SENSUIKAN!
HIJMS Submarine I-2 : Tabular Record of
Movement
© 2001-2004 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 2
24 July 1926:
Completed at Kawasaki's Kobe Yard and commissioned as the SS-75. Later, she is redesignated the I-2.
10 November 1941: Operation "Z":
Saeki Bay. In Vice Admiral Shimizu Mitsumi's (former CO of ISE) Sixth Fleet
with Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Yamazaki Shigeaki's (former CO of old CA YAKUMO) SubRon 2. The I-2 is in Captain (later Rear Admiral) Shimamoto Hisagoro's SubDiv 7 with the I-1 and the I-3 based in the Yokosuka Naval District. Cdr Inada Hiroshi is the I-2's Commanding Officer.
Admiral Shimizu convenes a meeting of all his commanders aboard his flagship, the light cruiser KATORI. The commanders are briefed on the planned attack on Pearl Harbor.
16 November 1941:
Departs Yokosuka 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). Mt. Niitaka, located in Formosa (now Taiwan), is then the highest point in the Japanese Empire.
7 December 1941: The Attack on Pearl Harbor:
Off Hawaii. Stationed in Kauai Channel between Oahu and Kauai with the I-1 and the I-3. SubRon 2 is arrayed to the northeast and northwest of Oahu. Its mission is to reconnoiter and attack any ships that try to sortie from Pearl Harbor.
30 December 1941:
The I-2 shells Kahului Harbor, Maui with her 5.5- inch deck gun.
Soon thereafter, SubRon 2 departs the eastern Pacific for Japan via the Sixth Fleet's headquarters at Kwajalein, in the Marshall Islands.
9 January 1942: Operation "H" - The Invasion of the Celebes, NEI:
Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's (former CO of KIRISHIMA) Second Fleet, Southern Force, Netherlands East Indies Force invades Menado and Kema (11 January), Kendari (24 January), Ambon (30 January) and Makassar (9 February).
1 February 1942:
SubRon 2 arrives at Yokosuka. Its boats are given complete a refit and overhaul.
5 February 1942:
The I-1 through I-7 are assigned to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Ichioka Hisashi's (former CO of CL YURA) SubRon 2 in Vice Admiral Takahashi's Invasion Force. The I-2 is in Captain Shimamoto's SubDiv 7 with the I-1 and the I-3.
11 February 1942:
After its boats complete refit and overhaul, SubRon 2 departs Yokosuka for Kendari, Celebes in the Dutch East Indies.
22 February 1942:
SubDiv 7 departs Staring Bay, Sulawesi, Celebes and heads for Australian waters. The other submarines patrol the Indian Ocean.
1 March 1942:
Off Fremantle, SW Australia. The I-2 shells and sinks the 1,172-ton Dutch merchant, PARIGI enroute from Tjilatjap, Java to Colombo, Ceylon.
11 March 1942:
W of Sumatra. Cdr Inada shells and sinks the 4, 360-ton British freighter CHILKA.
16 March 1942:
Vice Admiral, the Marquis, Komatsu Teruhisa (former CO of CA NACHI) assumes command of the Sixth Fleet (Submarines).
March 1942: Operation "C" - The Raids in the Indian Ocean:
At Penang, Malaya. Headquarters, Combined Fleet orders that the western coasts of India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) be reconnoitered before the commencement of Operation C." All of SubRon 2's boats, except the I-I, are to participate in the operation.
28 March 1942:
The I-2 departs Penang to reconnoiter off Ceylon.
5 April 1942: Operation "C":
Vice Admiral Nagumo Chuichi's Carrier Striking Force ("Kido Butai") attacks the British naval base on Columbo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka. They wreck the base's facilities, destroy 27 aircraft and sink several ships. A floatplane finds Vice Admiral James Somerville's Eastern Fleet's cruisers HMS CORNWALL and the HMS DORSETSHIRE at sea and Nagumo's airmen sink both ships, but are unsuccessful in their search for the rest of Somerville's fleet.
