Red Scorpion : The War Patrols of the USS Rasher

by Peter Sasgen

• ISBN13: 9780743489102
• ISBN10: 0743489101
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-25
• Publisher: Pocket Star

Summary

She was one of the most feared American submarines in World War II.

The U.S. Navy named her the USS Rasher. But she was called...

RED SCORPION

During the War in the Pacific, one submarine and its sailors made history with their aggressive tactic

Excerpts

Prologue Through the attack periscope, the captain of theRashercan just make out the masts and smokestack of an enemy ship peeking above the silver horizon line. Unless one knows where to look she can easily be missed, since she's still hull down, 15,000 yards away. As the submarine speeds up to close in, the skipper makes observations at regular intervals to plot the target's course and speed and assess the situation.Lumbering into full view at 6,000 yards, the target is identified as a large, heavily laden transport, blotchy with rust, topsides cluttered with cargo-handling equipment. On either beam and slightly astern, what first appeared as two thin masts now reveal themselves as two well-armed escorts. Following standard Japanese convoy procedure, the trio is zigzagging off its southerly base course, offering port and starboard sides to theRasher'speriscope."She has escorts.Chidoris," announces the captain. Sound reports their distant echo-ranging.TheRashermaneuvers silently, ventilation, air conditioning, and other machinery not vital to the business at hand secured. The conning tower is stiflingly hot. The only sounds are those of the whirring Torpedo Data Computer (TDC) and, when the skipper motions "up" with his thumbs, the periscope hoist motors."Range?""Two-seven-double-oh, Captain," answers the TDC operator as the range counters click down. TheRasheris closing with the target rapidly."Distance to the track?""Twenty-one hundred yards."Thumbs up, and the periscope hums out of its well. Squatting on his heels, the captain snatches it off the deck, snaps the handles down, rises with it, and quickly sweeps the sky and sea, checking for intruders. Then he settles on the target. "Bearing -- mark! Range -- mark!""Zero-four-zero. Nineteen hundred.""The near escort will pass astern. Down periscope!"The malevolent sound of theChidori'sthrashing screws grows louder and louder. Inside the submarine the men rivet their attention on the overhead; they stare as if they could follow the enemy's progress with their eyes. The escort crosses from port to starboard, "pinging" all the while, propeller declivity fading rapidly as she sweeps by overhead. TheRasherhas not been detected inside the enemy screen.Now the submarine is maneuvered to fire a spread of three torpedoes from the bow tubes on a 90-degree track. The big transport is approaching, broadside on. The skipper makes his final shooting observation. "Open outer doors on One, Two, and Three! Standby forward! Standby One!" The periscope crosshairs are on the target's big, black stack."Shoot any time, Captain," he is advised as the TDC's Correct Solution Light comes on.The captain gives the order to fire at intervals of ten seconds. Three times theRasherjolts as torpedoes whine out of the tubes, running hot, straight and normal. The skipper watches their smokey wakes streak for the ship; momentarily, he's mesmerized by them. Just before they reach the end of their timed runs, he twists the periscope around to check on the Chidori that passed astern."Escort's seen the fish." His voice is calm but clipped. "Take her deep! Use Negative! Three hundred feet! Rig for depth charge! Here she comes!"With a frighteningly steep down-angle and her rudder hard over, theRashergoes deep to escape. TheChidori,alerted to the attack by the telltale torpedo wakes, heels about and rushes in at full speed to counterattack. Sonar pulses zing like bullets; depth charges are sure to follow. The sharp reports from exploding torpedo warheads crackle through the water, but there's no time to rejoice over the hits. TheRasherplunges deeper and deeper, until she is far below her test depth. And it is only the beginning of her ordeal. Copyright 1995 by Peter T. Sasgen