Selections from Chapter II
Selections from Chapter II
Selections from Chapter II
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S E C R E T<br />
N O R T H E R N G R O U P<br />
Task Group 02.1<br />
of the<br />
Eastern Sea FsontZor Force<br />
Original To:<br />
Via:<br />
Contrnander in Chief,<br />
United States Fleet<br />
Commander Eastern Sea Frontier
Y!AK<br />
DURY - IYOETHSRN GROUP<br />
AHIL 1944<br />
TABLL OF CONTENTS<br />
(2ontin~~eC )<br />
C. Yorthern Air Group - 02.1.3.<br />
1. 32erotion.s in Tenoral. 21<br />
2. Pr~trols?%intained. 21<br />
3. Squndron Operations. 23<br />
(a) VS-31 Scpaclron; Squsntm, n,'ass., ~Pcnswick,Vaine. 23<br />
(5) Salem Coast Guard Squadron, Salem, Mass. 23<br />
(c) ZP-11 P li~pPatrol Squadron, South !":e;pmouth, nrass. 25<br />
D. Control Force Cape Cod Smal (Coast Guard) - 02.1.5. 27<br />
X. Coastal Guards - 02.1.6. 29<br />
&lJii;i3x3<br />
I-A . Recommendctiorm of Kavy ?:azgov.'er Survey Committee Regarding<br />
;:orthern Group.<br />
I-Be Con'lients on Report of llavg "anpower Survey Cormittee by Units<br />
of' &'ortkorqcroup.<br />
111-A. 3eport of Trninin,~ Given to :dSL? Vessels by AS?'! Unit.<br />
111-3. '"ine Tjisposzl flctlvitie3.<br />
111-C. Jefects :n Commmication Training,<br />
111-D. Internal Securf ty Survey of ?Java1 T k i t #!3, Navy Yard, Portsmouth.<br />
111-3. Arr-yT '"lne FLelds,<br />
111-F. Intezinl Securlty Resurvey of U. S. Yavsl Froqtier Ekise, Portland.<br />
111-Cr. Security and Patrollin: or U.S. Navy Property on i%iley Island.<br />
111-EI. Ins-3ect~ons'"acl Durint April.<br />
111-1. Report on Liniaon with Canadian Activities.<br />
111-J. iWlef in5 at Sanford and Rockland.<br />
111-K. Anti-Sumrine ::'arf are Doctrine for Scouting Squadron 31.<br />
111-L. Reduction 0:' Coast Guard $each Patrol.
: O Cape Sable<br />
I <br />
1 <br />
XORTIERY GROU? C O?TTACTS, SIGHTINGS, ETC . (Red)
?iORT<strong>II</strong>LRY GROU? C ORTACTS, SICHTINGS, ETC . (Red)
V!AK<br />
DIARY - NORTIGRN GROUP <br />
APRIL 1944
, The f ollowin~ events pointin_ toxnrds the 90ssibility of enem;? actfvlt;~<br />
arc c~pilod i'rorn tho ~ s r l ;-~bm ~ rine ?.stirnates 1N3, the<br />
operational intelli,:cnce reports of ?!wtkern Group Ships, the "'"kev<br />
reports of nircrnf t, 37s vreekl:~ vepor?~submitted by the sever81 I'crthern<br />
Woup 7'esi.r" Units, the 10,s of tho Air and Surface Controllers In<br />
the Joint I'im~Favy 0;3nrations Office, 150 Sauseway Street, Soston, and<br />
Ynem-y Contac",eports w:Lenover such action occurs.<br />
AprLl 3 - Radar Contact by PBY fron '?yonset,<br />
April<br />
tit 0506 on n>ril 3 n 1SEY "oyn<br />
3uonset regortec? ~1 r~tdar cont~ct<br />
in sozitlm 40-3717, 67-37:.', Th.e conbcct was of 8 45 second<br />
rlu~~ztiorn i-ma lost us the craft turned and approachei! the target.<br />
As it was before sunrise, It V;AJ ~a",x?r hr!r and the vialbility was<br />
only about 5 m.7.1es.<br />
Ships fron,Z2-11 ln tregmout3 were alrborne around 0330 nnci a<br />
plane fro3 jden wcs oruored on a spocLni jatrol east of Ccorgots<br />
Junlr.<br />
Since tkcre was qo furt!cer entry in the Log, it is assumed that<br />
th3 Lnclcierlt, didn't ileT~olopinto an~r,rtkin_: serious,<br />
- So~uld Contact by CliPTOR,<br />
The Cfi?TOR, (PYc-40), a vessel attached to the Northern Ship<br />
Lane Patrol reported. a sound contact in 2osition 41-25N, 66-40'" at<br />
1104 07 April 5. The echo vas solid und metallic and wholly cistinct.<br />
?er order oi" ST!G 3'; 112'7, Sale12 had a 23-7 take off at once to<br />
pocoed to :1:2 ari3a. Eer orders were to cxitact ti;o CAPTOR a d then<br />
co1?L7?encea Box and Garn'oit sourch.<br />
The follonlin,~, at5acl:s ~8:-erade by the CAPTOR on ,~oocl tsrpts :<br />
Following the exgenditurs or dci~t!j charges, contfnuous runs were<br />
3ade over the target which remained stationar~, !. scn~lenzs taken<br />
or oil which had a,>earod on tile s7~rl'ace, In addition, a Suog marker,<br />
consfstin,? of two floats, butteries, bulbs, a f'la~, and heavy anchor,<br />
was ri:;~ed.
