Submarine Operations in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea: A Historical Backgrounder

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Posted By: Mark Condeno 21-Mar-2024

INTRODUCTION

Since the 90’s, two of the six claimant countries in the disputed Spratly Group of Islands possessed submarines in their respective fleets. After the year 2000, this would change with the arrival of the French-built Scorpene and the Russian Kilo Class Submarines in the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and the Vietnam  Peoples Navy (VPN) in 2014.

Things are about to change, as the Philippines with the recent approval of the Submarine Acquisition Program under the Re-Horizon Three of the AFP Modernization Program would mark the country’s venture into undersea warfare. (Although as far back as 1934, the Philippines had already envisioned having Submarines as part of the then Offshore Patrol).

Hence, several comments arise on the feasibility of Submarines operating in the West Philippine Sea. But the aforementioned body of water is no stranger to Submarine Operations, and is a Submarine Transit Area.

PRECEDENTS

Dating back the Second World War, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) secured a Naval Base in one of the Islands in the South China Sea and operated submarines thereat including some of its then allies the U-Boats of Germany’s Kriegsmarine. (A number of German U-Boats operated out of Penang, Malaya [Present Day Malaysia] a Major Submarine Base for both the Japanese and German Navies during the war).

OPENING SALVO at LEYTE GULF: 23-October-1944: THE BATTLE OF PALAWAN PASSAGE

USS Darter (SS-227) ran aground at Bombay Shoal in the South China Sea in October 1944. Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, accessed 23 February 2024

USS Darter ran aground at Bombay Shoal in the South China Sea in October 1944. Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, accessed 23-February-2024.

Unknown to many, the opening salvo of the pivotal Battle of Leyte Gulf did not begin in Surigao Strait or Cape Engaño, but at an area known as the Palawan Passage, thus known in history as the Battle of Palawan Passage in which US Submarines USS Darter (SS-227) under CDR DAVID H MCLINTOCK USN and the USS Dace (SS-247) under CDR BLADE D CLAGETT USN sunk two Japanese Heavy Cruisers and damaging one, with HIJMS Atago attributed to the USS Darter while HIJMS Maya to USS Dace and USS Darter damaging the Cruiser HIJMS Takao. The American Wolf-pack were positioned in the South China Sea.

NAVIGATIONAL HAZARD and DANGEROUS GROUNDS

After the duos successful attack on the Japanese warships, on the evening of the 24-October-1944, travelling back to Australia, USS Darter became a victim of the uncharted shoals (Bombay Shoal) of the South China Sea / West Philippine Sea, despite efforts by the crew to refloat the boat. To no avail, it was thus decided to scuttle the boat to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands.

The submarine was still largely intact and remained in the area until the 60s and subject to several gunnery exercises and remaining portions of its wreck could still be seen in 1998.

THE 8TH BRITISH & DUTCH NAVY SUBMARINE FLOTILLA

Subic Bay, Zambales, Philippines (20 April to September 1945) AOR: South China Sea

From 20 April to September 1945, another unknown aspect in naval history is the relocation of the British and Dutch Navy Submarines from the Fremantle Submarine Base in Australia to Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines.

Their function was to interdict Japanese Shipping and Transports in the South China Sea and on Indonesian waters as there was still a vast number of Japanese troops down south, notwithstanding Japanese vessels.

The following 7 Royal Navy Submarines and 2 to 5 Royal Dutch Navy Submarines comprised the 8th Submarine Flotilla:

  • HMS STYGIAN (P249) under the Command of LT GUY STEWART CLARABUT, RN. She destroyed 8 Japanese Sailing vessels, 8 Transports, 1 Minesweeper, and 1 Submarine Chaser.
  • HMS SUPREME (P252) under the Command of LT THOMAS E BARLOW RN. She sunk 13 Japanese Sailing vessels, 1 Tugboat, 1 Barge, and auxiliary vessels.
  • HMS SELENE (P254) under the Command of LT ROWLAND NEWTON RN, she 5 Japanese Sailing vessels, 5 Coasters, Damaged 1 Coaster, and 1 Sail vessel.
  • HMS SOLENT (P2620) under the Command of LT JOHN D MARTIN RN, she sunk 1 Japanese Patrol Vessel, 1 Landing Craft and damage 2 others; assisted in sinking 15 other Japanese ships including the Minesweeper WA3 with her sister ship HMS Sleuth.
  • HMS SLEUTH (P261) under the Command of Officers T/LT HERBERT SHAW, RN; LT JOHN OGLE RN; and LT KENNETH MARTIN RN.
  • HMS SEA SCOUT (P253) under the Command of LT JAMES KELLY RN. She sunk 12 Japanese Sailing vessels, 5 barges, 1 Patrol Vessel, 1 Tugboat, 1 sampan, and two other ships.
  • HMS SPARK (P236) under the Command of LT DETRICK KENT RN. During her time in the area, she sunk 2 Japanese Sailing vessels, 1 Barge, 1 Tugboat, and 3 Coasters. She was the mother ship of the Special Craft Submarines XE1 and XE3 during the Operation to Sink the Japanese Cruiser HIJMS Myoko. Most of the Royal Navy Submarines above were commissioned in 1944 and were decommissioned during 1950 to 1965.

