Also On This Day - USS Tang (SS-306)

[Subdeacon Joe]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tang_(SS-306)

 

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On the morning of 24 October, Tang began patrolling at periscope depth. She surfaced at dark and headed for Turnabout Island (25.431493°N 119.93989°E). On approaching the island, the submarine's surface search radar showed so many blips that it was almost useless. Tang soon^{[clarification needed]} identified a large convoy which contained tankers with planes on their decks and transports with crated planes stacked on their bows and sterns. As the submarine tracked the Japanese ships along the coast, the convoy's escorts became suspicious, and the escort commander began signaling with a large searchlight. This illuminated the convoy, and Tang chose a large three-deck transport as her first target, a smaller transport as the second, and a large tanker as the third. Their ranges varied from 900 to 1,400 yd (820 to 1,280 m). After firing two torpedoes at each target, the submarine paralleled the convoy to choose its next victims. She fired stern torpedoes at another transport and tanker aft.^{[DANFS 1]}

As Tang poured on full speed to escape the gunfire directed at her, a destroyer passed around the stern of the transport and headed for the submarine. The tanker exploded, and a hit was seen on the transport. A few seconds later, the destroyer exploded, either from intercepting Tang's third torpedo or from shell fire of two escorts closing on the beam. Only the transport remained afloat, dead in the water. The submarine cleared to 240 ft (73 m), rechecked the last two torpedoes which had been loaded in the bow tubes, and returned to finish off the transport. The 23rd torpedo was fired at 900 yd (820 m) and was observed running hot, straight, and normal.^{[DANFS 1]} Tang's score for the night would later be confirmed as the freighters Kogen Maru (6,600 tons) and Matsumoto Maru (7,000 tons).^[23]

At 02:30 on the morning of 25 October, the 24th and last torpedo (a Mark 18 electric torpedo) was fired. It broached and curved to the left in a circular run. Tang fishtailed under emergency power to clear the turning circle of the torpedo, but it struck her abreast the aft torpedo room approximately 20 seconds after it was fired.^{[DANFS 1]} The explosion was violent, and men as far forward as the control room received broken limbs. The ship went down by the stern with the aft three compartments flooded. Of the nine officers and men on the bridge, including O'Kane,^[24] three were able to swim through the night until picked up eight hours later. One officer escaped from the flooded conning tower and was rescued with the others.^[25][24]

The submarine bottomed at 180 ft (55 m) and the thirty^[24] survivors crowded into the forward torpedo room as the aft compartments flooded, intending to use the forward escape trunk.^[24] Publications were burned, and all assembled in the forward room to escape. The escape was delayed by a Japanese patrol which dropped depth charges, and started an electrical fire in the forward battery. Beginning at 6:00 am on 25 October, using the Momsen lung, the only known case where it was used,^[24] thirteen men escaped from the forward torpedo room.^[26] By the time the last had exited, the heat from the battery fire was so intense, paint on the bulkhead was scorching, melting, and running down.^[27] Of the 13 men who escaped from the forward torpedo room, only 5 were rescued.^[26][28] One sailor who was near the group of five but injured during the ascent was not rescued.^[29] Three who were on the bridge were rescued after swimming for 8 hours.^[26] Another survivor escaped the conning tower and used his pants as a flotation device.^[26] A total of 78 men were lost.^[30] Those who escaped the submarine were greeted in the morning by the sight of the bow of the transport they sank the previous night sticking straight out of the water.^[31]

One of the 78 men lost was Rubin MacNiel Raiford, who at age 15, may have been the youngest American person in the military to lose his life in combat.^[32]

Nine survivors, including O'Kane, were picked up the next morning by Japanese frigate CD-34.^[33] Survivors of Tang's previous sinkings were on board, and they beat the men from Tang. O'Kane stated, "When we realized that our clubbing and kickings were being administered by the burned, mutilated survivors of our handiwork, we found we could take it with less prejudice." The nine captives were placed in a prison camp at Ōfuna until the end of the war, where they were interrogated by Japanese intelligence.^[31]

 

 

[watab kid]

that was an interesting read , i did not know that story ,