To Start the Game with this Boot Disk:
1. Place your boot disk in your A: drive and the game CD in the CD-ROM drive. 2. Reboot your machine (Ctrl-Alt-Del on the keyboard, or press the reset button). 3. Be sure that the hard disk containing the game is the active drive. 4. Change the current directory to the games directory. For example, to change to the default directory type CD\SH and press Enter. 5. Type SH and press Enter to start the game.

Additional Credits

Additional Testers: Dion Burgoyne, Kelly Calabro, Josh Cloud, Bob Coates, Mike Hawkins, Patrick Lugliani, Aaron Malchow, John Pena, Jason Ray, Richard Wagenet, Sean Wyman,

VIDEO CARDS/VESA DRIVERS

The following sound cards are supported: ATI; Cirrus (Cirrus Logic); Diamond (many cards, may require individual drivers);Genoa; Orchid; Tseng (ET 4000) If you are experiencing any problem with your video/VESA driver, type SH /V at the command line, rather than SH. This enables a universal VESA driver which is compatible with the video cards list above.

MOUSE SETUP

If your mouse is not functioning, you should make sure the driver has been loaded for use with DOS-based programs. Windows and other programs of its type have built-in mouse drivers that do not function outside of their environment. Loading a mouse driver may be as simple as typing MOUSE (and pressing Enter) before starting the game. Since the command differs from mouse to mouse, you may need to consult your mouse users guide for the location and name of your particular driver software. (continued on next panel) 524901

SILENT HUNTER

CONTENTS
WAR BENEATH THE WAVES. 1 What Comes with This Game. 1 Using the Mouse. 2 STARTING THE GAME. 2 Single Missions. 3 Mission Customization. 4 Realism. 6 Submarine Class Selection. 10 Victory or Defeat. 10 THE CAREER MENU. 10 Starting a Career. 10 Best Careers. 10 Main Menu. 10 Continue a Career. 11 Base Menu Options. 11 CONTROLS. 14 The Smart Mouse Pointer. 14 Using the Function Keys (F1 - F10). 14 Setting the Detail Level. 14 Control Buttons. 15 COMMANDING THE SUBMARINE. 16 Captains Cabin. 17 Charts. 18 Radar. 20 TDC (Torpedo Data Computer). 22 Gauges Station. 23 Up Scope (or Periscope Station). 27 Bridge. 33 Status and Torpedo Room Stations. 38
SUBMARINES. 40 SILENT HUNTER WEAPONS DATA. 50 U.S. Torpedoes. 50 Radar and Bathythermograph. 50 Deck Guns/AA Guns. 50 TORPEDOES. 50 Shortages. 50 Torpedo Types. 51 Problems Arise. 52 The New Hope. 53 THE COMMANDERS. 54 Vice Admiral Charles Lockwood. 54 Dudley W. Mush Morton and the Wahoo. 55 Lawson P. Red Ramage and the Parche. 55 Richard H. OKane and the Tang. 56 APPENDIX A: U.S.S. SKATE AND THE FIFTH FLEET. 57 On to the Gilberts. 61 Operations Flintlock and Hailstone. 64 APPENDIX B: TACTICS. 68 Torpedo Attack. 68 Basic Approach Objective. 68 APPENDIX C: THE FIRE CONTROL PROBLEM. 73

Realism

The level of realism experienced while playing SILENT HUNTER can be modified for both single missions and careers. This is done using the Realism screen, which is available from all Single Mission screens and when the submarine is in port during campaign games. With all Realism settings selected, the simulation is as close to real as is possible!

Enemy Quality

This setting determines how tough the enemy is. Gun and depth charge attack accuracy, lookout sighting distance, and overall coordination of attack are controlled by this setting. Enemy crews can be green, veteran, or elite.

Air Cover/Threat

Task forces and occasionally convoys were supplied with air cover. Other missions run the risk of encountering an aerial patrol. These settings determine the number and probability of encountering some form of air cover.

Overall settings

At the top of the Realism menu are three buttons: Novice, Intermediate, and Expert. These buttons are quick ways to select specific sets of play conditions. Novice level lowers the combat and sailing model levels to novice, and turns off all realism settings except the vulnerability of the submarine.
STARTING THE GAME: Realism
Intermediate level lowers the combat level and sailing models to Intermediate, and turns off the Dud Torpedo, Realistic Reloads, Limited Depth Data, and Realistic Charts settings. Expert level implements every possible realism setting, duplicating live conditions during WWII as closely as possible. The combat level is set to Advanced and the submarine maneuvers realistically.
Dud Torpedoes From the beginning of the war until late in 1943, a series of problems with the torpedoes caused a significant number of them to fail. With this setting off, torpedoes are always reliable, but realism drops by 15%. For more details of the torpedo problems, see the Torpedoes section on page 50. Realistic Reloads The Realistic Reloads setting toggles the torpedo tube reload time between two minutes and a more realistic time that is also affected by crew quality. Turning this setting off reduces the realism factor by 10%. Limited Depth Data With Limited Depth Data toggled on, the Depth Gauge indicates only how deep the submarine has gone. There is no information available other than the chart about how deep the waters are in that particular part of the ocean. When toggled off, an additional gauge appears at the Gauges station entitled Depth Under Keel. This indicates how deep the local waters are. Turning this setting off reduces the realism factor by 5%. Vulnerable Boat Toggling Vulnerable Boat off eliminates the chance of the submarine taking damage, and correspondingly, reduces the Realism level by 80%. Realistic Charts The Realistic Charts setting controls the information that can be viewed at the Charts station. With this setting toggled on, the chart shows only the position of ships relative to the submarine, further modified by the Limited Visibility setting. With this setting off, the Charts station shows torpedo wakes and shell splashes as well. Turning this setting off reduces the realism factor by 10%. Run Aground With this setting turned off, the submarine can run aground without sustaining damage. This setting alters the Difficulty Rating by 5%. Combat Level Changing the Combat Level setting affects the accuracy and lethality of both sides weapons. The amount of information displayed on the map at the Charts station, such as torpedoes, sonar pings, and gun hits, also decreases at the advanced levels. The Realism rating is reduced 15% for each level below Expert; from Expert to Advanced, to Intermediate and finally Novice.

Realism and Japanese Anti-Submarine Warfare
The realism setting determines the effectiveness of Japanese anti-submarine warfare (ASW). Throughout most of WWII, the Japanese Navy believed that no submarine could dive below 200 feet and survive, so most of their ASW efforts were expended at depths between 50 and 150 feet. In deep water, U.S. fleet submarines could dive routinely below 200 feet and so were able to survive repeated depth charge attacks. In SILENT HUNTER, the Combat Level setting can be used to increase realism beyond 100%. This reflects Japanese ASW efforts that take into account the full capabilities of U.S. submarines.

Victory or Defeat

The scenario continues until the submarine is destroyed or all enemy vessels are beyond contact range. This can be because they have been sunk, they have outrun the submarine, or the submarine has evaded all pursuit. At this point a scoring screen appears which correlates the level or realism and the number of enemy vessels damaged or sunk and presents the score. Left-clicking on the Exit button returns you to the Single Mission menu.

THE CAREER MENU

The Career Menu is where the campaign game begins. Starting at any point in the war, a series of war patrols are performed that can then be compared to those of some of the greatest submariners ever.

Starting a Career

Enter the name of the submarines commander and select a starting month and year for this career. Up to twenty different careers can be accommodated by the career roster; if all twenty positions have been used, a new career must be entered over an older career. The date chosen determines what classes of equipment are available to the commander. This includes submarine classes, and features such as radar, improved torpedoes, and radar detectors.

Best Careers

This option displays the top careers to date.

Main Menu

This button returns to the Main Menu.
THE CAREER MENU: Continue a Career
THE CAREER MENU: Base Menu Options

Continue a Career

This button opens a menu where a saved career may be continued, reviewed, or deleted. The Career Roster lists the names that have been entered for the careers in progress. To continue to play a particular career, left-click on it to highlight it and left-click on the Select button or double left-click to resume that career. The View button displays the progress of a highlighted career. The Delete button deletes the highlighted career. After selecting a career, the Base Menu appears.

COMMANDING THE SUBMARINE

The control room is the nerve center of the submarine. All other stations necessary to fight and maneuver the submarine are accessed from the control room. Other stations are reached from the Control Room by moving the pointer until it changes to a word, for example Charts or Gauges. Leftclicking changes the view to that particular station. Note: On actual U.S. submarines the periscope was accessible in the conning tower. It has been placed in the Control Room in SILENT HUNTER for ease of use.
COMMANDING THE SUBMARINE: Captains Cabin
COMMANDING THE SUBMARINE: Charts

Captains Cabin

Charts
The Charts station is reached by pressing F5, or moving the pointer until it reads Charts. The Charts station contains charts of the current patrol area, showing important features such as depth information, enemy bases, shipping lanes, and ports of call. Visible enemy ships and reports of enemy vessels are indicated on the chart for tracking purposes depending on the realism level. Boxes that are available while viewing the charts allow for maneuvering, setting way points along a course and general map controls. At high levels of zoom the submarine is represented by a blue box trailing a line away from its heading.
At lower speeds the submarines sonar can detect other vessels. This is indicated on the map by a line along the relative bearing of the target. The line is either gray, representing a set of low-speed screws, or orange, representing high-speed screws. High-speed screws are usually warships, while low-speed screws can be either a merchant ship of some sort, or a warship travelling at low speed.
Ship Identification Manual
The Ship Identification Manual on the captains bookshelf is a valuable tool in prosecuting the war against the enemy and not our own shipping. The Ship Identification Manual contains views of thirteen classes of enemy vessels at various angles. The displacement, length and maximum speed in knots are also listed. A copy of this manual is available on the bridge to be used with the Target Bearing Transmitter (TBT) and at the periscope.

