''I-1'' was a
J1 type submarine of the
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...
. She was a large
cruiser submarine
A cruiser submarine was a very large submarine designed to remain at sea for extended periods in areas distant from base facilities. Their role was analogous to surface cruisers, cruising distant waters, commerce raiding, and scouting for the bat ...
displacing 2,135 tons and was the lead unit of the four submarines of her
class
Class or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...
. Commissioned in 1926, she served in the
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. During the latter conflict she operated in support of the
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...
, conducted anti-shipping patrols in the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by t ...
, and took part in the
Aleutian Islands campaign and the
Guadalcanal campaign. In January 1943, during the Japanese evacuation of Guadalcanal,
Operation Ke, the
Royal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; mi, Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa, , Sea Warriors of New Zealand) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of nine ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act ...
minesweeper
A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping.
History
The earliest known usage of ...
corvettes and intercepted her, and she was wrecked at Kamimbo Bay on the coast of
Guadalcanal after the ensuing surface battle.
Construction and commissioning
Built by
Kawasaki at
Kobe,
Japan, ''I-2'' was
laid down
Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship.
Keel laying is one o ...
on 12 March 1923 with the name ''Submarine Cruiser No. 74''.
[I-1 ijnsubsite.com 1 July 2020 Accessed 27 January 2022]
/ref> She was launched on 15 October 1924.[ Renamed ''I-1'' on 1 November 1924, she was completed in late February 1926 and underwent ]sea trials
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and i ...
—in which several German ship constructors participated—in the Seto Inland Sea off Awaji Island.[ The Imperial Japanese Navy accepted her for service and commissioned her on 10 March 1926.][
]
Service history
Early service
On the day of her commissioning, ''I-1'' was attached to the Yokosuka Naval District
was the first of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included Tokyo Bay and the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coasts of central and northern Honshū from the Kii Peninsula to Shimokita Peninsula. Its h ...
.[ On 1 August 1926, she and her sister ship were assigned to Submarine ]Division
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
*Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
7 in Submarine Squadron
Squadron may refer to:
* Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies
* Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
2 in the 2nd Fleet
The United States Second Fleet is a numbered fleet in the United States Navy responsible for the East Coast of the United States, East Coast and Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The Fleet was established following World War II. In Septemb ...
, a component of the Combined Fleet
The was the main sea-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Until 1933, the Combined Fleet was not a permanent organization, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units norm ...
.[ On 1 July 1927, the division was reassigned to the Yokosuka Defense Division in the Yokosuka Naval District,][ and on 15 September 1927, when Submarine Division 7 began another tour with Submarine Squadron 2 in the 2nd Fleet, ''I-1'' was removed from the division and reassigned directly to the Yokosuka Naval District.][ She returned to the division on 10 September 1928 during its assignment to Submarine Squadron 2.][ At 10:35 on 28 November 1928, as Submarine Division 7 returned to ]Yokosuka
is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
, the city has a population of 409,478, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region.
The city ...
, Japan, in heavy seas and limited visibility, ''I-1'' ran aground off Yokosuka.[ She suffered minor damage.][ No flooding occurred, but she was ]drydock
A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...
ed at Yokosuka to have her hull inspected.[ On 5 November 1929, ''I-1'' was decommissioned and placed in ]reserve
Reserve or reserves may refer to:
Places
* Reserve, Kansas, a US city
* Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish
* Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County
* Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...
,[ and on 30 November 1929 Submarine Division 7 again was assigned to the Yokosuka Defense Division in the Yokosuka Naval District.][
While in reserve, ''I-1'' underwent modernization, in which her German-made ]diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-ca ...
s and entire battery
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
installation were replaced.[ On 1 August 1930, Submarine Division 7 began an assignment to Submarine Squadron 1 in the 1st Fleet, a component of the Combined Fleet,][ and, with her modernization work completed, ''I-1'' was recommissioned on 15 November 1930][ and rejoined the division.
On 1 October 1931, Submarine Division 7 was reassigned to the Yokosuka Defense Division in the Yokosuka Naval District,][ but it began another tour of duty in Submarine Squadron 1 in the 1st Fleet on 1 December 1931.][ It completed this assignment on 1 October 1932 and again was assigned to the Yokosuka Defense Division in the Yokosuka Naval District,][ then returned to Submarine Squadron 1 in the 1st Fleet for a third time on either 15 November 1933][ or 15 November 1934,][ according to different sources.
''I-1'' got underway from ]Sasebo
is a core city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is also the second largest city in Nagasaki Prefecture, after its capital, Nagasaki. On 1 June 2019, the city had an estimated population of 247,739 and a population density of 581 persons p ...
