Selections from Chapter II

S E C R E T
N O R T H E R N G R O U P
Task Group 02.1
of the
Eastern Sea FsontZor Force
Original To:
Via:
Contrnander in Chief,
United States Fleet
Commander Eastern Sea Frontier

Y!AK
DURY - IYOETHSRN GROUP
AHIL 1944
TABLL OF CONTENTS
(2ontin~~eC )
C. Yorthern Air Group - 02.1.3.
1. 32erotion.s in Tenoral. 21
2. Pr~trols?%intained. 21
3. Squndron Operations. 23
(a) VS-31 Scpaclron; Squsntm, n,'ass., ~Pcnswick,Vaine. 23
(5) Salem Coast Guard Squadron, Salem, Mass. 23
(c) ZP-11 P li~pPatrol Squadron, South !":e;pmouth, nrass. 25
D. Control Force Cape Cod Smal (Coast Guard) - 02.1.5. 27
X. Coastal Guards - 02.1.6. 29
&lJii;i3x3
I-A . Recommendctiorm of Kavy ?:azgov.'er Survey Committee Regarding
;:orthern Group.
I-Be Con'lients on Report of llavg "anpower Survey Cormittee by Units
of' &'ortkorqcroup.
111-A. 3eport of Trninin,~ Given to :dSL? Vessels by AS?'! Unit.
111-3. '"ine Tjisposzl flctlvitie3.
111-C. Jefects :n Commmication Training,
111-D. Internal Securf ty Survey of ?Java1 T k i t #!3, Navy Yard, Portsmouth.
111-3. Arr-yT '"lne FLelds,
111-F. Intezinl Securlty Resurvey of U. S. Yavsl Froqtier Ekise, Portland.
111-Cr. Security and Patrollin: or U.S. Navy Property on i%iley Island.
111-EI. Ins-3ect~ons'"acl Durint April.
111-1. Report on Liniaon with Canadian Activities.
111-J. iWlef in5 at Sanford and Rockland.
111-K. Anti-Sumrine ::'arf are Doctrine for Scouting Squadron 31.
111-L. Reduction 0:' Coast Guard $each Patrol.

: O Cape Sable
I
1
XORTIERY GROU? C O?TTACTS, SIGHTINGS, ETC . (Red)

?iORTIILRY GROU? C ORTACTS, SICHTINGS, ETC . (Red)

V!AK
DIARY - NORTIGRN GROUP
APRIL 1944

, The f ollowin~ events pointin_ toxnrds the 90ssibility of enem;? actfvlt;~
arc c~pilod i'rorn tho ~ s r l ;-~bm ~ rine ?.stirnates 1N3, the
operational intelli,:cnce reports of ?!wtkern Group Ships, the "'"kev
reports of nircrnf t, 37s vreekl:~ vepor?~submitted by the sever81 I'crthern
Woup 7'esi.r" Units, the 10,s of tho Air and Surface Controllers In
the Joint I'im~Favy 0;3nrations Office, 150 Sauseway Street, Soston, and
Ynem-y Contac",eports w:Lenover such action occurs.
AprLl 3 - Radar Contact by PBY fron '?yonset,
April
tit 0506 on n>ril 3 n 1SEY "oyn
3uonset regortec? ~1 r~tdar cont~ct
in sozitlm 40-3717, 67-37:.', Th.e conbcct was of 8 45 second
rlu~~ztiorn i-ma lost us the craft turned and approachei! the target.
As it was before sunrise, It V;AJ ~a",x?r hr!r and the vialbility was
only about 5 m.7.1es.
Ships fron,Z2-11 ln tregmout3 were alrborne around 0330 nnci a
plane fro3 jden wcs oruored on a spocLni jatrol east of Ccorgots
Junlr.
Since tkcre was qo furt!cer entry in the Log, it is assumed that
th3 Lnclcierlt, didn't ileT~olopinto an~r,rtkin_: serious,
- So~uld Contact by CliPTOR,
The Cfi?TOR, (PYc-40), a vessel attached to the Northern Ship
Lane Patrol reported. a sound contact in 2osition 41-25N, 66-40'" at
1104 07 April 5. The echo vas solid und metallic and wholly cistinct.
?er order oi" ST!G 3'; 112'7, Sale12 had a 23-7 take off at once to
pocoed to :1:2 ari3a. Eer orders were to cxitact ti;o CAPTOR a d then
co1?L7?encea Box and Garn'oit sourch.
The follonlin,~, at5acl:s ~8:-erade by the CAPTOR on ,~oocl tsrpts :
Following the exgenditurs or dci~t!j charges, contfnuous runs were
3ade over the target which remained stationar~, !. scn~lenzs taken
or oil which had a,>earod on tile s7~rl'ace, In addition, a Suog marker,
consfstin,? of two floats, butteries, bulbs, a f'la~, and heavy anchor,
was ri:;~ed.