Map Controls

Logbook
The Logbook can be viewed in the Captains Cabin or by pressing F10. This is where the crews victories are recorded as enemy shipping is harried across the Pacific.

Calendar

Left-clicking here shows more than the current date. Weather information, the phase of the moon, and rising and setting times for the sun and moon are also listed here.

Player Submarine

Time Controls
The local time is displayed above the Time Compression control button, and at the bottom left at most other stations. Activating Time Compression allows the rate time passes to be changed from 1x to 256x. At 1x time passes at the normal rate. The + key increases compression, while the key decreases time compression. The Enter key returns the time rate to 1x. Note: Because of the complexity of this simulation, some features may not operate smoothly at high rates of time compression.

KEY TELEGRAPH SETTING

Compressed Air Gauge
The number of times the submarine can change depth is dependent on the supply of compressed air used to force water out of the ballast tanks. This gauge indicates the amount of compressed air remaining. It is important to be aware of the status of the submarines compressed air supply because without compressed air the only way to change depth is by using the diving planes and the electric motors. Once these tanks are empty, they can only be recharged by sailing on the surface. This process takes an hour or two depending on the amount of air required. If the submarine finds itself on the bottom with no compressed air, returning to the surface may be an impossible feat.
0.. All Stop 1.. Ahead 1/3 2.. Ahead 2/3 3.. Ahead Standard 4.. Ahead Full 5.. Ahead Flank 6.. Reverse 1/3 7.. Reverse 2/3 8.. Reverse Full 9.. Emergency Reverse
COMMANDING THE SUBMARINE: Up Scope

Engine Status Indicator

The Christmas tree, so named for the red and green lights it features, indicates which of the diesel engines are engaged in propelling the submarine or charging the batteries used to drive the electric motors. The panel contains one green light and one red light for each engine on the submarine. When a diesel engine is being used to charge batteries the red light is on, when the engine is being used to drive the submarine the corresponding green light is lit.

Voltage and Fuel Gauges

The state of battery charge is shown on the voltage gauge. When the electric motors are on line, the voltage level drops as batteries are discharged. When the batteries are being charged using the diesel engines, one or more of the red charging lights are lit and the needle climbs back to full charge. It can take several hours running on the surface to recharge batteries. Most of the submarines in SILENT HUNTER can run submerged for many hours at low speed, but running at flank speed while submerged will exhaust battery capacity quickly. The fuel gauge shows the volume of diesel fuel remaining, with a digital counter for the number of miles available from the remaining fuel. Note: The amount of fuel carried by submarines was large enough to allow for extended missions, but was not inexhaustible. If the submarine runs out of fuel, the only margin of safety lies in the charge level on the batteries. If the submarine runs out of fuel in enemy waters, it is likely to be destroyed or captured. Moving the pointer to the handles on either side of the periscope activates the Rotate Left or Rotate Right controls. Left-clicking when these commands are visible, turns the periscope in the appropriate direction, through 360 degrees. At the top of the screen is the Relative Bearing Indicator, which shows the bearing of any object viewed in the periscope relative to the submarines heading. The right handle of the periscope is also used to control the zoom factor of the periscope. When the pointer nears the right side of the periscope, it changes to the Zoom command. Left-clicking while this command is active increases the magnification through the settings 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x. Pressing the Z key achieves the same result. The periscope can be lowered or raised from any station by pressing Alt-P. When first activated, the periscope screen shows maneuver controls to either side. These controls operate in the same manner as their counterparts at the Gauges station. The manual helm allows the submarine to be steered, the course can be set using the compass, and the submarine can be submerged or surfaced using the depth control. The Ship Identification Manual can be viewed at this station using the button at the bottom of the screen. Left-clicking on the Torpedo button or pressing the T key brings up the Position Keeper panel for the local TDC.

Flooding Gauge

This gauge indicates the level of danger that flooding represents is in the event that the submarine takes damage which ruptures the pressure hull so that the submarine begins to take on water. The great danger of flooding is that the submarine may gain so much weight that the motors cannot lift it to the surface again.
Up Scope (or Periscope Station)
Left-clicking on the periscope shaft, or pressing F2, raises the periscope for viewing the surface, navigation, or fire control. The periscope cannot be employed at depths below 65 feet, and is automatically retracted when diving below that depth. The periscope also retracts automatically when destroyed or damaged.

