© 2001 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 1
6 December 1941: Operation "M" - The Attack on the Southern
Philippines: 9 January 1942: Operation "H" - The Invasion of the Celebes: 30 January 1942:
28 October 1927:
Completed by Kawasaki's Kobe Yard, commissioned in the IJN
as the I-22 and based in the Kure Naval District.
1 June 1938:
The I-22 is renumbered as the I-122.
1 May 1941:
Reassigned to SubDiv 13, Sixth Fleet.
15 October 1941:
LtCdr Utsuki Hidejiro is assigned as the Commanding
Officer. The I-122 is in the Third Fleet in Rear Admiral Kono Chimaki's SubRon 6
under Captain Miyazaki Takeji's (former CO of I-122 and others) SubDiv 13 with
the I-121.
November 1941:
The I-122 departs Kure for Samah, Hainan Island,
China.
1 December 1941:
SubDiv 13 departs Samah.
2 December 1941:
The coded signal "Niitakayama nobore (Climb Mt.
Niitaka) 1208" is received from the Combined Fleet. It signifies that
hostilities will commence on 8 December (Japan time). Mt. Niitaka, located in
Formosa (now Taiwan), is then the highest point in the Japanese Empire.
Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's (former CO of KIRISHIMA) Third
Fleet, Southern Force, Philippines Seizure Force departs Palau.
The I-121 and I-122 lay a minefield NE of Singapore (the I-122 lays 42
mines), then patrol the eastern entrance to Johore Strait.
11 December 1941:
Vice Admiral Takahashi's force invades Legaspi then
Davao (19-20 December) and Jolo (24 December) covered by the light carrier
RYUJO, CruDiv 5's HAGURO, MYOKO, NACHI, DesRon 2's light cruiser JINTSU and nine
destroyers and Rear Admiral Kubo Kyuji's (former CO of MIKUMA) seaplane tenders
CHITOSE, MIZUHO, light cruisers NAKA, NAGARA, five destroyers and seven
transports.
December 1941:
Arrives at Camranh Bay, Indochina.
18 December 1941:
Departs Camranh with the I-124 for Davao on
Mindanao, Philippines.
31 December 1941:
The I-122 and the I-124 arrive at Davao,
Philippines. There they are joined by SubRon 6's flagship, the 6,600-ton
submarine tender CHOGEI and the I-121 and I-123.
5 January 1942:
SubRon 6's I-122, -121, -123 and the I-124 operational
area is in the Flores Sea and the Torres Strait N of Australia. SubRon 6 departs
Davao to reconnoiter the Port Darwin area, northern Australia.
Vice Admiral
Takahashi's Netherlands East Indies Force invades Mendado and Kema (11 January),
Kendari (24 January), Ambon (30 January) and Makassar (9 February).
The I-122 lays 30 mines in the western approaches to the Torres
Strait.
After the loss of the I-124, SubRon 6's I-121 and the
I-122 arrive at Davao, Philippines.
Lt Cdr Norita
Sadatoshi assumes command.
4 February 1942:
The I-123 arrives at Davao from Australia. All three
submarines are serviced and repaired by the tender CHOGEI.
9 February 1942:
SubRon 6's mission is to protect the shipping route
between Davao and Kendari, Celebes from American submarines. SubRon 6's
operational area is in the Flores Sea and the Torres Strait N of Australia. The
I-121 and the I-122 depart Davao. The I-122 is to lay a minefield in the western
channel of the Torres Strait.
13 February 1942:
The I-122 detaches and proceeds SE. The I-121
continues south. The I-122 is to conduct picket and attack operations W of the
Torres Strait in support of the Carrier Stike Force.
19 February 1942:
At 0957 (local), Vice Admiral (Admiral,
posthumously) Nagumo Chuichi's Carrier Strike Force raids Port Darwin.
Seventy-one "Kate" attack planes, 81 "Val" dive-bombers and 36 "Zeke" fighters
led by Cdr (later Captain) Fuchida Minoru (of Pearl Harbor) from CarDiv 1's
AKAGI, and the KAGA and CarDiv 2's HIRYU and the SORYU attack Darwin. They
destroy 15 aircraft including nine American Curtiss P-40 "Kittyhawk" fighters,
sink eight ships including the destroyer USS PEARY (DD-226) and the large Army
transport GENERAL M.C. MEIGS, damage nine ships including the seaplane tender
(WW1 destroyer conversion) USS WILLIAM B. PRESTON (AVD-7). The carrier strike is
followed by a strike of 28 twin engine land-based Mitsubishi G3M2 "Nells" of the
1st Kokutai from Ambon and 27 Mitsubishi G4M1 "Bettys" of the Kanoya Kokutai
based at Kendari on Sulawesi, Celebes.
24 February 1942:
Departs the patrol area.
28 February 1942:
Arrives at Staring Bay, Celebes without contacting
any enemy ships.
9 March 1942:
The I-122, I-121, I-123 and the submarine tender CHOGEI
depart Staring Bay for Japan.
16 March 1942:
Vice Admiral, the Marquis, Komatsu Teruhisa (former CO
of CA NACHI) assumes command of the Sixth Fleet (Submarines).
21 March 1942:
Arrives at Kure for refit. The I-121's minelaying gear
is removed and additional fuel tanks are fitted.
