S-E-C-R-E-T
 
 
NARRATIVE BY LT. L. D. CROCKETT, PPC
 
     
          We were on course 110°T at the time of the radar contact, 1500 feet.  The relative bearing was about 020°, range 12 miles.  We began to home on course 130°T.  The target went off the scope at about 2 mi. range.  We were making 125 IAS.  We climbed to 2500 feet.  After the target disappeared from the scope, I counted 30 seconds and dropped a flare.  The sub opened fire as soon as the flare ignited.  The range was about one mile.  The sub was firing at the flare.  I continued for 45 seconds on course 130°.  Then made a sharp turn to port, putting the sub in the path of the flare light.  The sub was on course of 270° or 280° at this time.  
     
          I first sighted the sub when the first flare lit up.  I dropped another flare which was a dud.  He was bearing about 330° relative, one mile range.  It was at this point that I started counting the 45 seconds before turning to port.  
     
          The sub was in the flare light.  I was now at 2000 feet.  The sub was 1.5 mile range when I went into a 030° dive towards him.  I approached the sub on the stern.  When I got to 1000 feet, I knew I wasn't making a good run, and pulled out at 700 feet in a tight turn to the port.  I climbed to 2000 feet and dropped two flares off the sub's port beam, range about two miles.  These flares ignited.  
     
          I lost the sub then.  So I circled and we picked him up by radar again, about four miles range.  Our course about 270° and sub course 270°.  The flares went out.  I homed on sub.  The sub disappeared off the scope at 1.5 miles range.  I continued for thirty seconds and released another flare at 2000 feet.  This one ignited.  I ordered another flare dropped, but it was a dud.  I continued on course 270 degrees for 45 seconds, losing altitude to 1500 feet.  I made a tight turn to port and caught the sub in the path of the flare.  
     
          My new course was 130°.  The sub was now turning to starboard.  I was diving at a 035° angle, and had to turn to port to keep the turning sub in line with my approach.  
     
          When we dropped we were attacking about 020 degrees on his port bow.  My course was 090°T.  The sub was on course of about 290°T, still veering to starboard slightly.  
     
          About two seconds before I ordered the D/C released, the sub opened fire.  We got two hits, one in the after hull tank, one in the waist compartment.  The one in the waist hatch cut the lead to the navigator's microphone, shorting out the interphone circuit.  This bullet is also the one that killed Lt. (jg) R. K. Hershey.  
     
          Lt. (jg) M. T. Murray, the second pilot, had the bomb release pickle.  I told the bow gunner to open fire and Murray to drop.  But the interphone was shorted out, and neither heard me.  So I had to holler to Murray to drop.  This lapse of one or two seconds caused the D/C to overshoot the sub.  
     
          The D/C were released at 250 feet altitude; 210 K. G.S., 035 degree diving angle.  When we pulled out of the dive the radio altimeter lights which were set for 100 feet showed red, indicating that we pulled out somewhere slightly under 100 feet.  
     
     

 

     

   
S-E C-R-E-T
 
          While pulling out, I made a hard turn to the left to keep from flying into the AA fire put up by the sub.  We climbed to 2000 feet and circled sub.  The sub continued to fire until we were astern.  Then he stopped firing.  
     
          I saw two smoke lights, which were dropped simultaneously with the D/C, about 400 feet astern of the sub.  The sub was on a course away from the smoke lights and zig-zagging on his base course of 270° or 280°.  
     
          Since we had no interphone, I asked the second pilot to go down and turn on the rail selector switch in order to use the 3-100 lb. demolition bombs.  
     
          By the time Murray got back, a man came up and said Mr. Hershey was wounded.  We had just started from the sub to home on him by radar to drop the demolition bombs.  I turned the controls over to Murray who had now returned to the second pilot's seat, and I went back to the waist hatch to see about Mr. Hershey.  
     
          I found that he was wounded so badly, and, having exhausted my flare supply, I knew we could do no accurate dropping of the 3 100 lb. demolition bombs.  We were about 420 miles from base, so we headed for the base to save Mr. Hershey.  I started out for the base at 302340Q and landed at 310155Q.  
     
          Mr. Hershey dies about five minutes after making the beach.  He was still in the plane.  
     
 
- - - - - -
 
     
 
NARRATIVE BY LT. (JG) M. T. MURRAY, 2nd PILOT
 
     
          I was so busy watching the instrument panel and watching Mr. Crockett for any signs that he might give, that I didn't see much of the action.  All that I could say would only corroborate what Mr. Crockett has said.  
     
 
- - - - - -
 
     
 
NARRATIVE BY LT. (JG) F. M. McLOUGHLIN, NAVIGATOR
 
     
          I was in the waist hatch navigating.  Hershey came back to help me check up on an accurate position.  
     
          During the first run, I was at the port waist hatch beside the port waist gun.  I saw the first flare light, and I saw the sub open fire at flare immediately.  I saw the sub, but not so plain.  
     
          During the 2nd run, the attack run, I was still at the port Waist hatch.  I saw the D/C charges release from the port bomb bay, but I did not see them hit.