ROYAL DUTCH NAVY

HNLMS 0-19 of the Royal Netherlands Navy ran aground at Ladd Reef in the South China Sea on 10-July-1945. Photograph Courtesy of http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/boats/boat_o19.htm  accessed 23-February-2024.

LOST IN LADD REEF: HNLMS O-19 (N-54) under the Command of LT ZUR SEE 1ST CLASS (LCDR) DRIJFHOUT VAN HOOFF, RNN sunk Japanese Tankers in the South China Sea, but unfortunately would be lost in the shallow waters of the South China Sea particularly in Ladd Reef on 10 -July-1945. Her crew was rescued by Submarine USS Cod (SS-224)

Other Dutch Navy Submarines that could have operated in Subic Bay were HNLMS O-21, O-20, O-23, O-24, HNLMS Tijgerhaai and HNLMS Zwaardvisch, they were originally part of the 4th Submarine Flotilla which also included O-19.

These Submarines were supported by the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Maidstone under the command of CAPT LANCELOT SHADWER, RN.

COLD WAR HOT SPOT

The West Philippine Sea would again be a major transit point of both the Allies and Warsaw Pact Navies during the Cold War towards the Indian Ocean or from the Indian Ocean towards the Pacific.

Some submarine intrusions and sightings in the Philippines during the Cold War point to the area as the origin passing through Calamianes Islands towards the Celebes Sea, Sulu Sea to Mindanao, Philippine Sea to the Luzon Strait, South China Sea to Southern Palawan, and Celebes Sea to Sulu Sea.

CONCLUSION

With these precedents, they mark the West Philippine Sea as an operational area for Submarines and the mere presence of 2 to 3 boats in the Philippine Fleet would provide us a leverage on area denial and anti-access strategy.

SOURCES (BOOKS)

  • The Philippine Navy 1898-1998 by COMMO Region Dodds Giagonia AFP (Res).
  • HR MS O-19 by GD Horneman (2020 edition) originally published in 2015.
  • Ships of the Royal Navy by JJ Colledge and Ben Warlow, 1969 (2006 edition).
  • Submarines of World War Two by CDR Erminio Bagnasco ITN, (1977).
  • Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1922-1946 by Roger Chesneau and Conway’s All the Worlds Fighting Ships by Antony Preston (1995).
  • British Submarines by Innes McCartney Osprey Publishing, 2006.
  • The British Pacific Fleet: 50Th Anniversary.
  • The Battle of Leyte Gulf by Edwin P Hoyt.
  • Storm Over Leyte by John Prados.
  • Boat Far From Home by David Stevens.
  • Hezlet, Arthur (2001). (Chapter 29) British and Allied Submarine Operations in World War II. Gosport: The Royal Navy Submarine Museum.

ON-LINE SOURCES

  • Uboat.net
  • Dutchsubmarines.com
  • Online sources accessed 23-January-2022.
  • Photographs Source: online taken by Royal Navy Personnel, Imperial War Museum.

About the Author

AUX CDR Mark R Condeno PCG is the Administrative Officer of the Philippine-Korea Friendship Center under the Department of National Defense-Philippine Veterans Affairs Office. He holds a BS degree in Architecture from Palawan State University. He completed the Basic Naval Reserve Officers Training Course with the 420TH NROTCU. He is with Bravo Class of 1999, the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary Officers Indoctrination Course, Coast Guard District-Palawan. In 2002, he took the Aerospace Power Course at Air University, United States Air Force and is a 2008 Graduate of the Joint US Military Historical Operations Course. In 2007, he was Research Officer at the Office of the Naval Historian, Philippine Navy. Lastly, he is with Class 26 of the Executive Course on National Security of the National Defense College of the Philippines.