Using the Local TDC

The full TDC panel is not visible from the Periscope or the Target Bearing Transmitter (TBT) stations, but has been divided into three separate panels which appear to the right and left side of the Periscope and across the bottom of the TBT. Some components of the TDC which do not change are the Auto/Manual and Panel Selection switches and the firing buttons which are just above the right handle of the periscope and at the far right of the TBT. Pressing the N key restores the maneuver controls panel.
Left-clicking on the panel selection knob changes to the Angle Solver panel which has the Gyro Angle Forward and Aft dials and Offset Angle dial. The Offset Angle dial is used to establish a spread of torpedoes by locking a course offset into each torpedo from the first torpedo fired. The Gyro Angle Forward and Aft dials are primarily indicators unless the TDC is set to manual, when they become active for setting the offset from the submarines heading that the torpedo will need to intercept the target. For example, if the target is dead ahead, the relative target bearing would be 0 degrees. The Relative Target Bearing dial shows an arrow pointing straight up, aligned along the centerline of the submarine. Calculating a firing solution is a very complex process. For more information about the basic formulas of fire control, see Appendix C on page 73. The Torpedo Depth setting dial and Torpedo Run Time dial are found on the Torpedo Data panel, as are the Torpedo Speed knob and Torpedo Type knob. The depth setting control is used to adjust the depth that torpedoes run. Different classes of ship have a different draft, and a torpedo set to hit an aircraft carrier will pass harmlessly beneath a destroyer. There is also a Torpedo Speed knob where the speed can be changed for variable speed torpedoes. Common practice was to fire torpedoes at the highest speed available unless the target is motionless. A slow torpedo is more likely to be evaded by wary prey. The slow speed setting is useful when shooting at stationary targets at long range, such as inside a shallow harbor, where a close approach is too dangerous.

Barracuda

Displacement (in tons):. 2000 when surfaced; 2620 when submerged Dimensions (in feet):. 341 x 27 x 14 Machinery:. 2 diesel engines; 2 electric motors Max. Power (in hp):. 6700 surfaced; 2400 submerged Max. Speed (in knots):. 18 surfaced, 8 submerged Test Depth (in feet):. 200 Range (in miles):. 12000 at 11 knots surfaced Torpedo Tubes:. 4 forward; 2 aft; 12 torpedoes Guns:. inch
The oldest U.S. submarines to see combat in World War II were the S-class, some of which had been launched as early as 1918. Six sugar boats were stationed at Manila with the Asiatic Fleet and six with the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. These submarines accounted for fourteen Japanese ships including the destroyer Natsushio sunk by S-37 in February 1942 and the cruiser Kako sunk by S-44 in August 1942. Designed and built during the first World War, S-class submarines were designed for a defensive role, to interdict other submarines along the Atlantic coastline. When compared with the later fleet-type submarines, they were more cramped, smaller, and had a shorter range. They featured double hull construction with the ballast tanks on the outside of the pressure hull. The hulls were riveted together, as were most ships constructed prior to the war. Underwater speed was deemed an important feature at the time of their design, to enable the submarine to evade escorts. Speed was sacrificed later for more dependable surface performance and safety features such as an enclosed bridge.
The Barracuda class were an early attempt at what would later be called the fleet-class submarine. They were not as fast as the S-class when submerged, but were larger and capable of longer patrols. None of the B-class submarines, Barracuda, Bass, or Bonita saw service during the war, except as training vessels.

SUBMARINES: Narwhal

SUBMARINES: P-Class

Narwhal

Displacement (in tons):. 2915 when surfaced; 4050 when submerged Dimensions (in feet):. 371 x 33 x 15 Machinery:. 1 diesel engines; 2 electric motors Max. Power (in hp):. 6000 surfaced; 2450 submerged Max. Speed (in knots):. 17 surfaced, 8 submerged Test Depth (in feet):. 328 Range (in miles):. 18000 at 8 knots surfaced Torpedo Tubes:. 4 forward; 2 aft; 26 torpedoes Guns:. inch

P-Class

Displacement (in tons):. 1330 when surfaced; 2005 when submerged Dimensions (in feet):. 300 x 25 x 13 Machinery:. 2 diesel engines; 2 electric motors Max. Power (in hp):. 4300 surfaced; 2336 submerged Max. Speed (in knots):. 19 surfaced, 8 submerged Test Depth (in feet):. 250 Range (in miles):. 10000 at 10 knots surfaced Torpedo Tubes:. 4 forward; 2 aft; 16 torpedoes Guns:. inch
The Narwhal and Nautilus were submarine cruisers, large enough to accommodate two 6-inch deck guns and capable of higher surface speeds than the older S-class. They were derived from an earlier mine-laying design, the Argonaut. In practice, the greater size needed to accommodate the second deck gun made the submarine easier to detect and did not make up for poor handling characteristics. The original diesel engines never delivered horsepower adequate to the task of maneuvering such a large vessel and were replaced in 1940. Both submarines were used to deliver supplies to guerrillas, transport commandos and coast watchers. Between them, they managed to sink eleven Japanese ships including the destroyer Yamakaze.

SUBMARINES: Gato

SUBMARINES: Balao
Displacement (in tons):. 1825 when surfaced; 2410 when submerged Dimensions (in feet):. 312 x 27 x 15 Machinery:. 4 diesel engines; 4 electric motors Max. Power (in hp):. 5400 surfaced; 2740 submerged Max. Speed (in knots):. 20.75 surfaced, 8.75 submerged Test Depth (in feet):. 300 Range (in miles):. 11800 at 10 knots surfaced 95 at 5 knots submerged Torpedo Tubes:. 6 forward; 4 aft; 24 torpedoes Guns:. inch

Balao

Displacement (in tons):. 1826 when surfaced; 2391 when submerged Dimensions (in feet):. 312 x 27 x 15 Machinery:. 4 diesel engines; 4 electric motors Max. Power (in hp):. 5400 surfaced; 2740 submerged Max. Speed (in knots):. 20.75 surfaced, 8.75 submerged Test Depth (in feet):. 400 Range (in miles):. 11800 at 10 knots surfaced 95 at 5 knots submerged Torpedo Tubes:. 6 forward; 4 aft; 24 torpedoes Guns:. inch
The Gato, Balao (pronounced ba-ley-o), and Tench classes were virtually identical and formed the backbone of the U.S. submarine force from late 1942 through the end of the war. The fundamental fleet submarine, they were all of welded construction and capable of operating at greater depths than their predecessors they had crush depths of up to 750 feet which allowed operation at depths of between 300 and 400 feet. The displacement of these fleet class submarines was increased again to more than 1800 tons to accommodate even more batteries and improved diesel engines. The crew complement for a war patrol was 80 officers and crewmen. One hundred and eighty five submarines of these three classes saw war service; 73 Gato, 101 Balao, and 11 Tench. Of the twenty highest scoring submarines in both tonnage and number of ships sunk, two thirds were either Gato or Balao class. The top three submarines in terms of tonnage sunk were all Gato class, the Flasher, the Rasher and the Barb with nearly 300,000 tons sunk between them. The Skate, which was commanded by Bud Gruner was a Balao class.

See Gato, page 47.

SUBMARINES: Tench
SILENT HUNTER WEAPONS DATA
SILENT HUNTER WEAPONS DATA U.S. Torpedoes

Richard H. OKane and the Tang
Transferred from the Wahoo, Dick OKane was given command of the Tang. A new Balao class submarine, the Tang would rise to fame as one of the highest scoring submarines for the number of ships sunk: 24. One of Tangs first missions was lifeguard duty off of Truk island in April 1944. While U.S. bombers pounded the island, OKanes crew picked up 22 aviators in groups of one and two, daring near approaches to the shore on one occasion. Tangs deck gun got plenty of use that day suppressing fire from nearby Japanese positions, and sadly, being used to destroy a damaged Kingfisher float plane that had been assisting in rescue duty. The Tangs finest hour was also her downfall. On her fifth patrol in the Formosa Straits in October 1944, OKane encountered a convoy of tankers and freighters. Seven ships were sunk including two that collided while both tried to ram the Tang. OKane had fired all but two of his torpedoes. Stern tubes loaded, OKane was attempting to put away a transport damaged earlier, when disaster struck. One of the torpedoes went off course and swung in a great circle to strike the Tang in the aft torpedo room. OKane and the others on the bridge were thrown clear. Thirteen of the crew escaped the Tang when she settled on the bottom at 180 feet, but only five of those made it to the surface alive. OKane and his eight surviving crewmen were picked up by a patrol boat the next morning. All nine men survived the war and OKane was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Lawson P. Red Ramage and the Parche
The biggest advantage that U.S. submarines had was their ability to track Japanese convoys on the surface from beyond the spotting distance of Japanese escort ships. The submarines would then close under cover of darkness, or pass on a parallel course, and attack. One such instance led to the attack on a Japanese convoy by the Steelhead and the Parche under the command of Lawson P. Red Ramage. The two submarines had been on patrol for two weeks with nothing to show for it. On July 30, 1943 however, that changed when they picked up a convoy with heavy air cover. The con-
APPENDIX A U.S.S. SKATE AND THE FIFTH FLEET
for over 100 years had been based on control of the seas, and in the early twentieth century it was the job of our battleships to exercise that control. Now, the time had come for a drastic revision of U.S. naval strategy. The new strategy was patterned after that first employed by Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto, CinC of the Japanese Combined Fleet. Almost a year before the attack, Yamamoto had ordered his staff to develop plans for a carrier air strike on Pearl Harbor. His instructions were clear. The operation was to depart from the generally accepted doctrine of employing carriers as a protective force for battleships and instead use them as an offensive air weapon.1 With no battleships to form a new battle line, our naval command now had to look to aircraft carriers to carry the war to the enemy. The attack on Pearl Harbor had other important effects. President Roosevelt had quickly appointed Admiral Ernest J. King to the post of Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Fleet, with headquarters in Washington. In turn, Vice Admiral Chester W. Nimitz became Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet. Significantly, both King and Nimitz were ex-submarine officers with an appreciation of how submarines could best be used. Prior to the attack, our submarines had been attached to the Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet to be deployed as advanced scouts for the battle force. Now, without a battle force to scout for, and without the speed to keep up with a fast carrier task force, the Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, was formed. Its commander, Rear Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, Jr. reported directly to Commander, Pacific Fleet. Fortuitously, the long range, long endurance, speed, and large torpedo load design requirements for the scouting mission were nearly ideal for new submarine missions in the vast Pacific. Actions had been rapidly implemented after Pearl Harbor to rebuild the Pacific Fleet. By mid 1942 repairs had been made to most of the damaged and sunken ships. In addition, new ships, planes and men began to join the fleet at an accelerating pace. Of particular importance to Pacific Fleet power was the addition of both large fleet carriers and smaller carriers converted from other hulls. By mid 1943 war production held promise of being able to provide sufficient resources to continue the offensive already underway in the South Pacific, and to open a new offensive in the Central Pacific. Toward that end, CinCPac staff was busy creating plans to dislodge the Japanese from their midPacific island outposts. By being at the right spot at the right time, Skate had the opportunity to conduct her first three war patrols concurrently with Fifth Fleet attacks on Japanese held island groups from Wake to Truk. It had so happened in the late summer of 1943 that Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall, Commander Carrier Task Force Fifteen, had requested ComSubPac to assign submarines to patrol off the Japanese held islands of Wake, Marcus and the Gilberts during planned air strikes. They would be used to search for and rescue U.S. airmen forced or shot down at sea, and to provide navigational information to the airmen. Although such usage would divert submarines from their primary task of sinking enemy ships, ComSubPac agreed. Accordingly, Skate and two other submarines were assigned to perform what became known as Lifeguard Duty.

