After a short stint ashore (fist full of tows 3) and a few wonderful commissions under sail we finally returned to GQ3.
USS Thresher SS-200 was conducting a war patrol in the South China Sea sometime in early 1943 when they picked up a small group of Japanese ships east bound. Thresher and her crew tracked the group for several hours until nightfall.
Under a quarter moon Thresher felt around in the dark with Radar and Hydrophone for the little convoy. It wasn't long before a young eagle eyed lookout spotted a ship dead ahead at 8000 yards. Thresher identified the vessel as Kongane Maru 3000 tons and making 7 knots. The skipper listened to the reports from the radar as the range ticked down to 6,000 yards.
“Give her 40 degrees Angle on Bow” the skipper said “fire one fire two fire three. Engine room all ahead flank”
As Thresher worked herself up to 20knots the torpedoes cut their deadly path towards the unsuspecting Maru and missed.
“These damn torpedoes must be running deep”
The other 3 ships of the little convoy were spotted and the skipper now had the full picture of the enemy composition and disposition. 3 small merchants escorted by one destroyer who was bringing up the rear. Thresher swung around to fire at the next ship in line, Tayu Maru. Two fish left the stern tubes and failed to find their target.
Thresher sighted in on the 3rd ship and her remaining 3 bow torpedoes were launched. Soon after, the quiet of the night was broken by two explosions and the Shirataka Maru was lit up like a Christmas tree.
At once searchlighta began scanning the sea looking for the sub and the escort rushed over to the stricken vessel.
I was the escort commander here and I knew that just forcing the sub down so that my ships could escape would not be good enough. Our 11 knot top speed meant that if I didn't stop this sub here I would be watching another ship explode later tonight or in the morning.
I slowed to 10 knots and instantly my sound man reported what he thought were reloading noises. At 10 knots I could make tight maneuvers and my sound man had a good chance of maintaining contact but I was sweating bullets that the Americans would plant a MK 14 into my belly (although I knew BuOrd was on my side and the thing might not go off).
As I closed in I started to work up to flank speed so I could get turned around after my attack. Sonar stayed with them until we were right on top of them. I layed out my pattern and watched for any results as we sped on at 30 knots.
Now up to this point we were just playing around, rereading and discussing the rules and talking. From here on out things got serious and the fight was on.
As I was laying my pattern of depth charges down the enemy surfaced behind me. She must have spent that last moment making 8 knots to get out of the way and pointing her bow in the direction from which I had just came. I couldn't have been more surprised if someone slapped me in the face and I came to the realization that I was now heading away from my target at 30knots plus whatever speed they were putting on.
I brought my Destroyer around in a 10 point turn and opened up with everything I had. On the deck of the Thresher a gun crew was banging away with their gun in reply.
I landed a solid hit on the sub even though my ship was pitching and heeling from the turn but the Thresher did as well. My foreword TT was hit and a fire broke out, my crew was able to snuff it out right then and there but it only added to my shock.
I continued the turn and was now in a stern chase with the sub and every gun on both ships was blazing away. I swung to starboard to unmask my guns and was rewarded with 3 more hits.
The American sub slipped beneath the waves and once again my speed was working against just as much as it was helping me. They almost got away but sonar picked them up again at the same time as two torpedoes crossed on either side of me.
I creeped up on them again maintaining contact until the last possible moment. I laid down another pattern to no effect and I poured on the speed to come around and begin the search but I couldn't reacquire.
The attack was over.
“But Camo” I hear you say “what became of the Thresher and her gallant crew”. Well let me tell you.
When I was making my fist pass the sub was at periscope depth intending to hit me with a torpedo and then take care of my little fleet in her own sweet time. When she couldn't line up a shot or shake me she decided to flip the table. The plan was to surface and sprint the opposite way, gain some distance from me and then submerge and try to evade again. I think it was brilliant , if a little risky. It's very possible that the few 1000 yards gained would be enough to shake me off entirely.
But!
That first hit I scored started a battery fire that threatened to choke the crew and kept them from being able to submerge for two crucial turns. My next hits smashed the Threshers diesels to pieces with no hope of repair.
I may have failed to sink her but I succeeded in making sure Thresher was no longer a threat to my convoy. We like to imagine that the story of how the Thresher made her way to land under sail will be told for decades to come.
Me and my mother (my primary opponent in these games) love the stories of US Submariners and it was a huge influence on us playing these war games in the first place.
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