© 2001-2010 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 4
11 May 1943: American Operation "Sandcrab"- The Invasion of Attu, Aleutians:
28 September 1935:
Kobe. 1-69 is completed at Mitsubishi's Yard and registered in the
Kure Naval District. The Equipping Officer, Cdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Miyazaki Takeji (46) , is assigned as the Commanding Officer.
1 December 1937:
LtCdr Shichinoji Tsuneo (49) assumes command.
2 February 1939:
LtCdr Iura Shojiro (51) assumes command.
24 April 1939:
LtCdr Otani Kiyonori (49)
1 September 1939:
An unknown officer assumes command.
9 January 1941:
LtCdr Inada Hiroshi (51)assumes command.
31 July 1941.
LtCdr Watanabe Katsuji (55) assumes command.
November 1941: Operation "Z":
I-69 is assigned to Vice Admiral Shimizu Mitsumi's (former CO of ISE) Advanced Expeditionary Force (Sixth Fleet)
in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Miwa Shigeyoshi's (former CO of KINU) SubRon 3 in Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Nakaoka Nobuki's (later CO of ATAGO) SubDiv 12 with I-68 and I-70.
11 November 1941:
I-69 departs Saeki with ComSubDiv 12 Captain
Nakaoka embarked on her first war patrol in company with the I-68, I-70, I-71, I-72
and I-73.
23 November 1941:
Departs Kwajalein.
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).[1]
7 December 1941: The Attack on Pearl Harbor:
I-69 and I-68 are
ordered to lay off the entrance to Pearl Harbor to rescue midget submarine
crews. At 2101 (Zulu), LtCdr Watanabe sees "a massive explosion in Pearl Harbor.
There are several explosions, followed by high columns of fire (probably a
detonating warship magazine). This must have been some capital ship sunk by the
midget submarines".
Later that night, I-69 locates a destroyer SSE of Barbers Point and
fires a torpedo at her. The destroyer probably spots the wake because she turns
away. I-69 is depth-charged.
8 December 1941:
I-69 and I-68 lay off Pearl Harbor awaiting
midget submarine crews, but none return.
9 December 1941:
S of Oahu, Hawaii. I-69 attacks a cargo ship
unsuccessfully, then is depth charged.
Barber's Point, Hawaii. I-69 entangles herself in an antisubmarine
net. LtCdr Watanabe's crew struggles for hours and finally breaks free from the
net, but damages the periscope. I-69 was submerged about 39 hours. All hopes
of rescuing shot-down aircrews are abandoned.
27 December 1941:
Returns to Kwajalein.
12 January 1942:
Departs Kwajalein on her second war patrol to
reconnoiter Midway Island.
21 January 1942:
Arrives off Midway.
9 February 1942:
I-69 shells Sand Island, Midway but is strafed
and damaged by Marine F2A Brewster "Buffaloes" of VMF 221.
17 February 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
18 February 1942:
Departs Kwajalein on her third war patrol.
20 February 1942:
Vice Admiral Wilson Brown Jr's (later President
Roosevelt's Naval Aide) Task Force 11's USS LEXINGTON (CV-2) is en route to
attack Rabaul. Brown's task force is spotted by a Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" flying
boat of the Yokohama Kokutai. Since surprise is lost, the attack is cancelled.
After the aborted raid on Rabaul, I-169 is diverted to the E of Wake
Island.
5 March 1942:
Arrives at Kure for an overhaul.
16 March 1942:
Vice Admiral, the Marquis, Komatsu Teruhisa (former CO
of CA NACHI) assumes command of the Sixth Fleet (Submarines).
15 April 1942:
I-69 departs Kure on her fourth war patrol to form
a patrol line in the Wake Island area.
9 May 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
20 May 1942:
I-69 is renumbered as I-169.
24 May 1942: Operation "MI" - The Battle of Midway:
I-169 is in Rear Admiral Kono Chimaki's SubRon 3 with I-168, I-171, I-174 and I-175 (the "A" group). SubRon 3 departs Kwajalein to deploy between 20N, 166-20W and 23-30N, 166-20W and take up positions along the American reinforcement route from Hawaii.
31 May 1942:
I-169 arrives at her assigned area.
20 June 1942:
Returns to Kwajalein.
