The day the USS Cod cracked a Japanese destroyer in half

USS Cod’s Deadly Attack on Japanese Convoy

The USS Cod faced long odds on May 10, 1944. Commander Dempsey spotted a massive 33-ship Japanese convoy near the Philippines before dawn.

At first light, Cod struck fast. She fired three perfect torpedoes that split destroyer Karukaya in half, then quickly launched six more that sank the troop ship Shohei Maru. The payback came swift and hard.

Four enemy ships dropped over 70 depth charges in just 15 minutes while Cod’s hull groaned under the blasts. Yet somehow, she slipped away.

The story of this daring attack lives on at the USS Cod Submarine Memorial in Cleveland, where you can touch the actual steel that survived this brutal battle.

Smoke on the Horizon Led to a Major Discovery

USS Cod spotted smoke on the eastern horizon at 1:59 AM on May 10, 1944, while patrolling near the Philippines.

The submarine’s radar soon picked up what Commander James C. Dempsey couldn’t believe: a huge convoy of 32-33 Japanese ships heading for Subic Bay. The ships moved in four box formations, zigzagging at 10-11 knots through the dark waters.

Dempsey, leading Cod’s third war patrol, knew he had found something big.

Japanese Ships Traveled with Heavy Protection

The convoy took no chances with security. Many escort vessels guarded the cargo ships, with destroyers, minesweepers, and torpedo boats placed around the formation.

Two Mavis flying boats circled above, looking for Allied submarines.

The group included many troop transports carrying soldiers and cargo ships loaded with war supplies.

Japanese leaders clearly valued this convoy, giving it protection that made most submarine commanders think twice before attacking.

Commander Dempsey Plotted a Bold Attack Plan

After tracking the convoy all night, Cod moved into firing position after dawn.

The submarine crept closer to the massive group, with crew members staying quiet to avoid being found by the escorts and aircraft. Dempsey had to choose which targets to hit with his limited torpedoes.

His plan came together quickly: attack a destroyer first to create confusion, then hit the merchant ships during the chaos. The submarine slipped into position despite all the escorts scanning the waters.

A Perfect Shot Sealed Karukaya’s Fate

At 5:55 AM, Cod fired three stern torpedoes at destroyer Karukaya from just 650 yards away. The submarine got a perfect 90-degree angle shot, the best position for a torpedo attack.

The weapons raced through the water for 26 seconds before hitting directly under the ship’s bridge. The Karukaya wasn’t just any destroyer, but a veteran escort that had safely completed 54 previous convoy missions.

Her crew never saw the attack coming as torpedoes sped toward their ship in the early morning light.

The Destroyer Split Apart in Seconds

The torpedo hit cracked the Karukaya in half like a toy ship. The vessel broke apart and sank quickly, taking many crew members down with her.

Water rushed into the broken hull as survivors scrambled to safety. The Japanese lost a major escort ship that day.

For a brief moment, confusion spread through the convoy as ships tried to figure out what happened. This short period of chaos gave Cod exactly what Commander Dempsey needed: a chance for his main attack.

Six Torpedoes Found Six Targets

One minute after sinking the destroyer, Cod fired all six bow tubes at two columns of cargo ships and transports.

The torpedoes spread through the water toward the merchant vessels, leaving visible white trails that clearly showed Cod’s position.

All six torpedoes hit targets among the merchant ships, an amazing success rate for submarine warfare. The convoy erupted in chaos as multiple ships took damage at once.

Explosions filled the morning air as cargo holds full of war materials blew up.

Shohei Maru Carried More Than Just Cargo

Among the ships hit was the 7,256-ton Shohei Maru, a transport carrying 850 passengers plus ammunition and military supplies. The torpedo triggered huge secondary explosions as ammunition in her cargo holds blew up.

Fire spread across the ship as passengers and crew jumped off the sinking vessel. The loss of Shohei Maru meant not just a ship sunk but hundreds of troops and tons of war supplies gone in minutes.

The ship marked a big supply loss for Japanese forces trying to keep their supply lines open.

Cod Dove Deep to Escape Certain Death

The submarine quickly dove to her 300-foot test depth after firing, running at top underwater speed of 8.5 knots.

The crew followed emergency steps perfectly as the boat raced away from the attack area. For 10 tense minutes, Cod pushed her engines to their limits, putting distance between herself and the chaos above.

Every crew member knew what waited if they failed to escape: depth charges and almost certain death. The white torpedo trails had shown their position, and Japanese escorts already raced toward them.

Japanese Escorts Unleashed an Underwater Nightmare

Four enemy escorts rushed to Cod’s last known position, starting a group depth charge attack that would scare any submarine sailor.

Over 70 depth charges dropped into the water in just 15 minutes, creating one of World War II’s most intense submarine counterattacks.

The Japanese ships filled the area with explosives, determined to catch the submarine after taking so much damage. The water around Cod became a churning mix of explosions as the escorts searched for their target.

The Hull Groaned Under Brutal Pressure

Inside Cod, the submarine’s hull made scary noises under extreme pressure as depth charges exploded nearby. The crew heard explosions from ammunition ships continuing like firecrackers for minutes after their attack.

Men held onto equipment as shock waves rocked the boat. Damage control teams stood ready for possible hull breaks as the attack continued.

The submarine creaked and moaned with each nearby explosion, but her strong hull stayed together despite the beating. The crew kept calm through the terrifying event.

Cod Returned Home with an Amazing Story

The submarine survived the depth charge attack without critical damage and continued her patrol.

Cod returned to Fremantle, Australia on June 1, 1944, completing another successful mission that added to her impressive combat record. The May 10th attack stood out even among Cod’s many accomplishments during the war.

The submarine went on to earn seven battle stars during World War II, but few actions matched the intensity of that morning’s attack on the massive convoy.

Today, USS Cod survives as a museum ship in Cleveland, Ohio, where visitors can walk the decks where this remarkable battle unfolded.

Visiting USS Cod Submarine, Ohio

You can explore USS Cod at 1201 North Marginal Road in Cleveland for $15 ($13 for veterans/seniors, $9 for students). The submarine is open daily 10am-5pm from April through November.

Take self-guided tours through authentic vertical ladders and original hatches to see the restored Mark IV Torpedo Data Computer and battle stations from her legendary May 10, 1944 attack on a Japanese convoy near the Philippines.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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