CONFIDENTIAL                       
     
Incident No. 6274
ANALYSIS OF ANTISUBMARINE ACTION BY USS ENGLAND
     
 
Employment Submarine Hunt
Time 1233 GCT 26 May 1944
Position 00-32S/148-35E
Weather conditions Night, clear; Sea smooth; Wind E, Force 1
Sonar conditions Good
Contact first made by S/L RAdar, 15,000 yards
Number of attacks 1
 
     
  1.  BRIEF OF NARRATIVE.  
          (a)  While proceeding in a scouting line, composed of GEORGE, RABY and ENGLAND distance 1600 yards, RABY, at 2304 (Zone minus 11 time), 26 May 1944, made radar contact at 15,000 yards.  This contact was confirmed by ENGLAND.  All ships ceased echo ranging.  Target was tracked on a course heading for the approaching DE's at a speed of eleven knots.  2312 ENGLAND altered course to obtain a position on the beam of submarine to illuminate or fire torpedoes.  The submarine then submerged at a range of 4100 yards.  A sonar search was begun at 2315 and three minutes later ENGLAND made a good sonar contact at a range of 1700 yards.  2323 hedgehog pattern was fired, which resulted in from four to six hedgehog detonations eleven seconds after charges struck the water.  Several minor underwater explosions and rumbling noises resulted.  Sonar contact was not regained.  After a local search of about an hour RABY and GEORGE conducted a retiring search.  ENGLAND was left in the area to continue searching locally.  0530 RABY and GEORGE reversed course rejoining ENGLAND in daylight, when debris covering a very large area was observed.  Only a slight but definite oil slick was noted.  Debris recovered was evidence of sinking, consisting of:  
 
  14 pieces of deck planking (1 marked with Japanese lettering).
  4 small pieces of dry white pine.
  2 bottle corks
  1 piece of polished mahogany with a brass fixture attached (This believed to be from a chronometer case).
  1 heavy wood block possibly from a gun foundation.
  Numerous small pieces of wood.
  Numerous pieces of pressed cork.
 
     
 
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                                                                                                   Enclosure (A) to  
                                                                                                   CominCh conf ser __02636__  
                                                                                                   dated __3 August 1944.__  
     
     

 

     
     

CONFIDENTIAL  
 
  2.  EVALUATION OF TARGET.  
         (a)  Submarine.  
     
  3.  EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE.  
          (a)  As contained in narrative.  
     
  4.  ANALYSIS OF ATTACK.  
 
  Time 2323
  Range at which contact was made 1700 yards
  Range at which contact was lost 275 yards
  H.E. None
  Doppler Moderate to slight high at beginning of approach, decreasing to none at time of fire.
  Target movement Bow case.  Reported turning right before firing.
  Number of charges Hedgehog
 
     
          (a)  It appears from the track chart that the submarine after crash-diving continued on the same course closing ENGLAND.  The bow case was correctly evaluated.  The ASW forms submitted states that submarine was turning right when the range had closed to about 600 yards.  However, there was no evidence of this turn contained on the track chart nor in the data submitted.  On the contrary, it appeared there was a slight bearing drift to the left, due to the fact that ENGLAND was not leading the target in the final stages of the approach, which was appreciated and the pattern was fired 2° to the left of center bearing by tilting the projector.    
     
     
     
     
     
 
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                                                                                                   Enclosure (A) to  
                                                                                                   CominCh conf ser __02636__  
                                                                                                   dated __3 August 1944.__