9 July 1942:
Departs Kwajalein on her sixth war patrol to reconnoiter
New Caledonia and New Hebrides with the new ComSubDiv 12, Captain Okamoto
Yoshisuke aboard.
July 1942:
I-169 reconnoiters the Bay of St. Vincent, New Caledonia.
25 July 1942:
75 miles SE of Nouméa, New Caledonia. I-169
torpedoes 9,227-ton Dutch freighter TJINEGARA being operated by the U.S.
Army as a troopship. She is enroute from Rockhampton, Queensland to Nouméa.
TJINEGARA sinks after several hits at 23-18S, 165-25E.
4-5 August 1942:
Reconnoiters Port Vila/Efate. I-169 is chased by
two destroyers and has to leave the area.
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/MOH/Commandant) Alexander A. Vandegrift's 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal
opening a seven-month campaign to take the island.
15 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
17 August 1942:
Departs Truk.
24 August 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
2 September 1942:
Transferred to Sasebo for overhaul.
18 September 1942:
I-169 arrives at Truk with Subron 3's I-8, I-168,
I-171, I-172, I-174 and I-175 to participate in the Guadalcanal campaign.
16 November 1942:
Truk. Vice Admiral Komatsu convenes a meeting of his
submarine captains. He announces that the submarine force has been ordered by
the CINC, Combined Fleet, Admiral (Fleet Admiral, posthumously) Yamamoto Isoroku
(former CO of AKAGI), to organize a supply system for the IJA's 17th Army
garrison on Guadalcanal.
3 January 1943:
Returns to Kure.
15 January 1943:
Departs Kure for a supply mission to Kiska,
Aleutians.
15 February 1943:
Departs Kure with I-171 for Kiska, Aleutians,
carrying a Type A midget, its torpedoes and IJA soldiers. I-169 is
reassigned to the Fifth Fleet for the duration of the Aleutian operations.
26 February 1943:
Arrives at Kiska and disembarks her cargo.
27 February 1943:
Departs Kiska.
28 February 1943:
I-169 sights an enemy cruiser escorted by a destroyer. She is also spotted and depth-charged.
20 March 1943:
TEIYO MARU refuels I-169, I-31, and I-171
21 March 1943:
TEIYO MARU refuels I-169.
22 March 1943:
Departs Paramushiro, Kuriles to form a patrol line.
25 March 1943:
Aleutians. I-169 performs scouting line duties at 53-59N, 174 E.
April 1943:
I-169 is in Rear Admiral Kota Takero's SubRon 1 with
the I-2, I-7, I-31, I-34, I-35, I-168 and I-171 (Northern District Force, Fifth
Fleet). SubRon 1 is given the mission to reinforce and resupply the isolated
Japanese garrisons in the Aleutian Islands.
5 April 1943:
LtCdr Toyama Zenshin (59) is posted CO of I-169. LtCdr Watanabe
is reassigned as CO of I-168.
9 April 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka for an overhaul.
Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Thomas C. Kinkaid's Task Force 16, covered by Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell's Task Force 51, lands the Army's
Seventh Division that captures Attu Island.
The Imperial General Headquarters decides to evacuate the garrison at Kiska Island, Aleutians.
24 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for a supply mission to Kiska carrying 1,440 rifles with ammunition and 2 tons of food.
Enroute, she is ordered to form a scouting line in Attu area with I-171 and I-175.
5 June 1943:
Reconnoiters Kuluk Bay, Adak.
9 June 1943:
Arrives at Kiska, unloads her cargo and embarks 60 passengers.
10 June 1943:
Departs Kiska for Paramushiro. While charging batteries on the
surface I-169, is attacked and shelled by a radar-equipped destroyer.
14-15 June 1943:
Returns to Paramushiro. Embarks new cargo from the
tender HEIAN MARU. TEIYO MARU refuels I-169.
Late June 1943:
Departs Paramushiro for another supply run to Kiska.
21 June 1943:
Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) Takagi Takeo (former CO of MUTSU) assumes command of the Sixth Fleet (Submarines). Vice Admiral Komatsu is later appointed President of the Etajima Naval Academy.
27 June 1943:
Oiler TEIYO MARU refuels I-169 and I-36.
