CREW FYFE JONATHAN_PARSHALL JON_PARSHALL MARK_ALLEN NARRATOR TRENT_HONE XO NARRATOR February 1945. XO Sir! NARRATOR While an American submarine commander works to calculate the perfect solution to sink an enemy submarine, NARRATOR It dives. NARRATOR And he has no way to track it. NARRATOR Out of sight, NARRATOR It could now be coming for them. JONATHAN PARSHALL It's almost a game of blind man's bluff and everybody's got torpedoes. NARRATOR In World War 2, NARRATOR A subsea weapon allows warriors to fight from beneath the waves. NARRATOR With cunning, force and tenacity, their enemies strike back. NARRATOR Revolutionary but still sometimes primitive, NARRATOR It�s a desperate bid, NARRATOR To change the course of war. NARRATOR Their stories are legend. NARRATOR October 19th, 1944. NARRATOR The Flores sea, around the Indonesian archipelago. NARRATOR Aboard the American submarine USS Batfish, NARRATOR The crew uses radar to collect information about a distant target. NARRATOR The operator considers the size of the pip, NARRATOR And its relative distance to their current position. TRENT HONE The detection range, that's a pretty good proxy for the size of the target - which is a good indicator of whether or not it would be worthwhile to approach and try to sink it. NARRATOR As the submarine closes in, NARRATOR Two smaller pips also appear in close proximity NARRATOR On the radar screen. NARRATOR The three ships sail east, NARRATOR At an estimated nine and a half knots NARRATOR The two smaller vessels appear to be escorts. NARRATOR Which flank the large ship, NARRATOR About 900 meters (984.25 yards) off either side. JONATHAN PARSHALL The fact that there are two escorts suggests that that one ship may, in fact, be relatively important. That probably triggers Fyfe to say, "huh, that's interesting. NARRATOR Lieutenant Commander John Fyfe served on submarines before the United States entered the war. NARRATOR On December 7th, 1941, NARRATOR He and his crewmates on board USS Dolphin NARRATOR Fired their deck guns at Japanese aircraft from their berth at Pearl Harbor NARRATOR And had a front row seat for the attack on battleship row. NARRATOR This experience forged a fierce determination. MARK ALLEN Fyfe was more of an up and coming, more aggressive skippers. He was executive officer in the USS Sandlance and they sunk several ships outside of Tokyo bay. He had that mentality that we're going to do what we need to do, and we're going to sink Japanese ships. NARRATOR Now, USS Batfish creeps toward its target at 4 knots. NARRATOR A little more than four kilometers (2.48 miles) out, NARRATOR The target becomes visible from the submarine. NARRATOR Its large silhouette is consistent with that of a cargo ship or a fuel tanker. JONATHAN PARSHALL This war was started for oil. Oil is the key to everything around modern warfare. The Japanese have got to have it, or their war machine stops working. And so, that makes a tanker an extremely high priority target. NARRATOR As Batfish hunts in the waters of Indonesia NARRATOR During its fifth war patrol, NARRATOR The goal is to disrupt the Japanese transport of fuel, NARRATOR And other goods via networks of shipping lanes. JONATHAN PARSHALL If you look at the trade routes within the Japanese empire, you'll see that they're mostly north to south. They're running south from the home islands down to places like Java and Borneo, where the petrochemicals are to be had. JONATHAN PARSHALL That's where all the tanker traffic is located. And that means that if there are any submarines in there. It's a knife at the jugular for all of the oil that's going back to the home islands. NARRATOR Once at a range of nearly twenty-four hundred meters (7874.01 feet) NARRATOR And convinced of the importance of his target, NARRATOR John Fyfe plans to commit six torpedoes to sink the tanker. NARRATOR Unsure of how much of the ship�s hull rides below the surface� NARRATOR Fyfe sets three torpedoes to run at a depth of 120 centimeters (47.24 inches), NARRATOR And three more for a depth of 180 centimeters (70.86 inches). MARK ALLEN He thought it was a tanker. He wanted to cover the depth range in order to make sure he hit it. He thinks he has the perfect setup. NARRATOR Fyfe fires all of the torpedoes loaded in his forward tubes. NARRATOR Each appears to run true, NARRATOR But the sea remains quiet and dark. MARK ALLEN Captain Fyfe is confused. He can't understand why the torpedoes did not hit. He had them hot straight and normal. They weren�t running erratic, they didn�t broach. NARRATOR Fyfe observes that the vessel appears to ride high in the water. CREW Pull! NARRATOR Out of curiosity, he decides to fire one more torpedo, NARRATOR Set to a depth of thirty centimeters (11.81 inches). MARK ALLEN At this point, Fyfe thinks the first six had underrun the target. So, he wanted to take that element out of the equation and say, "this is the shallowest I can set it. Let's shoot it and see what happens.� NARRATOR But again, he fails to hit his mark. MARK ALLEN When the second attack misses the target, he�s mad enough to chew nails. He can�t figure out what�s going on. FYFE All ahead flank! NARRATOR Fyfe orders the submarine to keep pace with the ship. NARRATOR He will try again in the morning. MARK ALLEN So he's going to go to his bunk and sleep it off for a few hours and see if maybe some rest will help clear his head. NARRATOR After the vessel makes a course change, NARRATOR Fyfe is called to the conning tower. NARRATOR He watches closely and observes something strange: NARRATOR It doesn�t zig zag, a standard evasive tactic used by merchant ships. MARK ALLEN Fyfe's studying this target and he thinks there's something up. The term I think he used was 'I smell a rat', but he's invested so many torpedoes on this target so far. He just doesn't want to let it go. FYFE Surface the sub. NARRATOR Fyfe decides to surface the submarine, NARRATOR For a riskier daytime attack. NARRATOR He�s motivated. NARRATOR After using up seven torpedoes the night before, NARRATOR He wants a kill. NARRATOR Fyfe switches tactics, NARRATOR Confident that a fuel tanker wouldn�t be armed. NARRATOR The American crew races to battle stations to prepare the submarine�s deck guns, NARRATOR Ammunition at the ready, NARRATOR When the unexpected happens: NARRATOR The Japanese ship alters course. MARK ALLEN They turn toward Batfish and come at the submarine at high speed. NARRATOR At the same time the Japanese crew uncovers a number of guns. NARRATOR The Americans quickly realize this isn�t a tanker. JONATHAN PARSHALL It's a sucker play. It is a ship that looks like it is an innocent, unarmed vessel, but it actually has a lot of guns on it, in some cases, depth charges. NARRATOR Fyfe and his crew have stumbled into an ambush. NARRATOR On the morning of October 20th, 1944, NARRATOR The American submarine USS Batfish NARRATOR Comes under attack from a vessel called a q-ship. JONATHAN PARSHALL A q-ship is a deception and it is trying to lure that submarine in close enough and hopefully on the surface. Then all of a sudden, drop my panels and open up with my guns on it and put that submarine out of business. NARRATOR The British were the first to experiment with q-ships in World War 1, NARRATOR To dupe German U-boat commanders. NARRATOR The �Q� stands for �queen.� NARRATOR Along with the concealed weapons, NARRATOR It�s loaded with buoyant cargo to make them less vulnerable to torpedo strikes. JONATHAN PARSHALL One of the things a q-ship has is passive defences. You'll see that they'll fill the holds with barrels - empty barrels, to give it as much flotation value as possible. NARRATOR Which helps the ship sit high in the water, NARRATOR And further thwart the submarine commander. JONATHAN PARSHALL So, he's going to be setting his torpedoes for a depth that he thinks is reasonable for a burdened tanker and they're going to go right under the ship. FYFE All ahead full! NARRATOR For Lieutenant Commander John Fyfe, FYFE Dive the sub. NARRATOR The Japanese Q-ship�s surprise armament and speed changes the game. JONATHAN PARSHALL When those panels drop and they open up on Fyfe, there's got to be a, "oh, my god. What have I gotten myself into?", and now he's got to get out of dodge. NARRATOR A single bullet could mean Batfish is unable to submerge. JONATHAN PARSHALL It only takes one lucky hit against my submarine and now, I�m in a world of hurt. FYFE Gunners back to sub! Xo Gunners back to sub! NARRATOR But their timing must be right. NARRATOR Fyfe knows that his speed will be much slower below the