COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET
	9 August, 1943
	STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT (JG) G.G. HOGAN, A-V(N), U.S.N.R.
	Breaking cloud cover at about 1500 feet, while flying on a routine submarine search in company with another TBF and a F4F, a submarine was sighted about 550 on the port bow not more than two miles away.  At the time our course was 1020 T, speed 150 knots, and the U-boat on a course of 2250, estimated speed 4-5 knots, cruising trimmed down.  The sighting was almost instantaneous by all planes.
	My plane was carrying 2-500 lb. bombs and therefore was to attack first.  I commenced a full-power climb toward the U-boat, made my contact report and squared away for the drop.  Leveling off at 2000-2500 feet, I pushed over into about a 500 dive.  Dropping my first bomb at 750 feet, I noticed part of the conning tower and the stern still visible.  The explosion occurred close aboard (about 20 feet) from the port bow of the U-boat.  I pulled up sharply turning just in time to see the depth bombs from the other TBF going off.  This attack followed mine by about 10 seconds.  The depth bomb explosion seemed to bracket the U-boat and lift it out of the water.  The sub ceased to dive and lost most of her forward motion.  When the F4F strafed it from stern to bow, causing flame to break out just aft of the conning tower.  This lasted about a minute and was followed by heavy clouds of black smoke.
	After some further strafing, about 10 men came out on deck to abandon ship in life rafts.  These men either jumped in the water or were hit by the F4F strafing.  Shortly thereafter, the sub got underway and seemed to be diving.  So I pushed over from 3500-4000 feet to release my second 500 lb. bomb, having told the other planes to stand clear this time.  I released at about 650 feet and the bomb hit 50-60 feet on the port quarter.  It seemed to slow the U-boat down, but she continued her dive and in about half a minute was completely under water.  The entire attack area (about 300 feet in diameter) was covered with oil patches and bomb scum.
	About 15 minutes later, the U-boat resurfaced bow first some 100 yards ahead of the spot it was last seen.  It was stern down and moved forward slowly in at turn to starboard before coming to a dead stop.  Shortly afterwards the relieving planes arrived on station.  Then in another 10 minutes, personnel were visible on the decks, breaking out life-rafts and jumping in the water.
	- 1 -
	ENCLOSURE (A)

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET
	9 August, 1943
	STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT (JG) G.G. HOGAN, A-V(N), U.S.N.R. CONT
	As all planes circled, all personnel left the sub and she went under for the last time stern first with the bow almost straight in the air.  Time was 1509 GCT.
	The entire action from the first attack to the finale lasted 55 minutes.  The survivors were picked up that evening by one of the destroyers.
	G.  G.  HOGAN.
	- 2 -
	ENCLOSURE (A)

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET - SECURITY
	9 August, 1943
	STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT N. D. HODSON, U.S. NAVY
	We had just broken out of the clouds when I saw a submarine about a mile away.  It seemed to be almost under my port wing and was cruising awash, perhaps having heard the engines of the planes.  We immediately made a coordinated attack as the U-boat started a crash dive.  Knowing the glide bomber had to climb before making his attack, I realized there was time to make a strafing run first.  Though this was not in accordance with the planned attack, it seemed best to interfere with or prevent any attempt to man AA guns.
	I was able to get in one strafing run before Lieutenant (jg) HOGAN dropped his first 500 lb. bomb about 20 feet on the sub's port bow, which caused a large black explosion.  Ten seconds later, Lieutenant (jg) FORNEY dropped his two depth bombs, coming in from the starboard beam.  The second of these bombs seemed to slide under the U-boat; there was a big column of water and the sub resurfaced.
	I was able to get in a number of good strafing runs.  On the third of these, bright red flame about ten feet high burst out just aft of the conning tower.  It was after this that Lieutenant (jg) HOGAN dropped his second 500 lb. bomb which struck the water about 60 feet on the U-boat's port quarter.  On my fourth pass, there were 10 to 12 men on deck forward of the conning tower.  There was 1 man aft.  They were either killed or jumped into the water.  After several more strafing runs, I climbed to give the ship a radar bearing.
	The sub settled with little forward motion.  It was not till then that the heavy black smoke aft of the conning tower stopped.  I then returned to the ship to make a preliminary report.
	N.  D.  HODSON.
	ENCLOSURE (B)

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET - SECURITY
	9 August, 1943
	NARRATIVE OF MILES, Leslie (n), 636 05 41, AOM2c, U. S. N. R.
	The first I knew of the sub was when Mr. HOGAN called "Contact, contact" over the I.C.S.  Gaining a little altitude, we dove and dropped the first 500 lb. bomb.  I didn't see the explosion, as it took place before I saw the sub through the smoke caused by the bomb.
	The fighter came in and covered the decks with machine gun fire.  A fire of some kind was started just aft of the conning tower and it continued smoking a lot until the sub went under shortly after we dropped our second 500 lb. bomb.
	Meanwhile the other TBF made its run, getting in a good drop that stopped the sub's diving.  Our second bomb hit about 50-60 feet on the port quarter and a couple of minutes later the sub went under the water.  It came up again 10 minutes later.
	The crew got away from the ship in eleven life rafts that I counted, and then the sub sank.
	Leslie MILES.
	ENCLOSURE (D)

