''I-26'' was an
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 ...
B1 type submarine
The , also called was the first group of boats of the Type B cruiser submarines built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1940s. In total 20 were built, starting with , which gave the series their alternative name.
Design and descri ...
commissioned in 1941. She saw service in the
Pacific War theatre of
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 ...
, patrolling off the West Coast of
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
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 ...
, the east coast of
Australia, and
Fiji and 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 taking part in
Operation K
was a Japanese naval operation in World War II, intended as reconnaissance of Pearl Harbor and disruption of repair and salvage operations following the surprise attack on 7 December 1941. It culminated on 4 March 1942, with an unsucces ...
, preparatory operations for the
Aleutian Islands campaign, and the
Guadalcanal campaign, the
Marianas campaign, and the
Battle of Leyte Gulf. She was the first Japanese submarine to sink an American
merchant ship
A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are ...
in the war, damaged the aircraft carrier , sank 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 ...
, and was the third-highest-scoring Japanese submarine of World War II in terms of shipping tonnage sunk. Her bombardment of
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...
in 1942 was the first foreign attack on
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
soil since 1870. In 1944, ''I-26''′s crew committed
war crimes in attacking the survivors of a ship she sank. She was sunk in October 1944 during her ninth war patrol.
Construction and commissioning
Built by the
Kure Naval Arsenal
was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
History
The Kure Naval District was established at Kure, Hiroshima in 1889, as the second of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Ja ...
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, ''I-26'' 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 7 June 1939 as ''Submarine No. 139''.
[I-26 ijnsubsite.com 7 August 2018 Accessed 21 February 2022]
/ref> She was launched on 10 April 1940[ and provisionally numbered ''I-27'' that day,][ but she was renumbered ''I-26'' on 1 November 1941.][ She was completed and commissioned on 6 November 1941.][
]
Service history
Pre-World War II
On the day of her commissioning, ''I-26'' 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 ...
and 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 ...
4 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, ...
1 in the 6th Fleet, 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 ...
.[ She departed immediately for work-ups in the Seto Inland Sea.][
On 10 November 1941, as the Japanese armed forces began to deploy for the offensive that would begin the Pacific campaign of ]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 ...
, ''I-26'' was assigned to the 6th Fleet Reconnaissance Unit and received orders to conduct a prewar reconnaissance of 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 ...
area.[ She arrived at ]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, on 12 November 1941, and began preparations for the mission, which called for ''I-26'' to operate at the limits of her endurance.[ Rather than embark a floatplane, her crew filled her ]hangar
A hangar is a building or structure designed to hold aircraft or spacecraft. Hangars are built of metal, wood, or concrete. The word ''hangar'' comes from Middle French ''hanghart'' ("enclosure near a house"), of Germanic origin, from Frankish ...
with food because of a lack of space below for sufficient provisions.[ With modern Type 95 ]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 ...
es in short supply, she instead loaded only ten old 6th Year Type torpedoes,[ seven fewer torpedoes than she was designed to carry.
''I-26'' departed Yokosuka at 15:00 on 19 November 1941 and set course for the Aleutians with orders to reconnoiter American naval bases there and report on 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 ...
presence in the area to the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
was a Marshal Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II until he was killed.
Yamamoto held several important posts in the IJN, and undertook many of its changes and reor ...
, by 5 December 1941, then proceed to a patrol area in 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 ...
halfway between San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, and 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 ...
to observe and report any American reinforcements headed toward Hawaii from the United States West Coast
The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast, Pacific states, and the western seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the contiguous U.S. ...
.[ When she was from the Aleutians, she began a routine of operating submerged by day and on the surface only at night.][ After arriving in the Aleutians, she 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 Attu, 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 ...
, and Adak between 26 and 28 November 1941 and of 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 ...
on Amaknak Island
Amaknak Island (russian: Амакнак) or Umaknak Island ( ale, Amaxnax̂; russian: Умакнак) is the most populated island in the Aleutian Islands, an archipelago which is part of the U.S. state of Alaska.
Geography
Amaknak is an islet o ...
off Unalaska
Unalaska ( ale, Iluulux̂; russian: Уналашка) is the chief center of population in the Aleutian Islands. The city is in the Aleutians West Census Area, a regional component of the Unorganized Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Unalaska ...
on 29 November.[ Finding no American naval presence in any of these areas, she headed for her Pacific patrol area, centered around .][ She received the message "Climb ]Mount Niitaka
Yu Shan or Yushan, also known as Mount Jade, Jade Mountain, or , and known as Mount Niitaka during Taiwan under Japanese rule, Japanese rule, is the highest mountain in Taiwan at above sea level, giving Taiwan the List of islands by highes ...
1208" ( ja, Niitakayama nobore 1208) from the Combined Fleet on 2 December 1941, indicating that war with the Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
would commence with 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 ...
on 8 December 1941 Japan time
, or , is the standard time zone in Japan, 9 hours ahead of UTC (UTC+09:00). Japan does not observe daylight saving time, though its introduction has been debated on several occasions. During World War II, the time zone was often referred to as ...
