021400 FEB 1942
To : SubRon 14 & ComSubPac
From : Lt Kim Ronhof CO of USS Gudgeon SS211
Setting: 88%
Subject : Patrol report
Patrol area : Southern Japan
Warship tons : 0
Merchant tons : 37637
Total tons : 37637
Total JANAC tons : 33121
Torpedoes fired: 16
Torpedo impacts: 14
Torpedo misses: 2
Torpedo duds: 0
Torpedo premature explosions: 0
The following ships have been sunk
Patrol narrative:
RMKS1
181400 DEC 1945 departed Pearl Harbor. Full Torpedo load 50% mark 10's and 50% mark 14's.
RMKS2
231400 DEC 1945 refueling finished and departed from Midway.
RMKS as we neared 700 miles of Japan, we sailed or lay still submerged during the day, only sailing on surface at night - all torpedo attacks were carried out submerged.
RMKS
Sighted a Single Huge European Liner, ample time to maneuver into a perfect firing position, target sailing in a straight line.
041023 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 4 - mark 10 torpedo.
041024 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 5 - mark 10 torpedo.
041024 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
041024 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
Plotted its course and maneuvered into a good firing position submerged.
The ship was so big and fast that I decided to fire 2 torpedoes, as not to lose this juicy target.
She went down very fast, but the safety of using 2 seemed justified.
041024 JAN 1942 Sunk
Huge European Liner, 18765 ton
Long 134° 46' E, Lat 30° 42' N
Continued patrol
RMKS
Single target - course plotted, and submarine maneuvered into a perfect firing position.
070452 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 4 - mark 10 torpedo.
070452 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
070453 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 5 - mark 10 torpedo.
070453 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
I fired 2 torpedoes as the first hit seemed marginal.
070455 JAN 1942
Medium Old Tanker, 4981 ton
Long 130° 50' E, Lat 31° 01' N
Continues patrol
RMKS
Single target Medium Old Tanker + single escort - again we had ample time to maneuver into a perfect firing position, target sailing in a straight line.
072138 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 4 - mark 10 torpedo.
072139 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
She did not sink, my earlier decision to use 2 torpedoes at tankers suddenly, seem very wise.
The escort came after us, and it took some time for me to lose it, surface and go around, then finally using the deck gun. She sank after 24 HE shells.
080154 JAN 1942
Medium Old Tanker, 4828 ton
Long 131° 34' E, Lat 31° 37' N
RMKS
Single target with got into a good firing position and, again I decided to use 2 torpedoes Mark 10
092151 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 4 - mark 10 torpedo.
092151 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
092152 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 5 - mark 10 torpedo.
092155 JAN 1942 : Torpedo miss
1 torpedo hit was not sufficient, we had to surface and use the deck gun at safe range 4000 yards
After 8 armor piercing and 8 HE shells she sank.
092223 JAN 1942
Medium Old Composite Freighter, 3941 ton
Long 132° 19' E, Lat 32° 27' N
Continued Patrol.
RMKS
Sound contact with large battle group, used lots of juice, But had to run silent during long periods of time, we where not able to reload tube 4 and 5 - as I
got a juicy target into sight a BB
Fired :
121105 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 6 - mark 10 torpedo.
121105 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 1 - mark 14 torpedo.
121105 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 3 - mark 14 torpedo.
121105 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 2 - mark 14 torpedo.
121105 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
121105 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
121105 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
121105 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
All torpedoes hit but we had to dive deep I've never seen so many escorts before.
Sneaked away under a thermal and spent the next 18 hours trying to catch up to finish of the BB, we had to run on surface in daylight - where attached 4 times
by airplanes, only minor hull damage 4%, then I called of the hunt.
RMKS
Zigzagging convoy did managed to get into a good firing position
131021 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 1 - mark 14 torpedo.
131021 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 2 - mark 14 torpedo.
131022 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit a Medium Old Composite Freighter.
Second torpedo presumes to be a miss to - had to dive, and despite, I tried to do a go around , it was not possible due to air coverage, fuel was now down to
52% and we were in the Korean strait.
I called of the chase, and started our trip home.
RMKS
This ship just came sailing into our way, I just had to sink it.
161742 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 3 - mark 14 torpedo.
161743 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
161743 JAN 1942
Small Modern Composite Freighter, 1853 ton
Long 134° 35' E, Lat 29° 30' N
RMKS
This ship seamed to do the same.
162343 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 5 - mark 14 torpedo.
162343 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit - it did not seem to much damage so I fired the last torpedo
162344 JAN 1942 : Firing tube 4 - mark 14 torpedo.
162345 JAN 1942 : Torpedo hit
162345 JAN 1942
Medium Modern Split Freighter, 3269 ton
Long 134° 37' E, Lat 29° 48' N
RMKS
201230 Refueled at Midway
RMKS
021400 Docked at Pearl Harbor with 4 mark 14 torpedoes and 4 mark 10 torpedoes left.
