COMSUBPAC Patrols, 1942
After the ceremonies, Grayling stood out of Pearl Harbor on her first war patrol 5 January 1942. Cruising the Northern Gilbert Islands, Grayling failed to register a kill, but gained much in training and readiness, returning to Pearl Harbor on 7 March.
Her second patrol, beginning 27 March, was more successful. Cruising off the coast of Japan itself, Grayling sank her first ship 13 April, sending the cargo freighter Ryujin Maru to the bottom. She returned to Hawaii on 16 May.
Grayling returned to action in June as all available ships were pressed into service to oppose the Japanese advance on Midway Island. As part of Task Group 7.1, Grayling and her sister submarines were arranged in a fan-like reconnaissance deployment west of Midway, helping to provide knowledge of Japanese movements. During this deployment the Grayling was mistaken for a Japanese cruiser by Army Air Force B-17s which attacked her. A quick crash dive avoided damage.
As Naval planners established a submarine blockade of Truk in connection with the offensive in the Solomon Islands, Grayling began her third war patrol 14 July 1942 around the Japanese stronghold. She damaged a Japanese submarine tender 13 August, but was forced to return to Pearl Harbor 26 August by fuel leaks.
At Pearl Harbor, Grayling repaired and was fitted with surface radar, after which she began her fourth patrol on 19 October. Although attacked by gunfire and six separate depth charge runs by Japanese destroyers, Grayling succeeded 10 November in sinking a 4000-ton cargo ship southwest of Truk. She also destroyed an enemy schooner on 4 December before putting into Fremantle, Australia, 13 December.
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