, which was on 7 December 1941 on the other side of the International Date Line in both Hawaii and ''I-26''′s patrol area.[
When off San Francisco on 6 December 1941, ''I-26'' sighted the 2,140- gross register ton cargo ship , a ]lumber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
steamer under charter to the United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
making and carrying a cargo of U.S. Army supplies from Tacoma, Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, to Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
, Hawaii.[Artfiberglass.com]
The SS ''Cynthia Olson''
/ref> Under orders not to commence hostilities until 0330 on 8 December Japan time — the anticipated time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which was 08:00 on 7 December Hawaii time and 09:00 local time on 7 December in ''I-26''′s patrol area[Webber (1975), pp. 13-14] — ''I-26'' determined ''Cynthia Olson''′s course and speed, pursued her until dark, then surfaced and moved ahead of her so as to be in position to attack her when hostilities began the next morning.[
]
World War II
First war patrol
At dawn on 7 December 1941, ''I-26'' found ''Cynthia Olson'' exactly where the submarine′s crew expected to find her along her projected course.[ At 09:00 local time on 7 December, which was 08:00 on 7 December in Hawaii and 03:30 on 8 December in Japan and was only minutes after the attack on Pearl Harbor began, ''I-26'' determined ''Cynthia Olson''′s nationality, surfaced near her, and fired a warning shot.][ ''Cynthia Olson''′s crew transmitted an SOS and abandoned ship in two ]lifeboats
Lifeboat may refer to:
Rescue vessels
* Lifeboat (shipboard), a small craft aboard a ship to allow for emergency escape
* Lifeboat (rescue), a boat designed for sea rescues
* Airborne lifeboat, an air-dropped boat used to save downed airmen
A ...
.[Prange, p. 89.] ''I-26'' fired 18 rounds from her aft gun from a range of at ''Cynthia Olson'', setting her ablaze.[Nelson, p.208.] Twenty minutes after opening fire, she received the message ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' ("Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!"), indicating that the Pearl Harbor attack had achieved complete surprise.[ She submerged and fired a torpedo at ''Cynthia Olson'' from a range of , but it missed her astern because she still was underway.] ''I-26'' surfaced again and resumed fire, firing 29 more rounds over the next two hours before departing the area when ''Cynthia Olson'' finally rolled onto her side in a sinking condition some five hours after ''I-26'' first attacked her. ''Cynthia Olson'' sank later on 7 December northeast of Hawaii at , the first American merchant ship
A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are ...
lost after the entry of the United States into the war and the first American merchant ship sunk by a Japanese submarine.[ The American ocean liner picked up ''Cynthia Olson''′s SOS from a considerable distance away] and on 8 December the Japanese submarine came across her lifeboats and provided her survivors — 33 crewmen and two U.S. Army passengers — with food, but after that they were never seen or heard from again.
After the submarine reported sighting a aircraft carrier and two cruisers steaming east-northeast 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 ...
on 9 December 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 ...
, aboard his flagship, 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 ...
at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Intern ...
, ordered ''I-26'' and all the other submarines of Submarine Squadron 1 except for those of the Special Attack Force serving as the mother ship
A mother ship, mothership or mother-ship is a large vehicle that leads, serves, or carries other smaller vehicles. A mother ship may be a maritime ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.
Examples include bombers converted to carry experimental airc ...
s for midget submarine
A midget submarine (also called a mini submarine) is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to six or nine, with little or no on-board living accommodation. They normally work with mother ships, ...
s to search for the ships.[ The search was unsuccessful.][
On 14 December 1941, ''I-26'' was among a number of submarines ordered to proceed to the U.S. West Coast to attack shipping.][ The same day, Japanese Imperial General Headquarters ordered the submarines to bombard the U.S. West Coast, and Vice Admiral Shimizu instructed ''I-26'' and the submarines , , , , , , , and each to fire 30 rounds on the evening of 25 December, with the commander of Submarine Squadron 1, Rear Admiral Tsutomu Sato aboard his flagship ''I-9'', in overall command of the bombardment.][ ''I-26'' arrived in her assigned patrol area in the ]Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca (officially named Juan de Fuca Strait in Canada) is a body of water about long that is the Salish Sea's outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The international boundary between Canada and the United States runs down the centre ...
off Cape Flattery
Cape Flattery () is the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States. It is in Clallam County, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca joins the Pacific Ocean. It is also part of the Makah Reservation, and ...
, Washington, near Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
on 20 December 1941 and sighted several merchant ships, but could not make any attacks due to heavy seas and poor visibility.[ On 22 December, Admiral Yamamoto postponed the bombardment from 25 to 27 December, and on 27 December Rear Admiral Sato cancelled it entirely][ because of the frequency of coastal air and surface patrols and because the submarines tasked with carrying it out were very low on fuel.][ ''I-26'' concluded her patrol with her arrival at Kwajalein on 11 January 1942][ after 54 days at sea.
]
January–February 1942
While at Kwajalein, ''I-26'' fueled and loaded provisions in company with ''I-15'', ''I-17'', and ''I-23''.[ She also loaded modern Type 95 torpedoes for the first time in the war.][ One source asserts that she made a voyage to Yokosuka and back to Kwajalein during January 1942 for new equipment and training.][ While she was at Kwajalein, 46 U.S. Navy aircraft from the aircraft carrier raided Kwajalein and ]Wotje Atoll
Wotje Atoll ( Marshallese: , ) is a coral atoll of 75 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands.
Geography
Wotje's land area of is one of the largest in the Marshall Islands, and en ...
on 1 February 1942, sinking a 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 ...
, wounding Vice Admiral Shimizu and damaging a number of ships, including Shimizu′s flagship ''Katori'', the auxiliary 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 ...
'' Yasukuni Maru'', and ''I-23''.[ Moored alongside ''I-23'', ''I-26'' attempted to open fire on the attacking planes with her 25-millimeter antiaircraft gun, but it malfunctioned, and instead she submerged and avoided damage.][ Two hours after the raid, the 6th Fleet ordered ''I-9'', ''I-15'', ''I-17'', ''I-19'', ''I-23'', ''I-25'', ''I-26'', and the submarines and to find and attack ''Enterprise'',][ but they had no success.
]
Operation K
On 3 February 1942, ''I-15'', ''I-19'', ''I-23'', and ''I-26'' were recalled to Kwajalein,[ and on 5 February they and ''I-9'' were selected to participate in ]Operation K
was a Japanese naval operation in World War II, intended as reconnaissance of Pearl Harbor and disruption of repair and salvage operations following the surprise attack on 7 December 1941. It culminated on 4 March 1942, with an unsucces ...
, which called for two Imperial Japanese Navy Kawanishi H8K
The Kawanishi H8K was a flying boat used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during World War II for maritime patrol duties. The Allied reporting name for the type was "Emily".
The Kawanishi H8K was a large, four-engine aircraft designed ...
1 ( Allied reporting name "Emily") flying boats to fly from Wotje, stop at the French Frigate Shoals
The French Frigate Shoals ( Hawaiian: Kānemilohai) is the largest atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Its name commemorates French explorer Jean-François de La Pérouse, who nearly lost two frigates when attempting to navigate the sh ...
in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands west-northwest of Oahu to refuel from submarines, then fly to Oahu to bomb Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
before returning to Wotje.[ ''I-9'' was to take station halfway between Wotje and the French Frigate Shoals to act as a radio beacon for the aircraft, ''I-23'' was to operate south of Pearl Harbor to provide weather reports and rescue the crews of any aircraft that were shot down, and ''I-15'', ''I-19'', and ''I-26'' were to refuel the planes.][
On 14 February 1942, ''I-15'', ''I-19'', and ''I-26'' each had six fuel tanks for ]aviation gasoline
Avgas (aviation gasoline, also known as aviation spirit in the UK) is an aviation fuel used in aircraft with spark-ignited internal combustion engines. ''Avgas'' is distinguished from conventional gasoline (petrol) used in motor vehicles, whi ...
installed in their hangars,[ and the three submarines departed Kwajalein on 20 February 1942 bound for the French Frigate Shoals.][ With ''I-26'' remaining offshore in reserve, ''I-15'' and ''I-19'' arrived at French Frigate Shoals on 4 March 1942, where the two flying boats landed that evening.][ After refueling they took off again, made the seven-hour flight to Honolulu, dropped their bombs early on 5 March without achieving anything of importance, and returned to the Marshall Islands safely.][ With the operation complete, ''I-26'' made for Yokosuka, Japan, where she arrived on 21 March 1942 and began repairs.][
]
March–May 1942
While ''I-26'' was in 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, ...
No. 5 at Yokosuka, 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 medium 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 from the aircraft carrier struck targets in Japan on 18 April 1942 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 ...
.[ Some of ''I-26''′s crew aboard her and ashore witnessed part of the raid, and one B-25 bombed and damaged the light aircraft carrier , which was undergoing conversion from 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 ...
''Taigei'' in the adjacent Drydock No. 4.[ ''I-26'' suffered no damage or casualties in the raid.
]
Second war patrol
As Japan made preparations to begin the Aleutian Islands campaign with landings on Attu 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 ...
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 ...
and an air strike on Dutch Harbor, ''I-26'' got underway from Yokosuka at 13:00 on 16 May 1942 to begin her second war patrol, ordered to reconnoiter the Kodiak Island
Kodiak Island ( Alutiiq: ''Qikertaq''), is a large island on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, separated from the Alaska mainland by the Shelikof Strait. The largest island in the Kodiak Archipelago, Kodiak Island is the second la ...
area off the coast of the Territory of Alaska
The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
and then raid shipping off Seattle.[ While she was at sea, she was reassigned to the Northern Force.][ She conducted a reconnaissance of Kodiak Island on 24 May 1942][ and of ]Chirikof Island
Chirikof Island (russian: Остров Чирикова) is located in the Gulf of Alaska approximately southwest of Kodiak Island.
Terrain
Chirikof Island consists of of grasses and sedges. Treeless, it lies west of the western tree line in Al ...
and Sitkanak Island on 26 May 1942.[ On 27 May 1942, ''I-25'' launched a ]Yokosuka E14Y
The Yokosuka E14Y ( Allied reporting name Glen) was an Imperial Japanese Navy reconnaissance seaplane transported aboard and launched from Japanese submarine aircraft carriers such as the during World War II. The Japanese Navy designation was ...
