Location: 45 miles east of Waingapu
Course: North
Attached to: TF 72
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 4
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 371
Orders: Protect reinforcement convoys approaching Timor.
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Admiral Ozawa dislikes the constricted waters around Timor. These waters seem to breed enemy submarines the way the surrounding islands breed mosquitoes, and the many straits and narrow seas provide too many good ambush points for them. He would much prefer to be fighting in open waters more suitable for carrier operations, but Ozawa is a professional and plays the hand he has been dealt.
At around 0200 hours on the morning of February 13th his fears are realized. As his carriers approach the narrow west end of the Savu Sea an explosion and column of fire rocks the night. Kaga has been struck by a torpedo on the starboard side. Several Japanese destroyers locate the submarine’s position and drop depth charges for over an hour, but the submarine escapes.
Kaga is hurt, but the flooding is contained and by morning the carrier reports that though her speed is reduced she is able to launch and recover aircraft. This is just as well, for the day is soon fairly busy. Several heavy air raids come in from Australia, targeting the transports at Koepang, and fierce air battles develop as Japanese fighters duel with the twin-tailed fighter escort and try to knock down the bombers.
In the end they are largely successful, though several transports are hit. Only one carrier plane fails to return, but several of the land-based Zero-sen fighters are lost. Carrier pilots report downing a number of the enemy fighters and perhaps a dozen bombers.
As night falls the transports pull out of Koepang, their job done. Admiral Ozawa dispatches Kaga to Balikpapan along with a pair of destroyers, all the escort he can spare. The remaining five carriers will slip back through the Lesser Sunda Islands and lurk on their north side to await developments.
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The submarine that struck Kaga was Dutch boat O24, under the command of First Lieutenant W. J. de Vries. The Dutch submarines have both inflicted and suffered losses out of proportion to their numbers so far this war, and de Vries takes a savage satisfaction in the fact that his submarine is the first to strike a Japanese carrier. It is at least some payment for all of his countrymen the Japanese have killed or imprisoned.
His boat has suffered minor damage during the depth charge attack but is still seaworthy. When O24 is at last able to surface he picks up a coded broadcast intended for all submarines in the area. The contents of the message cause him to raise his eyebrows in surprise. After a moment’s consideration he issues orders that will take his submarine back towards Koepang. He has a feeling he may not be done with the Japanese carriers yet.
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Submarine O24:
