Japanese submarine I-70 facts for kids
I-65, similar to I-70, in 1932.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Empire of Japan |
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| Name | I-70 |
| Builder | Sasebo Naval Arsenal, Sasebo, Japan |
| Laid down | 25 January 1933 |
| Launched | 14 June 1934 |
| Completed | 9 November 1935 |
| Commissioned | 9 November 1935 |
| Decommissioned | 15 December 1938 |
| Recommissioned | by early 1940 |
| Homeport | Kure, Japan |
| Fate | Sunk 10 December 1941 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | KD6 Type, Kadai type submarine |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 322 ft 10 in (98.4 m) |
| Beam | 26 ft 11 in (8.2 m) |
| Draught | 15 ft 0 in (4.6 m) |
| Propulsion | Twin shaft Kampon 9,000 bhp (6,711 kW)/two stroke diesels |
| Speed |
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| Range | 14,000 nmi (26,000 km; 16,000 mi) |
| Test depth | 230 ft (70 m) |
| Complement | 60–84 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | |
I-70 was a large submarine used by the Imperial Japanese Navy (Japan's navy) starting in 1935. She was a Kaidai-type cruiser submarine. She was sunk on December 10, 1941, while helping with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This happened at the very start of the Pacific War during World War II. I-70 was the first large submarine lost in the Pacific Ocean during the war.
Contents
I-70 was started on January 25, 1933, at the Sasebo Naval Arsenal in Sasebo, Japan. She was launched into the water on June 14, 1934. Vice Admiral Yonai Mitsumasa was there for the launching ceremony. He later became the Minister of the Navy and then the Prime Minister of Japan.
I-70 was finished and officially joined the navy on November 9, 1935.
Service Before World War II
On the day she joined the navy, I-70 became part of Submarine Division 12. She was the main ship, or flagship, for this division. Her division was part of Submarine Squadron 2 in the 2nd Fleet.
On April 13, 1936, I-70 left Fukuoka, Japan. She went on a training trip near China with two other submarines, I-68 and I-69. They returned to Sasebo on April 22, 1936.
Later, on August 4, 1936, the three submarines went on another training trip. This time, they sailed from Magong in the Pescadores Islands (near Taiwan) to the Amoy area off China. They came back to Magong on September 6, 1936.
Taking a Break and Upgrades
On December 15, 1938, I-70 was taken out of active service. She was placed in reserve at the Kure Naval District. On August 24, 1939, she began getting updated at the Kure Naval Arsenal in Kure, Japan. During this time, she received a better attack computer. She also got a new Type 93 passive sonar system.
Submarine Division 12 was moved to Submarine Squadron 3 on November 15, 1939.
After her updates, I-70 was back in service. She joined I-68, I-69, and other submarines for a training trip. They left Okinawa on March 27, 1940. They trained in southern Chinese waters. The six submarines arrived at Takao, Taiwan, on April 2, 1940.
On November 15, 1940, Submarine Squadron 3 was moved to the 6th Fleet.
Collision and War Plans
On January 26, 1941, I-69 took over as the flagship for Submarine Division 12. But I-70 became the flagship again on March 30, 1941.
On May 12, 1941, I-70 crashed into I-69. I-70 got a long cut in her starboard (right side) ballast tanks. This damage went almost to her conning tower. I-69 had damage to her bow (front). Both submarines went to Yokosuka, Japan, for repairs.
By November 11, 1941, Submarine Squadron 3 was part of the 6th Fleet's Advance Force. That day, the commander of the 6th Fleet, Vice Admiral Mitsumi Shimizu, met with the submarine commanders. They learned about Operation Z, the secret plan to attack Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This attack would start the Pacific War and bring Japan and the United States into World War II.
I-70 left Saeki Bay in Kyushu, Japan, on November 11, 1941. She sailed with several other submarines to Kwajalein Atoll. She arrived there on November 20, 1941.
To support Operation Z, I-70 left Kwajalein on November 23, 1941. She headed for the Hawaiian Islands. On December 2, 1941, she received a message. It said that war with the Allies would begin on December 8, 1941, Japan time. This was December 7, 1941, in Hawaii due to the International Date Line.
World War II Service
First War Patrol
I-70 and other submarines were ordered to patrol south of Oahu. Their job was to attack American ships trying to leave Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, I-70 was about 10 nautical miles (18.5 km) from the entrance to Pearl Harbor. The 6th Fleet tried to contact her that night, but she did not reply.
At 1:30 AM on December 9, 1941, I-70 reported her location. She was 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) southwest of Diamond Head. She had seen the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) arriving at Naval Station Pearl Harbor. After this report, the Japanese never heard from I-70 again.
The Loss of I-70
At 8:40 AM on December 9, 1941, another Japanese submarine, I-6, saw the American aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6). I-6 tried to attack Enterprise but had to dive deep. Several hours later, I-6 sent a report. Because of this, the 6th Fleet ordered nine submarines, including I-70, to try and find Enterprise. The Japanese thought Enterprise was heading for the West Coast of the United States.
After 6:00 AM on December 10, a U.S. Navy SBD-2 Dauntless dive bomber from Enterprise spotted I-70. The submarine was on the surface 121 nautical miles (224 km) northeast of Cape Halawa on Molokai. The bomber attacked with a 1,000-pound (450 kg) bomb. It was a near-miss, but it damaged I-70 so she could not dive.
Later that afternoon, another SBD bomber saw I-70 still on the surface in the same area. The bomber climbed to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to get ready for another attack. I-70 began to turn slowly to the right. She fired her 13.2-millimeter machine gun at the plane. The dive bomber attacked again. Its bomb landed next to I-70 in the middle of the ship. The explosion blew some of her crew overboard.
I-70 stopped moving and sank evenly into the water. This happened 45 seconds after the bomb exploded. The bomber's crew saw four men in the water. They also saw oil and foamy water on the surface, followed by more oil and ship parts.
The Sixth Fleet's headquarters could not contact I-70. They kept trying even after the other two submarines from her division returned. The Imperial Japanese Navy officially declared I-70 lost with all 93 crew members off Hawaii. On March 15, 1942, she was removed from the navy list. I-70 was the first Japanese warship sunk by U.S. aircraft during World War II. She was also the first large submarine lost in the Pacific campaign of World War II.
Images for kids
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I-65, similar to I-70, in 1932.
See also
In Spanish: I-70 para niños
