U.S. Salmon class submarine's deadly periscope

[KG_Jag]

All six U.S Salmon class submarines were commissioned during 1937-1938. All six survived World War II. Together they sank 33 enemy ships in the Pacific before being retired from front line duty by new boats, such as the Gato class.

One of them has the distinction of sinking a Japanese freighter by holing her hull with her periscope. Seal was patrolling sea-lines around Palau Island, east of the Philippines, on November 16, 1942, when she attacked a two-line convoy of five enemy cargo ships escorted by a destroyer.

After firing torpedoes from her bow tubes at the lead merchantman, the boat was in collision with another ship, blinding her periscope. After surviving a depth charge attack, Seal safely surfaced some hours later and found her periscope had been bent back at right angles, the radar antenna was broken off and rice and vegetables were trapped beneath the wooden slats forming the deck of the bridge. Her periscope had punctured the hull of the Japanese cargo ship, Boston Maru, 3,500 tons, sending her to the bottom.

A periscope proved useful to sister boat Stingray while patrolling to rescue shot-down US Navy pilots during air strikes on Guam in the Mariana Islands, in June 1944. One airman was reported splashed more than a quarter of a mile off an enemy beach and the boat made four submerged runs under fire in attempts to locate him. The last time, the pilot grabbed hold of one of Stingray's periscopes and was towed through shell fire to safety.

Salmon, fitted with two 20 mm cannon in 1943, made an audacious surface attack on Japanese anti-submarine vessels during an action against a damaged tanker in the Ryukyu Islands, off Japan, in October, 1944. After fierce depth-charging by four escorts had forced her to a depth of 500-feet, Salmon was forced to surface because of leaks in her pressure hull.

As the Japanese ships closed in for the kill, the American boat swept down the port side of one escort, pouring 20 mm fire onto the superstructure from just 60 yards, The enemy vessel was stopped dead in the water and the others, fearing further torpedo attacks, failed to press home their attack. Salmon escaped with further minor damage from small calibre rounds.

Source: Jane's Submarines by Robert Hutchinson

[KG_Panzerschreck]

Its a wonder they didnt try more rammings of the wooden merchant ships, even though this one was unintentional.