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET - SECURITY
	9 August, 1943
	NARRATIVE OF PFEIFER, Casper Joseph, 393 54 23, ARM3c, USN
	We spotted the sub on our last leg just before we were to return to the ship.  It was about two miles away.  Our altitude being about 1500 feet, we climbed to 2500 feet for the bombing attack.  The first bomb was released at about 700 feet and it hit close aboard the port bow of the sub.  As we climbed for a second attack, the other plane made a depth bomb run.  I didn't see the drop or explosion, but was able to take a picture of the water disturbance before it completely subsided.  Then the fighter strafed at least 6 times.  During one of these runs, flames and black smoke came out of the conning tower.
	The sub almost disappeared and when it was again fully surfaced, we made our second attack, the bomb landing about 50 feet on the port quarter of the sub.  It was losing a lot of oil and pretty soon life rafts and survivors could be seen on the decks and in the water.
	It went down stern first.
	Casper Joseph PFEIFER.
	ENCLOSURE (E)

---

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET - SECURITY
	9 August, 1943
	NARRATIVE OF LIEUTENANT (JG) FORNEY, A-V(N), U.S.N.R.
	I was flying on the starboard quarter of Lieutenant (jg) HOGAN slightly above.  As we came out of a patch of clouds at 1500 feet, we saw a U-boat cruising with its decks awash, on a southwesterly course.  It was sighted on our port bow around a mile and a half away.  We went into our attack procedure, Lieutenant HODSON going in to strafe with the F4F-4, Lieutenant (jg) HOGAN climbing for a dive bombing attack with 500 lb. bombs, and I peeling off to port for a stern approach with depth bombs.
	Lieutenant HODSON made one strafing run followed almost immediately by Lieutenant (jg) HOGAN'S first bombing attack, his bomb hitting just forward of the U-boat's port bow.  I was in the approach phase at the time, coming in from the starboard quarter, target angle 1400, and the plane was rocked by the force of the explosion.  My attack followed Lieutenant (jg) HOGAN'S by about 10 seconds, and it was apparent that the U-boat was attempting to crash dive.  I dropped the two depth bombs in train, spacing 60 feet, and, as I saw the explosion after pulling out to the left, it seemed to be almost under the submarine, lifting it back to the surface and effectively stopping the dive.  At the release point I was making 220 knots, altitude 100-125 feet, course 1750 T.  Perhaps a dozen men came out on deck forward of the conning tower, breaking out life rafts and life jackets.  The fighter was strafing the submarine at the time, and these men either jumped or fell into the water.  Bullets from the F4F caused flames and black smoke to break out just aft of the conning tower.
	Lieutenant (jg) HOGAN then made his second bombing run, the bomb hitting on the port quarter about 60 feet away.  Then the U-boat settled stern first with almost no forward motion.
	I was prepared to approach and drop the Mk. 24 mine, but because of the attempt to abandon ship, because of the large amount of oil coming to the surface, and because of the loss of forward motion, I was sure the U/B was in sinking condition.  Therefore I felt that the mine drop was unnecessary though I knew it was contrary to procedure not to make the drop.  Almost 15 minutes later it broke water an estimated 400 feet ahead of its point of submergence.  During the entire time, oil was rising to the surface, spreading over the area.  Right after resurfacing, men started pouring out of the conning tower and deck followed immediately by abandoning ship procedure.
	- 1 -
	ENCLOSURE (A)

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET - SECURITY
	9 August, 1943
	NARRATIVE OF LIEUTENANT (JG) FORNEY, A-V(N), U.S.N.R. CONTINUED
	There were eleven life rafts strung out behind the U-boat.
	The submarine sank shortly afterwards, stern first, time 1509 GCT.  I noticed that, other than oil and survivors, there did not appear to be any debris.
	J.  C.  FORNEY.
	- 2 -
	ENCLOSURE (A)

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET - SECURITY
	9 August, 1943
	NARRATIVE OF ROBERTS, Franklin O'brien, 551 92 13, AMM3c, U.S. Navy
	Riding in the turret, I was able to get a good view of the depth bomb explosions.  They seemed to go off almost under the sub, the first on the starboard side toward the stern and the second on the port side just aft of the conning tower.  The sub was completely hidden from view, and were out of range before I had a target to shoot at.  We stayed pretty far out as the fighter drafted, causing heavy black smoke to come from the conning tower.  As the sub started to settle, we went in closer.  There were already some life rafts visible, but it wasn't till after the sub came up again (12-15 minutes later) that the crew really poured out of the conning tower.
	There was oil everywhere the sub had been, particularly heavy when it was making no forward speed.
	Franklin O'brien ROBERTS.
	ENCLOSURE (C)

 

	COMPOSITE SQUADRON ONE
	SECRET - SECURITY
	9 August, 1943
	NARRATIVE OF MEDLEY, Doc Stough, 604 16 61, ARM3c, U.S.N.R.
	After the pilot told me to get ready for an attack, I just had time to check the arming list and go aft to try for some pictures.  I didn't see the sub until the depth bombs had hit the water.  It was on its way down and the explosion seemed to blow it right back up to the surface again.  Oil marked the spot from that time on.  The sub's speed dropped to almost nothing.  It slowly settled and went under.  Then about 15 minutes later it reappeared about 500 feet ahead.  During this time, oil was coming up in large quantities.  Some men were seen on the deck before it submerged, but they were wiped out by the fighter's strafing.
	When it came up again, it slowly went into a right turn while the crew started abandoning ship.  I was taking pictures from the start though I think the bracings were in the way of those showing the explosions.  We watched the action until told to return to the ship.
	Doc Stough MEDLEY.
	ENCLOSURE (D)