Page 17 - Contrast1958Winterv2n1

them then, for each had broken into a grin; and the black thing that
had lurked between them vanished forever.

Early on the fifth day, the submarine was sighted by an enemy pa-
trol plane which forced her under with several badly aimed depth
charges. Going down, Flemington just sat it out till the plane passed.
That evening he was .on the trail of a two-ship, single-escort convoy,
and the sub's first torpedoes were fired at these merchantmen. Going
deep to evade firing, she bumped the bottom and weathered the depth
charging. The sub's -next target came on the following morning. A
northbound unescorted ship came steaming into view in early dawn.
Flemington began a careful approach. Just before full light the vessel
sighted the submarine's periscope and opened fire. Flemington re-
taliated with four torpedoes, one of which struck the enemy ship be-
tween bow and bridge. He watched as the target broke out bright
streaks of flame, and then silently settled down to the deep.

The next morning, the sullen dawn promised thick weather. The
promise was fulfilled by a rip-snorting typhoon that kept the subma-
rine on the alert for the next two days. Finally the seas flattened out,
and the afternoon of that day brought a column of smoke 'over the
horizon.

Two ships were sighted. Poor visibility necessitated a surface at-
tack, and Flemington directed a wary approach. The submarine was
closing the target, and the torpedoes were ready to go when the lead
ship suddenly opened fire.

"Take her down!" Flemington quickly ordered, and the sub-
marine nosed under. The ship was rigged for depth-charging, and
they got it for about an hour. A concussion ruptured a gasket in the
main ballast tank. Emergency repairs stopped the flow of water, but
the submarine had to surface for a sufficient repair job.

Two hours passed, and the patrol boats seemed to have departed
when Flemington sent the submarine to periscope depth. A sweep of
the scope disclosed the presence of a vessel about five miles distant.
With a patrol boat lurking in the vicinity, the skipper held his ship
under and headed on a westward course to evade the enemy. At
nightfall he brought her up to the surface, so that the repair gang
could complete its job.

Three hours had elapsed when a ship was sighted on the star-
board bow. Flemington turned the submarine away and then swung
about to close for an attack. As the submarine reduced the range, she
was sighted. The enemy r~v~r§~q course and rushed directly at them.

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