April 1942:
Off Trincomalee, Ceylon. The I-2 acts as a weather report ship.
9 April 1942: Operation "C":
Nagumo's Striking Force attacks the British naval base at Trincomalee, Ceylon. They wreck the base's facilities and shoot down nine planes. A floatplane spots the old light carrier HMS HERMES and the Australian destroyer HMAS VAMPIRE 65 miles S of the base. The Striking Force sinks both. Nagumo's aircraft also find and sink several smaller ships.
1 May 1942:
Returns to Penang, then via Singapore to Yokosuka for repairs and upkeep.
5 June 1942: Operation "AL"- The Invasion of the Western Aleutians:
Twenty ships of the Vice Admiral Hosogaya Boshiro's (former CO of MUTSU) Fifth Fleet, including the light cruisers KISO and the TAMA, three destroyers, three corvettes, three minesweepers and four transports land Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Omori Sentaro's (former CO of ISE) Occupation Force on Attu, Aleutians without opposition.
7 June 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ono Takeji's Occupation Force occupies Kiska, also without opposition.
10 June 1942:
SubRon 2 is assigned to support operations in the Aleutians.
11 June 1942:
The I-2 departs Yokosuka for the Aleutians.
17 July 1942:
100 miles S of Dutch Harbor, Aleutians. The I-2 shells an unidentified Soviet merchant and a tanker, but is driven off by a USN PBY "Catalina" flying boat.
1 August 1942:
Returns to Yokosuka for repairs.
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.
8 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka to participate in supply missions to Guadalcanal while based at Shortland Islands.
11 October 1942: The Battle of Cape Esperance:
Rear Admiral Goto Aritomo's (former CO of MUTSU) CruDiv 6: AOBA (F), FURUTAKA and the KINUGASA and DesDiv 11's FUBUKI and the HATSUYUKI steam down the "Slot" at 30 knots. Goto's mission is to provide cover for troop reinforcement transports by shelling Henderson Field.
Rear Admiral Norman Scott's Task Force 64: (F) SAN FRANSCISCO (CA-38), SALT LAKE CITY (CA-25), light cruisers BOISE (CL-47), HELENA (CL-50) and five destroyers cross ahead of Goto's CruDiv 6 and opens fire. American gunfire sinks the FUBUKI and damages the FURUTAKA, AOBA and the HATSUYUKI. Rear Admiral Goto is killed on the bridge of the AOBA. The BOISE, SALT LAKE CITY, DUNCAN (DD-485) and the FARENHOLT (DD-491) are damaged in the engagement.
12 October 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Araki Tsutau's FURUTAKA sinks. DesDiv 11's MURAKUMO and the SHIRAYUKI rescue survivors including Araki. A salvage party from the McCALLA (DD-488) attempts to assist the damaged USS DUNCAN (DD-485). Despite the McCALLA's efforts, the DUNCAN sinks. While the McCALLA is engaged in rescuing American and Japanese survivors from the water, the I-2 makes an approach and fires a torpedo at her, but misses. The McCALLA then conducts an unsuccessful attempt to sink the submarine.
16 November 1942:
Truk. Vice Admiral Komatsu convenes a meeting of his submarine captains. He announces that his Sixth Fleet (Submarines) has been ordered by Admiral Yamamoto, CINC, Combined Fleet to organize a supply system for the IJA's 17th Army garrison on Guadalcanal.
29 January 1943:
The I-2's sister, the I-1, runs aground and is sunk off Guadalcanal. The wreck partially protrudes from the water. The Japanese, concerned about the possible compromise of their codes, try to destroy the I-1 by explosives and by bombing. All attempts fail.
