U. S. S. HUBBARD (DE 211)
	IN REPLY REFER TO:
	DE-211(TE)/A16-3
	Serial 0188
	hz                                                                                                       3 May 1945
	CONFIDENTIAL
	From: Commanding Officer. To: Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet.     Via: (1)  Commander Task Group 22.8.   (2)  Commander Task Unit 22.7.1.   (3)  Commander Task Group 22.3.     Subject: Anti-Submarine Action by USS HUBBARD (DE-211) While a Unit of Task Group 22.8 Operating with Task Unit 22.7.1 and Units of Task Groups 22.3, 22.4, 24 April 1945 - Report of.     Reference: (a)  Cominch Restr. Ltr. FF1/A12-1/A16-3, Serial 7152 of 29 October 1943.   (b)  Atlantic Fleet Conf. Ltr. 13CL-43 (Revised).   (c)  Action Report Form "Anti-Submarine Action by Surface Ship".   (d)  DesLant X-3.     Enclosure: (A)  ASW-1 Form Attack No. 1 (Additional Narrative Sheets Attached).   (B)  ASW-1 Form Attack No. 2.   (C)  ASW-1 Form Attack No. 3   (D)  ASW-1 Form Attack No. 4   (E)  ASW-1 Form Attack No. 5   (F)  Photographs USS JANSSEN (DE-396) Taken from USS HUBBARD (DE-211) During 2-ship Creeping Attack (Original Only).
	1.        In accordance with instructions contained in the references the enclosures are forwarded herewith.
	L. C. MABLEY
	Advance cc:  Cominch. (With Sound Recorder Trace and Track Chart).
	Lant Flt. ASW Unit, Flt. Op. Train. Com.
	cc:                 CinCLant via CTG 22.8, CTU 22.7.1, CTG 22.3.
	CTG 22.3 via CTG 22.8, CTU 22.7.1.
	CTU 22.7.1 via CTG 22.8.
	CTG 22.8
	ComDesLant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	USS HUBBARD (DE-211)
	CONFIDENTIAL
	IV.  NARRATIVE (Attacks #1-5 Incl.)
	1.  Summary of Search and Action
	Upon receipt of R/T directive from CTG 22.3, OTC, CTU 22.7.1 in PILLSBURY (DE-133) proceeded with the following vessels (in order from left to right of search line) to datum point (submergence):
	KEITH (DE-241) OTTERSTETTER (DE-244) POPE (DE-134) CHATELAIN (DE-149) HUBBARD (DE-211) PILLSBURY (DE-133)  CTU 22.7.1. OTC Scouting Line FLAHERTY (DE-135) HAYTER (DE-212) F.C. DAVIS (DE-136) NUENZER (DE-150)
	Interval 3,500 yards.
	Speed 20 knots.
	All times Zebra (GCT).
	The formation passed through the datum point at 1905, 23 April 1945 (3 hours, 48 minutes late) and proceeded on course 035°(T), speed 16.8 for 17 miles.  The five ships on left flank, HUBBARD in charge, then, at 2005, turned left 90°, steamed out about 7 miles and turning 90° left again swept back to the furthest hour circle based on submerged escape speeds set forth in F.T.P. 223A.  This group then swung northwest in a retiring search curve to a point 26 miles northwest of the datum point.  From there the formation swept back toward the datum point.  A similar sweep was conducted by the five vessels on the right flank in the right semicircle of the search area.  Obtaining negative results and upon directive from CTU 22.7.1 in PILLSBURY the HUBBARD Group proceeded to a point on the furthest hour circle bearing 225°T. from the datum point and swept north to northeast in a retiring search curve.  The PILLSBURY Group conducted a sin=milar sweep in the right hand semicircle.  In the meanwhile CTG 22.8 in OTTER (DE-210) with VARIAN (DE-798), JANSSEN (DE-396) and COCKRILL (DE-398) who joined search at about 2200 conducted searches in the center of the search area.