1 (Allied reporting name "Glen") floatplane for a reconnaissance flight over Dutch Harbor, and ''I-26'', which had no aircraft embarked, stood by to recover the aircraft in case ''I-25'' was unable to.[
After the floatplane returned safely to ''I-25'', ''I-26'' proceeded to her patrol area off Seattle, which she reached on 31 May 1942.][ On the afternoon of 7 June 1942, she was southwest of ]Cape Flattery
Cape Flattery () is the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States. It is in Clallam County, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca joins the Pacific Ocean. It is also part of the Makah Reservation, and ...
, Washington, when she fired a Type 89 torpedo at the 3,286- gross register ton cargo ship — which had departed Port Angeles
Port Angeles ( ) is a city and county seat of Clallam County, Washington, United States. With a population of 19,960 as of the 2020 census, it is the largest city in the county. The population was estimated at 20,134 in 2021.
The city's har ...
, Washington, that day bound for San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, with a cargo of 1,250 tons of newsprint — as she left the Strait of Juan de Fuca.[Webber (1975), pp. 18-19] The torpedo hit ''Coast Trader'' in her starboard side, and she sank by the stern in 40 minutes at , the first American ship sunk off the coast of Washington during World War II.[ One crewman died of exposure before the remainder were rescued over the following two days by the ]fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
schooner ''Virginia I'' and the Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...
corvette .[ Apparently reluctant to acknowledge Japanese submarine activity off the U.S. West Coast at the same time that American shipping was suffering heavy losses at the hands of ]German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
submarines off the United States East Coast
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the North Atlantic Ocean. The eastern seaboard contains the coa ...
in what the German submarine crews called the " Second Happy Time,"[ a U.S. Navy board of inquiry officially attributed the sinking of ''Coast Trader'' to "an internal explosion."][
At 22:17 on 20 June 1942, ''I-26'' surfaced either (according to different sources) off the west coast of ]Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...
in British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, and shelled the Hesquiat radio-direction-finding (RDF) installation at Estevan Point
Estevan Point is a lighthouse located on the headland of the same name on the Hesquiat Peninsula on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada.
During World War II, in 1942, the Estevan Point lighthouse was fired upon by the Japanese submarine ...
with her deck gun
A deck gun is a type of naval artillery mounted on the deck of a submarine. Most submarine deck guns were open, with or without a shield; however, a few larger submarines placed these guns in a turret.
The main deck gun was a dual-purpose ...
. In the first attack on Canadian soil since the Fenian raids in 1870,[ she fired seventeen rounds — two exercise rounds filled with ]sand
Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class o ...
and 15 live shells — in rough seas and limited visibility, scoring no hits.[ Most of the shells fell short of the Estevan Point lighthouse or exploded near it;][ one unexploded shell was recovered in the aftermath of the attack and another in June 1973.][''I-26'' then headed west and turned north toward Unimak Pass in the Aleutian Islands, and five Royal Canadian Navy ships and a ]Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
Supermarine Stranraer
The Supermarine Stranraer is a flying boat designed and built by the British Supermarine Aviation Works company at Woolston, Southampton. It was developed during the 1930s on behalf of its principal operator, the Royal Air Force (RAF). It wa ...
flying boat sent to search for her failed to find her.[ Despite its lack of success, the shelling — which some local eyewitnesses mistakenly attributed to two cruisers][ — had a disproportionate effect on coastal shipping, as all lighthouses along the west coast of North America subsequently were extinguished to prevent their use for navigation by enemy vessels.
On 30 June 1942, ''I-26'' departed her patrol area, and she was reassigned to the Advance Force that day.][ She returned to Yokosuka on 7 July 1942.][
]
July–August 1942
While ''I-26'' was in Japan, Submarine Division 4 was deactivated on 10 August 1942, and ''I-26'' was reassigned to Submarine Division 2 in Submarine Squadron 1 in the 6th Fleet.[ On 15 August 1942, she departed Yokosuka in company with the submarines ''I-9'', ''I-15'', ''I-17'' and ''I-19'' bound for ]Truk Atoll
Chuuk Lagoon, previously Truk Atoll, is an atoll in the central Pacific. It lies about northeast of New Guinea, and is part of Chuuk State within the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). A protective reef, around, encloses a natural harbo ...
in the Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands (or the Carolines) are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically, they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in the ce ...
,[ which she reached on 21 August 1942.][
]
Guadalcanal campaign
Third war patrol
The Guadalcanal campaign had begun on 7 August 1942 with United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
landings on Guadalcanal 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 ...
, and soon after arriving at Truk, ''I-26'' got back underway for her third war patrol to support Japanese forces on Guadalcanal.[ Ordered to operate as part of a submarine picket line, she arrived in her patrol area southeast of the Solomon Islands on 23 August 1942 and thereafter operated on the surface only in darkness.][ The ]Battle of the Eastern Solomons
The naval Battle of the Eastern Solomons (also known as the Battle of the Stewart Islands and, in Japanese sources, as the Second Battle of the Solomon Sea) took place on 24–25 August 1942, and was the third carrier battle of the Pacific cam ...
took place on 24 and 25 August 1942, and on 25 August 1942 she briefly sighted what she identified as an Allied task force consisting of an aircraft carrier and 10 destroyers at 16:00, then sighted what she identified as another Allied task force consisting of an aircraft carrier and a 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 ...
