Japanese submarine I-168 facts for kids
I-68 in March 1934.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Empire of Japan |
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| Name | I-68 |
| Builder | Kure Naval Arsenal, Kure, Japan |
| Laid down | 18 June 1931 |
| Launched | 26 June 1933 |
| Commissioned | 31 July 1934 |
| Decommissioned | 15 December 1938 |
| Recommissioned | 1 May 1939 |
| Decommissioned | 19 October 1940 |
| Recommissioned | 25 July 1941 |
| Renamed | I-168 on 20 May 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk 27 July 1943 |
| Stricken | 15 October 1943 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | KD6 Kaidai-type submarine |
| Displacement | 1,400 (1,785 maximum) tons surface, 2,440 tons submerged |
| Length | 322 ft 10 in (98.40 m) |
| Beam | 26 ft 11 in (8.20 m) |
| Draught | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
| Propulsion | Twin shaft Kampon 9,000 bhp (6,700 kW) two-stroke diesel engines |
| Speed | 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) diesel/8.2 knots (15.2 km/h; 9.4 mph) electric |
| Range | 14,000 nmi (26,000 km; 16,000 mi) |
| Test depth | 230 ft (70 m) |
| Complement | 60–84 |
| Armament |
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The I-68, later known as I-168, was a special type of submarine called a Kaidai-class cruiser submarine. It was built for the Imperial Japanese Navy and started service in 1934. This submarine played a big role in World War II.
The I-168 helped with the attack on Pearl Harbor. It also fought in important battles like the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal campaign, and the Aleutian Islands campaign. It was sunk in 1943. The submarine is most famous for its actions during the Battle of Midway. Under the command of Lieutenant Commander Yahachi Tanabe, it sank the only two United States Navy warships lost in that battle: the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5) and the destroyer USS Hammann (DD-412).
Contents
Building and Joining the Fleet
The I-68 was built by the Kure Naval Arsenal in Kure, Japan. Its construction began on 18 June 1931. It was launched into the water on 26 June 1933. The submarine was officially ready for service on 31 July 1934.
Submarine Service History
Early Years: 1934–1941
After joining the navy, I-68 became part of the Kure Naval District. On 8 October 1934, it joined Submarine Division 12 along with its sister ship I-69.
On 15 November 1935, Submarine Division 12 joined Submarine Squadron 2. This squadron was part of the 2nd Fleet, which belonged to the Combined Fleet. The I-68 went on training trips off China in 1936. On 15 December 1938, the submarine was put into the Third Reserve. This meant it was not actively used.
The I-68 returned to active service on 1 May 1939. On 11 October 1940, it took part in a huge fleet review in Yokohama Bay. This was the largest fleet review in Japanese history. It celebrated the 2,600th anniversary of Japan's first emperor, Emperor Jimmu.
The submarine was again taken out of active service on 19 October 1940. It returned to duty on 25 July 1941. By November 1941, Submarine Squadron 3 was part of the 6th Fleet's Advance Force. On 11 November 1941, Vice Admiral Mitsumi Shimizu told submarine commanders about Operation Z. This was the secret plan for the attack on Pearl Harbor. This attack would start the Pacific War and bring Japan and the United States into World War II.
The I-68 left Japan on 11 November 1941 with other submarines. They sailed to Kwajalein Atoll, arriving on 20 November 1941. On 23 November 1941, I-68 left Kwajalein for the Hawaiian Islands. On 2 December 1941, it received a message meaning war with the Allies would begin on 8 December 1941, Japan time. This was 7 December 1941 in Hawaii.
World War II Begins
First Patrol: Attack on Pearl Harbor
By 7 December 1941, I-68 and other submarines were south of Oahu. Their orders were to attack any ships leaving Pearl Harbor. On 8 December, I-68 was told to rescue crews from midget submarines that took part in the attack. However, no midget submarines returned.
Starting on 13 December 1941, I-68 faced 21 depth-charge attacks. The last attack damaged its batteries and flooded its rear torpedo tubes. Its commander, Lieutenant Commander Otoji Nakamura, decided to end the patrol. The submarine returned to Kwajalein on 28 December 1941.
January–May 1942
After some repairs at Kwajalein, I-68 sailed to Kure, Japan. It arrived on 9 January 1942 for more repairs. On 17 January 1942, Nakamura met with Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. He told Yamamoto about the depth-charge attacks in Hawaii. On 31 January 1942, Lieutenant Commander Yahachi Tanabe took command of I-68. On 20 May 1942, the submarine was renamed I-168.
Second Patrol: Battle of Midway
The I-168 was chosen to support Operation MI, the Japanese plan to invade Midway Atoll. It was one of 13 submarines in the Advance Expeditionary Force. After repairs, it left Kure, Japan, on 23 May 1942. It headed for Kure Atoll, near Midway. On 31 May 1942, it checked out Kure Atoll.
On 1 or 2 June 1942, I-168 arrived off Midway. For three days, it watched Midway. It reported "unusually frequent patrol aircraft launches." This showed that Midway's forces knew about the coming Japanese attack. On 2 June, it looked at Midway's Sand Island through its periscope. On 3 and 4 June, it circled Midway, sending weather reports to the Combined Fleet.
American aircraft carriers had already passed the Japanese submarine patrol line. So, most Japanese submarines did not find American forces before the Battle of Midway began on 4 June 1942. I-168 watched the Japanese airstrike on Midway. Later that morning, U.S. Navy planes badly damaged Japanese aircraft carriers. Hiryū launched a strike that damaged the American carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5).