On SNGfs order, Surface Controller at 1211 sug~ested to CESF<br />
that tkey send anytkin~ passhg b7 to the assistiince 01' the CAPTOR.<br />
CESF stated that nothing but the LJCLLLY was near. Aforeover, CESF<br />
wa3 unwilling to issue orders until more cot.?plcte data was forthcornin,.<br />
Ai'ter receivin~ a dispatch that the Cii2TOR had only 2 3/Cfs left,<br />
the FITCil (DD-452) was divertee to the scene at 1450. She arrived<br />
at 2350. On the followins morning the FITCH was nade ComSur. The<br />
K-30, CAPT~R, and HARRIZT U.kTE were to assist her in developing the<br />
contact.<br />
At 0600 on the 6th u dispatch was released to the FITCH orderins<br />
her to 2rors n pattern to attempt bringing some trace of lqlreckaze<br />
to the surface for definite evaluation. The following five<br />
patterns sere dro2yec.i by the DD-462:<br />
060700 - Pattern c?ro,~ped by LID-462. <br />
060710 - Pattern droppeu by LD-462. <br />
070310 - Pattern droppeu by DD462. <br />
060320 - Pattern drosL~edSg DD-462. <br />
060350 - Pattern dro2ped by DD-462. <br />
After these pat terns were drogped; considerable oil, which was<br />
distinctly fuel and not diesel, was brought to the surface. The<br />
PITCH was certain that the target was a wreck.<br />
At 0935 the FITCH was released <strong>from</strong> her duties at the scene of<br />
cont~ct and the CAPTOR was made ComSur. At 1503 the K-33 reported<br />
"Results all contacts negat - L~osltivewreck - CAPTOR no longer<br />
needls us .",<br />
>lot only the corslderable amounts of fuel oil that came to the<br />
surface after patterns were dropped indicated a wreck. In addition<br />
there was no doppler or hydro2hone ef'fect and the echoes were sharp<br />
with well deflned cut-ons on a stationary target. In several runs<br />
fathomter readings over the tarpt were 11 fathoxs less than the<br />
~e6di.n~:~ on ei ther side.<br />
The wreck mag be that of the SS JXXAMDER ?'ACO?93, torpedoed Rnd<br />
sunk Ln this senaral area on 5 July 1942. Previous efforts to locate<br />
this wreck in its listed posltion (41-40N, 66-523) had been unsuccessf721.<br />
<br />
i.pril 9 - Contacts and Si~htinfls by Blimps.<br />
Between 0330 and 1400 9 npil a series of YAD contacts, radar<br />
contacts, and possible sightin:; of an enemy submarine periscope<br />
occurred in the vicinity of 42-17;!, 69-06'':. The details are as<br />
follows :<br />
At0330, the I
The !$-42 was diverted lron the Victor Patrol to develog the K-<br />
llts first contact and had negative results. The :
was nhmdoned. Sixty survivors were reported gicksd up by the con-<br />
~ 0 ~ esc~rt ~ ) svessels.<br />
Three destroyers escortin, the convoy attacked the sub at 1000<br />
in the area of the torpedoing. One destroyer escort, the U.S.S.<br />
GAWDV, ramed and 3an4 the TJ-boat. The r'z,?,gin, two of LYcers, and<br />
f'?_vc:v n nere picked up and made prisoners.<br />
Tee SI~CI.'~ORY,fi~ZEL, SF-Nl_SAL G?F:Eh:, SC -2?3El, ESCTJT, and IWRK ET<br />
LAKE were sent to the area when the chances for aelvogc seered good.<br />
PA blblp was also divertet to the sceqe tr, assist the surafnce cmft,<br />
At 0355 on the 17th these rescuo vessels reported that, still<br />
burning, the tanker had rolled over with a~yrox~antel~ 100 fset of<br />
the Sor? of the tanker st111 rmninin~ten feat above WHC,S~, ?Jew<br />
York panted prmission to sink the capnizec: ?AX PETT!! by p n fire.<br />
The subnari-rle whic!~ torpedoed the tanker and v!as later sunk is<br />
believed to bs the submarine which hoe previously been estimated<br />
westbound in the area of 3s-OON, 57-30W. Subsequent contacts by<br />
surf ace craft in the vicinity 02 tire sinkings, al.thou,gh ewluated<br />
ne&a?ive, nag indicate the gresence of a second U-noat patrolling<br />
in this area.<br />
--<br />
April 19 - Sub Sighting at Sandwich.<br />
On April 19 af 0552 the Coast Guard at Ssndwich reportl;d an object<br />
on the surface some 15 to 20 ailes north of :*andwich. The Coast<br />
Guard evaluation was a submarine since three si_~nalmen and an mmy<br />
offic2r had seen subs and felt certain that tho ob-ject siy,hted was<br />
a subzarine.<br />
A check revealed that no friendly subs were opgratinc in the<br />
area. However, the TC-10 was divertod to the scene to invcsticate<br />
and make an KAD search. Tw3 planes fron Sq-an?ix~ :wrr3 also sent to<br />
essfst. The results of all snarckes vbere r,eppt:vs an3 the lncident<br />
was evaluated as very doubtful. It v:as thought likely tknt the ohqect<br />
seen was one of the 35-f ooter3 on hnr roplar patrol as It<br />
iould resernble a sub at a distsnco of 15 nfles.<br />
An observer frm the Ipswick C m ~ tGuard Station re2orted to<br />
DIO at 2000 that he had sichted a tmker aSout 18 rniles north5ast<br />
of Ipeick. He axso saw R 8uh ~urf9ci~:; at 1925 and c~nin at 1945.<br />
He saw it for about five minutes before n plane appesr6d at which<br />
tize ths sub suher~sc?. Gunfire was r:oticzd and after the suhergin:;<br />
of the sub, the observer heard sounds similar to depth charps<br />
and t??e ~unf irinc cmtlnued.<br />
Strangely enough there was no report of either a tanicer or a<br />
plane in the area. Portmouth reported only one sitb out operating<br />
iq areas A md 3 and not firing. The area was invecti~atm2by a<br />
3liv and the SC-636, but all results were negative.
