DE635/A16-3                               U. S. S. ENGLAND (DE 635)
Serial No. 015
                                                                                                                  c/o Fleet Post Office,  
                                                                                                                  San Francisco, Calif.,  
  CONFIDENTIAL                                                                                   22 May 1944.  
     
 
From: The Commanding Officer.
To    : The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
   
Via   : (1)  Commander Escort Division Forty.
  (2)  Commander Escort Division Thirty-Nine.
  (3)  Commander Third Fleet.
   
Subject: Destruction of Japanese Submarine on 19 May 1944 at 05°-10' S, 158°-18.2' E, - report of  (All times Love).
   
Reference: (a)  Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter 2CL-44.
 
     
          1.        The following report is submitted in accordance with reference (a).  
     
          2.        On 19 May, while operating under Com Third Fleet's secret despatch #160525 of May, in company with USS RABY (DE 698), and USS GEORGE (DE 697) with ComCortDiv 39 on GEORGE as OTC and ComCortDiv 40 on ENGLAND, obtained sound contact and proceeded to destroy sub using Projector Mk. 10 attacks.  Formation at time of contact was scouting line, normal to base course, interval between ships 400 yards.  From left to right RABY, GEORGE and ENGLAND, b/c 293° T.  From time of contact, 1325, until sub was destroyed at 1433 continuous contact was held with exceptions of intervals of only a few minutes.  A total of six runs were made, five attacks; the first run being a dry run while developing contact.  
                  Original contact was made on 305° T, 1800 yards.  ENGLAND left formation to investigate, reporting doubtful contact to OTC by TBS.  GEORGE and RABY proceeded on base course until our first firing run at which time we reported to OTC that contact was definitely submarine; they then changed course and rejoined us, standing well clear, to render any assistance it might be necessary to give.  
                  The first two attacks were made from War Cruising Condition, however, as soon as projector charges exploded on second attack sounded General Quarters and opened range, thinking sub would either surface or would sink.  This was not so.  After nineteen minutes regained contact and closed in for third attack.  
                  Third and fourth attacks made without any success.  On the third attack, however, air bubbles were noted by bridge personnel when we passed close to the submarine.  The fifth salvo did the trick.  Projector charges (one to three) exploded twelve (12) seconds after hitting the water and a flash at 54 fathoms was noted on the fathometer as we passed over sub, depth of water before and after this flash consistently 950 to 975 fathoms.  
     
 
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CONFIDENTIAL                     U. S. S. ENGLAND (DE 635)  
 
 
 
Subject:  Destruction of Japanese Submarine on 19 May 1944 at 05°-10' S, 158°-18.2' E, - report of  (All times Love)
 
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  Approximately two minutes after charges had exploded a series of small muffled explosions were heard by people in the sound shack and these small explosions were followed by a tremendous explosion that gave us quite a shock, knocking several men aft off their feet.  This explosion was easily felt by RABY and GEORGE who were standing by at three to four thousand yards.  This last explosion apparently very deep as no swirl of water came to the surface.  It was estimated to be 300 yards astern of us.  
                  After the last attack all three ships searched area thoroughly for about an hour with no further contact.  During this time debris had been coming to the surface.  The GEORGE stopped and put over a boat and picked up quite a bit of debris, while ENGLAND and RABY circled in clockwise direction.  Radius of circle 1500 yards.  After GEORGE had picked up boat, GEORGE AND RABY began a retiring search curve and RNGLAND proceeded to area to pick up more debris.  Time was 1530 Love.  Noticed oil slick and proceeded to investigate.  Oil was bubbling up on the surface in large quantities and after lowering boat ad picking up debris and obtaining oil sample ComCortDiv 40 requested that ComCortDiv 39 come over to take a look, which he did.  He congratulated us on the kill.  
     
          3.        It is noted that information contained in Part II of ASW-1 form, is accurate to within 20 seconds of time and fifty yards of range.  Most of this information was obtained from the DRT track after the attacks and consequently will have errors that are small.  It is believed a good picture can be drawn from this information however.  It will also be noted that on last three attacks information from DRT was much more accurate than on attacks one and two.  This was due to information getting through better and also GQ team in CIC performed better.  The 200 yard scale was used on these attacks.  It is believed the 500 yard scale is better for continued attacks as the DRT is used primarily to regain contact and not to obtain information during attack.  As it was, the arm had to be repositioned several times, thereby taking valuable time and increasing the opportunity for errors.  
     
          4.        Throughout the attacks the submarine did not employ any particularly effective evasive tactics.  He used comparatively slow speeds, on some occasions almost stopping, some turns, and normally tried to keep us echo-ranging through his wake.  There was some evidence of fishtailing.  
     
          5.        A very accurate star fix was obtained at the apex of the oil slick at 1830 Love.  The next morning when we returned to the area another fix was obtained that proved the apex of the slick to be in the same position as the previous night.  
     
 
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CONFIDENTIAL                     U. S. S. ENGLAND (DE 635)  
 
 
 
Subject:  Destruction of Japanese Submarine on 19 May 1944 at 05°-10' S, 158°-18.2' E, - report of  (All times Love)
 
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          6.        Throughout the attacks all hands gave excellent cooperation and did a good job.  Sound personnel gave excellent performance as did the hedgehog men.  On one occasion 24 hedgehogs were fuzed and loaded in nine minutes.  There were no individual stars, the team worked together with a calmness and assurance that was more than gratifying.  
     
     
     
                                                                                             W. B. PENDLETON.  
     
     
  Copy to:  
          Cominch (Advance Copy with recorder traces, DRT track and ASW-1 for each attack as enclosures).  
          ComDesPac  (Advance copy).  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

   
 
 
          No evidence of human remains, but several large sharks were seen swimming around debris an hour or two after the attack.  
     
  IV.  NARRATIVE (Use Additional Blank Page if Necessary.)  
     
          After fourth attack had maintained contact except for short interval while opening range.  Opened range to 1300 yards then headed in for the kill.  Information very good and attack seemed like attack teacher run.  Fired hedgehogs and a few seconds later several dozen Nips ceased to be.  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 

     
     

FBE4-39/  
UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
ESCORT DIVISION THIRTY-NINE
     
                                                                                                    USS SPANGLER(DE696)  
                                                                                                    June 12, 1944  
  CONFIDENTIAL  
     
  SECOND ENDORSEMENT to  
  DE635/A16-3  
  Serial 015  
  Dated 22 May 1944  
     
 
From: Commander Escort Division THIRTY-NINE
To    : Commander-in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Via   : Commander Third Fleet.
 
     
          1.        Forwarded.  
     
     
                                                                                                   
                                                                                                    HAMILTON HAINES  
     
     
  Copy to:  
         CCD 40  
         USS ENGLAND  
     
  Advance Copy to:  
         Cominch  
          Comdespac