swung right, the spread has been checking very slow and since he will not come to us we must go to him. Speed checks at 2½ knots, - incredible. 1106 (K) - Fired four torpedoes from the bow tubes at range 1100 yards using a half knot speed spread depths set 6 feet. First hit in 42 seconds slightly forward of the mainmast and enveloped the after part of the ship in steam and black smoke. The second hit under the bridge. Flame, smoke, debris, and people shot out of the field of the scope. The bow was observed to break upward at about a thirty degree angle. The fighters can still be seen in the air, many bombers are on the ground, an LST has swung out from the beach and there is only smoke settling at the target. We are inside the 100 fathom curve, cleared area, rigged for depth charge, took sounding and got 600 fathoms so went to 400 feet to withdraw. 1115 (K) - Counter measures commence, charges were dropped in groups of two and the torpedo room reported that the sound heads were damaged immediately after the first two charges. The First Lieutenant reported that the condition was serious enough to warrant housing the heads. The port head was finally hoisted in and secured but the starboard head would not house. JP only in commission now. 1146 (K) - Screws were reported closing to join the fracas but his charges were dropped in singles well aft. Circumstances lead to the belief that the first charges were large aerial depth bombs or charges dropped along our tell-tale V. 2307 (K) - Surfaced.
0520 (K) - Dived. 0703 (K) - Sighted single bomber. Aircraft contact #21. 1115 (K) - Surfaced.
0459 (K) - Dived off Okimura Ko, Haha Jima. 0547 (K) - Sighted CM or PG standing down from the North to enter the harbor. Ship contact #7. The craft acts like a ping line patrol craft heading in and out and in no way following a sensible course. 1850 (K) - Surfaced trailing the CM on a southerly course. 2058 (K) - Patrol craft determined to have reversed course and headed in the direction of Chichi Jima.
0215 (K) - SJ contact at 11000 yards. Ship contact #8. Target tracks at 15 knots and is also going toward Chichi Jima. Wanted to look at this target in the daylight so tracked ahead and at 0457 (K) - Dived. As the target continued in, he was identified as one of the LST type of about 2000 tons and of 4-5 foot draft. There is a crying need for a torpedo that will run at a depth of from surface to four feet in smooth seas and will arm at about 100 foot to be used against craft of this type and small escorts. We are seven miles from the harbor entrance and prefer torpedoes to gun action with an air field so close. 0545 (K) - Sighted float plane. Aircraft contact #23. 0620 (K) - Sighted sail boat. Ship contact #9. 0645 (K) - Two float planes closed and circled the sail boat. Aircraft contact #24. 0825 (K) - Sighted float plane. Aircraft contact #25. 0935 (K) - Sighted bomber. Aircraft contact #26. 1040 (K) - Heavy black smoke sighted bearing 030 degrees true. Two float planes are circling over the smoke. Ship contact #10. Aircraft contact #27. 1048 (K) - The true bearing of the smoke increased so came to the normal approach course, increased speed to two thirds, and dropped to 90' between looks. A fix placed us five and one half miles from the nearest land. The tops now in sight indicated a scattered convoy of four or five ships. Range 16000 yards, convoy zigging on a southerly course. 1124 (K) - Ships began to fall into column astern of one large smoker. With range to convoy 11000 yards a two stack destroyer stood out of Futani Ko and proceeded to augment the escort group. The convoy consisted of five ships; one large AP, four medium or small AKs. Two of the ships classed as AKs may have been AOs as they had long low well deck construction characteristic of this type. For escorts, the convoy had two destroyers, one CH or PG, and two PC or SC. The AP cannot be identified but her tonnage is believed to be a minimum 10000 as she dwarfs the AKs astern. She has single, squat stack, double deck stateroom space amidships, and full awnings rigged. over the well deck spaces forward and aft. Troops and equipment all over the topside. Decided to try for this one and fire a full nest forvwrd as we wanted to leave no cripples. 1157 (K) - At range 3000 yards, track 120, target speed 8 knots fired six torpedoes with a one knot speed spread, depths set six and ten feet, small gyro angles. The torpedoes ran normally. The PC between us and target spotted the smoke tracks and started turning with the tracks and away from us. 1159 (K) - Swung and fired two MK 18 torpedoes from the after tubes at a destroyer range 3000 yards with an 80 degree starboard angle on the bow. Shifted right a couple of degrees to an AK that almost overlapped the destroyer and with a fifty degree angle on the bow range 2800 started firing the last two MK 18s. At this time a periscope sweep revealed the PC had spun on his heal was giving our scope a zero angle and was coming in with some speed, range 1200 yards. The Commanding Officer believed that all torpedoes had been fired and had the word passed to Rig for Depth Charge Attack. By the time the error was discovered the outer doors were closed, gyro spindles out. This casualty resulted in firing only nine torpodoes and CO assumes full responsibility. 1201 (K) - Four timed hits were heard from the forward group time of torpedo run two minutes. One hit from the after group was heard in the Conning Tower although the After Torpedo Room reported two timed hits aft. 1203 (K) - Counter measures commence as we are passing 400 feet, the evasive tactics consisted of drawing off to westward at 500 feet and attempting to swing enough to prevent their getting a reading on fathometer as they came down the middle, this was not always sucessful and when by screw noises they had passed overhead, a minimun of six charges were unloaded. A total of 107 charges were dropped, and although the effect was sobering, the lads that day learned to love a boat that could take such punishment. R.M. Cousins, RT2c did an outstanding job on JP, both sound heads were out of commission from previous attack. 2052 (K) - Surfaced.
