USS COD Combat Stats

Red reports, "I have had a few free days of late to stay indoors rather than get my feet wet (compliments of El Nino).  In doing so I thought I'd scan the COD patrol reports and gather these facts:"

COD sailed 88,254 miles during her seven patrol runs (exclusive of miles sailed to and from the USA).  She burned 1,023,963 gallons of diesel fuel.  Total patrol days were 415, with 108 of them submerged from dawn to dusk.

During her seven WW-II war patrols COD fired 122 torpedoes recording 39 hits.  Her skippers claimed 10 ships sunk and 5 damaged by torpedo.  This is the same average torpedo/ship sinking ratio as for all US subs during WW-II -- that is, one ship sunk for every 12 torpedoes fired.  In comparison, the German U-boats sank one ship for every four torpedoes fired.

COD also chalked-up another five ships, 24 junks and 11 floating mines as "sunk by gun fire".

As for deck ammunition consummed, Red reports that COD's deck guns fired 117 rounds of 4-inch, 50-caliber; 117 rounds of 5-inch, 25-caliber (what a coincidence!), 1,404 rounds of 40mm, 200 rounds of 20-mm, and 1,450 rounds of  .50-caliber machine gun ammo.

The lookouts were just as busy as the gunner's mates -- more that 400 aircraft were spotted on the SD and SJ radars and by the always reliable "Mark 1 eyeballs" of the crew.

Our research director would have supplied more interesting combat statistics, but as he reported, "The sun is now out and I can hear a faint voice saying -- get ready for golf in the morning."

Thanks, Red