Tambor-class submarine encounters Kidō Butai after Pearl Harbour attack

CalBear

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According to Wikipedia, six Tambor-class subs were in the central Pacific on the day. How likely is one stumbling across Kidō Butai and what is the chance of sinking a few ships? Would they sink a ship before a formal declaration of war from the US Government?

The subs displaced 1500t, had a top speed of 20kt and a submerged speed of 8.5kt, 6 forward torpedo tubes and 24 torpedos.
Not that great, except maybe Triton.

Tambor was probably the second best chance. She was assigned to patrol off Wake, but she suffered an engineering casualty and had to leave the region on one engine.

Tautog had been on a long patrol (45 days) off Midway, along with Thresher, returning to Pearl on the 12/5/41. Even if she'd still been at sea she was way out of position

Thresher (see above) actually returned to Pearl just in time for the attack.

Triton could have been the big winner. She was off Wake when the war started, and was still in the area when CarDiv 2 arrived to support the second landing attempt. Unfortunately no one managed to gt a contact report to Triton, so she had no idea that Soryu and Hiryu were there.

Trout
was on patrol off Midway. About the best it could have managed was to pick off one of the Bombardment group that shelled the atoll on December 7th.

Tuna was at Mare Island undergoing repairs to problems found on her shakedown cruise.
 
Survival's actually pretty likely; IJN ASW was really bad. As for a decoration, Silver Star is a certainty at this time (the Medal of Honor is a bit much, but something so significant this early, there'd be a real desire to go above the Silver Star, too); promotion, maybe not.


I meant more in the sense of "promoted out of the front line and into a war bond tour as 'The Avenger of Pearl Harbor!!' Or whatever.
 
I meant more in the sense of "promoted out of the front line and into a war bond tour as 'The Avenger of Pearl Harbor!!' Or whatever.
Maybe, but given the Sub Force didn't do publicity much, I really doubt it. The CO'd be a hero in the Force & well known in the Navy, but next to unknown til after the war ended outside, I'd guess.
 
Unlikely for the boat to be in position to run across the task force, and to be able to get to firing position, AND for its torpedoes to work as advertised. But if all those happen... Well assuming the boat survives the attack, someone's getting a promotion and a medal.
If he sinks a carrier its the medal of honour. If he hits a carrier navy cross. If he hits an escort probably bronze star.
 
If he sinks a carrier its the medal of honour.
Even in this period, you'd need to do something amazing to get the Medal, like get WIA as your boat dives away from DDs (or get KIA... Think Gilmore.), or get your boat shot out from under you sinking the CV (think O'Kane).
If he hits a carrier navy cross.
Good chance a hit alone would do it; sinking, it's certain. And believing you've scored 4-6 hits (which turn out to all be prematures:eek::rolleyes:) might be enough.
If he hits an escort probably bronze star.
Yeah. Sinking might earn a Navy Cross, too; DDs were tough targets. (Without looking it up, I can't say if Sam Dealey got one for that, but I think he did.)
 

Saphroneth

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Even in this period, you'd need to do something amazing to get the Medal, like get WIA as your boat dives away from DDs (or get KIA... Think Gilmore.)
Big change from when the Medal was literally the only decoration, when people got it for carrying dispatches...
 
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