U.S. DESTROYERS ATLANTIC FLEET
DESTROYER ESCORT DIVISION SIXTY-TWO
U.S.S. OTTER (DE210), FLAGSHIP
	CCD63/A16/(Eve)                                                                         Care Fleet Post Office,
	Serial 04.                                                                                        New York, New York.
	C O N F I D E N T I A L                                                                       15 May 1945.
	From: Commander Task Group TWENTY-TWO POINT EIGHT (22.8). To: Commander in Chief, United States Fleet. Via: Commander Task Group TWENTY-TWO POINT THREE (22.3).   Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet.     Subject: Special Operation and Action Report.     Reference: (a)  ComTaskGrp 22.3 Visual Dispatch 081630 of May 1945.     Enclosure: (A)  Excerpt from War Diary of CTG 22.8.   (B)  USS VARIAN Secret ltr DE798/A9 Serial 0024/45 of 29 April 1945 and 1st Endorsement thereon.   (C)  USS HUBBARD Conf. ltr DE211(TE)/A16-3 Serial 0188 of 3 May 1945 and 1st Endorsement thereon.   (D)  USS HAYLER Conf. ltr DE212(TE)/A16-1 Serial 027 of 17 May 1945 and 1st Endorsement thereon.   (E)  Copy of USS OTTER Secret ltr Serial 005 of 30 April 1945 and 1st Endorsement thereon.
	1.        This report is submitted, in accordance with reference (a), to cover the operations of Task Group 22.8, USS OTTER (DE-210), USS HUBBARD (DE-211), USS HAYLER (DE-212) and USS VARIAN (DE-798), from 19 April 1945 when Task Group 22.8 departed Naval Operating Base, Argentia, Newfoundland in company with Task Unit 22.7.1 to rendezvous with Task Group 22.3 and Task Group 22.4 at 43 North - 45 West for the purpose of setting up a combined surface and air barrier against enemy U-boats which were considered to be moving west to south-west through an area centered at the rendezvous point.
	2.        Since Task Group 22.8 was not operated as a unit but rather as individual ships, this report is compended as follows:  enclosure (A) is an excerpt from the War Diary of Commander Task Group 22.8 covering the period from 19 April 1945 up to and including the anti-submarine action on 24 April 1945 nd the burial at sea on 25 April 1945 of the USS DAVIS (DE-136 casualties.  This coverage is necessary since USS VARIAN and USS HUBBARD played a major role in the actual destruction of the U-boat on 24 April and USS HAYLER and USS OTTER conducted the rescue operations attendant to the torpedoing of the

 

	CCD62/A16/(Eve)
	Serial 04.                                                                                                     15 May 1945.
	C O N F I D E N T I A L
	Subject:        Special Operation and Action Report.
	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
	USS DAVIS.  Enclosure (B) through (F) are the reports of the individual ships on the anti-submarine action and rescue operations.  This officer's endorsement on the ship's reports include the only specific comment concerning their actions and operations which he considered necessary for this report.
	3.        In a broadest sense the operation which is the subject of this report was very successful.  All of the individual ships participating showed a high degree of training and skill, and an eagerness to cooperate over and beyond the requirements of naval discipline.  The barrier patrol in the scouting line, once it was set up in accordance with the November 1944 issue of U.S. Fleet Anti-Submarine Bulletin, worked smoothly and seemed to give an efficient and thorough surface coverage.
	4.        However, several matters of anti-submarine tactical policy arose which may, or may not, have affected the results of the operation.  The following recommendations are made for future operations of this type.
	(a)  A definite effort should be made in assigning stations on a barrier line, in ordering ships to the scene of a contact, and in actual attacks, to insure that ships of the same task group work together as a team.  This will enable the operating force to capitalize to the greatest extent upon the training and operating experience of a group of ships, as well as upon the operational characteristics and equipment of a particular type of ship.
	(b)  The first group commander to arrive at the scene of a contact or action should retain tactical command once a datum has been established by reliable means and an organized search or attack has been commenced.  Even this group commander, if his is not the first ship to arrive at the scene, should refrain

 

	from assuming direct tactical command until he has located the datum accurately and studied carefully what has been done previously.  Conforming to such policy would not only improve the coordinated action of the ships at the scene but would clarify command responsibility.
	5.        Tactical command of the scouting line barrier was assumed by Commander Task Group 22.3 on 23 April 1945.  Consequently, this report is addressed directly to Commander Task Group 22.3 to be forwarded, with copies to all task group commanders.
	6.        Enclosure (E) is hereby reclassified as Confidential.
	J. F. BOWLING
	cc  ComDesLant (2)
	CTG 22.3 (2)
	CTU 22.7.1 (1)
	CTG 22.4 (1)
	CCD 51 (1)
	CCD 7 (1)
	USS OTTER (DE-210)
	USS HUBBARD (DE-211)
	USS HAYLER (DE-212)
	USS VARIAN (DE-798)

 

	10/jl
U. S. S. BOGUE
	CVE9/A-163
	Serial:
	23 May 1945
	C O N F I D E N T I A L
	FIRST ENDORSEMENT on:
	CCD62/A16/(Eve) Conf. Ltr.
	Serial: 04 dated 15 May 1945.
	From: The Commander Task Group 22.3   (Commanding Officer, U.S.S. BOGUE). To: The Commander in Chief, United States Fleet. Via: The Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet.     Subject: Special Operation and Action Report.     Reference: (a)  ComTaskGrp 22.3 Visual Dispatch 081630 of May 1945.     Enclosure: (A)  Excerpt from War Diary of CTG 22.8.   (B)  USS VARIAN Secret ltr DE798/A9 Serial 0024/45 of 29 April 1945 and 1st Endorsement thereon.   (C)  USS HUBBARD Conf. ltr DE211(TE)/A16-3 Serial 0188 of 3 May 1945 and 1st Endorsement thereon.   (D)  USS HAYLER Conf. ltr DE212(TE)/A16-1 Serial 027 of 17 May 1945 and 1st Endorsement thereon.   (E)  Copy of USS OTTER Secret ltr Serial 005 of 30 April 1945 and 1st Endorsement thereon.
	1.        Forwarded.
	2.        The recommendations outlined in paragraph 4 of basic letter are concurred in.  They were adhered to as much as was practicable in past operations and are in accordance with instructions as outlined in CinClant's "KIller Group Instructions".
	G. J. DUFEK
	cc  ComDesLant (2)
	CTU 22.7.1  (1)
	CTG 22.4     (1)
	CCD 51        (1)
	CCD 7          (1)
	USS OTTER (DE-210)
	USS HUBBARD (DE-211)
	USS HAYTER (DE-212)
	USS VARIAN (DE-798)

 

	10/jl
UNITED STATES ATLANTIC FLEET
CINCLANT FILE
	A16-3/(01381)                                                                    CARE F.P.O. NEW YORK, N.Y.
	23 May 1945
	CONFIDENTIAL
	SECOND ENDORSEMENT to:
	CTG 22.8 conf. ltr. ser.
	04 dated 15 May 1945.
	From: Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet. To: Commander in Chief, United States Fleet.     Subject: Special Operation and Action Report.
	1.        Forwarded., concurring in the recommendations in paragraph 4 of the basic letter and in individual Commander Task Group 22/8 first endorsements to ship's reports.
	2.        A complete copy of this report is hereby furnished Commanding Officer, Anti-Submarine Warfare Unit, Atlantic Fleet, for study.
	W. K. KILPATRICK,
	Chief of Staff
	cc  ComDesLant (2)
	CTU 22.7.1  (1)
	CTG 22.4     (1)
	CCD 51        (1)
	CCD 7          (1)
	USS OTTER (DE-210)
	USS HUBBARD (DE-211)
	USS HAYTER (DE-212)
	USS VARIAN (DE-798)