	At 1040, 24 April, when F.C. DAVIS (DE-136 ) was torpedoed the HUBBARD Group was approximately 350°T. 44 miles from the original datum point on course 045°T.  On orders from CTU 22.7.1 the HUBBARD Group and OTTER Group proceeded at best speed for the DAVIS sinking datum.  On arrival at about 1230 the HUBBARD Group patrolled at approximately 5,000 yards northwest around to southesast of PILLSBURY and FLAHERTY who were attacking the submarine.  NUENZER was near HAYTER while the latter was rescuing survivors.  OTTER, VARIAN, JANSSEN and COCKRILL were nearby approaching from the southwest.  OTTER on arrival joined HAYTER in rescue of survivors while VARIAN formed a line to sweep to the west of the attack area with NUENZER, JANSSEN and COCKRILL.
	It is not known how many attacks, prior to arrival of the HUBBARD Group were conducted by PILLSBURY and FLAHERTY.
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	USS HUBBARD (DE-211)
	CONFIDENTIAL
	Since from about 1430 to 1900 HUBBARD, under supervision of CTU 22.7.1 was in the attack zone coordinating the work of the attacking and assisting vessels which from time to time were despatched from and returned to the search line the following reconstruction of attacks, contacts and lost contacts is submitted.  Since it is largely extracted from HUBBARD's TBS log the times are probably not entirely accurate but it renders a fairly complete picture of the action's progress from about 1230 until the submarine was sunk at 2044.  During the period 1430 to 1900 the search line on line of bearing north and south was maintained from about 3,000 to 6,000 yards west of the attacking ships.
	1227 - PILLSBURY and FLAHERTY commence creeping attack, PILLSBURY conning. 1228 - PILLSBURY loses contact. 1256 - PILLSBURY and FLAHERTY commence Operation "Observant" on initial course 075°T. 1258 - VARIAN, NUENZER, JANSSEN and COCKRILL commence forming line normal to sweep course 255°T. while OTTER proceeds to assist HAYTER in rescue of survivors. 13?? - "Observant" completed.  PILLSBURY and FLAHERTY proceed to join VARIAN's search line. 1336 - HUBBARD Group proceeds to join VARIAN's search line. 1350 - CTU 22.7.1 takes charge of search line. 1401 - FLAHERTY gets contact 285° 1400 but Sonar "goes out" VARIAN and JANSSEN drop out of line and commence search. 1404 - VARIAN gets contact 127° 825. 1410 - VARIAN loses contact. Between 1410 and 1432 - VARIAN and JANNSEN regain contact and complete creeping attack, VARIAN conning. 1432 - HUBBARD leaves search line to join JANSSEN in 2-ship creeping attack. 1452 - HUBBARD and JANSSEN commence dropping in 2-ship creeping attack conned by VARIAN - interval 275 yards.  HUBBARD passed directly over submarine and obtained a clear echo on fathometer at 600 feet. 1454 - NUENZER despatchedfrom search line to join attack group. 1515.5 - HUBBARD and JANSSEN commence dropping in 2-ship creeping attack conned by VARIAN (NUENZER who had left search line to make 3-ship attack did not have enough time to get into position.). 1522 - FLAHERTY standing away from search line toward attack group.  JANSSEN returns to search line. 1541 - HUBBARD, NUENZER and FLAHERTY commence dropping in 3-ship creeping attack conned by VARIAN. 1551 - HUBBARD starts "run in" to determine depth with 147B but could not get contact. 1558 - VARIAN Loses contact. 1603 - VARIAN rregains and loses contact. 1604 - FLAHERTY gets contact. 1605 - FLAHERTY starts in for depth determination and Hedgehog if possible. 1606 - FLAHERTY loses contact. 1606 - HUBBARD gets contact and starts in. 1607 - FLAHERTY regains contact. 1609 - HUBBARD loses contact and directs FLAHERTY to go in. 1610 - HUBBARD regains and loses contact.
	- 2 -