, Japan, in company with the other vessels of Submarine Squadron 1 — ''I-2'' and of Submarine Division 7 and , , and of Submarine Division 8 — on 29 March 1935 for a training cruise in Chinese waters.[I-2 ijnsubsite.com 15 April 2018 Accessed 27 January 2022]
/ref>
/ref>
/ref>
/ref>
/ref> The six submarines concluded the cruise with their return to Sasebo on 4 April 1935.[ On 15 November 1935, the division was reassigned to the Yokosuka Defense Squadron in the Yokosuka Naval District,][ and that day ''I-1'' again was decommissioned and placed in reserve to undergo reconstruction.][
While ''I-1'' was out of commission, her American-made ]sonar
Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, measure distances (ranging), communicate with or detect objects on o ...
was replaced by a sonar system manufactured in Japan and her conning tower was streamlined.[ Submarine Division 7 returned to duty with Submarine Squadron 1 in the 1st Fleet on 20 January 1936][ and, after her reconstruction was complete, ''I-1'' was recommissioned on 15 February 1936][ and rejoined the division. On 27 March 1937, ''I-1'' departed Sasebo in company with ''I-2'', ''I-3'', ''I-4'', ''I-5'', and ''I-6'' for training in the vicinity of ]Tsingtao
Qingdao (, also spelled Tsingtao; , Mandarin: ) is a major city in eastern Shandong Province. The city's name in Chinese characters literally means " azure island". Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, it is a major nodal city of the One Belt ...
, China.[ The six submarines concluded the training cruise with their arrival at ]Ariake Bay
The is a body of salt water surrounded by Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto Prefectures, all of which lie on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. It is the largest bay in Kyūshū. Its deepest point is only about 50 meters (165 ft) deep, and ...
on 6 April 1937.[
]
Second Sino-Japanese War
On 7 July 1937 the first day of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident took place, beginning the Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
.[ In September 1937, Submarine Squadron 1 was reassigned to the 3rd Fleet,][Boyd and Yoshida, p. 54.] which in turn was subordinated to the China Area Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy organized after the Battle of Shanghai. It reported directly to the Imperial General Headquarters and had the same organizational level as the Combined Fleet. This article handles their predecessor fl ...
for service in Chinese waters.[ The squadron, consisting of ''I-1'', ''I-2'', ''I-3'', ''I-4'', ''I-5'', and ''I-6'',][ deployed to a base at ]Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
with the submarine tender
A submarine tender is a type of depot ship that supplies and supports submarines.
Development
Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and ...
s and in September 1937.[ From Hong Kong, the submarines began operations in support of a Japanese ]blockade
A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force.
A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are leg ...
of China and patrols of China′s central and southern coast.[ From 20][ or 21][ (according to different sources) to 23 August 1937, all six submarines of Submarine Squadron 1 operated in the East China Sea as distant cover for an operation in which the battleships , , , and and the ]light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck. Prior to th ...
ferried troops from Tadotsu
270px, Shorinji Kempo head dōjō
is a town located in Nakatado District, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 22,124 in 10365 households and a population density of 270 persons per km². The total area of the ...
, Japan, to Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...
, China.[
Submarine Squadron 1 was based at Hong Kong until the autumn of 1938.][ In an effort to reduce international tensions over the conflict in China, Japan withdrew its submarines from Chinese waters in December 1938.][
]
1938–1941
Submarine Division 7 was reassigned to the Submarine School at Kure
is a port and major shipbuilding city situated on the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. With a strong industrial and naval heritage, Kure hosts the second-oldest naval dockyard in Japan and remains an important base for the Japan ...
, Japan, on 15 December 1938,[ and was reduced to the Third Reserve in the Yokosuka Naval District on 15 November 1939.][ While in reserve, ''I-1'' underwent a refit, during which impulse tanks were installed on her Type 15 ]torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a cylindrical device for launching torpedoes.
There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units (also referred to as torpedo launchers) installed aboa ...
s and her collapsible radio masts
Radio masts and towers are typically tall structures designed to support antenna (radio), antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. There are two main types: guyed and self-supporting structures. They are among the t ...
were removed.[ Along with the rest of her division, ''I-1'' returned to active service on 15 November 1940, when the division was resubordinated to Submarine Squadron 2 in the 6th Fleet, a component of the Combined Fleet.][
On 10 November 1941, the commander of the 6th Fleet, Vice Admiral ]Mitsumi Shimizu
was a vice admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.
Biography
Shimizu was a native of Nagano prefecture. He graduated 24th out of 191 cadets from the 36th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, in November 1908. His classmat ...
, gathered the commanding officers of the fleet′s submarines together for a meeting aboard his flagship, the light cruiser , anchored in Saeki Bay.[ His chief of staff briefed them on the upcoming ]attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...
, which would bring Japan and the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
into World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.[ As the Imperial Japanese Navy began to deploy for the upcoming conflict in the Pacific, the rest of Submarine Squadron 1 got underway from Yokosuka on 16 November 1941, bound for the Hawaiian Islands.][ At the time, ''I-1'' was undergoing repairs—during which a ]very low frequency
Very low frequency or VLF is the ITU designation for radio frequencies (RF) in the range of 3–30 kHz, corresponding to wavelengths from 100 to 10 km, respectively. The band is also known as the myriameter band or myriameter wave a ...
receiver was installed aboard her—at Yokosuka, so her departure was delayed, but on 23 November 1941 she too left Yokosuka. After an overnight stop in Tateyama Bight, she got underway for Hawaii, proceeding at flank speed to catch up with her squadron mates and remaining on the surface until within of Oahu
Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...
.
By 6 December 1941, Submarine Squadron 1 was on station across a portion of the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...
stretching from northwest to northeast of Oahu, and ''I-1'' arrived in her patrol area, in the westernmost part of the Kauai Channel
In an archipelago like the Hawaiian Islands the water between islands is typically called a '' channel'' or ''passage''. Described here are the channels between the islands of Hawaiʻi, arranged from northwest to southeast.
Kaulakahi Channel
...
between Kauai and Oahu, that day.[ The submarines had orders to attack any ships which sortied from ]Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...
during or after the attack, which was scheduled for the morning of 7 December 1941.[
]
World War II
First war patrol
At 07:30 on 7 December 1941, ''I-1'' sighted an Aichi E13A
The Aichi E13A ( Allied reporting name: "Jake") was a long-range reconnaissance seaplane used by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 1941 to 1945. Numerically the most important floatplane of the IJN, it could carry a crew of three and a bombl ...
1 ( Allied reporting name "Jake") floatplane returning to the heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range and high speed, armed generally with naval guns of roughly 203 mm (8 inches) in caliber, whose design parameters were dictated by the Washington Naval T ...
after a reconnaissance flight over Lahaina Roads
Lahaina Roads, also called the Lahaina Roadstead, is an anchorage in the ʻAuʻau Channel lying off the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui in the Hawaiian archipelago and U.S. state of Hawaii. It lies in the lee of the West Maui Mountai ...
off Maui.[ In the following days, she was attacked repeatedly by aircraft; although she suffered no damage, she began to keep her negative ]buoyancy tank
A ballast tank is a compartment within a boat, ship or other floating structure that holds water, which is used as ballast to provide hydrostatic stability for a vessel, to reduce or control buoyancy, as in a submarine, to correct trim or li ...
flooded when surfaced so that she could dive more quickly.[ While on the surface at 05:30 on 10 December 1941 she sighted a ]United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
aircraft carrier—probably — north-northeast of Kahala Point on Kauai but was forced to submerge and was unable to transmit a sighting report for almost 12 hours.[ She often is credited with a bombardment of ]Kahului
Kahului () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It hosts the county's main airport (Kahului Airport), deep-draft harbor, light industrial areas, and commercial shopping centers. The population was 26,337 ...
, Maui, on 15 December 1941, although it actually was the submarine that shelled Kahului that day.[
On 27 December 1941, ''I-1'' received orders from the commander of Submarine Squadron 2 aboard his flagship to bombard the harbor at Hilo on the island of ]Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
on 30 December 1941.[ She arrived off Hilo on 30 December and conducted a ]periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation over, around or through an object, obstacle or condition that prevents direct line-of-sight observation from an observer's current position.
In its simplest form, it consists of an outer case with ...
reconnaissance of the harbor, sighting the U.S. Navy seaplane tender —which she misidentified as a small transport
Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipelin ...
—moored there.[ After dark, she surfaced and fired ten rounds from her deck guns at ''Hulbert''.][ One ]shell
Shell may refer to:
Architecture and design
* Shell (structure), a thin structure
** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses
** Thin-shell structure
Science Biology
* Seashell, a hard o ...
hit the pier
Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century.">England.html" ;"title="Brighton, England">Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th ...
next to ''Hulbert'' and another started a fire near Hilo Airport.[ None hit ''Hulbert'', and ''Hulbert'' and a ]United States Army Coast Artillery Corps
The U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) was an administrative corps responsible for coastal, harbor, and anti-aircraft defense of the United States and its possessions between 1901 and 1950. The CAC also operated heavy and railway artillery ...
battery
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
returned fire.[ Mistakenly claiming moderate damage to ''Hulbert'', ''I-1'' ceased fire and left the area.][
''I-1'' attacked a transport south of the Kauai Channel on 7 January 1942, but scored no hits.][ On 9 January 1942, she was ordered to divert from her patrol and search for the ]United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
aircraft carrier , which the submarine had sighted northeast of Johnston Island
Johnston Atoll is an unincorporated territory of the United States, currently administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Johnston Atoll is a National Wildlife Refuge and part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine Natio ...
.[ but she did not find ''Lexington''. She arrived at ]Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll (; Marshallese: ) is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island, which its majority English-speaking residents (about 1,000 mostly U.S. civil ...
in company with ''I-2'' and ''I-3'' on 22 January 1942.[ The three submarines departed Kwajalein on 24 January 1942 bound for Yokosuka, which ''I-1'' reached on 1 February 1942.][
]
Second war patrol
While ''I-1'' was at Yokosuka, Submarine Squadron 2—consisting of ''I-1'', ''I-2'', ''I-3'', ''I-4'', ''I-5'', ''I-6'', and ''I-7''—was assigned to the Dutch East Indies Invasion Force in the Southeast Area Force on 8 February 1942.[ ''I-1'' departed Yokosuka on 13 February 1942 bound for ]Palau
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the ...
, which she reached on 16 February.[ After refueling from the oiler ''Fujisan Maru'', she got back underway for the Netherlands East Indies on 17 February 1942 in company with ''I-2'' and ''I-3''.][ She stopped at ]Staring Bay
Staring-baai (Dutch language, Dutch for Staring Bay) is a bay off the Southeast Peninsula, Sulawesi, southeast peninsula of Sulawesi in Indonesia. It lies slightly southeast of Kendari, the provincial capital of South East Sulawesi, where it opens ...
on the Southeast Peninsula of Celebes
Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sul ...
just southeast of Kendari
Kendari is the capital city of the Indonesian province of Southeast Sulawesi. With a population of 345,107 according to the 2020 census, it is the most populous city in the province, and the fourth most on Sulawesi. The city covers an area of , ...
, then put back to sea at 17:00 on 23 February 1942 to begin her second war patrol, bound for the Timor Sea
The Timor Sea ( id, Laut Timor, pt, Mar de Timor, tet, Tasi Mane or ) is a relatively shallow sea bounded to the north by the island of Timor, to the east by the Arafura Sea, and to the south by Australia.
The sea contains a number of reefs ...
[ and ]Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by t ...
. Shortly after she left Staring Bay, her starboard diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-ca ...
′s crankshaft broke down, but she pushed on, conducting most of her patrol on only one shaft.[
''I-1'' was on the surface in the Indian Ocean off ]Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
northwest of Shark Bay early on the morning of 3 March 1942 when she sighted smoke from Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
8,806-ton armed cargo ship ''Siantar'', which was on a voyage from Tjilatjap
Cilacap Regency ( jv, ꦏꦨꦸꦥꦠꦺꦤ꧀ꦕꦶꦭꦕꦥ꧀, also spelt: Chilachap, old spelling: Tjilatjap, Sundanese: ) is a regency () in the southwestern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is the town of Cilacap.
...
, Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
, to Australia.[ She submerged and fired a ]torpedo
A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, s ...
at ''Siantar''.[ It missed.][ At 06:30, she surfaced on ''Siantar''s port beam and opened fire with her forward deck gun.][ ''Siantar'' worked up to full speed and fired back at ''I-1'' with her 75-millimeter gun, but it jammed after only a few shots.][ ''I-1''s second hit knocked down ''Siantar''s ]radio antenna
In radio engineering, an antenna or aerial is the interface between radio waves propagating through space and electric currents moving in metal conductors, used with a transmitter or receiver. In transmission, a radio transmitter supplies an ...
.[ A fire broke out aboard ''Siantar'', and her crew abandoned ship.][ After scoring about 30 hits on ''Siantar'', ''I-1'' fired another torpedo at her, and about ten minutes later ''Siantar'' sank by the stern at around 07:00 at .][ Out of her crew of 58, ''Siantar'' suffered 21 killed.][
On 9 March 1942, ''I-1'' captured a ]canoe
A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle.
In British English, the ter ...
carrying five Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), wh ...
personnel trying to reach Australia from Dutch Timor.[ On 11 March 1942, she reached Staring Bay, where she moored alongside the ]submarine tender
A submarine tender is a type of depot ship that supplies and supports submarines.
Development
Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and ...
''Santos Maru''.[ She transferred her prisoners to a ]hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones. I ...
.[ On 15 March 1942 she got underway for Yokosuka, which she reached on 27 March 1942.][
]
March–June
After arriving at Yokosuka, ''I-1'' was drydocked for repairs to her starboard diesel engine[ and its crankshaft. She also underwent an overhaul in which shipyard workers replaced the 7.7-mm ]machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) ar ...
on her bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
with a 13.2-mm Type 93 machine gun and her Zeiss rangefinder
A rangefinder (also rangefinding telemeter, depending on the context) is a device used to measure distances to remote objects. Originally optical devices used in surveying, they soon found applications in other fields, such as photography an ...
with a Japanese Type 97 rangefinder, removed some of the armor protecting her torpedo storage compartment, and installed an automatic trim system.[ On 10 April 1942, she was reassigned along with ''I-2'' and ''I-3'' to the Advance Force.][ On 18 April 1942, 16 ]United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
B-25 Mitchell bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...
s launched by the aircraft carrier struck targets on Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island se ...
in the Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, was an air raid on 18 April 1942 by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu during World War II. It was the first American air operation to strike the Japa ...
.[ One B-25 targeted Yokosuka, and the members of ''I-1''s crew on deck saw it damage the drydocked aircraft carrier , which was undergoing conversion from the submarine tender ''Taigei''.][
On 7 June 1942, ''I-1'' took part in experiments in ]Tokyo Bay
is a bay located in the southern Kantō region of Japan, and spans the coasts of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Chiba Prefecture. Tokyo Bay is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Uraga Channel. The Tokyo Bay region is both the most populous ...
with a kite balloon
A kite balloon is a tethered balloon which is shaped to help make it stable in low and moderate winds and to increase its lift. It typically comprises a streamlined envelope with stabilising features and a harness or yoke connecting it to the mai ...
intended for use by merchant ships.[ She made several mock attack runs against a ship carrying a prototype of the balloon.][
]
Fourth war patrol
While ''I-1'' was at Yokosuka, the Aleutian Islands campaign began on 3–4 June 1942 with a Japanese air raid on Dutch Harbor
Dutch Harbor is a harbor on Amaknak Island in Unalaska, Alaska. It was the location of the Battle of Dutch Harbor in June 1942, and was one of the few sites in the United States to be subjected to aerial bombardment by a foreign power during ...
, Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...
, followed quickly by the unopposed Japanese occupation in the Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a chain of 14 large v ...
of Attu on 5 June and Kiska
Kiska ( ale, Qisxa, russian: Кыска) is one of the Rat Islands, a group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. It is about long and varies in width from . It is part of Aleutian Islands Wilderness and as such, special permission is require ...
on 7 June 1942. On 10 June 1942, ''I-1'', ''I-2'', ''I-3'', ''I-4'', ''I-5'', ''I-6'', and ''I-7'' were reassigned to the Northern Force for duty in the Aleutians, and on 11 June 1942 ''I-1'' set out for Aleutian waters in company with ''I-2'', ''I-3'', ''I-4'', and ''I-7'' to begin her fourth war patrol.[ On 20 June 1942, ''I-1'', ''I-2'', and ''I-3'' joined the "K" patrol line in the North ]Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...
between and .[ In mid-July 1942, an unidentified American warship—possibly the ]United States Coast Guard cutter
United States Coast Guard Cutter is the term used by the U.S. Coast Guard for its commissioned vessels. They are or greater in length and have a permanently assigned crew with accommodations aboard. They carry the ship prefix USCGC.
Histor ...
—attacked ''I-1'' in the North Pacific Ocean
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' i ...
south of Adak Island
Adak Island ( ale, Adaax, russian: Адак) or Father Island is an island near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak, is located on the island. The island has a lan ...
and pursued her for 19 hours before ''I-1'' finally dived to and escaped.[ On 20 July 1942, ''I-1'' was reassigned to the Advance Force and received orders that day to return to Yokosuka, which she reached on 1 August 1942.][
]
Guadalcanal campaign, 1942
During ''I-1''s stay at Yokosuka, the Guadalcanal campaign began on 7 August 1942 with U.S. amphibious landings on Guadalcanal, Tulagi
Tulagi, less commonly known as Tulaghi, is a small island——in Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Ngella Sule. The town of the same name on the island (pop. 1,750) was the capital of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate from 1 ...
, Florida Island
The Nggela Islands, also known as the Florida Islands, are a small island group in the Central Province of Solomon Islands, a sovereign state (since 1978) in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
The chain is composed of four larger islands and about ...
, Gavutu
Gavutu is a small islet in the Central Province of the Solomon Islands, some in length. It is one of the Nggela Islands.
History
The first recorded sighting by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of Álvaro de Mendaña on 16 April 1568. Mo ...
, and Tanambogo
Tanambogo is an islet in the Central Province of the Solomon Islands. It is one of the Florida Islands.
History
The first recorded sighting by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of Álvaro de Mendaña on 16 April 1568. More precisely the si ...
in the southeastern Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
.[ On 20 August 1942, Submarine Squadron 2 was disbanded.][ In late August 1942, ''I-2'' underwent work at Yokosuka Navy Yard in which her after deck gun was removed and a mounting for a waterproofed ''Daihatsu''-class landing craft was installed abaft her conning tower, which improved her ability to transport supplies to Japanese forces ashore in the Solomon Islands.][ With the work completed in early September 1942, she began exercises with the ]Maizuru
is a city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 78,644 in 34817 households and a population density of 230 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Maizuru is located in northern Kyoto Pref ...
