Current Doctrine
Submarines

USF 25(A)

Prepared By
COMMANDER SUBMARINE FORCE, PACIFIC FLEET
FEBRUARY, 1944


Index

Section Title Page
  CHAPTER I  
1 Basic Considerations 1-10
2 Doctrine for the Operations of Individual Submarine 11-12
  CHAPTER II  
1 Operating Procedures -- Diving 13-16
2 Operating Procedures -- Surface 17-18
3 Operating Procedures -- Sound Equipment 19-21
4 Radar 22
5 Operating Procedure -- Submarine Patrol Instructions 23-24
  CHAPTER III  
1 Tasks -- General Considerations 25
2 Procedure when operating in connection with Fleet Dispositions 26-27
3 Patrol 28
4 Scouting 29
5 Screening 30
6 Mining 31
7 Reconnaissance 32
8 Service to Aircraft 33
9 "Lifeguard Duty" 34-36
  CHAPTER IV  
1 Attack -- General 37-38
2 Initial Contact 39
3 Approach 40
4 Operating Procedures to Avoid Detection 41-43
5 Daylight Attack by Single Submarine 44-45
6 Tactical Procedures of the Normal Individual Attack 46-57
7 Twilight Attack 58
8 Night and Low Visibility Attacks 59
9 Attack on a Formation 60
10 Tactical Formations and the Coordinated Attack 61
11 Retirement 62
  CHAPTER V  
1 Defensive Measures -- General 63
2 Basic Defense 64
3 Defense Against Depth Charge, Mines, and other Forms of Underwater Explosive Attack 65-68
4 Defense Against Supersonic and Listening Screens 69-70
5 Defense Against Aircraft Attack 71
6 Defense Against Small Surface Craft 72


USF 25(A)

SUBMARINE FORCE, PACIFIC FLEET

[Formerly] CONFIDENTIAL

  1. This publication, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, Bulletin 25, is issued for the use and guidance of Submarines, U.S. Fleet, and is effective upon receipt.

  2. USF 25(A) is a [formerly] confidential [but now declassified,] non-registered publication.

  3. IT IS FORBIDDEN TO MAKE EXTRACTS FROM, OR TO COPY THIS PUBLICATION WITHOUT SPECIFIC AUTHORITY FROM THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN ARTICLE 516 OF THE CURRENT EDITION OF THE REGISTERED PUBLICATION MANUAL. [Unlimited distribution of this document is authorized since its declassification.]

  4. This publication is assigned Class C stowage. It is not intended for use in aircraft and shall not be transported therein.

  5. It shall be handled and transported by the method prescribed in U.S. Navy Regulations, 1920, and the Registered Publication Manual, except that no accounting is required.

C.A. LOCKWOOD, Jr.,
Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy,
Commander Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet


Source: A photocopy of this document is in the Navy Department Library. The original document is located in the World War II Command File of the Operational Archives Branch, Naval Historical Center.


Transcribed and formatted by Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation