CONFIDENTIAL                      Incident No. 6240
	ANALYSIS OF COORDINATED ANTISUBMARINE ACTION
	BY USS ENGLAND AND USS GEORGE
	Employment Anti-Submarine Hunt Time 1744 GCT 21 May 1944 Position 01-40N/150-31E Depth of water 3000 fathoms Weather conditions Night; Clear; Sea smooth; Wind E., Force 2 Sonar conditions Good Contact first made by SL radar Range 17,000 yards Number of attacks 3 HH
	1.  BRIEF OF NARRATIVE.
	(a)  At 0345 (Zone minus 11) 22 May 1944 while on a scouting line, GEORGE made SL radar contact at 17,000 yards range.  This was soon confirmed by ENGLAND.  All ships ceased echo ranging and GEORGE proceeded to develop the contact at flank speed while ENGLAND opened out to the northeast.  The plot indicated the target was dead in the water.
	(b)  At 0410 GEORGE turned to unmask gun batteries and illuminated the target momentarily with searchlight.  GEORGE did not sight the target but ENGLAND had a glimpse of the submarine before it submerged.
	(c)  Soon after GEORGE made sonar contact at 1700 yards and fired a hedgehog pattern.  The hedgehog battery was not ready and the pattern was fired from 7 to 8 seconds late.  GEORGE then lost sonar contact and ENGLAND was directed to attack.
	(d)  At 0425, using information obtained from CIC, ENGLAND made sonar contact at 2500 yards.  Two hedgehog attacks were made at 0433 and 0444.  18.2 seconds after firing the second pattern, three or more hedgehog projectiles detonated.  These detonations were followed by several smaller detonations and 7-1/2 minutes later, a violent underwater explosion occurred.  Contact was regained and while closing for the attack at a range of 1100 yards, a tremendous underwater explosion occurred followed by deep rumbling sounds.  After the explosion, the recorder trace of the submarine continued for a few seconds and then seemed to spread out in range and bearing.  Sonar contact was not regained.
	(e)  0535 the OTC ordered a special search with the ships in column circling clockwise about 2000 yards from the last contact and echo ranging from ahead to 20° abaft the port beam.  Every few minutes one of the ships would peel off and explore the attack area.  This procedure was continued until 0630 during which time a strong odor of oil was detected.  At daylight an oil slick about 100 to 300 yards wide and extending from 400 to 600 yards from the position of the last attack was seen.  GEORGE reported sighting a piece of wood believed to be a section of deck planking.
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	Enclosure (A) to
	CominCh conf ser __02636__
	dated __3 August 1944.__

 

	CONFIDENTIAL
	(f)  0630 a retiring search was begun in accordance with FTP 219 and continued until 1115 when the unit again passed through the area of the attack.  Several patches of very thin light oil were soon seen in the area of the attack.  Meanwhile the wind had shifted from ENE to SE and there had been frequent rain squalls.  No samples of the oil or the reported piece of wood were recovered.
	2.  EVALUATION OF TARGET.
	(a)  Submarine
	3.  EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE.
	(a)  Three hedgehog explosions followed by a heavy underwater explosion and a rumbling noise were heard.  ENGLAND's report states that at daylight a heavy oil slick had formed and the oil was still rising.  The slick was reported to be four to six hundred yards in diameter.  (ComCortDiv 39's report stated in regard to the rising oil, "a secret despatch from AirOps reports a fresh oil slick in the vicinity of this attack with oil apparently bubbling up at the end of the slick.  This was reported by a search plane the following day and is probably the slick resulting from this action".)  At daylight after the attack, a piece of wood believed to be deck planking was sighted in the area of the attack.
	4.  ANALYSIS OF ATTACKS.
	(a)  GEORGE's 1st Attack
	Time 0412   Range at which contact was made 1700 yards   Range at which contact was lost Not stated   H.E. None   Doppler Moderate high   Target movement To right   Number of charges Hedgehog
	Data submitted for this attack is insufficient for analysis.  The report states that firing was from 7 to 8 seconds late, "Due to the fact that the pattern was not ready to fire on this attack".
	It is considered that there was no excuse for not having the hedgehog ready to fire on this attack.
	(b)  ENGLAND's 1st Attack
	Time 0433   Range at which contact was made 2500 yards   Range at which contact was lost 240 yards   H.E. None   Doppler Slightly low   Target movement Quarter changing to stern case   Number of charges Hedgehog
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	Enclosure (A) to
	CominCh conf ser __02636__
	dated __3 August 1944.__

 

	CONFIDENTIAL
	While the approach appears to have been well conducted, it is believed that, as the report stated, the pattern "probably missed to the left".
	(c)  ENGLAND's 2nd Attack
	Time 0444   Range at which contact was made 400 yards   Range at which contact was lost 235 yards   H.E. None   Doppler Closing   Target movement Close bow, with sub turning right at about 600 yards   Number of charges Hedgehog
	The three ranges and bearings recorded for the approach does not permit a reconstruction of this attack.
	- 3 -
	Enclosure (A) to
	CominCh conf ser __02636__
	dated __3 August 1944.__