Eastern Connecticut news., 1946-10-12

= scope attack. On departing sta- ton the Gabilan was ordered to Saipan for voyage repairs from the 18th to 18th of November, and thence to Brisbane, Australia, for refit during the period A Novem- Der to 19 December. On 13 De- cember, Comdr. w. B. Parham, USN relieved Comdr. K. R. Whe- land, USN, as Commanding Off cer.
 Leaving Brisbane on the 18th of December, the Gabilan proceeded to Darwin, Aust, to top off on fuel, spending Christmas Day in Torres Strait, then txansitted the Flores Sea and the Java Sea to spend the Fourth Patrol in the South China Sea. The first phase of this surface patrol was spent as a CO., ordinated attack group consisting of the Perch, Sealion and Gabilan with the primary task of search ing for the Japanese battleships Ise and Hyuga, which were ex- pected to make sortie out of port to oppose the Philippine h. vasion operations. The only ac- tivities encountered were aircraft, which were avoided by diving, and floating mines which were sunk or exploded by rife fire. The second phase of this patrol was spent in company with the Perch and Barbel as an attack group to cover the southern entrance to Palawan Passage and the western approach to Balabak Strait. Again aircraft were avoided by diving and daily small arms practice was held on floating mines. After de- parting station,. numerous small sailing vessels were sighted; one small vessel was ordered along side while it's occupants were cov- cred by a 20 nm and rifles. The occupants proved to be friendly natives, friendly but very fright ened. Their reception for the one man boarding party was extreme ly cordial ,and their slight knoWl- edge of the English language and the boarding officers coarse Span- ish made all hands friends. In ex- change for a carton of cigarettes, the natives eagerly urged the boarding officer to take what looked like a weeks supply of their salted fish and live chick en. Departure was taken with everybody waving and yelling goodbye"
 While passing through the Java Sea en route to Fremantle, Aust, single aircraft was contacted by radar early one morning. The Ga bilan immediately pulled the plug without having sighted the plane; four minutes later depth charge went off nearby but not close. This was the start of very nerve wracking morning during which numerous aircraft dropped depth charges in the near vicinity; this activity eliminated in the appear ance of Jap minelayer upon which the Gabilan commenced an ap- proach The approach was ter minated when the target turned toward at a range of 230O yards, apparently having contacted the Gabilan. Being in shallow water, evasion was begun at 165 feet. The minelayer made two deliber- ate attacks, dropping total of 20 depth charges, all set for cor rect depth but slightly off in de- fection. Only superficial dam age was sustained, light bulbs be- ing shattered, etc. After the sec ond attack the minelayer lost con- tact because of the disturbance caused by a heavy rain Squall which providentially came up at this time. The Gabilan provided no further diversion for Jap anti submarine vessels for the rest of the journey to Fremantle. How ever, the British submarine HMS Spiteful unwittingly furnished her services as target, while the Ga bilan made an approach on her early one morning. Fortunately, morning twilight provided enough light for the Gabilan to identify