The only other submarine to be sunk by a wayward torpedo was the USS Tang. The USS Tullibee, sunk on 29 July 1944 with only one survivor, became the first American submarine in World War 2 to be sunk by one of her own torpedoes. There are at least thirty documented cases of circular runs by torpedoes fired by US submarines at enemy vessels in World War 2. The problem with many World War 2-era torpedoes was that they would never stop turning, and get right back on the tail of the submarine which fired it. After the desired bearing was reached, the torpedo would straighten its course and run towards the target.Ī torpedo’s complicated firing calculation. Then the torpedo's gyro steering mechanism would kick in and the torpedo would start turning. After the torpedo was fired, it would travel on a straight course for a short distance called the “reach”. This correction angle, known as the torpedo's gyro angle, would be set mechanically while the torpedo was still in the tube. This is known as circular run.Įarly torpedoes were only straight-running, like bullets fired from a gun, but in the early 20th century before the First World War broke out, torpedoes gained the ability to correct their course towards the target even if fired at a different direction. The most notorious of these was the tendency to circle back on the firing submarine. Throughout the Second World War, American submarines were plagued by a variety of torpedo problems such as premature detonation and incorrect depth gauge. Navy submarine USS Tang off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, December 1943.
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