4th Special Naval Landing Force
The Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF; ja, 海軍特別陸戦隊, Kaigun Tokubetsu Rikusentai) were naval infantry units of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and were a part of the IJN Land Forces. They saw extensive service in the Second Sino ...
(SNLF), which had been designated as "Special Landing Unit" for a raid the Japanese planned on Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo (, ; ) is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census.
Geography
The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region o ...
in the New Hebrides
New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (french: link=no, Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, "Condominium of the New Hebrides") and named after the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group ...
.[ ''I-1'' was to land the SNLF personnel for the raid.][
On 8 September 1942 ''I-1'' departed Yokosuka bound for Truk, where she arrived on 14 September 1942.][ On 15 September 1942, the commander-in-chief of the 6th Fleet, Vice Admiral ]Teruhisa Komatsu
Marquis was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.
Born as HIH Kitashirakawa-no-miya Teruhisa, as the younger son of HIH Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa, his title was devolved from royal status that that of the ''kazoku'' p ...
, inspected her ''Daihatsu'' mounting installation.[ She left Truk on 17 September 1942 and arrived on 22 September 1942 at Rabaul on New Britain,][ While there, she was reassigned to the Outer South Seas Force in the 8th Fleet along with ''I-2'' and ''I-3'' on 24 September 1942.][ She set out on 25 September 1942 to support a landing at Rabi, New Guinea, but soon was recalled, and returned to Rabaul on 27 September 1942.][
''I-1'' got underway on 1 October 1942 to carry supplies to a detachment of the Sasebo 5th SNLF on ]Goodenough Island
Goodenough Island in the Solomon Sea, also known as Nidula Island, is the westernmost of the three large islands of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. It lies to the east of mainland New Guinea and southwest ...
, carrying a ''Daihatsu'', the ''Daihatsu''s three-man crew, and a cargo of food and ammunition.[ At 22:40 on 3 October 1942 she surfaced off Kilia Mission on the southwestern tip of Goodenough Island and the ''Daihatsu'' took her cargo to shore.][ She embarked 71 wounded SLNF personnel and the cremated remains of 13 others, recovered the ''Daihatsu'', and returned to Rabaul, which she reached at 13:30 on 6 October 1942.][ She set out again with another koad of food and ammunition on 11 October 1942.][ She surfaced off Kilia Mission at 18:30 on 13 October and launched her ''Daihatsu''. Allied intelligence had warned of her arrival, and a ]Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
Lockheed Hudson Mark IIIA patrol bomber of No. 32 Squadron attacked the landing area, dropping flare
A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, fusee, or bengala in some Latin-speaking countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illumination, ...
s and bombs, and ''I-1'' submerged and departed, leaving her ''Daihatsu'' behind.[ She reached Rabaul on 18 October 1942.][
While ''I-1'' was at sea, a floatplane from ''I-7'' made a reconnaissance flight over Espiritu Santo on 17 October 1942, finding a significant Allied naval force there.][ The Japanese decided to cancel the SNLF raid on Espiritu Santo that ''I-1'' had trained to participate in.][
On 17 October 1942, ''I-1'' was reassigned to the Advance Force, and on 22 October 1942 she left Rabaul to join a submarine patrol group operating south of San Cristobal in advance of the upcoming ]Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, fought during 25–27 October 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or Third Battle of Solomon Sea, in Japan as the Battle of the South Pacific ( ''Minamitaiheiyō kaisen''), was the fourt ...
,[ fought from 25 to 27 October. On 28 October 1942, she received orders to search for downed Japanese air crews in the vicinity of the ]Stewart Islands
Sikaiana (formerly called the Stewart Islands) is a small atoll NE of Malaita in Solomon Islands in the south Pacific Ocean. It is almost in length and its lagoon, known as Te Moana, is totally enclosed by the coral reef. Its total land s ...
.[ She began to search the waters around the islands on 29 October, but soon had to abort her search when her starboard crankshaft failed again.][ A U.S. Navy ]PBY-5 Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served wit ...
of Patrol Squadron 11 (VP-11) reported attacking a submarine on 29 October 1942 at , and its target most likely was ''I-1''.[ ''I-1'' proceeded to Truk.][ She departed Truk at 17:00 on 13 November 1942 bound for Yokosuka, which she reached at 16:30 on 20 November 1942.][
]
November 1942–January 1943
At Yokosuka, ''I-1'' underwent repairs to her starboard diesel engine and electric motor
An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate for ...
