Dark Seas | America's Destroyer Japan Turned into a Completely Different Beast @DarkDocsSeas | Uploaded August 2024 | Updated October 2024, 18 hours ago.
The periscope of the Gato-class submarine USS Hake cut through the moonlit waters of Dasol Bay, its lens capturing the silhouettes of two approaching vessels. Lieutenant Commander Frank E. Haylor squinted through the eyepiece, his heart rate quickening as he assessed the potential threats. It was August 24, 1944, and these predawn hours north of Manila could prove disastrous for Haylor and his crew if he misread the situation.
As the ships drew closer, Haylor's brow furrowed in confusion. One of the vessels, a destroyer by the looks of it, bore distinctly un-Japanese features. Its flush deck and overall profile screamed American design, yet it flew the Rising Sun flag. But it was the three funnels that truly puzzled him – no Japanese destroyer he knew of had such a configuration. As Haylor's mind raced through possibilities, he settled on the only conclusion he wanted to believe: this must be the Phra Ruang, a Siamese destroyer with three stacks.
Informing the crew of the ship’s assumed identity, Haylor gave the order to engage. But still, a nagging doubt persisted - there was something that just didn’t add up. Little did Haylor know that the true origin of this enigmatic warship would prove far more extraordinary than he could have imagined…
The periscope of the Gato-class submarine USS Hake cut through the moonlit waters of Dasol Bay, its lens capturing the silhouettes of two approaching vessels. Lieutenant Commander Frank E. Haylor squinted through the eyepiece, his heart rate quickening as he assessed the potential threats. It was August 24, 1944, and these predawn hours north of Manila could prove disastrous for Haylor and his crew if he misread the situation.
As the ships drew closer, Haylor's brow furrowed in confusion. One of the vessels, a destroyer by the looks of it, bore distinctly un-Japanese features. Its flush deck and overall profile screamed American design, yet it flew the Rising Sun flag. But it was the three funnels that truly puzzled him – no Japanese destroyer he knew of had such a configuration. As Haylor's mind raced through possibilities, he settled on the only conclusion he wanted to believe: this must be the Phra Ruang, a Siamese destroyer with three stacks.
Informing the crew of the ship’s assumed identity, Haylor gave the order to engage. But still, a nagging doubt persisted - there was something that just didn’t add up. Little did Haylor know that the true origin of this enigmatic warship would prove far more extraordinary than he could have imagined…