surface. JONATHAN PARSHALL He's going to be catching up to me. So, I have to have a good amount of room before I�m actually going to feel safe in diving. This is a really scary time, I�m probably zigzagging between his salvos trying to avoid getting hit. NARRATOR Fyfe finally yields. NARRATOR And Batfish dives in just 28 seconds. NARRATOR With deck guns and a hunter�s speed, NARRATOR The Japanese also possess depth charges, NARRATOR Underwater bombs that explode at pre-set depths. MARK ALLEN Being on a submerged submarine during a depth charge attack has to be one of the worst things you can probably go through. You're basically trapped in a steel tube no escape and you just have to sit there and take it. NARRATOR Batfish goes deeper. NARRATOR Submerged, its top speed is only around nine knots, NARRATOR But usually much less to conserve battery power. NARRATOR Another round of explosives follows it down, NARRATOR And detonates even closer than the salvo before. NARRATOR The shock waves damage a gasket which seals one of the torpedo loading hatches. NARRATOR Water begins to stream in. FYFE We have flooding, forward torpedo room. NARRATOR More than a hundred meters below the surface, NARRATOR All of the submarine�s parts are under enormous pressure NARRATOR And it could get worse fast. MARK ALLEN If they don't stop it, the front of the submarine is going to be filled with water, and it will plunge to the bottom. NARRATOR USS Batfish is an American Balao class submarine NARRATOR Typical of those commissioned during the war years. NARRATOR Balaos have a thicker hull than their Gato class predecessors, NARRATOR And are made of stronger steel. NARRATOR Crewmen wrangle a block and tackle, NARRATOR To cinch the hatch tight to stop the flow. XO Damage report? NARRATOR But in the control room NARRATOR The dive team also grapples with a problem: NARRATOR The depth charge attack knocked their gauges offline. MARK ALLEN At this point, Fyfe is missing his depth, he doesn�t know how deep the Batfish is. NARRATOR Without this critical information, NARRATOR Fyfe doesn�t know NARRATOR How close he is to crush depth. NARRATOR On board the American submarine, USS Batfish NARRATOR Lieutenant Commander John Fyfe faces two different threats. NARRATOR As they go deeper, NARRATOR The metal of the submarine creaks and groans NARRATOR And the external water pressure builds. NARRATOR Valves burst and allow in more water. NARRATOR While above them NARRATOR Depth charges continue to explode. MARK ALLEN He has to maintain a position of strength, and that he's in control, and no problem is too big for him. NARRATOR Fyfe calls off the dive. NARRATOR The sound of Japanese depth charges continues to penetrate the hull. NARRATOR But they can�t guess how deep, NARRATOR Relative to their own position. NARRATOR The crew remains silent. NARRATOR Any noise could allow enemy ships to home in on Batfish�s location. NARRATOR Hours pass. NARRATOR The air becomes clammy NARRATOR And smells of stress and fear. NARRATOR The oxygen within the submarine is consumed. TRENT HONE The carbon dioxide builds up in the air, it becomes impossible to light a cigarette not that you'd really want to smoke one under those conditions. NARRATOR Finally, Fyfe believes they�ve shaken the enemy. NARRATOR USS Batfish creeps back to the surface. NARRATOR More than seven hours after being driven down. NARRATOR The watch crew ascends and fresh air rushes in. NARRATOR Lookouts scan the area NARRATOR There are no ships in sight. NARRATOR USS Batfish was lucky to survive its encounter with the Japanese ship. NARRATOR But even without a kill, NARRATOR The Q ship did its job by keeping Fyfe busy. JONATHAN PARSHALL And so in that sense, this Q-ship is absolutely doing its job perfectly. It is suckering this guy in and making him expend torpedoes to absolutely no effect. NARRATOR Months later, in early 1945, NARRATOR American forces fight to retake the Philippines NARRATOR After general Douglas MacArthur�s humiliating defeat and expulsion nearly three years before. NARRATOR U.S. forces are now north of Manila NARRATOR And the imperial Japanese army is in retreat. NARRATOR Tokyo needs a strategy to evacuate officials and transport aircrews who will be needed elsewhere. JONATHAN PARSHALL Senior military authorities