in the same area at 20:00.[ She made another sighting at 00:20 on 26 August, this time of a task force which she reported as including one aircraft carrier, two battleships, three cruisers, and several destroyers.][ At 02:40 on 30 August 1942, she sighted a task force which she reported either as including one aircraft carrier, one battleship, and several destroyers or one battleship, one cruiser, and several destroyers.][
''I-26'' was on the surface recharging her batteries northwest of ]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 ...
after midnight on 31 August 1942 when she sighted several distant lights.[ After her commanding officer identified the lights as belonging to a U.S. Navy task force, she submerged to .][ Meanwhile, the battleship had detected ''I-26'' on ]radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
at 03:30 and the destroyer was detached from the task force to investigate, but she lost contact with the submarine.[
After about three hours, ''I-26'' surfaced and began a search for the task force, but did not find it.][ Just as she began to head back for her patrol area east of San Cristobal in the southeastern Solomon Islands,][ one of her lookouts using her night binoculars sighted a ship resembling a large tanker at a range of .][ Her commanding officer identified the ship as a " ''Saratoga''-class" aircraft carrier.][ It was, in fact, the aircraft carrier .][ ''I-26'' submerged to ]periscope depth
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 ...
and began an approach, but she was making only and could not achieve an attack position until the U.S. task force changed course toward her, reaching a point only from ''I-26'' and in a position for ''I-26'' to launch a torpedo salvo at ''Saratoga''′s starboard side.[ However, a mistake by torpedomen in setting up one of the torpedoes prevented an attack.][
At 07:46, ''I-26'' returned to periscope depth and found herself alongside the destroyer .][ She fired a six-torpedo spread at ''Saratoga'' and submerged to .][ ''Saratoga'' went to full speed and began an evasive turn.][ One torpedo suffered a steering malfunction and broached and four others missed, but one hit ''Saratoga'' on her starboard side aft at 07:48 at , flooding one of her ]fire room
On a ship, the fire room, or FR or boiler room or stokehold, referred to the space, or spaces, of a vessel where water was brought to a boil. The steam was then transmitted to a separate engine room, often (but not always) located immediately aft, ...
s.[ The damage forced ''Saratoga'' to fly off her aircraft to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal and make for Tongatabu, Fiji, for temporary repairs and then ]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 ...
, Hawaii, for further repairs.[ Meanwhile, ''MacDonough'' and the destroyer gained sound contact on ''I-26'' and dropped depth charges.][ After they departed, the destroyer remained on the scene and made several more unsuccessful depth charge attacks.][ The three destroyers mistakenly claimed sinking a submarine,][ but ''I-26'' escaped.
At 09:30 on 13 September 1942, a ]Yokohama Air Group
was an aircraft and airbase garrison unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during the Pacific campaign of World War II.
History
The Yokohama Air Group was formed in Yokohama, Japan on October 1, 1936 as a patrol unit equipped with si ...
Kawanishi H8K (Allied reporting name "Emily") flying boat reported an Allied task force south-southeast of 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 ...
in the Solomon Islands, and ''I-26'' along with ''I-9'', ''I-15'', ''I-17'', ''I-21'', and the submarines , , and received orders to form a patrol line in the area.[ On 15 September, ''I-26'' was reassigned to the 2nd Picket Unit,][ and on 25 September 1942 she concluded her patrol with her return to Truk,][ where she underwent repairs.][
]
October 1942
On 5 October 1942, ''I-26'' departed Truk in company with ''I-15'' and ''I-19'', ordered to recharge the batteries of midget submarine
A midget submarine (also called a mini submarine) is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to six or nine, with little or no on-board living accommodation. They normally work with mother ships, ...
s from the seaplane carrier
A seaplane tender is a boat or ship that supports the operation of seaplanes. Some of these vessels, known as seaplane carriers, could not only carry seaplanes but also provided all the facilities needed for their operation; these ships are rega ...
off Cape Esperance
Cape Esperance () is the northernmost point on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
History
The Battle of Cape Esperance, one of several naval engagements fought in the waters north of the island during the World War II Guadalcanal campaign, took its ...
on the northwestern tip of Guadalcanal, then proceed to the Indispensable Reefs
The Indispensable Reefs are a chain of three large coral atolls in the Coral Sea. They are located about south of Rennell Island, separated from it by Rennel Trough. The chain stretches over a length of and its average width is .
Administrat ...
south of San Cristobal to relieve ''I-15'' on duty refueling floatplanes there.[ On 11 October 1942,''I-26'' was on the surface southwest of Guadalcanal at 22:26 when she sighted what she identified as an American cruiser heading north.][ She submerged to begin an approach but could not achieve an attack position.][ She surfaced at 23:41 and transmitted a report of her sighting to Truk, but a delay in decoding it there prevented it from reaching Rear Admiral ]Aritomo Gotō
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
Early career
Gotō was born in Ibaraki prefecture in 1888. He graduated from the 38th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1910, ranked 30th out of a class of 149 ca ...
— steaming toward Guadalcanal to bombard Henderson Field — in time to warn him of approaching enemy ships, and his force was surprised and defeated by a task force under Rear Admiral Norman Scott in the Battle of Cape Esperance
The Battle of Cape Esperance, also known as the Second Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the , took place on 11–12 October 1942, in the Pacific campaign of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and United States Na ...
that night.[
''I-26'' arrived at the Indispensable Reefs on 18 October 1942 to relieve ''I-15'' on aircraft refueling duties. Two ]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") floatplanes arrived early that morning.[ After one of them departed, an enemy patrol plane flew over the ]reef
A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral or similar relatively stable material, lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic processes— deposition of sand, wave erosion planing down rock o ...