:rjr..y ordcrle? to t:lc aree. an:? zol:?2ec;lan",de3patc>eC ",:e Eg-404. Pl-llill3<br />
3k~crtlysf+;er ":L?..ni$-.t. ,!,t 0203 t!?2 i'oll~~in,-; xo-rnln~23 i,;iril tvo<br />
7<br />
,;iltj-.;zni 5 33ty3pr3y~, ttle Cz-a33 .~~I~'~L; a2d. 33-413 i:,;, Ii:;,.,, were<br />
~sR+,$9 m3ist in the ce3rch. Seveml cor,t.ncts eere rnzde Curfng<br />
the ::Lcht and all attack3 ::'e?c nzde 32 t.'-s FL?Ywith ne;at;ivo rc-<br />
S U ~ ~ S .i-L s~ixr:zat;on of i:':,: altacicz is ~ictec:Solon:<br />
~pr.22 2149 - - 7.2 I?ockets 4 exploded a ftcr 43-23N<br />
(npprox.)<br />
Apr. 22 233.9 4 - m- "I De5tL Charps<br />
(2-250; 1-200; 1-100) All ex?loded<br />
Lpr, 23 0003 4 - 7 5 VI Cepth Charpu<br />
(2-250; 1-200; 1-100 j all exploded<br />
Apr. 23 0201 5 - 3: VI De;~th Charge3<br />
(2-250; 2-233; 1-150;<br />
1-100) !lY:o expl odcd<br />
bscn for-<br />
./ -<br />
Xirin:; at lennt one oC the i'irst three attacks tloppler efioct<br />
wis no?;cZ an2 -1,:ood trc-ces ware o?.)ts.incdon several runs. Four of<br />
the ei~I3.trcdretc lsl;nchoc! 1!1 the flrst attuck detonate$, find during<br />
tl-.c :corning of 23 April, while sesrc!~in._~; the aroa, the FEY launched<br />
2 sec,3?i: ;c.ttcrn 0:' cieth% _., rcclr3ts in the saxe estlzsteil sosition<br />
that the ,"irst :.itJ:.2c:: uic.r; made, but n-::e oi' thLs pattern cletonated.<br />
Tk three 'ciestrlyr; secured i'rorn ti:~jgearch at a>p?oxlmataly<br />
1400 or, 23 April. TFle ?ler>hant Plan was sut into effect anc? the<br />
FIE!.' ar,d tile 2';'Iiz:?C3 con ti.nue2 to operate in the area with ci blimp<br />
also searching in the vicinity. Portland h=id no expl~nationfor<br />
t5o pnl'lre tiict was reported 57 the Coast Guard at Cazarlscove Island.<br />
TEs ~unf :re ;vus obrrexed about 20 miles to the Soutknos'; and<br />
ncQr ZlCd~l'wd, gunfire and i'lar.;~ were o!~servad about 15 miles to
the smtheast. The search was abandoned at 1000 on 24 April since<br />
no further contact3 had been made.<br />
in view of all ini'ormation concernlne the patter~s dropped and<br />
their detonations, tho state of the moon and: weather conditions, the<br />
FSfilslfs contacts were evaluated as doubtful to possible,<br />
. At 0915 on 23 A p i i a report was recelvsd <strong>from</strong> the CG-38696 which<br />
reported sighting: alternating red, Green, anu ~liitelizhts at 2225<br />
t% night before corning iron a ii6;ht; about six feet in Ciuneter.<br />
This light was observed for twenty minutes c*uriLn~which time tho<br />
colors reversed to white, green, anc red. The boat secured a fix on<br />
the light, Search revealed nothing.<br />
At 0900 on 23 April a boilin:: patch 01' water about 15' in dimeter<br />
was reported by the LI~GB<strong>II</strong>~~. This patch wh~chwas between<br />
Graves Light and the Exam Vessel 1~ctedfor two minutes. There were<br />
no reports <strong>from</strong> hydrophones, sound buoys, or loops. Investigation<br />
disclosed no sewerase exit and the Commanding Officer of the LING-<br />
BIRD claimed ft was not a scyool of fish,<br />
At the same time HEXP was ordered to close the gate, 1006, the<br />
station was also ordered to divert the nearest loop ships to the<br />
scene to conduct a sound search. Yhen inf-ormed, SNG orirered a plane<br />
followed by a blimp to the scene at once, As the llut Island Gate<br />
was ordered closed, the A?%-1 and YP-409 were ordered to the area.<br />
The Amy reported that the 90 1." batteries at Fort Dnwes and Fort<br />
Revere had been alerted.<br />
A thoroQ2;h marc5 b:' a11 units sent to the scene showed nothing<br />
s 'J~~-.,,~ous<br />
-Pv,: ,. in tho ems. EEC? reopened the cate at 1315.<br />
The A'f-97 FEXCF, patrolling Sectors one and ty-oreported a<br />
doubtful sound contact at 1510 on 30 kpsil, position givsn as Lat.<br />
4S041N, Lon~.59°30:;', 10 miles southwest of yRonhegan Island, The<br />
vessel continued to search tho area for several hours but no further<br />
contacts were made.<br />
In the Canadian coastal area a U-boat ia currently estimated in<br />
each of these posit1 ons :<br />
1. Homeward bound east of Sable Island.<br />
2. PossiSility patrolling between Cape Sable and Sable Islsnd.<br />
3. Near 39-OOi;, 66-00'3 bound southwest .<br />
4. ilomeward bound near 36-001J, 70-00:;'.