in Japan are hoarding aircraft in many cases for kamikaze missions. If I already have a trained aviator, I want to get that person back to Japan so that they can sell their lives dearly later on. NARRATOR With heavy allied air coverage, NARRATOR Submarines are the best option to undertake the evacuation. NARRATOR The imperial Japanese navy developed a range of submarines NARRATOR From two-person midget subs at only 17 meters (55.74 feet), NARRATOR To the I-400 class NARRATOR Which could launch up to three aircraft NARRATOR And stretch a staggering 120 meters (393.70 feet). NARRATOR The �R-O� 100 class submarines assigned to this mission extend only 60 meters (196.85 feet). JON PARSHALL Ro class submarines were originally designed for coast defense, they dive more quickly and they're more maneuverable. So, they're actually in some ways, more suited to this sort of mission than a big lumbering fleet boat would be. NARRATOR By February of 1945, NARRATOR USS Batfish has sailed under John Fyfe for more than eight months. NARRATOR On its sixth war patrol NARRATOR Batfish joins other American submarines to prowl the waters, NARRATOR Between the Philippines and the island of Formosa. NARRATOR On February 6th, 1945, Fyfe receives a message from an ultra intelligence intercept. NARRATOR It contains instructions intended for a Japanese submarine. TRENT HONE: The Japanese, unlike the Germans, used codebooks, not cryptologic devices. And so, this was susceptible to the kind of pattern matching that the Allies employ. NARRATOR With American forces advancing across the Philippines, NARRATOR The decrypted message NARRATOR Reveals the pickup point for the Japanese submarine, NARRATOR Ordered to provide safe passage, NARRATOR North to Formosa. NARRATOR Along with the potential V.I.P. passengers, NARRATOR Some believe these submarines will also carry valuable cargo. JONATHAN PARSHALL There's all sorts of rumors going around that there was gold and other precious artifacts that the Japanese were trying to bring home. NARRATOR Fyfe takes advantage of the intelligence, NARRATOR To position Batfish close to the pickup point. NARRATOR The crew is watchful. NARRATOR On the evening of February 9th, 1945, NARRATOR The radar operator notices something odd. NARRATOR Not a normal radar pip NARRATOR But a shimmer, NARRATOR Or �wobble� of the scopes, NARRATOR Timed to the rotation of the radar head. NARRATOR The wobble suggests another radar system operates nearby. NARRATOR Fyfe orders they secure the radar: NARRATOR Turn it off NARRATOR To not reveal their presence to the other scanning ship. NARRATOR It�s interesting, NARRATOR But the commander requires more information. MARK ALLEN He wondered, could this be an American sub? He had to be careful to identify the target because he didn't want to shoot one of his own. NARRATOR He directs his radio man to transmit a query, NARRATOR To the other American submarines nearby NARRATOR To determine if the signal belongs to them. NARRATOR But the information comes at a risk. NARRATOR If it is a Japanese sub, NARRATOR The radio messages could act like locator beacons. MARK ALLEN Radioing might alert the submarine to their presence and stealth is the Batfish's greatest ally at this point. NARRATOR One by one, the other American ships reply. NARRATOR No friendly submarine matches the coordinates. NARRATOR The failure to identify the source NARRATOR Sets off a record-breaking hunt. NARRATOR Near the northern coast of the Philippines. NARRATOR Commander John Fyfe scans the seas for visual confirmation of the signal they�ve been monitoring, NARRATOR But discerns nothing in the darkness. NARRATOR His past experience would make him wary. MARK ALLEN It�s got to be fresh in his mind about the Q-ship from the last patrol. So, he's wondering: Is this another trap I'm walking into? NARRATOR They continue to monitor the radar return from the target. NARRATOR But also pick up the sound of propellers. NARRATOR Batfish speeds up to track their target, NARRATOR When the contact makes a sudden course change. JONATHAN PARSHALL Any sort of anomaly like that is going to trigger Fyfe's warning receiver, if you will, to think something could be up here. FYFE Right full rudder, all ahead flank. NARRATOR But Fyfe believes he hasn�t been