.[ Her ''Daihatsu'' mounting also was reworked.][ From 16 to 23 December 1942, she was drydocked for hull maintenance.][ Her repairs were completed on 30 December 1942,][ and on 2 January 1943 she got underway at 08:00 to conduct ''Daihatsu'' launch tests off Nojimazaki.][ She was back in port by 12:00.][
On 3 January 1943, ''I-1'' put to sea from Yokosuka bound for Truk, which she reached at 18:00 on 10 January 1943.][ After arriving, she unloaded all but two of her torpedoes][ and received her ''Daihatsu''. At 06:30 on 12 January 1943 she put to sea to conduct ''Daihatsu'' launch tests, but was back at her anchorage at 08:30 to repair the air induction valve for her diesel engines.][ She conducted more launch tests on 14 January, and on 15 January she got underway at 13:00 for nighttime launch tests, returning to port by 20:00.][
]
Guadalcanal campaign, 1943
At 19:00 on 16 January 1943, ''I-1'' left Truk for Rabaul, where she arrived at 07:30 on 20 January 1943.[ She took aboard a cargo of rubber containers loaded with two days of food rations—rice, bean paste, curry, ham, and sausages—for 3,000 men.][ At 16:00 on 24 January 1943, she departed Rabaul bound for Guadalcanal, where she was to deliver her cargo at Kamimbo Bay on the island's northwest coast.][
On 26 January 1943, the commander of Allied naval forces in the Solomon Islands informed all Allied ships in the Guadalcanal–Tulagi area of the possibility of Japanese supply submarines arriving at Kamimbo Bay on the evenings of 26, 27, and 29 January 1943.][ The ]Royal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; mi, Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa, , Sea Warriors of New Zealand) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of nine ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act ...
minesweeper
A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping.
History
The earliest known usage of ...
corvettes and received orders to conduct an antisubmarine
An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...
patrol in the Kamimbo Bay area.[ For its part, the Japanese 6th Fleet warned Submarine Division 7 that Allied motor torpedo boats were operating in the vicinity of Kamimbo Bay and advised them to unload supplies only after dark.][
]
Loss
''I-1'' surfaced off Kamimbo Bay in a heavy rain squall
A squall is a sudden, sharp increase in wind speed lasting minutes, as opposed to a wind gust, which lasts for only seconds. They are usually associated with active weather, such as rain showers, thunderstorms, or heavy snow. Squalls refer to the ...
at 20:30 on 29 January 1943 and headed towards shore, trimmed with her decks awash.[Bertke, Kindell, and Smith, p. 259.] At 20:35,[ ''Kiwi'', which was patrolling with ''Moa'' off Kamimbo Bay, detected ''I-1'', first with her listening gear and then with ]asdic
Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, measure distances ( ranging), communicate with or detect objects on ...
, at a range of .[Wright, Matthew, "David and Goliath in the Solomons: the ‘pocket corvettes’ Kiwi and Moa vs I-1," navygeneralboard.com, May 6, 2019 Retrieved 15 August 2020]
/ref> ''Moa'' attempted to confirm the contact, but could not.[ ''Kiwi'' closed the range.][ When one of ''I-1''s lookouts sighted ''Kiwi'' and ''Moa''—misidentifying them as torpedo boats—''I-1'' turned to port and submerged, diving to , and rigging for silent running.][ ''Kiwi'' saw ''I-1'' submerging and moved in to attack, dropping 12 depth charges in two patterns of six.][ The depth charges detonated close to ''I-1'', knocking several of her men off their feet, and ''I-1'' sprang a leak in her aft provision room.][
''Kiwi''s second attack at 20:40 was crippling.][ It disabled ''I-1''s pumps, steering engine, and port propeller shaft, and ruptured her high-pressure manifold, sending a fine water mist across her control room.][ Her main switchboard partially short-circuited and all lighting went out.][ ''I-1'' began an uncontrolled descent with a down-angle of 45 degrees.][ Her commanding officer ordered the forward main ballast tanks blown and full reverse on the remaining operational propeller shaft, stopping the descent, but not before ''I-1'', whose ]test depth
Depth ratings are primary design parameters and measures of a submarine's ability to operate underwater. The depths to which submarines can dive are limited by the strengths of their hulls.
Ratings
The hull of a submarine must be able to with ...
was only , reached an estimated depth of .[ A serious leak began in the forward torpedo room and seawater flooded ''I-1''s batteries, releasing deadly ]chlorine gas
Chlorine is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate betwee ...