APPENDIX A: U.S.S. SKATE AND THE FIFTH FLEET

by William P. Gruner

The year was 1943 and U. S. fortunes of war were improving. On September 5th, the new fleet submarine U.S.S. Skate (SS305) arrived in Pearl Harbor for training, deperming and a sound survey to make her less detectable by Japanese MAD and sonar gear. She had been built at Navy Yard Mare Island, California, and placed in commission on April 15 under the command of Commander Eugene B. McKinney. McKinney was a veteran submarine skipper. He had commanded the fleet submarine Salmon for five war patrols in the South China Sea. In Salmon he had skirmished inconclusively with two Japanese destroyers and sent a large repair ship, a passenger-cargo ship and a converted salvage vessel to the bottom. The new arrival found that the Pacific Fleet had undergone many changes since the Japanese attack on December 7,1941. Early in the morning of that day, over 350 fighters, bombers and torpedo planes from six Japanese carriers had done their jobs and departed. Rendered hors de combat were eight of the nine battleships of the Pacific fleet. Added to this loss were most of the military aircraft on the island. Fortunately, our three Pacific Fleet carriers were not in port that day. Lexington and Enterprise were at sea and Saratoga was at San Diego for repairs. Two days later Japanese land-based aircraft sent HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse to the bottom off the coast of Malaya, 6,000 miles away. Suddenly, both military and armchair strategists throughout the world were convinced that even large well armed surface ships were vulnerable to air attacks launched from hundreds of miles away. Until the attack on Pearl Harbor, the keystone of U.S. naval strategy
Fleet operations to regain the Central Pacific began with an attack on Wake Island in early October 1943, and then rolled relentlessly westward. The strike on Wake had three objectives: to test new strategic concepts and tactics using the strengthened Pacific Fleet; to neutralize Japanese air power at Wake; and to regain an offensive posture. Before the war, the Japanese had viewed Wake as a stepping stone between the Japanese mainland and Midway, Hawaii and the U.S. west coast. Accordingly, like Pearl Harbor, it had been attacked on December 7, 1941, and occupied two weeks later. At midday on September 25th, Skate departed Pearl with orders to patrol off Wake. Upon arrival on station on the morning of October 4th she closed the atoll and submerged to conduct photo-reconnaissance. Two days later Task Force 14 under the command of Rear Admiral A. E. Montgomery arrived off Wake to carry out a carrier air/cruiser bombardment. Skate was on the surface west of the atoll ready to perform life- guard duties. The strike commenced at early dawn. Quoting from Skates patrol report2 , 0448 (local time) - Sighted much flak and anti-aircraft fire from Wake. Many planes were in the air over Wake dropping bombs and there were several dog fights. Eight or ten planes were seen to fall and our planes were seen to form up. The report continued with a sad note. We were attempting to close on the surface toward the nearest crash when at 0545 what appeared to be a Japanese Zero suddenly dove out of a nearby cloud and started strafing us. Plane was coming in low from the starboard beam. Made a quick dive. After getting below it was discovered that Lieutenant (jg) Willis Edward Maxson, III, U. S. Navy, junior Officer-of- the-deck, had been hit by a bullet. He was very seriously wounded. Skate surfaced a half hour later to resume the search. Several U.S. and enemy planes were noted in the air, as was a trail of 25 caliber bullet holes through the STS armor plate protecting the bridge and conning tower. At 0808 Skate was again forced to dive by two Japanese planes making strafing runs from a distance of about two miles. Seconds later the planes flew over the disappearing periscope but loosed no bombs as Skate passed 50 feet on her way down. At 0900 she surfaced to resume her rescue mission, but was again forced down. It appeared that our aviators had failed to gain control of the air that day. It was squally and overcast the next morning, October 7th. Several squadrons of friendly aircraft were soon sighted, and at 0601 Skate Exchanged visual signals with a squadron of friendly dive bombers. Four of them circled us several times and.asked the bearing and distance to the target. We informed them and they headed in the proper direction. Anti-aircraft fire and bombings started shortly thereafter. At 1043 when about 6 miles from shore searching for downed aviators a heavy shell hit about 400 yards on the port bow. Another whistled over the bridge and hit about 800 yards astern and as we were diving the third hit about 200 yards on the starboard quarter. The Japanese were getting closer, but no cigar that time.