, and the second E13A1 took off immediately.[ Meanwhile, ''I-26'' crash-dived and struck the reef, damaging her three lower ]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.[ She nonetheless continued her operations at Indispensable Reef. Early on the morning of 22 October, she refueled three E13A1 floatplanes, one of which later sighted the battleship ''North Carolina''.][ On 23 October, she refueled an E13A1 which later located an Allied ]convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
.[ A U.S. Army Air Forces B-17 Flying Fortress bomber overflew the reef on 25 October, forcing her to crash-dive and preventing her from refueling aircraft that day,][ and on 26 October 1942, she departed the Indispensable Reefs, relieved of her refueling duties by the submarine .][ She proceeded to Rabaul on New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago, which she reached before the end of October.][
]
Fourth war patrol
In November 1942, ''I-26'' got underway from Rabaul and proceeded to the Japanese anchorage in the Shortland Islands
The Shortland Islands is an archipelago of Western Province, Solomon Islands, at . The island group lies in the extreme north-west of the country's territory, close to the south-east edge of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea.
The largest isl ...
,[ then departed the Shortlands to begin her fourth war patrol, ordered to operate between Guadalcanal and San Cristobal.][ In the predawn hours of 13 November 1942, Japanese and American surface forces fought the ]First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, sometimes referred to as the Third and Fourth Battles of Savo Island, the Battle of the Solomons, the Battle of Friday the 13th, or, in Japanese sources, the , took place from 12 to 15 November 1942, and was t ...
(known to the Japanese as the "Third Battle of the Solomon Sea") in Ironbottom Sound
"Ironbottom Sound" (alternatively Iron Bottom Sound or Ironbottomed Sound or Iron Bottom Bay) is the name given by Allied sailors to the stretch of water at the southern end of The Slot between Guadalcanal, Savo Island, and Florida Island of ...
north of Guadalcanal.[ In the battle′s aftermath, the submerged ''I-26'' encountered U.S. ships retiring after the action and sighted the heavy cruiser at 11:01 on 13 November.][ She fired torpedoes from her three undamaged forward torpedo tubes.][ All three missed ''San Francisco'', but one of them passed close to 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 ...
and one struck the badly damaged light cruiser .[ The torpedo set off ''Juneau''’s magazine, breaking her in half, and she sank in about 20 seconds at , killing all but 115 of her crew of 600 men.][ By the time a search-and-rescue found and rescued the survivors eight days later, only 10 men had survived.][History.navy.mil]
''Juneau''
The five Sullivan brothers
The five Sullivan brothers were World War II sailor brothers of Irish American descent who, serving together on the light cruiser , were all killed in action during and shortly after its sinking around November 13, 1942.
The five brothers, ...
were among the dead.[
On 14 November 1942, ''I-26'' sighted what she identified as two destroyers, but at 06:54 the arrival of an Allied patrol plane forced her to dive and break contact.][ Later on 14 November, an American destroyer, probably pursued her briefly, but she escaped.][ She concluded her patrol with her arrival at Truk on either 29][ or 30][ November 1942, according to different sources, where her claim for sinking ''Juneau'' was not confirmed because the Japanese lacked information on ''Juneau''′s identity.][
]
December 1942–January 1943
''I-26'' departed Truk on 3 December 1942[ and set course for Yokosuka, which she reached on 9 December 1942.][ She underwent repairs at Yokosuka,][ and after their completion got back underway on 15 January 1943 to return to Truk.][ She arrived there on 20 January 1943][ and — in accordance with orders by Admiral Yamamoto to the 6th Fleet commander, 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 ...
, in November 1942 to conduct supply runs to Guadalcanal using submarines[ — was fitted with a mount for a supply container on her afterdeck.][
''I-26'' was assigned to Submarine Force B on 23 January 1943, and she departed Truk that day on her first supply run, carrying a self-propelled ''Tokugata-Unkato'' supply container][ — a craft converted from a Type A ''Kō-hyōteki''-class midget submarine fitted with an elevated conning tower][ — bound for Guadalcanal. She arrived off Cape Esperance at the northwest tip of Guadalcanal on 28 January 1943 and pointed her stern directly at the coast to aid the container′s pilot in reaching shore.][ After launching the container, she submerged and withdrew, and when two Allied ]patrol vessel
A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and the ...
s arrived on the scene 30 minutes later they did not detect her.[
''I-26'' proceeded to the waters north of ]Rennell Island
Rennell Island, locally known as Mugaba, is the main island of two inhabited islands that make up the Rennell and Bellona Province in the nation state of Solomon Islands. Rennell Island has a land area of that is about long and wide. It is t ...
