USS Stingray (SS-186) - Tenth War Patrol

Tenth War Patrol

Following return to Pearl Harbor, Stingray got underway on 10 March 1944 for her tenth war patrol conducted in the Mariana Islands. On 30 March, she slipped past three escorts to gain attack position on two cargo ships, and fired four torpedoes at the lead ship. One torpedo hit amidships and stopped the enemy dead in the water. Stingray then fired four more torpedoes at the damaged cargo ship that quickly sent Ikushima Maru to the bottom.

On the afternoon of 8 April, while patrolling north of the Marianas, Stingray bounced off a large submerged object at a depth of 52 feet (16 m), lifting the submarine three or four feet (1 to 1.2 m). Inasmuch as the submarine was in the middle of the ocean, with her charts showing over 2,000 fathoms (12,000 ft; 3,700 m) of water, the first thoughts of the commanding officer concerned what new type of antisubmarine measure the enemy was using. Stingray then took precautionary soundings and found no bottom at 2,000 fathoms. Unable to determine what she had collided with, the submarine continued patrol.

During the early morning darkness of 13 April, Stingray’s lookouts sighted the approach of a broaching torpedo. She made a sharp turn to port as the torpedo passed 100 feet (30 m) ahead. Two seconds later, a second torpedo just missed as it ran down her starboard side. She searched the area for her attacker without success and returned to Pearl Harbor on 22 April.