On SNGfs order, Surface Controller at 1211 sug~ested to CESF
that tkey send anytkin~ passhg b7 to the assistiince 01' the CAPTOR.
CESF stated that nothing but the LJCLLLY was near. Aforeover, CESF
wa3 unwilling to issue orders until more cot.?plcte data was forthcornin,.
Ai'ter receivin~ a dispatch that the Cii2TOR had only 2 3/Cfs left,
the FITCil (DD-452) was divertee to the scene at 1450. She arrived
at 2350. On the followins morning the FITCH was nade ComSur. The
K-30, CAPT~R, and HARRIZT U.kTE were to assist her in developing the
contact.
At 0600 on the 6th u dispatch was released to the FITCH orderins
her to 2rors n pattern to attempt bringing some trace of lqlreckaze
to the surface for definite evaluation. The following five
patterns sere dro2yec.i by the DD-462:
060700 - Pattern c?ro,~ped by LID-462.
060710 - Pattern droppeu by LD-462.
070310 - Pattern droppeu by DD462.
060320 - Pattern drosL~edSg DD-462.
060350 - Pattern dro2ped by DD-462.
After these pat terns were drogped; considerable oil, which was
distinctly fuel and not diesel, was brought to the surface. The
PITCH was certain that the target was a wreck.
At 0935 the FITCH was released from her duties at the scene of
cont~ct and the CAPTOR was made ComSur. At 1503 the K-33 reported
"Results all contacts negat - L~osltivewreck - CAPTOR no longer
needls us .",
>lot only the corslderable amounts of fuel oil that came to the
surface after patterns were dropped indicated a wreck. In addition
there was no doppler or hydro2hone ef'fect and the echoes were sharp
with well deflned cut-ons on a stationary target. In several runs
fathomter readings over the tarpt were 11 fathoxs less than the
~e6di.n~:~ on ei ther side.
The wreck mag be that of the SS JXXAMDER ?'ACO?93, torpedoed Rnd
sunk Ln this senaral area on 5 July 1942. Previous efforts to locate
this wreck in its listed posltion (41-40N, 66-523) had been unsuccessf721.
i.pril 9 - Contacts and Si~htinfls by Blimps.
Between 0330 and 1400 9 npil a series of YAD contacts, radar
contacts, and possible sightin:; of an enemy submarine periscope
occurred in the vicinity of 42-17;!, 69-06'':. The details are as
follows :
At0330, the I

The !$-42 was diverted lron the Victor Patrol to develog the K-
llts first contact and had negative results. The :

