Herman Edward Miller, USN
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Warship Commands listed for Herman Edward Miller, USN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| USS Besugo (321) | T/Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 19 Feb 1945 | 26 Dec 1945 |
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Submarine USS Besugo (321)
24 Mar 1945
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) departed from Fremantle for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Java and Sunda Seas.
Before she proceeded on patrol exercises were carried out with HMAS Bunbury (Lt. J.F. Bleckman, RANR(S)).
For daily and attack positions for USS Besugo during this patrol see the map below.
29 Mar 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In the evening USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) made the northbound passage of Lombok Strait.
4 Apr 1945
At 1125 hours, USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN), sighted the Japanese anti-aircraft (licht) cruiser Isuzu an her escorts the torpedo boat Kari and minesweepers W 12 and W 15 (all offsite links) in position 06°51'S, 117°57'E. Besugo was unfortunately not able to attack. She set off in pursuit of the enemy.
5 Apr 1945 (position -9.05, 120.25)
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) attacked the Japanese cruiser Isuzu with six torpedoes north of Pulau Sumba, all missed. Another torpedo was then fired down the throat of one of the escorts, it also missed. Following this attack Besugo was depth charged but was not damaged.
(All times are zone I, -9) 0319 hours - Completed an end around on the enemy Task Force. Besugo was now 15000 yards ahead of the enemy who were proceeding on a steady course of 110°(T).
0321 hours - We can suddenly see the cruiser and his near escort clearly. Moon is out bright. They must have also seen us as a green signal flashing signal light was seen followed by a change of course to 075°(T).
0325 hours - Dived to radar depth and changed course to the north.
0332 hours - Picked up the target at radar depth at a range of 11740 yards. He speeded up to 16 knots or better. Tracked the formation until the range to the target was 8000 yards. The enemy formation remained intact. Went to periscope depth. The enemy soon resumed their original course of 110°(T).
0340 hours - Turned and headed for the target. Speed of the target was now 14 knots.
0343 hours - Slowed down while escorts passed down both sides, two to port and one to starboard at ranges between 1000 and 1500 yards.
0358 hours - Range to the cruiser was now 2200 yards so fired six bow torpedoes at her in position 09°05'S, 120°25'E.
0359 hours - Shifted setup to the stern tubes and the nearest escort.
0402 hours - The escort turned towards. Fired one torpedo down the throat and started to go deep and rigged for depth charges.
0404 hours - Heard one torpedo explosion which was thought to be a hit on the cruiser. The stern torpedo was tracked to miss the escort.
0406 hours - Three depth charges were dropped about 1000 yards away.
0409 hours - Five depth charges about 1500 yards away. Besugo by now was at 420 feet.
0510 hours - Returned to periscope depth. All clear.
0520 hours - Surfaced. Nothing in sight or on radar.
6 Apr 1945 (position -8.31, 119.14)
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) torpedoed and sank the Japanese minesweeper W 12 (630 tons, offsite link) in Srait Sape, Netherlands East Indies in position 08°13'S, 119°14'E. Having expended 6 torpedoes on this target (having mis-identified the sweeper for a 1200-ton gunboat) USS Besugo now returned to Fremantle for a new load of torpedoes and some minor repairs.
Before she sank the minesweeper Besugo had fired three stern followed by six bow torpedoes at the Japanese light cruiser Isuzu in position 08°33'S, 119°15'E but all missed.
(All times are zone I, -9) 1335 hours - In position 08°39'S, 119°17'E sighted a Natori-class light cruiser off Chimney Rock.
1339 hours - Range now 2400 yards. Started attack.
1343 hours - In position 08°33'S, 119°15'E fired three stern torpedoes from 500 yards. No hits.
1345 hours - Fired six bow torpedoes.
1350 hours - The target changed course. By now it became clear that all torpedoes had missed. A floatplane was now sighted overhead.
1353 hours - Heard seven distant depth charges exploding, probably dropped by the cruiser. One of the escorts was now sighted to have also rounded Chimney Rock and was already in Sape Strait. A second could be seen coming by his smoke.
1401 hours - One distant depth charge.
1405 hours - One of the escorts dropped ten depth charges.
1411 hours - The escort had turned around and dropped another pattern of depth charges, this time eleven in total.
1417 hours - The second escort now also dropped depth charges. He dropped a total of eight. Shifted our attention to the third escort.
1445 hours - Shifted our attention to the fourth escort.