31 January 1943: Operation "KE" - The Evacuation of Guadalcanal:
A task force of units of the Second and Third Fleets from Truk including the carriers ZUIKAKU, ZUIHO, JUNYO, Bat Div 3: KONGO, HARUNA, CruDiv 4: ATAGO, TAKAO, CruDiv 5: HAGURO, MYOKO, DesRon 4's light cruiser NAGARA, DesRon 10's light cruiser AGANO and destroyers steams north of the Solomons as a feint to cover Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hashimoto Shintaro's (former CO of HYUGA) evacuation force of destroyers from Rabaul.
9 February 1943:
Operation KE is completed. The Japanese successfully evacuate 11,700 troops from Guadalcanal.
11 February 1943:
The I-2, with the XO of I-1 aboard, departs the Shortland Islands for Kamimbo Bay, Guadalcanal to sink the wreck of the I-1.
13 February 1943:
In the dark, the I-2 fails to locate the I-1.
15 February 1943:
The I-2 makes another try, but again fails to locate the I-1.
5 March 1943:
The I-2 returns to Yokosuka for repairs.
16 March 1943:
LtCdr Morinaga Masahiko (later Vice Admiral, JMSDF) assumes temporary command. Cdr Inada is later reassigned to command the I-21.
15 April 1943:
Lt Itakura Mitsumi assumes command. LtCdr Morinaga is later reassigned to command the I-5. The I-2, with seven other submarines, is assigned to SubRon 1, Northern District Force, Fifth Fleet. SubRon 1's mission is to reinforce and resupply the isolated Japanese garrisons in the Aleutian Islands.
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 the Army's Seventh Division that captures Attu Island, Aleutians.
21 May 1943: Operation "KE" - The Evacuation of Kiska:
The Imperial General Headquarters decides to evacuate the garrison at Kiska Island, Aleutians.
22 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for the Aleutians.
26 May 1943:
The evacuation from Kiska begins via submarines to Paramushio Island, Kuriles.
30 May 1943:
Participates in the Kiska evacuation mission. Acts as weather ship off Adak. The 13 I-boats involved in the operation eventually extricate 820 men. Three boats are sunk and three are damaged, including the I-2 that runs aground in fog.
21 June 1943:
Aleutian Islands. The evacuation mission is completed. The I-2 remains in the area with the Northern Force.
June 1943:
The I-2 is shelled while surfaced in fog by radar-equipped American destroyers, but is able to dive and escapes without taking damage.
July 1943:
SE of Kiska Island, the I-2 runs aground, but is refloated and suffers only minor damage.
28 July 1943: Operation KE:
The Japanese complete the evacuation of Kiska.
11 August 1943:
Returns to Yokosuka for repairs.
9 October 1943:
The I-2 departs Yokosuka for the Aleutians.
14 November 1943:
Off Amchitka Island, Aleutians. The I-2 torpedoes and claims sinking an unidentified transport.
This is the first instance when an IJN submarine uses Type 92 electric torpedoes with magnetic exploders.
1 December 1943:
Returns to Yokosuka for repairs.
20 December 1943:
At Yokosuka. LtCdr Yamaguchi Kazuo (former CO of I-154) assumes command from LtCdr Itakura.
10 March 1944:
Departs Yokosuka to support the supply operations in New Guinea area while based at Truk.
28 March 1944:
Departs Truk with a cargo of supplies.
2 April 1944:
Arrives at Rabaul.
5 April 1944:
Departs Rabaul. The I-2 is scheduled to arrive to Truk on 11 April.
7 April 1944:
50 miles WNW of New Hanover. At 0630, the USS SAUFLEY (DD-465) on patrol in the Emirau-Massau area, gains contact on a submerged submarine. She drops 18 depth charges. Her soundman reports two underwater explosions. By 0723, oil covers the area. The I-2 sinks in the Bismarck Sea at 02-17S, 149-14E.
4 May 1944:
The I-2 is presumed lost off New Ireland.
10 June 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.
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Author's
Note: Special thanks for help in preparing this TROM go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan.
– Bob Hackett
