SENSUIKAN!

© 2001-2004 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp

18 December 1938:
The I-75 is completed at Mitsubishi's Kobe Yard, commissioned in the IJN and based in the Kure Naval District.

November 1941: Operation "Z":
The I-75 is in Vice Admiral Shimizu Mitsumi's (former CO of ISE) Advance Expeditionary Force (Sixth Fleet) with Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Miwa Shigeyoshi's )former CO of KINU) SubRon 3 in Capt Minaguchi Hyoei's SubDiv 11 with the I-74. LtCdr (later Cdr) Inoue Noriki (later KIA as CO of I-31) is the Commanding Officer.

Admiral Shimizu convenes a meeting of all his commanders aboard his flagship, the light cruiser KATORI. LtCdr Inoue and the other commanders are briefed on the planned attack on Pearl Harbor.

11 November 1941:
The I-75 is assigned to the Sixth Fleet in SubRon 3's SubDiv 11. Departs Saeki with the I-74.

20 November 1941:
Arrives at Kwajalein.

23 November 1941:
Departs Kwajalein for the Hawaiian Islands.

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).

7 December 1941: The Attack on Pearl Harbor:
SubRon 3 is deployed south of Oahu, Hawaii. Its mission is to reconnoiter and attack any ships that try to sortie from Pearl Harbor. The I-75 is assigned to patrol from 25 to 50 miles south of Oahu with the I-8, -68, -69, -70, -71, -72, -73 and the I-74.

15 December 1942:
The I-75 bombards Kahului, Maui. The I-75 fires 16 shells from her 120mm/45 deck gun at the town.

17 December 1941:
180 miles south of Hawaii. The I-75 torpedoes and sinks the 3,252-ton Amercian merchant MANINI at 17-46N, 157-03W.

24 December 1941:
Shells Palmyra.

31 December 1941:
Returns to Kwajalein.

12 January 1942:
Departs Kwajalein with the I-74 for the Aleutians, passes near Midway.

19 February 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. LtCdr Uno Kameo (later KIA as CO of I-52) assumes command. LtCdr Inoue is reassigned as the Equipping Officer and later as CO of I-31 that is under construction at the Yokosuka Dock Yard.

16 March 1942:
Vice Admiral, the Marquis, Komatsu Teruhisa (former CO of CA NACHI) assumes command of the Sixth Fleet's Advance Expeditionary Force (Submarines).

15 April 1942:
Departs Kure on her second war patrol to form a patrol line with the I-74.

10 May 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein. The I-75 is in Rear Admiral Miwa's SubRon 3: I-68, I-69, I-71, I-74 and the I-75.

20 May 1942: Operation "K-2" - The Second Raid on Pearl Harbor:
The I-75 is renumbered the I-175. She departs Kwajalein on her third war patrol to patrol SW of Oahu and to provide the weather reports prior to the air raid.

20 June 1942:
Returns to Kwajalein.

8 July 1942:
Departs Kwajalein on her fourth war to operate off the eastern coast of Australia between Sydney and 35 degrees S

23 July 1942:
20 miles off Newcastle. The I-175 torpedoes and damages the stern of the 3,279-ton Australian merchant ALLARA bound with a cargo of sugar from Cairns, Queensland to Sydney. The ship receives one hit and settles at the stern; she is abandoned, but does not sink. Later, the ALLARA is reboarded and towed to Newcastle.

24 July 1942:
Near Sydney. The I-175 torpedoes and damages the 3,345-ton Australian merchant MURADA.

26 July 1942:
The I-175 is depth-charged by HMAS CAIRNS and retires southwards.

28 July 1942:
NE of Sydney. The I-175 torpedoes and sinks the 2,795-ton French merchant CAGOU, carrying nickel ore.

3 August 1942:
Off Moruya, New South Wales. The I-175 shells and damages the 233-ton Australian trawler DUREENBEE. The crew abandons the sinking trawler.

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.

12 August 1942:
The I-175 is attacked and damaged by Douglas SBD-3 "Dauntless" dive-bombers from the USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6). She has to make for Rabaul for emergency repairs.

17 August 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.

22 August 1942:
Departs Rabaul for the Solomons on her fifth war patrol.

18 September 1942:
Truk. The I-175 is in Subron 3 with the I-8, -168, -169, -171, -172 and the I-174.

21 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk.

16 October 1942:
Departs Truk for the Solomons on her sixth war patrol with the I-174 to form a patrol line. Later, they are diverted to an area NE of San Cristobal to intercept an American convoy with the I-172 and the RO-34.

November 1942:
The I-175 patrols off Guadalcanal.

19 November 1942:
Returns to Truk. She is assigned to Group "B" with the I-9, -15, -21, -24 and the I-174.

20 November 1942:
At Truk. The I-175 is damaged in a collision with the 16,764-ton oiler NISSHIN MARU and is run aground.

27 November 1942:
Departs Truk for Kure.

27 November 1942:
Arrives at Kure.

5 December 1942:
Transferred to Yokosuka for repairs.

1 January 1943:
The 1-175 is in SubRon 3's SubDiv 11 with the 1-174 and the 1-176.

15 March 1943:
The 1-175 is reassigned to SubDiv 12. Cdr Tabata Naoshi (former CO of I-7) assumes command. LtCdr Uno is reassigned as the Equipping Officer, and later CO, of the I-52 under construction at the Kure Navy Yard.

11 May 1943: American Operation "Sandcrab" - The Invasion of Attu, Aleutians:
Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Thomas C. Kinkaid's Task Force 16, covered by Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell's Task Force 51, lands elements of the Army's 4th and 7th Infantry Divisions under the command of Maj Gen Eugene M. Landrum at Holtz Bay and Massacre Bay that later capture the island.

