Wayne Rucker Merrill, USN
| Born | 21 Aug 1912 | ?, Missouri, USA |
 | Ranks
Decorations |
Warship Commands listed for Wayne Rucker Merrill, USN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| USS Batfish (310) | T/Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 21 Aug 1943 | 15 May 1944 |
Career information
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Events related to this officer
Submarine USS Batfish (310)
9 Sep 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) started her training programme in the Portsmouth area.
30 Sep 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) arrived at Newport, Rhode Island from Portsmouth, New Hampshire for her torpedo trials.
4 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
With her torpedo trials completed, USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN), arrived at New London, Connecticut from Newport, Rhode Island.
15 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) was put on the slipway at New London.
19 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) was put back in the water.
22 Oct 1943
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) departed New London, Connecticut for the Panama Canal Zone.
31 Oct 1943
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) arrived at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone from New London, Connecticut.
4 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) departed Balboa, Panama Canal Zone for Pearl Harbour.
19 Nov 1943
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) arrived at Pearl Harbor.
25 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) was docked at Pearl Harbour. She was undocked later the same day.
11 Dec 1943
After a training period, USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN), departed from Pearl Harbor for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol south of Honshu, Japan. She was escorted out by USS YMS-286 (Lt. C.L. Menley, USNR).
For the daily and attack positions of USS Batfish during this patrol see the map below. As no deck log is available (for the moment) positions were taken from the patrol report. Unfortunately the patrol report does not give daily noon positions.
15 Dec 1943
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) refuels at Midway and made some minor voyage repairs. She departed for her patrol area the next day.
20 Jan 1944 (position 31.28, 134.52)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Hidaka Maru (5486 GRT, built 1943) south of Shiono Misaki in position 31°28'N, 134°52'E.
On 9 January, Hidaka Maru had departed Palau for Saeki, Japan, in convoy FU-905 which consisted, besides herself of Sorachi Maru (4107 GRT, built 1930), Shiranesan Maru (4739 GRT, built 1943), Toyokawa Maru (5123 GRT, built 1911) and Kuramasan Maru (1995 GRT, built 1927) escorted by torpedo-boat Sagi and submarine chaser Ch-26 (All links are offsite links).
(All times are zone -9) 19 January 1944 1211 hours - In position 30°16'N, 135°51'E sighted smoke on horizon bearing 078°(T). Changed course to close.
1218 hours - Sighted two tall masts bearing 069°(T). Came to normal approach course.
1220 hours - Manned battle stations.
1228 hours - Heard echo ranging bearing 075°(T). Sighted a single floatplane bearing 087°(T).
1316 hours - Sighted masts of three large ships bearing 054°(T), 051°(T) and 050°(T).
1321 hours - Identified the target as a four ship convoy consisting of three large and one medium seized Maru's. Numbers of escorts could not yet be seen.
1440 hours - Unable to close the convoy submerged.
1630 hours - Lost contact with the convoy.
1747 hours - Surfaced and commenced chase.
2015 hours - Regained contact with the convoy by SJ radar bearing 337°(T), range 23650 yards.
2019 hours - Commenced radar tracking and end around.
2325 hours - Manned battle stations and turned in to attack.
20 January 1944 0057 hours - In position 31°30'N, 134°51'E fired a total of six torpedoes at two of the the transports, three torpedoes at each ship. On completing firing the torpedoes swung hard to the right and went ahead, flank speed. Four torpedo explosions were heard.
0107 hours - Slowed down. A damaged transport was seen. This was the first target, she was listing to port and was down by the stern. Commenced reload.
0150 hours - Secured from battle stations and withdrew a few nautical miles to the southward to transmit a signal to ComSubPac while on an easterly course.
0352 hours - With the signal sent and the reload completed headed back towards the target.
0427 hours - In position 31°28'N, 134°52'E obtained contact with the target with the SJ radar, range 24100 yards. Her pip was smaller then before indicating the she was lower in the water.
0438 hours - Manned battle stations.
0449 hours - Picked up an escort on radar. She appeared to be circling the target. The target appeared to be dead in the water.
0509 hours - In position 31°28'N, 134°52'E fired two torpedoes from 6000 yards. One hit was obtained and the target sank.
0615 hours - Submerged and retired to the south.
24 Jan 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) departed her patrol area for Midway.
30 Jan 1944
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) ended her 1st war patrol at Midway. At Midway she was refitted by and by Submarine Division 61 Relief Crew until 12 February 1944.
Training was undertaken during 16-18 February 1944.
22 Feb 1944
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) departed from Midway for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Sikoku in Japanese home waters.
For the daily and attack positions of USS Batfish during this patrol see the map below. As no deck log is available (for the moment) positions were taken from the patrol report. Unfortunately the patrol report does not give daily noon positions.
4 Mar 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) arrived in her patrol area.
4 Apr 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) departed her patrol area for Midway.
11 Apr 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) made a short stop at Midway. She let for Pearl Harbour later the same day.
15 Apr 1944
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) ended her 2nd war patrol at Pearl Harbor. Refit was undertaken by USS Proteus and the Submarine Base.
10 May 1944
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) departed from Pearl Harbor for Midway.
14 May 1944
USS Batfish (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Merrill, USN) arrived at Midway.
15 May 1944
Cdr. John Kerr Fyfe, USN takes over command from Lt.Cdr. Wayne Rucker Merrill, USN.
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