Warhawks vs. Italian Navy destroyers

[Lagarto]

Thank you Darius, that's the info I was looking for!

Hopefully you can also help me, or anyone around, clarify another claim by Warhawk pilots. As stated in the book "Chackertail Clan, The 325th Fighter Group in North Africa and Italy", on 5th August 1943, off Sardinia, a couple of 325th FG's Warhawk pilots attacked and were actually credited with sinking "a Nazi submarine".

I'm quoting from the aforementioned book:
"Lt. William R. Elliott spotted it first, dove on it and strafed the coning tower, causing an explosion. The other two Warhawk pilots, Lts. Ritter and Hartley, followed him and got in a number of long bursts. The stern of the craft was lift in the air, and the sub disappeared under the water, leaving a large oil slick. At the time they thought that they had merely damaged it, but later they were given full credit for sinking it"

Could it be a German (or an Italian) boat, and was it actually sunk, or rather crash-dived under fire?