Torpedoed four times - a record?

Carronade · Dec 13, 2011

Something I ran across in wikipedia while looking for something else, the Japanese escort carrier Taiyo was torpedoed by US submarines no fewer than four times, three of which obviously were non-fatal:

28 September 1942 by USS Trout
9 April 1943 by USS Tunny
24 September 1943 by USS Cabrilla.
18 August 1944 by USS Rasher. The hit caused the carrier’s avgas and oil tanks to explode, and Taiyō sank in a mere 26 minutes, with few survivors.

Can anyone cite another ship torpedoed this many times? (other than torpedo training ships )

Markus Becker · Dec 13, 2011

That does not count. She was not hit by ordinary torpedoes but US torpedoes. *scnr*

mac_bolan00 · Jun 16, 2014

the yamato and musashi each took at least 10 (aerial) torpedoes before they sank. and that was only because bombs had knocked their AA weapons silly enough to let the torpedo planes fly in.

Takao · Jun 16, 2014

The Japanese whaleship/oiler, Tonan Maru No.3 was torpedoed and survived 3 times, before being sunk by American dive bombers during Operation Hailstone. The Tonan Maru No.3 would be raised and recommissioned in 1951 as a whaling ship and would go on to serve for almost 20 more years, before finally being scrapped in 1971.

She was also the ship that precipitated the investigation into the defective Mark 6 torpedo detonator, in July, 1943, the USS Tinosa hit her with 13 torpedoes, of which, 11 were duds...

24 July 1943:
W of Truk, Carolines. At about 0400, USS TINOSA is on station on the surface. At 0555, a clear and calm day dawns and the target is sighted on the high periscope at 35,000 yards. TONAN MARU No. 3 is on schedule, but about 16 miles south of her projected track. Daspit races in an “end run” to close to an attack position. At 0809, he takes USS TINOSA down.

At 0923, Daspit fires four Mark 14 bow torpedoes at 1,000 yards range. One hits below the bridge and one hits amidships, but neither explodes. TONAN MARU No. 3 drops four depth charges, turns away and puts on speed. At 0938, Daspit fires bow tubes five and six. Both torpedoes hit the ship aft on the port quarter at obtuse angles and explode. TONAN MARU No. 3's engines stop and she lists to port. She drops four more depth charges. Daspit heads for a firing position starboard side to finish off the huge tanker. Some Japanese man lifeboats, while others open fire on USS TINOSA’s periscope with machine guns and a deck gun.

At 1009, Daspit sets up off the TONAN MARU No. 3's beam and fires one stern tube at 875 yards range. The torpedo hits, but does not explode. At 1011, he fires another stern tube at 1050 yards, but it is another dud. At 1014, USS TINOSA fires another stern shot at 1300 yards, gets a hit, but this Mark 14 is yet another dud.

USS TINOSA reloads her tubes. Daspit decides to fire as many torpedoes as necessary to sink the tanker, save his last one. He will return the last torpedoes to Pearl Harbor for a complete overhaul. At 1039, Daspit resumes the attack. He fires a stern tube at 900 yards, gets a hit, but the torpedo does not explode. At 1048, Daspit fires a bow tube from 1,000 yards. The torpedo hits the target, but veers off to the right and jumps clear of the water.

The Japanese leave their lifeboats. They commence firing the other deck gun at USS TINOSA's periscope and torpedo wakes. At 1050, Daspit fires again from 900 yards. Another hit, but still no explosion. At 1100, he fires from 1,000 yards with the same results.

USS TINOSA’s sonar operator makes contact with high speed screws. Three minutes later, a destroyer is sighted headed directly for the submarine. At 1131, USS TINOSA fires another stern shot that hits TONAN MARU No. 3, but does not explode. At 1132, the destroyer is only 1,000 yards away, but Daspit fires a stern tube, then dives USS TINOSA to 300 feet. The sonar man hears the torpedo hit the target, but there is no explosion. In all, USS TINOSA fires 15 Mark-14 torpedoes and gets 13 hits, but 11 are duds.

The destroyer drops seven close depth charges. After remaining deep for more than two hours, Daspit comes to periscope depth at 1357. The tanker is afloat about three miles away, down by the stern with a port list. The destroyer is alongside. By 1800, visibility is lost and TONAN MARU No. 3 can no longer be seen. At 1937, USS TINOSA surfaces. Daspit sends contact and attack reports. Three hours later, he is directed to return to Pearl Harbor.
Click to expand...

http://www.combinedfleet.com/Tonan3_t.htm

Takao · Jun 16, 2014

mac_bolan00 said:

the yamato and musashi each took at least 10 (aerial) torpedoes before they sank. and that was only because bombs had knocked their AA weapons silly enough to let the torpedo planes fly in.
Click to expand...

Musashi took about 20, but they were spread on both sides port & starboard. The Yamato took about half that, but they were mostly focused on her port side.

CAC · Jun 16, 2014

If the reaction is fast and the water tight doors are all closed quickly...a ship can take many hits...

Takao · Jun 16, 2014

Another interesting Japanese saga, "Ship of Nine Lives: The long struggle of cruiser KUMANO"
http://www.combinedfleet.com/atully04.htm

TiredOldSoldier · Jun 17, 2014

The cruiser RN Bolzano may rank here:
Torpedoed by HMS Triumph on 26/8/1941
Torpedoed by HMS Unbroken on 12/8/1942
Mined at her mooring by a "human Torpedo" in 1944 and capsized, scrapped after the war.

Carronade · Jun 17, 2014

Thanks for the renewed interest! Maybe I was unclear, I was wondering if any ship other than Taiyo had been torpedoed on four (or more) different occasions. Of course lots of ships have taken four or more torpedo hits, either in one, usually fatal, attack, or in the course of a career.

Gromit801 · Jul 1, 2014

USS Saratoga took a torpedo twice. Took two A-Bombs to finally sink her. ;-)

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Torpedoed four times - a record?

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