180 feet of water. The depth charging continued, but the explosions were more distant. At 12:30, the submarine began to move again. At 12:45, the enemy hunters again located her and resumed depth charging. S-38 again settled to the bottom. The depth charging continued until after 13:00. The search continued until after 18:00. At 18:42, the submarine got underway, heading back to the Hundred Islands area. At 22:35, she surfaced to recharge her batteries. Five minutes later, her improperly-vented after battery exploded. At 23:04, she went ahead on her starboard engine, making her way out of Lingayen Gulf. Soon after 02:00 on 25 December, she sighted two enemy destroyers, but remained undetected. At 03:46, however, she sighted a third, which sighted her. S-38 submerged. The destroyer closed the submarine's last surface position and, at 03:50, commenced depth charging. From then until after 09:00, the submarine evaded the destroyer, using her one quiet propeller. She then grounded on a steep bank at . For the next two hours, the destroyer circled. S-38 slid down to , used her motor to bring herself up, then repeated the maneuver. The destroyer moved off and, at 12:35, the S-boat got underway for Manila. An hour later, she grounded, but only briefly; and, at 21:45 on 26 December she entered the outer minefield at the entrance to Manila Bay. 1942 Cavite had now become untenable, and S-38 was ordered to Soerabaja and after repairs S-38 was to operate with other Allied forces attempting to stem the Japanese thrust into the East Indies. On 14 January 1942, the submarine arrived at the Dutch base on the north coast of Java. On 15 January, the ABDA Command was officially established. On 24 January, the Japanese reached Balikpapan. On 25 January, S-38, hurriedly repaired, departed Soerabaja to patrol in Makassar Strait off Balikpapan. During the next two weeks, S-38 underwent two severe depth charge attacks. On 7 February, she penetrated close to Balikpapan to examine shipping in the harbor, activity along the coast road, and new defenses in the area. On 8 February, she resumed offensive operations, but poor weather hindered success. On 9 February, the Japanese moved on Makassar City, and S-38 was ordered to patrol off Cape William on the Celebes side of the strait, where she remained until 12 February. Then ordered back to Soerabaja the submarine arrived at her Javanese base on 16 February.