Yamato was 863 feet long with beam 127 feet, draft 35.6 feet and displacement 73,000 tons. She mounted nine 18.1" guns in three turrets and had a top speed of 27 knots. Yamato and her sister ship, Musashi, were the largest and most powerful warships built by any nation. Extensive design analyses and tests conducted prior to and during construction made them as unsinkable as the state of the art would permit. To that end the designers provided multiple longitudinal bulkheads which incorporated one armored bulkhead in addition to the normal heavy armor belt protecting vital engineering and ordnance spaces. Because of her defensive capability, Yamato barely hesitated after being hit by Skates torpedo. The torpedo that did the damage was the infamous Mk.14-3A steam torpedo armed with a Mk.16 warhead loaded with 600 pounds of Torpex. Although depth was set for 10 feet, the torpedo apparently ran at half that depth. The reason for failure of the other three torpedoes is unknown. However, in view of the size of the target and the position of the single hit along the hull, it is likely that the blame rests on the unreliable Mk.14-3A torpedoes and their faulty Mk. 6 exploders. Skate returned to Pearl on January 7, 1944 to receive congratulations from ComSubPac for putting one Japanese carrier and one battleship on the injured list and sinking one maru.
Operations Flintlock and Hailstone
After the Gilberts had been taken, CinCPac established Flintlock as the next major step in the Central Pacific. Flintlock entailed the capture of the Japanese held Marshall Islands including their major base at Kwajalein atoll. The Marshalls differed from the Gilberts in that there were many more coral atolls and islets occupied by military installations, and they were spread over a much larger area. CinCPacs plans called for gathering forces from California, Hawaii, Samoa, the Ellice Islands and other bases, and set D-day as January 31, 1944. The three major bases to be seized were Roi-Namur, Majuro and Kwajalein. Seizure of Eniwetok was planned for later. In accordance with the plan, a massive armada descended on the Marshalls. Fifth Fleets Task Force 58 advanced with 6 large carriers, 8 battleships, 6 cruisers and 36 destroyers. The landing force of 297 ships and 53,000 assault troops followed. Bombardment of enemy air bases commenced on D-3 day in the area between Roi-Namur in the north, Majuro in the south and Eniwetok in the west. Kwajalein was quickly occupied after a Spruance haircut had obliterated all the palm trees and buildings on the atoll. Majuro offered no resistance, and by D-1 all bases were neutralized. By late February 2 the main objectives had been occupied, eight weeks ahead of schedule. The following day a Marine Liberator flew from the Solomons to Truk and took the first photo-coverage of the great base since the Japanese had taken it over from the Germans after World War I. Perhaps more important than the photos was the warning given Admiral Koga that the Americans would soon attack major

