60th FS 33rd FG Depth Charges

[sdennison]

I just finished reading the "He11 Hawks" book by Robert Dorr about the 365th in ETO (a great read) and started more research about my Pop. In a book called "The War Diaries of Sgt. Robert L Covington November 1942 - February 1945" (Pocahontas Press 1998) I finally found evidence of the boys dropping depth charges in the jungles of Burma.

His diary entry from Dec. 5, 1944 stated "We used depth charges for the first time today. The depth charge weighs 350 lb and has been found unusually effective against personnel. The terrific concussion of the charge does the damage. Japanese have been found by ground troops blown clear of their foxholes and hanging dead in the tops of trees. Four ships carried depth charges, 7 carried inc.(incindiaries) on the first mission another flight of four carried 500 lb inc,"

On December 7, 1944 the squadron carried 80 depth charges on their record setting day. The 60th flew 63 sorties between 7 AM and 4 PM beating the old record of 60 sorties in one day. I remember Dad talking of this and that he flew four sorties himself.

Does anyone have more information on how the depth charges were rigged?

Last edited by sdennison on Sun Dec 27, 2009 9:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Jack Cook]

That seems so odd. Because a depth charge is just a bomb that explodes underwater.
It basically destroys by the water it displaces. Used on land it's just a small bomb with
not much difference in effectiveness I can understand (or maybe less effectiveness due
to having a thin casing).

[Pat Carry]

sdennison, Did you notice this forum for whatever reason will not recognize the proper name of the book? The same thing happened to me on my "Aviation Related Chritsmas Presents" thread of two days ago. I attempted to edit mine several times but it would not change it from heck Hawks. Very strange I thought. Can someone explain this phenomenon or should I just put the spiked egg nog away till next Christmas!

[Jack Cook]

It the anti-swear filter.............See watch
All you lying sugar head asswipe do you kiss your mother with that mouth? can got to hell you do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

[sdennison]

That seems so odd. Because a depth charge is just a bomb that explodes underwater.
It basically destroys by the water it displaces. Used on land it's just a small bomb with
not much difference in effectiveness I can understand (or maybe less effectiveness due
to having a thin casing).

Jack, from what I have been able to gather, the concussion was all they were after and apparently, it was effective in the tunnels and caves especially. I am not sure why these would be more effective than a 500 lb fragmentation bomb other than the thin skin might change the explosion. Open for opinions but they certainly were used.

[Pat Carry]

It the anti-swear filter.............See watch
All you lying sugar head asswipe do you kiss your mother with that mouth? can got to heck you do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

Thanks Jack. I was wondering just what the he** was going on.

[airnutz]

That seems so odd. Because a depth charge is just a bomb that explodes underwater.
It basically destroys by the water it displaces. Used on land it's just a small bomb with
not much difference in effectiveness I can understand (or maybe less effectiveness due
to having a thin casing).

Jack, from what I have been able to gather, the concussion was all they were after and apparently, it was effective in the tunnels and caves especially. I am not sure why these would be more effective than a 500 lb fragmentation bomb other than the thin skin might change the explosion. Open for opinions but they certainly were used.

I think it relates to the type of explosive used. I believe the 500# iron bomb used TNT or
amatol. The later mines used Torpex..which if I remember correctly give about a 30% bigger
bang for the buck. Long time since sub school..sooooo

The weights and period...later in the war..suggest your dad dropped the MK 9 depth charge.
In reading the manual, a setting (M), arms the DC but blocks the hydrostatic mechanism to
the detonator pistol. I'm guessing it becomes a contact device at that point.
http://www.hnsa.org/doc/depthcharge9/index.htm

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

I thought I remembered reading that during the Battle of Leyte Gulf (battle of Samar), some of the Navy planes flying from the escort carriers were dropping depth charges when attacking the Japanese task force of battleships, either because they were already armed that way or because of a lack of the appropriate ordinance to deal with shipping. I have not seen a whole lot of detail on how successful that was, other than the aggregate resistance from the destroyers and air attacks were enough for Kurita to want to turn around. Maybe someone here has more information.

Interesting about the "M" setting.

[airnutz]

In a little further reading on the differences in TNT, Amatol, and Torpex...Amatol was concocted
by adding ammonium nitrate to TNT in order to reduce the amount of TNT used per weapon without
too much degradation of the blast of a pure TNT weapon...thus "stretching" TNT supply.

Torpex on the other hand, mixed RDX, TNT and aluminum powder. The aluminum powder made the
explosive pulse last longer as well as generating a greater heat wave.