.[
Around 21:00, as ''Kiwi'' began a third attack, ''I-1'' surfaced off ''Kiwi''s starboard beam.][ Down by the bow, ''I-1'' headed for the shore of Guadalcanal to beach herself, using her starboard diesel and making .][ Her commanding officer personally took the ]helm
Helm may refer to:
Common meanings
* a ship's steering mechanism; see tiller and ship's wheel
* another term for helmsman
* an archaic term for a helmet, used as armor
Arts and entertainment
* Matt Helm, a character created by Donald Hamilton
* ...
and her gun crews manned her deck gun and the 13.2-millimeter machine gun on her bridge.[ ''Kiwi'' illuminated ''I-1'' with her ]searchlight
A searchlight (or spotlight) is an apparatus that combines an extremely bright source (traditionally a carbon arc lamp) with a mirrored parabolic reflector to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular direc ...
[ and ''Moa'' fired star shells to further illuminate the scene,][ ''Kiwi'' opened fire at point-blank range with a gun and an ]Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original German Becker Type M2 20 mm cannon design that appeared very early in World War I. It was widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others, with various models em ...
,[ hitting ''I-1'' with her third round.][ Her gunfire raked ''I-1''s conning tower and bridge, knocking out her machine gun, silencing her deck gun, setting her ''Daihatsu'' on fire, and killing her commanding officer and most of her bridge crew and gunners.][ With no guidance from her bridge, ''I-1'' began a slow turn to starboard.][ After ''I-1''s ]navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation.Grierson, MikeAviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014. The navigator's primar ...
came up from below and found everyone on her bridge and deck dead or incapacitated, her torpedo officer assumed command.[ Believing that the New Zealanders intended to board and capture ''I-1'', he prepared the submarine to repel boarders, sending a reserve gun crew on deck to man her deck gun, ordering all surviving officers to arm themselves with their swords, and issuing Arisaka Type 38 ]carbine
A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges.
The smaller size and lighte ...
s to the four best marksmen
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting using projectile weapons (in modern days most commonly an accurized scoped long gun such as designated marksman rifle or a sniper rifle) to shoot at high-value targets at longer-than-u ...
among the surviving crew.[
At 21:20, ''Kiwi'' turned toward ''I-1'' at full speed at a distance of .][ ''I-1''s gunners were unable to hit ''Kiwi'', which was partially shielded by ''I-1''s conning tower, and ''Kiwi'' rammed her on her port side abaft her conning tower.][ As ''Kiwi'' backed off, she came into the unobstructed field of fire of ''I-1''s deck gun, and ''I-1''s gunners claimed hits that set ''Kiwi'' on fire, although in fact no fire broke out aboard ''Kiwi''.][ Believing they were in combat with torpedo boats, ''I-1''s lookouts also reported seeing three torpedoes pass close aboard,][ although the two New Zealand corvettes had no torpedo armament.
''Kiwi'' rammed ''I-1'' a second time, achieving a glancing blow that crushed one of I-1's foreplanes.][ Armed with swords, ''I-1''s navigator and ]first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...
tried unsuccessfully to board ''Kiwi'';[ the navigator grabbed ''Kiwi''s upper deck rail, but was thrown overboard as ''Kiwi'' recoiled off ''I-1''s hull.][ ''Kiwi'' again rammed ''I-1'', this time on her starboard side, and rode up on her afterdeck.][ ''Kiwi'' damaged her own stem and asdic gear, but she punched a hole in one of ''I-1''s main ballast tanks and disabled all but one of the submarine′s ]bilge pump
A bilge pump is a water pump used to remove bilge water. Since fuel can be present in the bilge, electric bilge pumps are designed to not cause sparks. Electric bilge pumps are often fitted with float switches which turn on the pump when the bilg ...
s, and ''I-1'' developed an increasing starboard list.[ Damaged and with her gun overheating, ''Kiwi'' pulled away from ''I-1''][ and ''Moa'' continued the chase, firing at ''I-1'' while illuminating her with a searchlight and star shells.][ She hit ''I-1'' repeatedly, but the submarine′s upper armor deflected some of ''Moa''s shells and splashes from near misses put out the fire that had been raging in her ''Daihatsu''.][ ''I-1'' continued toward Guadalcanal at .][
At 23:15, ''I-1'' ran hard aground on Fish Reef off the coast of Guadalcanal, north of Kamimbo Bay.][ The entire after half of her hull flooded, and she developed a heavy list to starboard.][ Sixty-six men abandoned ship, and not long afterward ''I-1'' sank at .][ She came to rest with of her bow projecting from the water at a 45-degree angle.][
''I-1'' suffered 27 killed or missing in the battle with ''Kiwi'' and ''Moa''.][ Sixty-eight men survived, including two men who went overboard during the battle and swam to Guadalcanal separately from the other survivors.][ The only fatality on the New Zealand side was ''Kiwi''s searchlight operator, who remained at his post despite suffering a mortal gunshot wound during ''Kiwi''s second ramming attempt and died two days later.]