17 May 1943:
Departs Kure.

21 May 1943: Operation "KE" - The Evacuation of Kiska:
The Imperial General Headquarters decides to evacuate the garrison at Kiska Island, Aleutians.

24 May 1943:
The I-175, -169 and the I-171 are directed to the area 200 n. miles S of Kiska to support a planned counter-landing at Kiska.

6 June 1943:
Participates in a supply mission to Kiska.

10 June 1943:
Arrives at Paramushiro, Kuriles.

13 June 1943:
Departs Paramushiro for Kiska.

17 June 1943:
Arrives at Kiska.

20 June 1943:
Returns to Paramushiro.

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.

24 June 1943:
The I-175 departs Paramushiro on her eighth war patrol to raid enemy communications S of Amchitka together with the I-171. No contacts are made.

28 July 1943: Operation KE:
The Japanese complete the evacuation of Kiska.

10 August 1943:
Arrives at Kure.

19 September 1943:
Departs Kure for Truk.

25 September 1943:
Arrives at Truk.

16 October 1943:
The I-175 departs Truk for Wake Island on her ninth war patrol.

20 October 1943:
A report is received from the I-36 that a large convoy sighted S of the Hawaiian Islands is headed west. The I-175, -19, -35 and the I-169 are ordered to intercept it.

20 November 1943: American Operation "Galvanic" - The Invasion of the Gilberts:
Forces under Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Raymond A. Spruance, Commander, Central Pacific, invade Tarawa and Makin Islands. The invasion fleet of 200 ships includes 13 battleships and 11 carriers.

At 0500, the invasion bombardment begins. Rear Admiral H. M. Mullinnix's CarDiv 24's three escort carriers, the USS LISCOME BAY (CVE-56), CORAL SEA (CVE-57) and the CORREGIDOR (CVE-58) are attached to Task Force 52, Northern Attack Force.

On her way back to Truk, the I-175 is ordered to "proceed to Makin at flank speed!"

23 November 1943:
Tarawa and Makin are captured.

24 November 1943:
20 miles SW of Butaritari Island. The I-175 arrives off Makin. At dawn, she is spotted by the USS NEW MEXICO (BB-40) with her SG radar, but dives in time.

With the islands secured, the American forces begin their retirement. CarDiv 24 and the USS NEW MEXICO (BB-40) are steaming at 15 knots. At 0505, the LISCOME BAY's flight crews begin to prepare their planes for dawn launchings.

At 0510, Cdr Tabata fires four torpedoes at the carrier. A lookout spots a torpedo and shouts a warning, but it is too late. One torpedo hits the carrier on the starboard side abaft the after engine room. It detonates the bomb storage magazine and the stern of the carrier disintegrates. The NEW MEXICO a mile away, is showered with metal fragments and body parts.

At 0533, the LISCOME BAY lists to starboard and sinks, carrying down Admiral Mullinix, her Commanding Officer Captain I. D. Wiltsie, 53 officers and 591 men. 272 of her crew are rescued by the USS FRANKS (DD-554) and other destroyers.

Twenty-three of the LISCOME BAY's planes are also lost but five Grumman F4F "Wildcats" manage to land on the new USS LEXINGTON (CV-16) and the new YORKTOWN (CV-10).

Cdr Tabata fires two more torpedoes at the CORAL SEA (CVE-57, the future USS ANZIO), but misses.

27 November 1943:
The I-175 arrives at Kwajalein to refuel.

28 November 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.

1 December 1943:
Arrives at Truk.

8 January 1944:
Cdr Tabata receives a personal citation from Vice Admiral Takagi.

27 January 1944:
The I-175 departs Truk for an area NE of the Marshall Islands.

31 January 1944: American Operation "Flintlock" - The Invasion of the Marshall Islands:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's Task Force 58 lands the 4th Marine Division and the Army's 7 th Infantry Division that capture the Kwajalein, Roi-Namur and Majuro atolls.

That day, the I-175 and the RO-39 are ordered to proceed to Wotje in the Marshall Islands at flank speed.

3 February 1944:
E of Wotje. The I-175 reconnoiters Wotje Atoll. At 2203, she is picked up on the USS NEW JERSEY's (BB-61) radar at a range of 21 miles. Cdr E. S. Karpe's USS CHARRETTE (DD-581) is ordered to detach from the screen and investigate the contact. At 10, 300 yards the contact disappears from radar.

4 February 1944:
The CHARRETTE acquires a target on her sonar. At 0003, Cdr Karpe drops a salvo of eight depth charges, but then loses contact. LtCdr D. S. Crocker's FAIR (DE-35) is ordered to assist the CHARRETTE. At 0040, the FAIR attacks with 7.2-inch ahead-thrown Mark 10 "hedgehog" projector charges. Four explosions are heard and felt that sink the submarine - probably the I-175 - at 06-48N, 168-08E.**

26 March 1944:
Presumed lost with all 100 hands in the Kwajalein area.

10 July 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors' Notes:
*Mt. Niitaka, located in Formosa (now Taiwan), is then the highest point in the Japanese Empire.

**Author Kimata Jiro suggests the I-175 was sunk by USS NICHOLAS (DD-449) on 17 Feb '44 NW of the Marshalls, at 10-34N, 173-31E; however, other sources claim the sub the NICHOLAS sank then was the I-11.

Special thanks for help in preparing this TROM go to Steve Eckhardt of Australia and Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan. – Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.

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