1944. On 11 May, she torpedoed and sank the freighter Choi Maru. Next to go down were the converted gunboat Anshu Maru on 29 May and the tanker Shioya Maru in the Celebes Sea off Manado on 8 June. On 14 June, the cargo ship Koan Maru went to the bottom, after taking a spread of torpedoes aft and capsizing. Fifth war patrol, 22 July – 3 September 1944 Commander Henry G. Munson relieved Commander Laughon as commanding officer of Rasher. Rasher's fifth patrol was spent largely with in the South China Sea west of Luzon. Thirty miles south of Scarborough Shoal at 2255 5 August, Rasher launched a spread of six bow torpedoes at the largest ship in a three-ship convoy. Diving to avoid being rammed, Rasher's crew counted five hits and heard the sounds of a ship breaking up as the army cargo ship Shiroganesan Maru went down.Rasher observed nine successive aircraft contacts to the north on the afternoon of 18 August and deduced these were air patrols for an important convoy. That dark, rainy night Rashers radar picked up a convoy of thirteen ships protected by six escorts. After a surfaced approach to , two stern torpedoes were launched at Teiyo Maru at 2122. Both torpedoes hit and the tanker loaded with gasoline exploded into a column of flame high, with parts of the ship being blown from the flaming hulk. The escorts fired wildly and laid depth charge patterns astern of Rasher. In a second surfaced approach to Rasher launched a spread of six bow torpedoes. Three torpedoes hit and sank the 17,000 ton transport Teia Maru, killing 2,665 Japanese soldiers, and a fourth torpedo was heard exploding at a timed range of 3900 yards. Rasher swung hard left to launch four stern torpedoes at 2214. Three torpedoes hit and sank the 20,000 ton carrier , which was escorting the convoy, and the fourth torpedo was heard exploding on a more distant ship. Rasher pulled away to reload torpedo tubes and the convoy split into two groups. Rasher followed the group moving northwest while Bluefish intercepted the remaining ships continuing southwesterly and sank two tankers. Rasher launched four bow torpedoes at a range of , and three hits on the cargo-transport Eishin Maru caused an ammunition detonation with the pressure wave sweeping over the submarine's bridge. The fourth torpedo was heard exploding on a more distant