seen. NARRATOR With no visible moon, the overcast sky cloaks his submarine. NARRATOR Now using regular readings from their radar, NARRATOR They estimate a speed and range. NARRATOR The target is approximately seventeen hundred meters (5577.42 feet) away. NARRATOR Batfish�s torpedo data computer calculates a firing solution. FYFE Fire 1! NARRATOR Fyfe orders a quick attack. NARRATOR They fire four torpedoes. NARRATOR He has no idea how low the target sits in the water NARRATOR Or what it is, exactly. MARK ALLEN Fyfe doesn't know 100% if this is a surface ship or a submarine, so he sets his spread, and sets his depth to cover both bases of a ship or a sub. NARRATOR Seconds turn to minutes. NARRATOR There�s no sign of a hit. NARRATOR Eight minutes later the bridge crew hears far off explosions NARRATOR They assume are end-of-run detonations. MARK ALLEN They missed with those four torpedoes. At this point, Fyfe is frustrated. He wants to sink this really bad. NARRATOR Fyfe suspects their calculations were off. NARRATOR He consults the crew. NARRATOR With updated information, NARRATOR They figure out the contact�s estimated speed is 14, NARRATOR Not 12 knots. MARK ALLEN It's kind of like using a calculator. 3 x 3 is 9, but if you enter 3 x 2, you won't get the right answer. NARRATOR They monitor the target for a reaction, NARRATOR But it maintains the same speed and course, NARRATOR Despite the explosions. MARK ALLEN Normally a ship would try to take some type of evasive action. They just kept on going. Same speed, same direction, no zig zag. NARRATOR Fyfe decides to close in on the enemy�s coordinates NARRATOR While they re-load the bow torpedo tubes to try again. NARRATOR Before they launch another attack� MARK ALLEN He wants to get close enough to visually identify the target. This will give him an estimate of the length, the speed, and the range to the target so we can enter those new values into the torpedo data computer to ensure a hit. NARRATOR Near midnight, the bridge crew sights a dark shape, just above the waves. NARRATOR At a range of about one thousand four hundred meters. NARRATOR The commander gets his first look at the enemy submarine. JONATHAN PARSHALL Fyfe has got to be thinking to himself, "This is a whole different type of engagement". And now, I'm up against an opponent that is really very much like me. NARRATOR Knowing that Japanese submarines are armed with torpedoes and deck guns. NARRATOR Just like their American rivals, NARRATOR Fyfe prepares for the worst and clears the bridge. NARRATOR He�ll remain alone on Batfish�s deck, NARRATOR To cut the time required for an emergency dive NARRATOR If the attack goes wrong. JONATHAN PARSHALL: Fyfe has got to be very, very wary because he never knows whether or not he is now being actively hunted as well. NARRATOR Fyfe orders a salvo of three torpedoes, NARRATOR Set at two different depths. FYFE Fire! NARRATOR Immediately after they fire the first, NARRATOR There�s something wrong. Crewmember: Hot run, hot run. NARRATOR The torpedo has failed to launch NARRATOR And might have begun a countdown to detonation. MARK ALLEN The torpedo is lodged in the torpedo tube. I mean, that's the recipe for disaster. Crewmember: Manual fire aye! NARRATOR In the forward torpedo room of USS Batfish, NARRATOR The crew has a serious problem. NARRATOR They fired a torpedo, NARRATOR But it hasn�t left the submarine. NARRATOR It�s impossible to know for sure if it�s armed. MARK ALLEN It could explode. And so, they need to get that out of the tube as soon as possible. NARRATOR The entire crew and Commander John Fyfe understand the risk, NARRATOR As they also continue to track their attack against the Japanese submarine. NARRATOR With the torpedo still stuck, NARRATOR Non-essential submariners evacuate the forward torpedo room NARRATOR And seal off the water tight hatches. MARK ALLEN In case of an explosion, they want to protect the men and the rest of the submarine from any damage that might cause. NARRATOR Fyfe works to stay focussed. MARK ALLEN It would probably be unnerving, but he can't let that on. He's got to rely on his men to get the job done. NARRATOR He orders that they fire the next torpedo. NARRATOR After a torpedo is loaded into its tube NARRATOR And the interior hatch sealed, NARRATOR