USS Skipjack (SS-184) - Fourth Through Ninth War Patrols

Fourth Through Ninth War Patrols

Following participation in performance tests for the Mark 14 torpedo, Skipjack sailed for her fourth war patrol on 18 July 1942, conducted along the northwest coast of Timor which she reconnoitered and photographed. She also severely damaged an enemy oiler. The submarine returned to Fremantle for refit on 4 September. Skipjack’s fifth war patrol was conducted off Timor Island, Amboina, and Halmahera. On 14 October, while patrolling south of the Palau Islands, the submarine torpedoed and sank the 6,781-ton cargo ship, Shunko Maru (Japanese: 春光丸). Following a depth charge attack by a Japanese destroyer, the submarine returned to Pearl Harbor on 26 November. Skipjack’s sixth, seventh, and eighth war patrols were unproductive. But, during her ninth, conducted in the Caroline Islands and Mariana Islands areas, she sank two enemy vessels. On 26 January 1944, she commenced a night attack on a merchant ship, but, prior to firing, she shifted targets when an enemy destroyer began a run on the submarine. She quickly fired her forward torpedoes and was rewarded with solid hits that quickly sank Suzukaze (Japanese: 涼風). The submarine then fired her stern tubes at the merchant ship. One of the submarine's torpedo tube valves stuck open and her after torpedo room began to flood. The torpedomen were unable to close the emergency valves until she had taken on approximately 14 tons of water. A large upward angle developed almost immediately, forcing the submarine to surface. By the time control of the boat had been regained, the water in the torpedo room was only a few inches from the top of the water tight door, but fortunately there were no casualties, and Skipjack resumed the attack. The submarine then torpedoed and sank the converted seaplane tender Okitsu Maru (Japanese: 興津丸). She returned to Pearl Harbor on 7 March.