0200 (K) - Manned aircraft voice frequencies. 0530 (K) - Many planes diving on Iwo Jima, bomb bursts on the ground and AA bursts in the air. Manned SD and IFF and got response. 0555 (K) - Twenty five more friendly planes approach the island from the southward and go into bombing routine. 0557-0600 (K) - Two planes close from three to two miles. No IFF response. Dived. Aircraft contact #28. 0624 (K) - Surfaced. 0747 (K) - Plane closed to three miles. No IFF response. Dived. Aircraft contact #29. 0811 (K) - Two Grummans in sight. Surfaced. Established communications. 0817 (K) - Twenty two planes moving in on Iwo. 0826 (K) - Fifty friendly planes form an umbrella over us. 0857 (K) - Picked up our first aviator. 0914 (K) - Shore battery opened up. 0917 (K) - Splash ahead of bow indicates we are the target. Executed well known maneuver commonly known as “Getting the Hell out of there”. 0930 (K) - Two planes coming in from high altitude. No IFF response at 4 miles. Strafed at decks awash. All compartments report that boat is tight. Aircraft contact #30. 1048 (K) - Surfaced. Twenty five friendly planes in sight. One antenna shot away, 20 mm fragmentation in the shears but no real damage. 1054 (K) - Seventy planes pass overhand, IFF response. 1100 (K) - Thirty-four planes pass overhead, IFF response. 1307 (K) - Two float planes are coming at us fast from ahead, our planes are shooting at them but at two miles, dived. Aircraft contact #31. 1309 (K) - One bomb. Not close. 1400 (K) - Surfaced. Between 1400 and 1600 our surface craft covered Iwo Jima with systematic bombardment. 1600 (K) - SD contact closing to 4 miles. No IFF response. Dived. Aircraft contact #32. 1700 (K) - Surfaced. Task force of 12 or more ships clearing to the southward. From this time until 1829 our air escort continued the search for downed pilots. The weather has been good. The air search complete within a circle of sixty mile radius. The only blind spot in the search is East and South of the island and this is being covered by our own surface forces. 1950 (K) - Plane closed to 4 miles. No IFF response. Dived. Aircraft contact #33. 2033 (K) - Surfaced.
1329 (K) - Sighted bomber closing. Dived. Aircraft contact #34. 1420 (K) - Surfaced.
0910 (K) - Sighted bomber. Dived. Aircraft contact #35. 1028 (K) - Surfaced. 1100 (K) - Three bombers sighted closing. Dived. Aircraft contact #36. 1310 (K) - Surfaced. 1615 (K) - Picked up Japanese subject. 1716 (K) - Aircraft contact on SJ closing rapidly. Dived. Aircraft contact #37. 1939 (K) - Surfaced. Passing through oil and other flotsam during remainder of the night. Three more people were sighted at intervals, we maneuvered to pass them close aboard and called out to them but none talked, they could not have been aviators.
0526 (K) - Dived off Chichi Jima. 0845 (K) - Sighted flying boat. Aircraft contact #38. 1947 (K) - Surfaced.
1034 (K) - Sighted bomber closing. Dived. Aircraft contact #39. 1937 (K) - Surfaced.
0947-1000 (K) - Passing through wreckage. Five cadavers counted. 1404 (K) - Sighted bomber closing. Dived. Aircraft contact #40. 1457 (K) - Surfaced. 1928 (K) - Departed area en route Midway
• The weather during the period of this patrol was generally fair with occasional heavy rain squalls. The only unexpected feature was two days of low but heavy fog encountered northwest of Huko Shima Rotto June 12-13, 1944.
• The only added information to that which has been previously reported is the counter current south east of Iwo Jima which sets to the south west at about 1.5-2.0 knots along the 100 fathom curve and joins a rip tide south of Tobiishi Bana (Iwo Jima).
• None
Type of S/M Camouflage on this patrol Medium Gray * Symbol 0.0. is used in this report to indicate SD was not being used.
Type of S/M Camouflage on this patrol Medium Gray
Type of S/M Camouflage on this patrol Medium Gray
Type of S/M Camouflage on this patrol Medium Gray
Type of S/M Camouflage on this patrol Medium Gray
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