1500 hours - The target was seen to have a large deck load of troops. He has tracked on a steady course at 14 knots. Started attack.
1508 hours - In position 08°31'S, 119°15'E fired four torpedoes from the bow tubes from 600 yards. The first torpedo was seen to hit under the bridge one minute later. When the smoke cleared his bow section was seen to have sunk and his stern section was high out of the water. The target was dead in the water.
1514 hours - Two bombs were dropped by a patrolling aircraft.
1527 hours - As the stern section of the target showed no sign of sinking fired a stern torpedo at it. It missed, most likely it ran under.
1638 hours - Heard an explosion. The stern section of the target was now burning more the before.
1644 hours - Heard another explosion. The stern section of the target however still showed no signs of sinking.
1711 hours - Fired our last torpedo from a stern tube. It hit under the stack and the target began to sink slowly.
1713 hours - Saw the last of the stern go under.
1845 hours - Surfaced to pick up prisoners as we would be returning to Fremantly for a new load of torpedoes. About 200 survivors were seen in the water. but all refused to be picked up.
12 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) arrived at Fremantle.
16 Apr 1945
With a new load of torpedoes and after some repairs, USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN), departed from Fremantle again to resume her 4th war patrol.
21 Apr 1945
In the evening USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) made the northbound transfer of Lombok Strait on the surface. During the transit Besugo was detected by a Japanese aircraft and had to dive briefly. The aircraft dropped one bomb but Besugo sustained no damage.
23 Apr 1945 (position -4.57, 112.52)
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) torpedoed and sank the German submarine U-183 in the Java Sea, north of the Bawean Island, in position 04°57'S, 112°52'E.
(All times are zone I, -9) 1350 hours - In position 04°56'S, 112°55'E sighted a submarine bearing 262°(T). Commenced submerged approach.
1414 hours - Identified the submarine as German.
1427 hours - In position 04°57'S, 112°52'E fired six bow torpedoes from 1500 yards. One hit was obtained.
1436 hours - Surfaced to pick up survivors.
1440 hours - Picked up one survivor.
29 Apr 1945 (position -5.45, 107.30)
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) sank the Japanese guard boat Otome Maru (199 GRT) with gunfire north of Java in position 05°45'S, 107°30'E.
(All times are zone I, -9) 28 April 1945 2308 hours - In position 05°53'S, 107°38'E obtained radar contact bearing 300°(T), range 13250 yards. Enemy speed was only 5 knots on a northwest course. Opened out as we we against the ligt and the target against dark.
29 April 1945 0030 hours - Commenced tracking the target from a range of 11000 yards on his starboard bow. Commenced shifting position to the port beam of the target keeping the range at 11000 yards.
0136 hours - Now on the targets port beam. Went to battle stations surface.
0210 hours - Commenced circling the target at a range of 1000 yards.
0220 hours - In position 05°45S, 107°30'E opened fire with 40mm and 20mm guns but the 40mm jammed on the second round due to a split cartridge case and did not get back into action. The 5" gun also did not fire as the primer in the first 5" shell was a dud. It was fired nine times, then unloaded it and throw it overboard.
0225 hours - Commenced firing with the 5" gun. The first hot was a good hit.
0229 hours - The target sank.
0240 hours - Proceeded northwards to patrol off the southeast approach to Karimata Strait.
20 May 1945
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) ended her 4th war patrol at Subic Bay, Philippines. She was escorted in by USS Doyle C. Barnes (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Ingle, Jr., USNR).
At Subic Bay she was refitted by USS Anthedon.
13 Jun 1945
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) departed from Subic Bay for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the South China Sea off the French Indo-China coast but before proceeding on patrol exercises had to be carried out with USS Rombach (Lt. C.B. Gill, USN). During exercises a green smoke bomb at the outer end of the signal gun and repairs to it were needed so Besugo returned to Subic Bay.
For daily positions for USS Besugo during this patrol see the map below.
14 Jun 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) resumed her 5th war patrol.
19 Jul 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Late in the evening USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) made the southbound passage of Lombok Strait.
22 Jul 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) made a short stop at Onslow to take on board fuel for the passage to Fremantle.
25 Jul 1945
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) ended her 5th war patrol at Fremantle.
29 Aug 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) departed Fremantle to return to the U.S.A.
26 Sep 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Besugo (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Miller, USN) arrived at San Diego, California, USA.
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