Italian submarines in World War Two


Gorgo (GG)
Gorgo

TypeSea going 
ClassTritone (type I) (26) 
Laid down 12 May 1941 Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone
Launched31 Jan 1942
Commissioned11 Nov 1942
End service
Stricken
Loss date21 May 1943
Loss position
History It was suggested that she was sunk on 21st May 1943 off Oran, Algeria by depth charges from the destroyer USS Nields but this is doubtful. The cause of her loss is a mystery to this day.
Fate

Commands


CommanderDate fromDate toCommand notes
C.C. Innocenzo Ragusa11 Nov 19422 Jun 1943

Ships hit

No ships hit by this submarine.

Patrols and events

 CommanderDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
31 Jul 19420830Monfalcone31 Jul 19421615MonfalconeExercises.

18 Aug 19420900Monfalcone18 Aug 19421210MonfalconeExercises.

31 Aug 19420830Monfalcone31 Aug 19421850PolaPassage Monfalcone-Pola.

1 Sep 19420900Pola1 Sep 19421800PolaExercises.

3 Sep 19420930Pola3 Sep 19421625PolaExercises.

4 Sep 19420915Pola4 Sep 19421740PolaExercises.

14 Sep 19420910Pola14 Sep 19421435PolaExercises.

15 Sep 19420710Pola15 Sep 19421945PolaExercises.

16 Sep 19421000Pola16 Sep 19421800MonfalconePassage Pola-Monfalcone.

4 Nov 19420900Monfalcone4 Nov 19421430MonfalconeExercises.

9 Nov 19420900Monfalcone9 Nov 19421200MonfalconeExercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo11 Nov 19420930Monfalcone11 Nov 19421200MonfalconeExercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo12 Nov 19420850Monfalcone12 Nov 19421350Monfalcone28Trials.

Ragusa, Innocenzo16 Nov 19420830Monfalcone16 Nov 19421415Venice64Passage Monfalcone-Venice.

Ragusa, Innocenzo18 Nov 19420915Venice18 Nov 19421250Venice11Trials with electric torpedoes.

Ragusa, Innocenzo23 Nov 19420900Venice23 Nov 19421545Pola77Passage Venice-Pola.

Ragusa, Innocenzo27 Nov 19420825Pola27 Nov 19421345Pola29Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo29 Nov 19420810Pola29 Nov 19421405Pola33Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo30 Nov 19420812Pola30 Nov 19420915Pola2Changed anchorage.

Ragusa, Innocenzo7 Dec 19420800Pola7 Dec 19421300Monfalcone67Passage Pola-Monfalcone.

Ragusa, Innocenzo10 Dec 19420900Monfalcone10 Dec 19421650Pola76Passage Monfalcone-Pola.

Ragusa, Innocenzo11 Dec 19420750Pola11 Dec 19421630Pola85Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo12 Dec 19420745Pola12 Dec 19421114Pola19Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo14 Dec 19420615Pola14 Dec 19421555Pola81Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo15 Dec 19420800Pola15 Dec 19421635Pola88Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo16 Dec 19421840Pola18 Dec 19421342Taranto560Passage Pola-Taranto.

Ragusa, Innocenzo22 Dec 19420725Taranto22 Dec 19421413Taranto32Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo24 Dec 19421123Taranto24 Dec 19421548Taranto32Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo27 Dec 19422040Taranto30 Dec 19420045Naples559Passage Taranto-Naples. Uneventful.

Ragusa, Innocenzo3 Jan 19430830Naples3 Jan 19431600Naples40Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo5 Jan 19430810Naples5 Jan 19431515Castellammare di Stabia23Exercises and passage Naples-Castellammare di Stabia.

Ragusa, Innocenzo6 Jan 19430815Castellammare di Stabia6 Jan 19431500Castellammare di Stabia19Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo7 Jan 19430845Castellammare di Stabia7 Jan 19431610Naples34Exercises and passage Castellammare di Stabia-Naples.

Ragusa, Innocenzo9 Jan 19430916Naples9 Jan 19431525Naples27Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo10 Jan 19431029Naples10 Jan 19431422Naples23Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo12 Jan 19431325Naples12 Jan 19431710Naples17Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo14 Jan 19431306Naples14 Jan 19431650Naples18Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo15 Jan 19430814Naples15 Jan 19431446Naples23Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo17 Jan 19430832Naples17 Jan 19431530Naples21Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo18 Jan 19430825Naples18 Jan 19431510Naples24Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo19 Jan 19431720Naples19 Jan 19432135Naples21Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo21 Jan 19430712Naples21 Jan 19431600Naples23Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo23 Jan 19431052Naples23 Jan 19432015Naples20Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo30 Jan 19431440Naples30 Jan 19431707Naples18Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo2 Feb 19431900Naples3 Feb 19432330Cagliari274Passage Naples-Cagliari.