was nhmdoned. Sixty survivors were reported gicksd up by the con-
~ 0 ~ esc~rt ~ ) svessels.
Three destroyers escortin, the convoy attacked the sub at 1000
in the area of the torpedoing. One destroyer escort, the U.S.S.
GAWDV, ramed and 3an4 the TJ-boat. The r'z,?,gin, two of LYcers, and
f'?_vc:v n nere picked up and made prisoners.
Tee SI~CI.'~ORY,fi~ZEL, SF-Nl_SAL G?F:Eh:, SC -2?3El, ESCTJT, and IWRK ET
LAKE were sent to the area when the chances for aelvogc seered good.
PA blblp was also divertet to the sceqe tr, assist the surafnce cmft,
At 0355 on the 17th these rescuo vessels reported that, still
burning, the tanker had rolled over with a~yrox~antel~ 100 fset of
the Sor? of the tanker st111 rmninin~ten feat above WHC,S~, ?Jew
York panted prmission to sink the capnizec: ?AX PETT!! by p n fire.
The subnari-rle whic!~ torpedoed the tanker and v!as later sunk is
believed to bs the submarine which hoe previously been estimated
westbound in the area of 3s-OON, 57-30W. Subsequent contacts by
surf ace craft in the vicinity 02 tire sinkings, al.thou,gh ewluated
ne&a?ive, nag indicate the gresence of a second U-noat patrolling
in this area.
--
April 19 - Sub Sighting at Sandwich.
On April 19 af 0552 the Coast Guard at Ssndwich reportl;d an object
on the surface some 15 to 20 ailes north of :*andwich. The Coast
Guard evaluation was a submarine since three si_~nalmen and an mmy
offic2r had seen subs and felt certain that tho ob-ject siy,hted was
a subzarine.
A check revealed that no friendly subs were opgratinc in the
area. However, the TC-10 was divertod to the scene to invcsticate
and make an KAD search. Tw3 planes fron Sq-an?ix~ :wrr3 also sent to
essfst. The results of all snarckes vbere r,eppt:vs an3 the lncident
was evaluated as very doubtful. It v:as thought likely tknt the ohqect
seen was one of the 35-f ooter3 on hnr roplar patrol as It
iould resernble a sub at a distsnco of 15 nfles.
An observer frm the Ipswick C m ~ tGuard Station re2orted to
DIO at 2000 that he had sichted a tmker aSout 18 rniles north5ast
of Ipeick. He axso saw R 8uh ~urf9ci~:; at 1925 and c~nin at 1945.
He saw it for about five minutes before n plane appesr6d at which
tize ths sub suher~sc?. Gunfire was r:oticzd and after the suhergin:;
of the sub, the observer heard sounds similar to depth charps
and t??e ~unf irinc cmtlnued.
Strangely enough there was no report of either a tanicer or a
plane in the area. Portmouth reported only one sitb out operating
iq areas A md 3 and not firing. The area was invecti~atm2by a
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
3k~crtlysf+;er ":L?..ni$-.t. ,!,t 0203 t!?2 i'oll~~in,-; xo-rnln~23 i,;iril tvo
7
,;iltj-.;zni 5 33ty3pr3y~, ttle Cz-a33 .~~I~'~L; a2d. 33-413 i:,;, Ii:;,.,, were
~sR+,$9 m3ist in the ce3rch. Seveml cor,t.ncts eere rnzde Curfng
the ::Lcht and all attack3 ::'e?c nzde 32 t.'-s FL?Ywith ne;at;ivo rc-
S U ~ ~ S .i-L s~ixr:zat;on of i:':,: altacicz is ~ictec:Solon:
~pr.22 2149 - - 7.2 I?ockets 4 exploded a ftcr 43-23N
(npprox.)
Apr. 22 233.9 4 - m- "I De5tL Charps
(2-250; 1-200; 1-100) All ex?loded
Lpr, 23 0003 4 - 7 5 VI Cepth Charpu
(2-250; 1-200; 1-100 j all exploded
Apr. 23 0201 5 - 3: VI De;~th Charge3
(2-250; 2-233; 1-150;
1-100) !lY:o expl odcd
bscn for-
./ -
Xirin:; at lennt one oC the i'irst three attacks tloppler efioct
wis no?;cZ an2 -1,:ood trc-ces ware o?.)ts.incdon several runs. Four of
the ei~I3.trcdretc lsl;nchoc! 1!1 the flrst attuck detonate$, find during
tl-.c :corning of 23 April, while sesrc!~in._~; the aroa, the FEY launched
2 sec,3?i: ;c.ttcrn 0:' cieth% _., rcclr3ts in the saxe estlzsteil sosition
that the ,"irst :.itJ:.2c:: uic.r; made, but n-::e oi' thLs pattern cletonated.
Tk three 'ciestrlyr; secured i'rorn ti:~jgearch at a>p?oxlmataly
1400 or, 23 April. TFle ?ler>hant Plan was sut into effect anc? the
FIE!.' ar,d tile 2';'Iiz:?C3 con ti.nue2 to operate in the area with ci blimp
also searching in the vicinity. Portland h=id no expl~nationfor
t5o pnl'lre tiict was reported 57 the Coast Guard at Cazarlscove Island.
TEs ~unf :re ;vus obrrexed about 20 miles to the Soutknos'; and
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
no further contact3 had been made.
in view of all ini'ormation concernlne the patter~s dropped and
their detonations, tho state of the moon and: weather conditions, the
FSfilslfs contacts were evaluated as doubtful to possible,
. At 0915 on 23 A p i i a report was recelvsd from the CG-38696 which
reported sighting: alternating red, Green, anu ~liitelizhts at 2225
t% night before corning iron a ii6;ht; about six feet in Ciuneter.
This light was observed for twenty minutes c*uriLn~which time tho
colors reversed to white, green, anc red. The boat secured a fix on
the light, Search revealed nothing.
At 0900 on 23 April a boilin:: patch 01' water about 15' in dimeter
was reported by the LI~GBII~~. This patch wh~chwas between
Graves Light and the Exam Vessel 1~ctedfor two minutes. There were
no reports from hydrophones, sound buoys, or loops. Investigation
disclosed no sewerase exit and the Commanding Officer of the LING-
BIRD claimed ft was not a scyool of fish,
At the same time HEXP was ordered to close the gate, 1006, the
station was also ordered to divert the nearest loop ships to the
scene to conduct a sound search. Yhen inf-ormed, SNG orirered a plane
followed by a blimp to the scene at once, As the llut Island Gate
was ordered closed, the A?%-1 and YP-409 were ordered to the area.
The Amy reported that the 90 1." batteries at Fort Dnwes and Fort
Revere had been alerted.
A thoroQ2;h marc5 b:' a11 units sent to the scene showed nothing
s 'J~~-.,,~ous
-Pv,: ,. in tho ems. EEC? reopened the cate at 1315.
The A'f-97 FEXCF, patrolling Sectors one and ty-oreported a
doubtful sound contact at 1510 on 30 kpsil, position givsn as Lat.
4S041N, Lon~.59°30:;', 10 miles southwest of yRonhegan Island, The
vessel continued to search tho area for several hours but no further
contacts were made.
In the Canadian coastal area a U-boat ia currently estimated in
each of these posit1 ons :
1. Homeward bound east of Sable Island.
2. PossiSility patrolling between Cape Sable and Sable Islsnd.
3. Near 39-OOi;, 66-00'3 bound southwest .
4. ilomeward bound near 36-001J, 70-00:;'.