April 1942: Operation "K-2": Flying Boat Reconnaissance of Pearl
Harbor:
The I-122 is in Vice Admiral Komatsu Teruhisa's Advance Expeditionary
Force (Sixth Fleet) with SubDiv 13's I-121 and the I-123. SubDiv 13 is assigned
to carry gas and oil to Lisianski Island and to French Frigate Shoal, Hawaii.
The K-2 operation plan calls for two H8K "Emily" flying boats to refuel at the
Shoals and then reconnoiter the naval base at Pearl Harbor prior to the Midway
Invasion.
May 1942:
SubDiv 13 completes its repairs and departs Yokosuka.
20 May 1942:
SubDiv 13 arrives at Kwajalein.
26 May 1942: Operation "MI" - The Battle of Midway:
The I-121 arrives
at the Shoal. Her CO, LtCdr Fujimori, observes an enemy seaplane tender in the
lagoon as well as patrol planes in the area. That night, Fujimori surfaces and
radios his sightings to the Sixth Fleet at Kwajalein. The Pearl Harbor
reconnaissance is cancelled. Thereafter, the I-123, I-121, I-122 are ordered to
patrol the area of Laysan Island and French Frigate Shoal.
30 May 1942:
The I-122 refuels H8K seaplanes at Lisianski Island.
4 June 1942:
The I-123, I-121, I-122 begin patrolling off the
Hawaiian Islands, then return to Yokosuka.
14 July 1942:
At Yokosuka undergoing repairs. The I-122 is reassigned
with the I-121 and the I-123 to the Eighth Fleet at Rabaul in Rear Admiral
Yoshitomi's Setsuzo's SubRon 7, under Captain Miyazaki Takeharu's SubDiv 13.
16 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
4 August 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
7 August 1942: American Operation "Watchtower" - The Invasion of
Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands:
Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond
K. Turner's Amphibious Task Force 62, covered by Vice Admiral (later Admiral)
Frank J. Fletcher's Task Force 61 and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) John S.
McCain's Task Force 63's land-based aircraft, lands Maj Gen (later
Gen/Commandant) Alexander A. Vandegrift's 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal
opening a seven-month campaign to take the island.
That same day, the I-122 and the I-121 depart Rabaul to shell and
reconnoiter Guadalcanal and Tulagi.
9 August 1942:
The I-122 and I-121 arrive at Savo Island off
Guadalcanal, but do not sight any ships. They maintain station off Savo.
23 August 1942: Operation KA: The Destruction of the American Fleet and
the Recapture of Guadalcanal:
Vice Admiral Kondo Nobutake's (former CO of
KONGO) Second Fleet, Advanced Force: CruDiv's 4 and 5, CarDiv 11's seaplane
tender CHITOSE, DesRon 4: light cruiser YURA and nine destroyers arrive off Truk
from Japan. Kondo joins Vice Admiral Nagumo Chuichi's Third Fleet, Main Body:
CarDiv 1's SHOKAKU, ZUIKAKU, CarDiv 2's RYUJO, BatDiv 11, CruDiv 7 and 8 and
Desron 10: light cruiser NAGARA and destroyers for operations in the Solomons.
24 August 1942: The Battle of the Eastern Solomons:
Vice Admiral Frank
J. Fletcher's Task Force 61: USS SARATOGA (CV-3) and the ENTERPRISE (CV-6)
launches aircraft that find and sink the light carrier RYUJO. In turn, the
SHOKAKU and the ZUIKAKU launch aircraft that find and damage the ENTERPRISE.
That evening, aircraft from the SARATOGA damage the CHITOSE.
9 September 1942:
Departs Rabaul to refuel seaplanes in the
Indispensable Strait.
15 September 1942:
The I-122 is attacked by American seaplanes; she
claims one shot down.
16 November 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
5 December 1942:
Returns to Kure for overhaul.
14 March 1943:
Departs Saeki for Rabaul.
25 March 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
27 March 1943:
Departs Rabaul to participate in ten supply missions
to Lae, New Guinea.
19 August 1943:
Departs Rabaul.
1 September 1943:
Returns to Kure. The I-122 and the I-121 are
withdrawn from combat and assigned to training duties in the Inland Sea.
1 January 1944:
The I-122 is in the Kure Naval District in the Kure
SubRon's SubDiv 18 with the I-121, -153, -154 and the I-155. Continues training
duties.
1 January 1945:
The I-122 is in the Kure Naval District in SubDiv 19
with the I-121, -155, -156, -157, -158, -159, -162 and the I-165. Continues
training duties.
10 June 1945: American Operation "Barney":
A group of nine American
submarines, including LtCdr Richard B. Lynch's USS SKATE (SS-305), use a new FM
sonar to penetrate the heavy mine fields guarding the entrance to the Tsushima
Strait.
In the morning, Lt Mihara Sosaku's I-122 departs Maizuru, Honshu for a
training area in the Sea of Japan. Lt Mihara is about to return to the Nanao
base, zigzagging at about 15 knots, but at 1120 he is sighted by the SKATE. At
1144, LtCdr Lynch fires four torpedoes at 800 yards. Two hit amidships and sink
the I-122 with all hands six miles off the old Cape Rukugo Misaki lighthouse at
37-29N, 137-25E.
15 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List
Authors' Note:
Special thanks for help in preparing this TROM go to Dr.
Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan and Steve Eckardt of Australia.– Bob Hackett and
Sander Kingsepp.