The tube is filled with water. NARRATOR To equalize the pressure difference NARRATOR And allow the muzzle door at the front to open. NARRATOR Compressed air released into the tube forces the torpedo out. NARRATOR Fortunately, the second torpedo leaves the tubes without incident. NARRATOR Rather than continuing to relaunch the first torpedo, NARRATOR They try to nudge it back into the tube, NARRATOR So the front door can close NARRATOR And they can build up enough pressure to fully launch it. NARRATOR The danger is hitting the nose of the torpedo with the door. NARRATOR The force could set it off. MARK ALLEN I think they would be scared. They�ve isolated from the rest of the crew, with the risk that they could die at any moment. NARRATOR Finally, NARRATOR The torpedo slides back in, and the door closes. Crewmember: Ready to fire NARRATOR They try to fire it again. Crewmember: Fire! NARRATOR This time, NARRATOR The torpedo ejects from the tube. FYFE Fire three. NARRATOR Then, they launch the third torpedo of the salvo. NARRATOR Top side, commander Fyfe rests his hopes on the two properly fired torpedoes NARRATOR Which race towards the Japanese submarine. NARRATOR Just after midnight, NARRATOR Fyfe sees a massive explosion. NARRATOR The enemy submarine no longer poses a threat. NARRATOR Fyfe�s bridge crew re-emerges to take in the scene. NARRATOR It�s an unusual achievement. NARRATOR Of approximately thirteen hundred submarines sunk in World War Two NARRATOR Only 77, or 6%, were sunk by another submersible. NARRATOR Fyfe believed it was a Japanese I-class sub. MARK ALLEN There's not much left of it to identify. So for this submarine in particular, there were so many different theories on which one it is. NARRATOR Japanese records weren�t conclusive. NARRATOR But the radar return Batfish detected is a clue. MARK ALLEN One of the key things I found was that certain submarines had air search radar, and one of them was the RO 100 class submarines, so it couldn't have been an RO-55 or an I-Boat. NARRATOR Because of their stealth, navies often lost track of their subsea vessels. MARK ALLEN I used a process of elimination to determine which ones could not have been there. They were sunk previously. They are on assignment somewhere else. I believe that on February 10th, Batfish sank the RO-115. That was the only R-100 class submarine in the area at that time. NARRATOR The next morning, NARRATOR Batfish still lurks at periscope depth, NARRATOR Hoping to return to the surface and investigate the scene further. NARRATOR But just before 10 am, NARRATOR Fyfe�s sweep reveals a cluster of U.S. navy planes. MARK ALLEN Spotting an American aircraft overhead could be a good thing and a bad thing. Good is that you have air cover. The bad thing is that these American pilots could mistake an American sub for a Japanese sub and then attack it. NARRATOR While Fyfe continues his observations, NARRATOR His sound operator reports a loud splash and the rotations of a propeller. NARRATOR The evidence indicates it�s a torpedo dropped from one of their own planes, targeting them. FYFE Down periscope. XO Make our plain fifteen, get two at the ballast tanks. JONATHAN PARSHALL Aviators are not particularly well known for being discriminating in their target selection. Sub looks like a sub, looks like a sub. NARRATOR To evade friendly fire, Batfish goes deeper. NARRATOR At around 30 meters (98.42 feet), the crew listens in silence. NARRATOR They don�t know whether it�s a homing torpedo that can circle back, NARRATOR To follow Batfish down. NARRATOR Fortunately, it passes harmlessly overhead. NARRATOR The next day after sunset, NARRATOR Batfish surfaces once more off the northern coast of the Philippines. NARRATOR Almost immediately, NARRATOR They pick a radar signature like the one before. NARRATOR To the northwest, NARRATOR Japanese submarine RO-112 NARRATOR Participates in the same critical mission: NARRATOR Assigned to evacuate dignitaries and stranded pilots from the Philippines. JONATHAN PARSHALL They need every pilot that they can get. Among other things, they don't have enough gasoline left in the home islands to do pilot training. NARRATOR Batfish closes in, NARRATOR And just after 8:30 p.m., on February 11th NARRATOR The crew makes visual contact with the source of the new radar returns. FYFE All ahead full. NARRATOR At a range of about 1,200 meters (3937 feet) from the target, NARRATOR Fyfe begins his calculations. NARRATOR He takes his time to obtain a perfect solution, just to make sure. NARRATOR When he�s ready to fire, NARRATOR The target disappears. JONATHAN PARSHALL You have an unseen and potentially very dangerous opponent. It's almost a game of blind man's bluff and everybody's got torpedoes. NARRATOR When the submarine that USS Batfish had been tracking dives, NARRATOR Commander John Fyfe, NARRATOR Regrets that he didn�t take a quicker shot. NARRATOR Instead, he�s put his own submarine at risk. MARK ALLEN Fyfe is worried that he might have been spotted and that that Japanese submarine is now making an approach on him. NARRATOR But then, Batfish�s hydrophone operator reports a swishing noise. NARRATOR It�s the distinct sound of submarine ballast tanks being blown. MARK ALLEN When the Japanese submarine surfaces, it maintains its same speed and course. NARRATOR This suggests that Fyfe may still possess the element of surprise. MARK ALLEN A course change may indicate that the Japanese submarine is aware Batfish is out there. This tells Fyfe that it hasn't been spotted yet and gives him good confidence in his submarine's camouflage. NARRATOR But he can�t be sure. NARRATOR So for this approach Fyfe opts for a more cautious strategy. NARRATOR The commander will stalk his prey with the American sub mostly below the surface, NARRATOR In a position known as radar depth. MARK ALLEN Radar depth is a little deeper in the water, which reduces his silhouette. JONATHAN PARSHALL He is underwater so he's at his stealthiest, but he also has one of his best sensors - his radar set above the water. It almost gives Fyfe in a way sort of the best of both worlds. NARRATOR Range and bearing readings indicate that the target has increased its speed by 5 knots. NARRATOR Fyfe must make his move. XO One ready. NARRATOR Just a little after 10 p.m., FYFE Fire! NARRATOR A salvo of torpedoes race toward the target. NARRATOR Less than a minute later, the first torpedo strikes true. MARK ALLEN Fyfe looking through the periscope sees a torpedo hit and sees a bright orange fireball. NARRATOR Japanese submarine RO-112 is lost with all hands. NARRATOR Days later, NARRATOR The same radar interference reveals the presence of another submarine to the crew of Batfish. NARRATOR So after sending two Japanese submarines to the depths, NARRATOR USS Batfish attacks and destroys a third, RO-113. NARRATOR A feat unmatched by any American submarine during the war. NARRATOR They wait for morning to scan the seas for any evidence from the lost enemy sub. MARK ALLEN They found a wooden box, and they didn't know what was in it. NARRATOR The men discover proof of RO-113�s track before its encounter with Batfish. NARRATOR Humanizing their Japanese counterparts. NARRATOR In the aftermath, NARRATOR Fyfe addresses his own crew and acknowledges the sense of duty they each shared with the enemy. NARRATOR There was a particular poignancy to these attacks. TRENT HONE Sinking another submarine is like sinking another vessel that has your same identity. I think it brings home their mortality and their vulnerability in a way that sinking a surface ship would not. MARK ALLEN They were fellow submariners, and there was some type of a brotherhood. This could have easily just happened to us as it did to them. NARRATOR It will be a fate shared with countless other Japanese submariners. JONATHAN PARSHALL One of the things that doesn't get talked about a lot. Japanese submarine force was annihilated during this war. I don't know the exact percentage, but it's got to be north of 80% or 90% of their boats get sunk and all of those sailors are lost. So, this was tremendously dangerous duty for them and they didn't have a lot to show for that sacrifice. NARRATOR Commander John Fyfe earns the navy cross for the unprecedented accomplishment of sinking three enemy submarines in less than 77 hours. NARRATOR The crew of USS Batfish earns the presidential unit citation for the sixth war patrol, NARRATOR And a trip stateside for leave and a full overhaul. NARRATOR Batfish would sail just one final patrol in Japanese waters before the war�s end.