US Navy Department wanted to keep enemy submarine successes at least 30 days secret according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 26 December 1941

An item referred to CINCPAC reporting that the USS Drayton was definitely sunk by an enemy submarine 60 miles south of Oahu, Hawaii. Two other enemy submarines were active near Kauai, Hawaii. The J.I.C. commented that CINCPAC wanted to withheld at least 30 days news in the press about submarine sinkings. This current Navy Department policy was to prevent the enemy hearing of this success to replace her submarines resulting in increasing hazard for the convoys.(1)

Note

1. None of the two American destroyers which held the name of USS Drayton were torpedoed and sunk.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 16 dated 26 December 1941.