Another Trivia Question

[MWALLEN]

School has kept me busy...and I found this question/answer while researching my thesis.

Name the WWII submarine that conducted the first night surface attack?
What was the date?
Who was the captain?
Name the WWII submarine the conducted the first SUCCESSFUL night surface attack?
What was the date?
Who was the captain?

Good Luck...answers to be posted later if no one gets this.

Mark

[emeacho]

According to Submarine Operations of World War II, the USS Pollack (SS-180) commanded by LCDR Moseley, on the night of January 9, 1942 sank the 5387-ton freighter Teian Maru off the coast of Honshu.  The first confirmed, successful night sinking of a Japanese vessel by a us submarine in WII.  This was just two days after Pollack sent the 2250-ton cargo ship Unkai Maru No. 1 to the bottom, the first officially confirmed victim of the Pacific Fleet Submarine Force.

The first unsuccessful night surface attack, actually the first two, were made by the USS Swordfish (SS-193) commanded by Chester Carl Smith (Lt.).  The first night surface attack was made off the coast of China on December 9, 1941.  The second night surface attack wa made the night of 11 Dece 1941.

S-38 made the third unsuccessful night surface attack on the night of 12 Dec 1941.

[Mark Sarsfield]

The hardware at your disposal made all the difference.  Old S boats just weren't that fast.  If the target wasn't coming in your general direction, you probably wouldn't get into position to get the shot.