1Ragusa, Innocenzo6 Feb 19431335Cagliari14 Feb 19431310Cagliari869,5Sailed for patrol between 37°20'N and the African coast and between 05°40'E and 06°00'E, off Cape Carbon.
  7 Feb 1943172536° 54'N, 5° 26'EAt 1725 hours, four minesweepers with an MTB were sighted at a distance of 6 miles. Gorgo went deep.
  8 Feb 1943022236° 53'N, 5° 25'EAt 0206 hours, a large shadow was sighted through the periscope at a distance of 6,000 metres. It was identified as a 15,000-ton vessel in convoy. Gorgo surfaced and proceeded on the electric motors to intercept. This was probably the same ship attacked earlier by Platino.

At 0222 hours, four torpedoes (533mm, G7e type) were fired from the bow tubes at a distance of 1,000 metres. The electric torpedoes had a speed of 28.5 knots. They left a very visible phosphorescent track and all four had an irregular course. The torpedo from tube 1 veered 9 degrees to the right and missed ahead. The vessel was observed to increase speed and the torpedo from tube 4 veered 9 degrees to the left and missed astern. Torpedo no. 3 veered 3 degrees to the right and narrowly missed the stern. Torpedo no. 2 had an irregular course and missed astern.

At 0225 hours, Gorgo turned to port to fire her stern tubes, when an escort vessel dicovered her and began firing with 20mm guns, straddling her near the conning tower.

At 0228 hours, the submarine crash-dived and reached a depth of 90 metres. Three depth charges were heard.

At 0424 hours, Gorgo surfaced and made an enemy report.

At 0935 hours, the submarine proceeded to load the two reserve torpedoes in the forward tubes. This was one of the rare instances, when an Italian submarine in the Mediterranean is known to have been equipped with reserve torpedoes. The reason for this exception is not known but at this time the use of G7e torpedoes was standard and perhaps their production had reached acceptable levels. However, the practice not to carry reserve torpedoes appears to have resumed by the time of the invasion of Sicily.
  13 Feb 1943005137° 01'N, 5° 35'EAt 0051 hours, a convoy of two steamers with a corvette was sighted at a distance of 4,000 metres. Gorgo closed to 3,000 meters, but the corvette turned toward her and she was forced to go deep at 0105 hours. The corvette accurately dropped four depth-charges which damaged the submarine, causing leaks. At 0135 hours, four depth charges caused more damage. The submarine had to abandon her patrol.

Ragusa, Innocenzo20 Feb 19430955Cagliari21 Feb 19431000Naples294Passage Cagliari-Naples.

Ragusa, Innocenzo6 Mar 19430800Naples6 Mar 19431618Naples38Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo8 Mar 19430924Naples8 Mar 19431150Naples14Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo10 Mar 19431358Naples10 Mar 19431635Naples14Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo13 Mar 19431336Naples13 Mar 19431522Naples5Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo15 Mar 19430820Naples16 Mar 19430655La Maddalena254Passage Naples-La Maddalena.

2Ragusa, Innocenzo18 Mar 19430105La Maddalena4 Apr 19430939La Maddalena1499Patrolled between 37°10'N and 37°30'N, and between 04°50'E and 05°20'E.
  26 Mar 1943140037° 20'N, 5° 08'EAt 1400 hours, a convoy of three steamers and three patrol vessels was sighted on a westerly course. Gorgo tried to close for an attack and but gave up at 1445 hours.
  26 Mar 1943200037° 14'N, 4° 57'EAt 2000 hours, information was received from SUPERMARINA of a convoy of thirty ships sighted at midnight on 25th March 14 miles north of Cape Ténès steering 090°. Gorgo altered course to 180° to intercept but sighted nothing.

Ragusa, Innocenzo5 Apr 19431255La Maddalena6 Apr 19430919Naples131Passage La Maddalena-Naples.

Ragusa, Innocenzo6 Apr 19431105Naples6 Apr 19431235Naples18Exercises.

Ragusa, Innocenzo13 Apr 19431557Naples13 Apr 19431921Pozzuoli24Passage Naples-Pozzuoli.

Ragusa, Innocenzo1 May 19430125Pozzuoli2 May 19430825Cagliari276Passage Pozzuoli-Cagliari.

3Ragusa, Innocenzo14 May 19432200Cagliari2 Jun 1943Sunk with all handsPatrolled east of the Balearic Islands. She had sailed south until 38°30'N, proceeded on an easterly course until 05°20'E and then to patrol between 38°40'N and 39°20'N, and between 05°00'E and 05°40'E, with Nichelio in an adjacent area. On 2nd June 1943, she was ordered to return home through Point Y (41°00'N, 07°00'E) and told to acknowledge as soon as 40°30'N was reached, but made no answer.

Reported sunk off Algerian coast by the destroyer USS Nields (DD-616) in 36°01'N, 00°34'W at 1730-1930 hours on 21st May, but this is doubtful. Disappeared without a trace. On 29th May, Nichelio and Gorgo were ordered to leave their patrol at 1400 hours on 30th and return to La Maddalena through Point B (Cape Scorno, Island of Asinara). At 2045 hours on 30th, Gorgo was ordered to turn back and returned to her patrol. At 2025 hours on 31st, she was ordered home. At 1850 hours on 2nd June, the order was repeated and she was asked to acknowledge reception when she had crossed 40°30'N but she failed to answer.

61 entries. 58 total patrol entries (3 marked as war patrols) and 5 events.

All Italian submarines