 

	USS HUBBARD (DE-211)
	CONFIDENTIAL
	1611 - FLAHERTY with firm contact heads in for depth determination and Hedgehog if possible. 1614 - FLAHERTY loses contact.     (Note:  These runs were made primarily to obtain depth indications to substantiate belief that sub had come up to Hedgehog depth but the difficulty to get and hold contact indicated that the submarine was probably still very deep. 1615 - All ships have lost contact.  CHATELAIN proceeding from search line to join attack group. 1626 - HUBBARD, VARIAN, NUENZER commence "Observant" on initial course 090° with FLAHERTY an CHATRLAIN in center. 1641 - NUENZER regains contact and holds it until at 1647 - VARIAN regains contact. 1652 - HUBBARD regains contact. 1654 - VARIAN starts in for depth determination and, if possible Hedgehog attack while HUBBARD and NUENZER hold contact. 1658 - VARIAN passed over contact held by HUBBARD and NUENZER to attack contact about 800 yards beyond.  There had been indications of Pillenwerffer and since both targets showed very little motion at the time of VARIAN's Hedgehog attack it would be difficult to tell, without close examination of all the traces, which was the correct target. 1700 - As VARIAN fires Hedgehog on his target, HUBBARD starts in for Hedgehog runon his target, NUENZER holding contact also. 1703.5 - HUBBARD loses contact; directs NUENZER to hold instead of attacking. 1712 - Not having regained contact and at the suggestion of CTU 22.7.1 HUBBARD directs NUENZER to conn VARIAN in for depth determination and Hedgehog or creeping attack as indicated. 1714 - VARIAN gets 147B depth at 580 feet and slows to commence creeping attack, NUENZER conning. 1718 - VARIAN commences dropping, NUENZER still holding contact. 1722 - CHATELAIN gets contact. 1724 - NUENZER loses contact. 1727 - NUENZER starts in on creeping attack conned by CHATELAIN. 1728 - VARIAN starts back to search line to be relieved by COCKRILL. 1729 - Pursuant to instructions from CTU 22.7.1 HUBBARD directs CHATELAIN to hold up creeping attack until FLAHERTY can take position for 2-ship attack. 1735 - Having completed reloading of racks and roller loaders HUBBARD proceeds to join NUENZER and FLAHERTY in 3-ship attack. 174? - HUBBARD, NUENZER and FLAHERTY commence dropping 3-ship creeping attack conned by CHATELAIN. (No time recorded) - CHATELAIN loses contact and starts "Observant" but stops to investigate contact.  HUBBARD, FLAHERTY, and COCKRILL commence "Observant" with CHATELAIN and NUENZER in center. 1831 - While CHATELAIN and NUENZER sweep north up through center of "Observant" HUBBARD drops out ot "Observant" to search south of same. 1837 - CHATELAIN and NUENZER complete "Observant". 1848 - FLAHERTY and COCKRILL start to rejoin search line but COCKRILL stops to investigate contact. 1849 - HUBBARD, FLAHERTY and COCKRILL start to rejoin search line but COCKRILL stops to investigate contact. 1850 - FLAHERTY joins COCKRILL while KIETH and POPE are ordered by CTU 22.7.1 from search line to assist.  HUBBARD proceeding also to assist.
	- 3 -

 