Yamamoto ordered I-168 to attack Midway's Eastern Island airfield. It was to do this until Japanese heavy cruisers could take over. I-168 surfaced near Eastern Island at 21:54 on 4 June. At 01:24 on 5 June 1942, it fired six rounds from its deck gun. It caused no damage. United States Marine Corps searchlights and coastal artillery fire forced it to dive. The Japanese then canceled the heavy cruiser attack.
On the morning of 5 June 1942, Japanese planes found the damaged Yorktown. I-168 was ordered to find and sink Yorktown. It avoided an attack by a U.S. Navy PBY Catalina flying boat. It then headed towards Yorktown.
I-168s lookouts saw Yorktown at 04:10 on 6 June 1942. At 05:30, they saw the destroyer USS Hammann (DD-412) tied to Yorktowns side. Hammann was helping to fight fires and save the carrier. Yorktown was being towed by the fleet tug USS Vireo. I-168 saw other destroyers circling at 06:00 and dove underwater. It moved slowly to get close to Yorktown.
I-168 was not detected. It fired four torpedoes at 13:30 or 13:31. The first torpedo hit Hammann, which sank four minutes later. 81 of its crew died when its depth charges exploded. The second and third torpedoes hit Yorktown's side. The fourth torpedo missed.
After the hits, I-168 went down to 200 feet (61 m) directly under Yorktown. American destroyers began to attack at 13:36. They dropped many depth charges. At 15:30, a depth charge damaged I-168's front. Lights went out, and water flooded parts of the submarine. Its battery cells were badly damaged. The crew had to wear gas masks because of chlorine gas danger. They moved rice sacks to the back to balance the submarine.
With its batteries almost dead, I-168 surfaced at 16:40. It saw three American destroyers about 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) away. They did not see I-168. The submarine sped west at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) to charge its batteries and air out its inside. Tanabe reported to the Combined Fleet that he had sunk Yorktown. After some repairs, I-168 dove again and escaped the destroyers. It surfaced again at 20:00. It had survived 40 depth charges over 13 hours.
I-168 slowly returned to Japan, using only two engines. It arrived at Yokosuka, Japan, on 19 June 1942. After getting fuel, it went to Kure, Japan, arriving the same day. A large crowd greeted it in Kure. I-168 then moved to Sasebo for repairs.
Yorktown finally sank on the morning of 7 June 1942. I-168 was one of only two Japanese submarines to find enemy forces at Midway. It was the only one to cause damage. It sank the only two ships the U.S. Navy lost in the battle. At that time, Yorktown was the largest ship sunk by a submarine in the Pacific War.
Guadalcanal Campaign Support
While I-168 was being repaired, the Guadalcanal campaign began on 7 August 1942. United States Marine Corps landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. After repairs, I-168 left Sasebo on 31 August 1942. It went to the Japanese base at Truk Atoll to help Japanese forces.
I-168 arrived at Kure, Japan, on 18 November 1942 for more repairs. After these were done, it left Kure on 15 December 1942 for Truk. It reached Truk on 22 December 1942. It then went to the Shortland Islands. From there, it carried 15 tons of supplies for Japanese forces on Guadalcanal. It arrived at Guadalcanal on 1 January 1943. It unloaded 60 percent of its cargo. Then, two Allied patrol boats forced it to leave. It returned to the Shortlands. It stopped at Truk from 7 to 8 January. Then it went to Kure, Japan, arriving on 14 January 1943 for repairs.
Aleutian Islands Campaign Support
While at Kure, I-168 was sent to help Japanese forces on Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands. This was during the Aleutian Islands campaign. It left Kure on 22 February 1943. It stopped at Yokosuka from 25 February to 5 March 1943. Then it went to Paramushiro in the northern Kuril Islands, arriving on 10 March 1943.
On 13 March 1943, I-168 left Paramushiro. It was carrying ammunition for Attu and Kiska. It arrived at Holtz Bay on Attu on 15 March. It unloaded some cargo and then left for Kiska. While on the surface, the U.S. submarine USS S-32 fired three torpedoes at it. All three torpedoes missed.
I-168 arrived at Kiska on 17 March 1943. It unloaded the rest of its ammunition and 6 tons of food. It then went on patrol south of Amchitka. The patrol was quiet. On 1 April 1943, I-168 returned to Kiska. It took on sick soldiers and air group staff. Then it headed for Paramushiro, arriving on 4 April 1943.
I-168 left Paramushiro again on 10 April 1943. It carried ammunition and mail to Attu and Kiska. It stopped at Attu on 12 April. It called at Attu again from 14 to 16 April 1943. It took on several staff officers. Then it headed for Kiska, reaching it on 19 April 1943. After unloading, it went to Japan. It arrived at Yokosuka on 9 May 1943. It rejoined Submarine Squadron 3 that day.
Final Months: May–July 1943
I-168 was repaired at Yokosuka. After repairs, it left Kure on 12 July 1943. It stopped at Truk from 22 to 25 July. Then it sailed for Rabaul on New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago. At dusk on 27 July 1943, it sent a routine report from the Isabel Strait. The Japanese never heard from it again.
Loss of the I-168
At dusk on 27 July 1943, I-168 saw the U.S. submarine USS Scamp (SS-277) on the surface. This was in the Steffen Strait near New Hanover Island. I-168 fired a torpedo at Scamp. Scamp saw the torpedo coming. It sped up and quickly dove underwater to 220 feet (67 m). After the Japanese torpedo passed, Scamp rose to periscope depth. It saw I-168 on the surface.
Scamp fired four torpedoes at I-168 at 18:12. These torpedoes sank I-168 in the Bismarck Sea. This happened about 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) off New Hanover Island. All 97 men on board were lost.
On 10 September 1943, the Imperial Japanese Navy said I-168 was lost. They believed it sank north of Rabaul. The Japanese officially removed it from the navy list on 15 October 1943.
ko:카이다이형 잠수함