.[ The Japanese began to evacuate their forces from Guadalcanal in Operation Ke on 31 January 1943.][ On 2 February 1943 ''I-26'' was among submarines ordered to intercept a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier force reported to be southeast of Rennell Island.][ None of the submarines found the reported aircraft carriers,][ but ''I-26'' sighted an Allied destroyer on 3 February 1943.][ On 8 February 1943, Japanese aircraft reported U.S. Navy forces southeast of Rennell Island, and ''I-26'' again was among the submarines ordered to intercept them.][ Although and another Japanese submarine attacked the U.S. force, the other submarines did not make contact with it, and ''I-26'' and the other submarines in the area except for and ''I-17'' received orders to return to Truk.][ The Japanese completed the evacuation of Guadalcanal on 9 February 1943,][ bringing the six-month Guadalcaal campaign to an end, and ''I-26'' returned to Truk on 11 February 1943.][
]
Fifth war patrol
On 25 February 1943, Admiral Yamamoto ordered ''I-26'' and the submarine to conduct anti-shipping operations off the east coast of Australia in the Sydney area.[ Accordingly, ''I-26'' put to sea from Truk on 1 March 1943 to proceed to that area.][ During the ]Battle of the Bismarck Sea
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea (2–4 March 1943) took place in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) during World War II when aircraft of the U.S. Fifth Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) attacked a Japanese convoy carrying troop ...
of 2–4 March 1943, U.S. Army Air Forces and Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF) aircraft attacked a Japanese convoy of eight transports and cargo ships carrying the Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
′s 51st Divisionin the Bismarck Sea
The Bismarck Sea (, ) lies in the southwestern Pacific Ocean within the nation of Papua New Guinea. It is located northeast of the island of New Guinea and south of the Bismarck Archipelago. It has coastlines in districts of the Islands Regi ...
between New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...
and the Bismarck Archipelago, sinking all eight of them as well as four of their eight escorting destroyers.[ ''I-26'' interrupted her voyage to take part in rescue operations in the battle′s aftermath. She rescued 20 Japanese soldiers from a collapsible ]lifeboat
Lifeboat may refer to:
Rescue vessels
* Lifeboat (shipboard), a small craft aboard a ship to allow for emergency escape
* Lifeboat (rescue), a boat designed for sea rescues
* Airborne lifeboat, an air-dropped boat used to save downed airmen
...
on 6 March and put them ashore at Lae
Lae () is the capital of Morobe Province and is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located near the delta of the Markham River and at the start of the Highlands Highway, which is the main land transport corridor between the Highl ...
, New Guinea, on 7 March, then returned to the Bismarck Sea.[ She rescued another 54 soldiers marooned on an uncharted ]coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and ...
island west of 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 ...
on 8 March and dropped them off at Lae on 9 March.[ She then resumed her voyage to her patrol area.][
On 28 March 1943, an ]Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCA ...
of the RAAF′s No. 71 Squadron sighted a submarine — probably ''I-26'' — on the surface off Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
, Australia.[ The submarine opened automatic weapons fire on the Anson before the aircraft lost sight of it.][ The Anson turned on its ]landing lights
Landing lights are lights, mounted on aircraft, that illuminate the terrain and runway ahead during takeoff and landing, as well as being used as a collision avoidance measure against other aircraft and bird strikes.
Overview
Almost all moder ...
in attempt to trick the submarine into opening fire again and revealing its position, but could not regain contact with the submarine.[
''I-26'' was in the ]Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea ( Māori: ''Te Tai-o-Rēhua'', ) is a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between Australia and New Zealand. It measures about across and about from north to south. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer ...
southeast of Cape Howe
Cape Howe is a coastal headland in eastern Australia, forming the south-eastern end of the Black-Allan Line, a portion of the border between New South Wales and Victoria.
History
Cape Howe was named by Captain Cook when he passed it on 20 A ...
, Australia, when she fired three torpedoes at Convoy Q.C. 86 on 11 April 1943.[ One hit the Yugoslavian 4,732-gross register ton armed cargo steamer — which was making a voyage under ]Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...
charter from Whyalla
Whyalla was founded as "Hummocks Hill", and was known by that name until 1916. It is the fourth most populous city in the Australian state of South Australia after Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Gawler and along with Port Pirie and Port Augusta i ...
, South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, to Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
, New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, with a cargo of iron ore — in her starboard side at 14:01.[ ''Recina'' sank in less than a minute at with the loss of 32 lives.][ The ]Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
sloop-of-war attacked ''I-26'' with seven depth charges, and the Australian corvettes and joined in the search for ''I-26'' but failed to locate her.[ ''Moresby'' rescued ''Recina''′s 10 survivors.][
After 19:00 on 24 April 1943, ''I-26'' fired three torpedoes at the Australian 2,125-gross register ton armed cargo ship in the Coral Sea northeast of ]Sandy Cape
Sandy Cape (also known by the Indigenous name of Woakoh) is the most northern point on Fraser Island (also known as K'gari and Gari) off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The place was named ''Sandy Cape'' for its appearance by James Cook du ...
at the northern tip of Fraser Island
Fraser Island ( Butchulla: ) is a World Heritage-listed island along the south-eastern coast in the Wide Bay–Burnett region, Queensland, Australia. The island is approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane, and is within the Fras ...
off the coast of Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
, Australia.[ One torpedo hit ''Kowarra'', which was on a voyage from Bowen, Queensland, to Brisbane with a cargo of sugar, and triggered a ]boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which fluid (generally water) is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including water heating, centr ...
