This seems ass backwards given that none of the ships hiding were sunk by submarines, but two fifths of the disguises were.
That's because, historically, US submarine doctrine held that destroyers were the highest priority for sinking, what with the IJN being incapable of countering attrition, and the knowledge that they required destroyers for fleet protection, submarine hunting, and running all those rat/mole runs to support their army.
Most of the big ship kills came from subs that were under direct command of one of the battleships, who had more aggressive anti-capital strategies.
Or in other words, the subs would have actually been more likely to target destroyer convoys than carriers. (Especially since those seaplane carriers are much more scary to a sub...)
That's because, historically, US submarine doctrine held that destroyers were the highest priority for sinking, what with the IJN being incapable of countering attrition, and the knowledge that they required destroyers for fleet protection, submarine hunting, and running all those rat/mole runs to support their army.
Most of the big ship kills came from subs that were under direct command of one of the battleships, who had more aggressive anti-capital strategies.
Or in other words, the subs would have actually been more likely to target destroyer convoys than carriers. (Especially since those seaplane carriers are much more scary to a sub...)
I'm fully aware of this hence why I considered this plan pretty dumb, the submarines are if anything MORE likely to take a crack at them.
Although it's totally wrong to say that larger sinkings were a result of differing command. The reason larger ships weren't sunk as much were numerous, but unrelated to command issues. Actually one of the reasons the US submarines were so much more effective was precisely because they were largely isolated from the whims of the battle line. They operated in vague conjunction with it in during major operations, but they still did so under their existing command structure. The torpedoing of Taihou and Shokaku for instance had absolutely nothing to do with Spruance. They where warned the main force had sailed by submarines, but after that it was the submarine's usual commanders who extrapolated a probable route used to vector other boats into potential attack position.
US submarines attacked numerous large warships alone 'behind enemy lines' success in such endeavors was limited, as the Japanese own efforts focused on such can attest, but it certainly wasn't for lack of trying.
Destroyers!?Is it me, or have the enemy submarines appeared?Enemy fleet detected!Please don't move around so much....Agreed. If only they were carriers...And isn't this really embarrassing?Let's retreat!Are they carriers? No! The figures are too small...There's no trace of enemy torpedoes. This proves that the camouflage worked well.Anti-submarine camouflage
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