	USS HUBBARD (DE-211)
	CONFIDENTIAL
	1906 - Contact classified non-sub.  All ships start back to search line. 1930 - All eleven ships on station in line sweeping on base course 090T. 1932 - VARIAN gets contact. 1933 - KIETH drops out of line to assist. 1935 - KIETH gets contact. 1938 - On direction of CTU 22.7.1 PILLSBURY, FLAHERTY, and NUENZER drop out of line to assist.  Remainder of line continues to sweep to the east. 1947 - FLAHERTY gets contact. 1948 - KIETH, in too close to start run, opens out and starts back in assisted by Sonar ranges and bearings from VARIAN. 1947 - KIETH fires Hedgehog. 2003 - FLAHERTY starts in on Hedgehog run assisted by Sonar ranges and bearings from VARIAN. 20?? - FLAHERTY fires? Hedgehog. 2028 - FLAHERTY starts in again assisted by Sonar ranges and bearings from VARIAN. 2032 - From VARIAN "050 950". 2036 - From VARIAN "He's coming to surface; stand by guns!" 2037 - From HUBBARD to ships in search line "Turn one eight" (Ships turn toward attack group). 203? - From FLAHERTY "Ship to port cease firing". 203? - From FLAHERTY "He's firing torpedoes". 203? - From HUBBARD to ships in line "Speed 20". 2044 - From ??? "Sub is sinking!" 2044 - From CTU 22.7.1  "Cease firing!" 20?? - From CTU 22.7.1 "What was that explosion?"
	2.  Comments Regarding Multiple Ship Creeping Attacks
	With #3 Impulse Charges and Mark 8 Depth Charges the throw of the Mark 6 Mod 2 Projector is about 91 yards.  On the first 2-ship creeping attack HUBBARD designated an interval of 275 yards with JANSSEN as guide.  To maintain this interval, particularly during the latter part of the attack just prior to dropping, required radical speed changes utilizing both engines for maneuvering and full rudder applied and taken off.  The fact that JANSSEN was making colse to seven knots instead of five made maneuvering a little bit easier for HUBBARD and interval was accurately maintained throughout the attack.
	The second multiple ship attack was supposed to have been a 3-ship attack but NUENZER was unable to get into position in time.  HUBBARD and JANSSEN conducted the attack successfully in the same manner as in #1.  In the approach, however, it was apparent that the multiple ship attack could be vastly facilitated by the establishment of well defined doctrine and exercises employing same.  For instance the "eschelon" turn could be used to advantage if, at the same time the outboard ships put his rudder over the inboard ship accelerated with "emergency standard ahead".  Without such a speed increase the vessels would not clear in a 90° echelon turn when employing an interval of 275 yards.
	In all four (2 and 3 ship) attacks extreme care had to be observed by the vessel(s) keeping station on the guide after "Commence firing" not to use too much rudder away from the guide since that would throw the stern in toward the guide.  Using Mark 8 Depth Charges with magnetic settings presented a danger from
	- 4 -

 

	USS HUBBARD (DE-211)
	CONFIDENTIAL
	the premature firing of a charge thrown with sterns too close.  Such a coincidece could produce a detonation 50 feet under the other vessel.  Obviously in the interest of safety all charges dropped or thrown in a multiple ship attack should be on hydrostatic setting with electrical circuits disconnected or equipped with Mark 7 Mod 3 pistols.  However, the time involved in disconnecting and the reduction in effectiveness seem to outweigh these safety considerations in action.
	3.  Comments Regarding Depth Charge Reloading
	There was considerable surprise and disappointment attached to HUBBARD's reloading performance in all four multiple ship creeping attacks.  Constant drill had made it routine and simple for HUBBARD's Depth Charge crew to reload projectors in 50 seconds.  A thorough investigation afterwards revealed the following causes which, boiled down, are merely the difference between practice and action.
	1.  During the first dropping the men were tense and consequently fumbled a bit.  This was greatly magnified by their being preoccupied with charges thrown from adjacent vessel which, as they arched from the projectors produced the optical illusion of having sufficient range to land on or over HUBBARD's fantail.  The photographs (attached to original only) are of JANSSEN (DE-396) taken from HUBBARD (DE-211) during 2-ship attack.  They illustrate the optical illusion of Depth Charges thrown from one ship having sufficient range to land on or over fantail of other ship.
	2.  The Depth Charge crew began to settle down on the second attack but melting tectyl from the arbors gumming up the bores ot the projectors started to slow them up.
	3.  On the third and fourth attacks the melted tectyl completely nullified their improved performance even though some cleaning of arbors and bores had been accomplished between the third and fourth attacks.  On the third attack, also, there were no more charges in the starboard rack (creeping attack rack) in spite of efforts to get the rack reloaded with charges equipped with Mark 7 Mod 3 pistols.  HUBBARD had not called a relief ship from the search line because it had been the Commanding Officer's intention to disconnect the electrical circuits in the port rack pistols, and operation requiring onlt twn to fifteen minutes at the most.
	The most effective remedy for failure to obtain the required reloading standard in action has already been applied, viz actual reloading in action.  This was the first time that HUBBARD ever fired creeping attacks in action.  The use of tectyl as an anti-corrosive is in acordance with current recommendations and it is not considered advisable to use oil or grease which give no protection.  But HUBBARD has already constructed a semicirvular scraper of approximately the same diameter as the arbor with which to effectively and rapidly scrape the tectyl before loading teh arbor into the projector.  Reloading drills will be continued with view to reducing the practice time so as to allow more slack in action.
	- 5 -

 

 

U. S. S. HUBBARD (DE 211)
	IN REPLY REFER TO:
	DE-211(TE)/A16-3
	Serial 0203
	hz                                                                                                       8 May 1945
	CONFIDENTIAL
	From: Commanding Officer. To: Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet.     Via: (1)  Commander Task Group 22.8.   (2)  Commander Task Unit 22.7.1.   (3)  Commander Task Group 22.3.     Subject: Anti-Submarine Action by USS HUBBARD (DE-211) While a Unit of Task Group 22.8 Operating with Task Unit 22.7.1 and Units of Task Groups 22.3, 22.4, 24 April 1945 - Correction to Report of.     Reference: (a)  USS HUBBARD (DE-211) Conf. Ltr. DE-211(TE)/A16-3 Serial 0188 of 3 May 1945.
	1.        In Part IV enclosure (A) of reference (a) the order of vessels in the search line shows that USS HAYTER (DE-212) and USS NUENZER (DE-150) in the wrong stations.  It is requested that reference (a) be corrected to show USS HAYTER (DE-212) outboard of USS F.C. DAVIS (DE-136) and USS NUENZER (DE-150) inboard.
	L. C. MABLEY
	Advance cc:  Cominch.
	Lant Flt. ASW Unit, Flt. Op. Train. Com.
	cc:                 CinCLant via CTG 22.8, CTU 22.7.1, CTG 22.3.
	CTG 22.3 via CTG 22.8, CTU 22.7.1.
	CTU 22.7.1 via CTG 22.8.
	CTG 22.8
	ComDesLant

 

U.S. DESTROYERS ATLANTIC FLEET
DESTROYER ESCORT DIVISION SIXTY-TWO
U.S.S. OTTER (DE210), FLAGSHIP
	FIRST ENDORESMENT to                                          Care Fleet Post Office,
	USS HUBBARD Conf. ltr                                              New York, New York.
	DE-211(TE)/A16-3 Serial
	0188 dated 3 May 1945                                                      15 May 1945.
	C-O-N-F-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
	CCD62/A16/(Eve)
	From: Commander Task Group TWENTY-TWO POINT EIGHT (22.8). To: Commander Task Group TWENTY-TWO POINT THREE (22.3).
	1.        Forwarded.
	2.        Since on 23 April 1945 Commander Task Group 22.3 assumed direct tactical command of scouting line barrier, basic correspondence is hereby re-addressed to Commander Task Group 22.3, with copy to Commander Task Unit 22.7.1.
	3.        Commander Louis C. Mabley, (DE), USNR., 60437., is to be commended for teh splendid performance of his ship throughout the action.  It was through his initiative that the attacking ships in the multiple ship creeping attacks were coordinated so splendidly.
	4.        The comments in this report on multiple ship attacks and on the reloading of charges are particularly well-thought-out and warrant the careful consideration of all concerned.
	J. F. BOWLING.
	cc:  CO, USS HUBBARD (DE-211).