explosion, causing her to break in two and sink within 45 seconds at with the loss of 21 lives.[ The U.S. Navy submarine chaser rescued her 11 survivors.][ ''I-26'' concluded her patrol with her arrival at Truk on 10 May 1943.][
]
Sixth war patrol
''I-26'' began her sixth war patrol on 14 June 1943 with her departure from Truk to raid shipping in the Fiji area and divert Allied attention from Japanese activities elsewhere.[ As she approached an Allied convoy southwest of Suva, Fiji, on 25 June 1943, a ]Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and p ...
patrol bomber of the Royal New Zealand Air Force′s No. 4 Squadron attacked her, dropping four depth charges.[ The aircraft′s crew reporting seeing oil on the ocean′s surface three minutes later, but ''I-26'' suffered little damage.][ She returned to Truk on 7 August 1943.][
]
August–November 1943
''I-26'' departed Truk in August 1943[ and proceeded to Yokosuka, where she arrived on 23 August.][ During her stay in Yokosuka, she underwent repairs and an overhaul,][ and on 18 September 1943 she received a new commanding officer, ]Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding ran ...
Toshio Kusaka.[ On 1 November 1943 she was reassigned to Submarine Squadron 8, an element of the 6th Fleet based at Penang in Japanese-occupied British Malaya.][ She departed Yokosuka on 21][ or 22][ November 1943, according to different sources, and set course for Penang, which she reached probably in early December 1943.][
]
Indian Ocean operations
Seventh war patrol
On 4 December 1943, ''I-26'' set out from Penang on her seventh war patrol, ordered to refuel a flying boat conducting a reconnaissance flight, land Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
spies in India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, and raid shipping 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 ...
.[ She arrived at the ]Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
on 8 December to rendezvous with the flying boat, a Kawanishi H8K (Allied reporting name "Emily") of the 851st Naval Air Group ordered to reconnoiter the harbors at Goa
Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
in Portuguese India and Cochin
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
in British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
.[ The H8K arrived at 17:00 on 16 December 1943.][ The weather deteriorated as ''I-26'' refueled it, and when it attempted to take off at sunset it damaged one of its floats and crashed.][ ''I-26'' rescued its entire crew of 10 and sank its wreck with 25-millimeter gunfire.][
''I-26'' got back underway and headed into the ]Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
.[ On 21 December 1943, she landed 10 Indian revolutionaries of the '' Hikari Kikan'' ]espionage
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...
office on the Indian coast near Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
so that they could contribute to an anti-British insurgency
An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion against authority waged by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare from primarily rural base areas. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric nature: small irr ...
.[ She then turned her attention to anti-shipping operations. On 28 December 1943, she fired three torpedoes at the American 7,176-gross register ton ]Liberty ship
Liberty ships were a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Though British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost construction. Ma ...
at .[ ''Robert F. Hoke'', which was making a voyage from Abadan, ]Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, to Mombasa
Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...
, British East Africa
East Africa Protectorate (also known as British East Africa) was an area in the African Great Lakes occupying roughly the same terrain as present-day Kenya from the Indian Ocean inland to the border with Uganda in the west. Controlled by Bri ...
, took a torpedo hit in her No. 4 hold
Hold may refer to:
Physical spaces
* Hold (ship), interior cargo space
* Baggage hold, cargo space on an airplane
* Stronghold, a castle or other fortified place
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Hold (musical term), a pause, also called a Ferm ...
.[ A ]Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
crash boat
Crash Rescue Boat is a name used in the United States to describe military high-speed offshore rescue boats, similar in size and performance to motor torpedo boats, used to rescue pilots and aircrews of crashed aircraft. During World War II th ...
rescued everyone aboard ''Robert F. Hoke'', which remained afloat.[ She was towed to Aden and then to ]Suez
Suez ( ar, السويس '; ) is a seaport city (population of about 750,000 ) in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez (a branch of the Red Sea), near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same bou ...
, Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
, where she was declared a total loss
In insurance claims, a total loss or write-off is a situation where the lost value, repair cost or salvage cost of a damaged property exceeds its insured value, and simply replacing the old property with a new equivalent is more cost-effect ...
and hulked.[
On 31 December 1943, ''I-26'' fired three torpedoes at the British 8,054-gross register ton ]motor
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power g ...
tanker in the Arabian Sea off Karachi, one of which hit her at .[ ''Tornus'' took a ]list
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
to port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
, but her crew used counterflooding to correct it.[ ''I-26'' fired two more torpedoes at her but failed to sink her.][ ''Tornus''′s captain later received the ]Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
for displaying great courage and determination in saving his ship.[
In the Arabian Sea just outside the Gulf of Oman on 2 January 1944, ''I-26'' attacked the 7,176-gross register ton Liberty ship .][ She fired four torpedoes, most of which missed, then surfaced and opened gunfire on ''Albert Gallatin''.][ As ''Albert Gallatin'' began to sink, a Royal Air Force ]Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...
aircraft arrived on the scene and dropped four bombs
A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechanic ...
on ''I-26'', inflicting minor damage on her.[ ''Albert Gallatin'' subsequently sank off the coast of the Arabian Peninsula at .][ The Norwegian tanker ''Britannia'' rescued her crew.][ ''I-26'' concluded her patrol on 15 January 1944 with her arrival at Singapore, where she underwent repairs.]