Excerpt from Ship Log of USS Paddle (SS263)
War Patrol #5
7 September 1944
Declassified 1980
0550 In position ten miles north of SINDANGAN POINT, dived. Established periscope patrol closing point.
1520 Sighted smoke bearing 242
° T. Started closing western side of SINDANGAN POINT.1533 Sighted unidentified float type monoplane in vicinity of smoke. (Aircraft Contact #6)
1613 Sighted masts and stacks of three large ships. (Ship Contact #2)
1637 Following in sight: One medium tanker, two medium AK’s, two small AK’s, two torpedo boat or DE type escorts, and one small coastal tanker type craft unusually broad and squat with very high stick masts. There may well have been another escort well astern. The tanker was leading the medium AK’s and very close to the coast. Will pass about 500 yards off tip of Point. One escort on port bow and one on beam of large ship column; both patrolling on station. Two small AK’s brought up the rear. Unusual engine aft craft (possible Q ship) well outboard on beam of entire formation. Two planes overhead. Below is a picture of disposition at time of firing. When seen bow on, the escorts look like destroyers, but had lines of our DE’s when seen from the beam. Wooden hull indicated shallow draft. The tanker was a medium sized modern vessel with relatively low stock. She was probably loaded to half capacity. The AK’s were medium sized, new looking ships with two single stack masts, one fairly low stack. No unusual features. No identification as to name is attempted because all periscope observations were very brief with flat calm sea prevailing. The AK’s were not heavily loaded.
The approach was made on the tanker since it was the most valuable ship of the convoy. Ran at 100 or 150 feet between early observations. Only the leading escort echo-ranged prior to and after attack. He crossed ahead shortly before firing, distant not more than 300 yards. Formation speed 9.5 knots. The large ships hugged the coast closely and changed course accordingly during approach.
1651 Fired four bow tubes at AO. Depth setting 6 feet, torpedo run 1875 yards, 348
° average gyro angle, 106° P average track angle, 3 degree spread between torpedoes. Continuous bearings during firing. Immediately shifted set-up to leading AK and fired two tubes set at 4 feet, 21° right gyro, 73° port track, torpedo run 1350 yards, 2 degree spread. All torpedoes heard to run toward targets. Three seconds after firing last torpedo at AK, the first hit (#2) was observed in AO. A second hit (#4) in AO was heard 14 seconds later while periscope was on escort on port bow. Two timed hits in AK were heard (59 seconds after firing) while periscope was on escort on starboard beam, distant less than 1200 yards. Two torpedo wakes were seen headed for AK as periscope was swung around to DE. Escort on starboard beam seen to have directly turned toward, so the order was given to go deep. Periscope went under (had been running at 65 feet because of flat calm sea) before extent of damage to AK and AO could be seen. Loud, characteristic, breaking up noises were heard almost immediately however, and continued for some time after depth charging began. It is believed that of those two ships at least the AK sank and possibly both did.1655 Commenced taking a total of 45 assorted depth charges and bombs; none close enough to do major damage, but all jarring the boat considerably. Rudder ram noise of last patrol returned immediately after first string of close depth charges. Two escorts passed overhead several times dropping patterns of 6 to 8 charges. Evaded on northwesterly courses at 300 feet, 80 R.P.M., under a convenient 7 degree negative gradient existing at 200 feet. However, it was almost an hour before both escorts could be kept astern, and #43 depth charge at 1733 was quite close. One escort echo-ranged throughout while the other seemed to conduct a sonic search on opposite side. Both escorts stayed fairly close aboard until about 1800, but did not drop after 1733. It is believed that their depth charge supply was exhausted during their early close runs.
1844 Commenced return to periscope depth.