USS S-43 (SS-154) - Second War Patrol

Second War Patrol

After docking and refit, S-43 was again ordered out. On 8 July, she embarked Flight Officer C. F. Mason of the Royal Australian Air Force, liaison and rescue officer for friendly agents on New Ireland and Feni Island; then got underway for the Bismarck Archipelago. On 18 July, she arrived off New Ireland and, on the night of 19 July, put Mason ashore. Twenty-three hours later, she returned to pick him up. He had been unable to contact the agent to be taken off.

On the night of 21 July, S-43 surfaced off Feni and, at 1924, Mason went ashore to locate and bring off the agent there. At 19:20 on 22 July, the S-boat received a message from Mason to send in a boat; his had been punctured. Another inflatable boat was dispatched and returned within two hours, with Mason but without the agent. The following night, S-43 again surfaced near the Feni shore, and Mason returned to the island for the agent. On the night of 24 July, however, the S-boat received no answer to her signals. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to contact the liaison officer or the agent, S-43 began the voyage back and arrived at Brisbane on 7 August.