Evening star., 1952-11-27
SUBMARINE:
By Comdr. Edwc:d l. Beech. U. S. N.
CHAPTER XVI.
BathRSh,

Bathfish.
U. s. S. Batfish got under way
S:7;;si 1:Sssi Pearl Harbor on December
80, 1914, on what was to be her
sixth war patrol.
On February 8, while she was
patrolling in Babuyan Channel.
south of Gamiguin Island, the ra-
dar operator sounds a warning.
Something in his radar arouses
his attention-he looks closely
there it is again-and again. It
IS not pip which he sees; if it
were. he would not wait to sing
out, "Radar contact" and thereby
Immediately mobilize the ship for
action.
This is something more difficult
to evaluate. A faint Shimmering
of the scopes-a momentary un-
steadiness in the green and amber
cathode ray tubes-which comes
and goes. Almost unconsciously
he times them and notices the
bearing upon which the radarI
head is trained each time the faint
wobble in the normal "grass"
presentation is noticed.
A few moments of this, and
Captain to the conn!" No time
to wait on ceremony. This par
ticular lad wants his skipper and
he wants him badly.
The radar operator points to his
scope. There it is, sir! There it
is again! I just noticed it min
ute ago!"
Danger and Glory.
The captain StareS at the inStru-
ment, weighing the significance of
what he sees. This is something
new, something portentous-there
is small stirring in the back of
his mind-there seems to be al
half-remembered idea there, if he
can only dig it up-then, like a
flash, he has it.
If he is right, it means theyl
are in grave danger, with chance
to come out of it and maybe add
another scalp to their belts; if he
is wrong, what he is about to dol
may make a bad situation inf
nitely worse. But Jake Fyfe
knows what he is doing. He Isl
not playing some far-fetched
hunch.
Secure the radar!" he orders.
What do you think it is?" Fyfe
asks the lad.
1T looked like another 1adar to
me, captain" The reply is given
without hesitation.
What else?"
The boy is at loss for an an
Swer, and Jake Fyfe answers his
own question:
japanese submarine!"
Submarine VS.. submarine! The
hunter hunted! The biggest fear
of our submarine sailors during
World War II was that an enemy
submarine might get the drop
on them while they were making
q passage on the surface.
1t would be quite simple, really.
All you have to do is to detect the
other fellow first, either by sight
or by radar; submerge on his
track and let go the fish as he
passes. All you have to do is to
detect him first!
The most outstanding record of
enemy subs sunk was the one
hung up by Batf1sh, beginning
that fateful February 9.
The process of deduction by
which Fyfe arrived at the con-
clusion that the source of the
radar peculiaritieS was an enemy
submarine was not at all illogical.
The wavering of his radarscope
was probably due to the presence
of another radar. 1t was known
that the Japs had radar, though
of an inferior type to ours.
If this radar came from YES
sci as large as a destroyer he
should have been detected on
Batfish's radar before the emana-
tions from his low powered radar
had been noticed. Since the radar
waves had been the first to be
picked up. it followed that the
ship producing them must bel
small and low on the water. Yet
it must be a valuable ship, suh-
GENTLY important to rate one Of
the relatively few radar sets the
Nips possessed. Hence. subma-I
rine.
The Chase Begins.
The reason why Fyfe ordered
his own radar temporarily Sc
cured was simply to deny the Jap
the same information which he
himself had just received.
"All ahead full! Right full
rudder!" Batfish leaps ahead and
steadies on a course calculated
to get to the north of the ap-
preaching enemy vessel. She runs
for a short time. every now and
then checking the situation with
her radar.
Finally. Jake Fyfe figures his
position is about right. Batfish
turns toward the enemy and
ghosts in.
Closer and closer comes the un-
suspecting enemy sub. It is so
dark that as yet he cannot be
seen by the tense bridge party.
AS the situation develops, it is
apparent that he will pass through
the firing position at just under
1000 yards range. This is lit
tie long for optimum torpedo fire.
but Fyfe wants to take no chances
of being detected. On he comes
only little more now-then from
the coming tower, ION the firing
bearing, captain!" This from the
exec.
Let them go when ready. Shoot
on radar bearings. still can't see
him from up here" From the
skipper.
Silently, four torpedoes are
loosed into the water. Four new
wakeless electric fish start their
run toward the target. They have