Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: mdiehl

It depended on the nation.

USN sub doctrine was to report a contact as soon as practical on sighting and then attack the target. Other information was reserved for patrol reports filed upon return to port. Important noncritical information would be radioed in once the submarine was clear of its patrol zone and on its way back to port. Problems with the torpedoes were extensively discussed in after-action reports and patrol reviews, but not reported by radio (for obvious reasons). Things like "We have twenty rescued personnel on board and are proceeding to Midway to debark them" would be reported when clear of the patrol zone. "Convoy of six ships comprised of two transports and four escorts" would be reported as soon as possible, so that ComSubPac could route other boats onto the target.

The German navy (Kriegsmarine) was anally retentive about forcing submarines to report almost daily by radio. The result was that many German subs in 1943-44 were sunk when radio direction finding stations triangulated on the signals and put hunter-killer task forces on top of the German submarine.

The Japanese practice was to communicate sightings of enemy combat ships as these occurred, as soon as was expedient for the sighting sub, and to report attacks by radio as soon as reasonable practical after the attack (and of course file detailed reports on return to port).

quote:

The Japanese practice was to communicate sightings of enemy combat ships as these occurred, as soon as was expedient for the sighting sub, and to report attacks by radio as soon as reasonable practical after the attack (and of course file detailed reports on return to port).

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ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

quote:

The Japanese practice was to communicate sightings of enemy combat ships as these occurred, as soon as was expedient for the sighting sub, and to report attacks by radio as soon as reasonable practical after the attack (and of course file detailed reports on return to port).

At least early in the war, the Japanese subs made (almost) daily contact reports... one sub that shelled the west coast was picked off when the contact positions (revealed by ULTRA, iirc, but maybe by triangulation) showed a Great Circle coarse from the site of the shelling back towards a major Japanese base (Kwaj, i think)... the USN sent out its forces and reportedly sunk it... i am trying to look up which one it was.

EDIT: i've read this story several times (and i think in different places), but in trying to actually identify the sub, i think the story is not accurate: either it was NOT the West Coast that was shelled, or the events never took place at all.

I-73 was intercepted and sunk by GUDGEON in the right time frame, but it had been shelling Midway, not the West Coast.

quote:

ORIGINAL: bjmorgan

Here's the story from another website that has the correct date.  http://www.all-oregon.com/city/astoria/history.htm

"Fort Stevens enjoys the distinction of being the only military installation in the continental United States to be fired on since the War of 1812. On the night of June 21, 1942, the Fort was the target of a Japanese submarine which fired 17 shells, causing no damage."