On the morning of the 15th the report noted, Seas have shifted to the northwest and we have increased speed. If the wind stays where it belongs we should be able to make our schedule. Two radar contacts were made that day on planes that did not close. The next afternoon a plane contact at 13 miles forced Skate to dive. Confident that she could now cross the critical longitude before midnight, the opportunity was taken to get a trim. Then with a good trim, Skate descended to over 400 feet and unhappily found the water temperature in the area to be constant to at least that depth. That meant that no layer existed to hide under from enemy sonar should she get attacked. Luck plays an important role in war as in life. Within minutes after surfacing at 1635 a lookout sighted the superstructure of a large ship, bow on, at a range of 12 miles. At the same time, a plane contact at 13 miles dictated immediate submergence. Due to the low height of the periscope lens above the surface, the target could no longer be seen. Meanwhile, somehow alerted, sporadic Japanese depth bomb or charge explosions could be heard. None were close enough, however, to do any damage. At 1722 the foremast of a Japanese cruiser came into periscope view. She was accompanied by destroyers on either beam and had possible air cover overhead. It appeared that the group would pass beyond torpedo range, but thirteen minutes later the cruisers luck ran out. She zigged toward Skate to present a 30 angle on the bow at a range of 5,000 yards. She appeared to be a Kako class heavy cruiser with single stack, two turrets forward, one turret aft, and a scout plane at rest on the catapult between them. The starboard destroyer was well positioned for protecting her as it was headed directly for Skate when she fired four torpedoes from the bow tubes at a range to the cruiser of 2,300 yards. Actions then accelerated. Skate sought greater safety at depth as she rigged for depth charge. Three torpedo explosions were heard as she started down. A last look through the periscope showed the cruiser to be in a direct line with the setting sun so that only a smoke pall could be seen which extended from bridge to stern. Sonar reported a fourth hit as the starboard escort put on speed to attack. Seconds later the escorts started a heavy and continuous depth charging which lasted for the next 45 minutes. Their attack then slackened, but continued off and on for another hour as the submarine withdrew to the east. It was important for Skate to confirm the results of this attack on an important Japanese combatant so she surfaced at 2115 to return to the scene. Flames and explosions were sighted in the distance, so a course was taken to circle the target group to attain a down-moon position for a second attack should it be required. At 0240 the wounded cruiser, later identified as Agano, gasped her last breath and sank beneath the waves. Midnight had now passed and the area had changed to a blind bombing zone. As Skate sped west toward safe operating territory she transmitted a report of the sinking. A few hours later Task Force 58 finished the job by sinking the escort destroyer Maikazi with her load of cruiser survivors.

Number of Torpedoes Available
There were normally 14 torpedoes carried in the forward torpedo room at the start of a patrol; 6 in the tubes and 8 in the racks. In the after torpedo room, 10 torpedoes were carried; 4 in the tubes and 6 in the racks. As a patrol progressed the numbers decreased as torpedoes were expended. Most attacks were made using torpedoes from the forward room. Although stern shots were possible to augment the number fired from the bow, and vice versa, the gyro angles of torpedoes fired from the secondary set of tubes would usually be large. In my opinion that decreased their accuracy. If it is necessary to fire torpedoes from the stern tubes it was better to plan the attack with this in mind Torpedoes could not normally be transferred between torpedo rooms at sea, although it was done on the surface on at least one occasion. I would not recommend it.
Single Submarine or Wolfpack Attack
A torpedo attack consists of two phases, the approach to attain firing position, and the firing of torpedoes. Approach maneuvers depend largely upon the disposition of the target(s) relative to own ship. Coordinated operation of groups of submarines in wolfpacks has a number of advantages including a large increase in the area being searched, the ability to conduct simultaneous attacks, principally on convoys, from several directions, and saturation of escort defenses. Coordination was achieved through adherence to a prescribed set of tactics, codes, and inter-communications by means of voice radio. Many wolfpack operations were conducted by Pacific Fleet submarine in the period between October 1943 and Mid 1945. When a coordinated attack is delivered each member of the wolfpack conducts its attack on a designated target, or target of opportunity, in essentially the same manner as a single submarine.

Visibility Conditions

Submarines have a much smaller silhouette than any surface ship. Thus, they can often approach within one to five miles or less of a target or escort at night without being detected, depending upon moonlight, starlight, and clarity of the air. Because the Japanese did not normally have surface search radar, visibility conditions were important in attaining attack position for night surface attacks. The Japanese did have 20 power binoculars with excellent light gathering capability for night vision, but that did not seem to affect us significantly.
APPENDIX C THE FIRE CONTROL PROBLEM
Fig. 1. Collision Course Geometry
APPENDIX C: THE FIRE CONTROL PROBLEM
A major problem faced by the C.O.s is to determine when and from what position to launch the first torpedo to achieve a hit (or hits). The C.O. has a number of objectives after determining the nature of the primary target. These primarily include getting into a favorable launch position within a torpedo run of something between 500 and 2,000 yards; preferably between 500 and 1,500 yards the shorter the distance the run to the target, the higher the probability that it will hit. The solution of the torpedo fire control problem requires that a gyro angle be entered into a torpedo such that after it completes its turn (if any) toward the target it will be on a collision course with the target. The following will clarify the collision course aspects of the problem.