Imperial Submarines

SENSUIKAN!

HIJMS Submarine I-22: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2001 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
10 March 1941:
The I-22 is completed at the Kawasaki Kobe Yard and commissioned in the IJN. The I-22 is based at Yokosuka. Cdr (later Captain) Ageta Kiyoi is the Commanding Officer.
15 July 1941:
Assigned to SubDiv 3, SubRon 1, Sixth Fleet.
15 November 1941:
The I-22 is in Vice Admiral Shimizu Mitsumi's (former CO of ISE) Sixth Fleet's Advance Expeditionary Force in Rear Admiral Sato Tsutomu's SubRon 1.
17 November 1941: Operation "Z" - The Hawaiian Operation:
Kure Naval Club. The officers of Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sasaki Hankyu's Special Attack Unit are briefed on the Hawaii Operation. For Operation Z, the I-22 is assigned as the flagship of the Special Attack Unit with the I-16, I-18, -20, the -24.
18 November 1941:
The Special Attack Unit departs Kure for the Kamegakubi Naval Proving Ground. At Kamegakubi each of submarines embarks a top-secret 46-ton two-man Type "A" midget submarine, code-named "Mato".
19 November 1941:
At 0215, all five of the Special Attack Unit's submarines depart Kamegakubi for the Hawaiian Islands. Captain Sasaki is embarked aboard the I-22. They use a direct route, passing Midway.
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:
Nine miles from the harbor entrance. At 0116, the I-22 launches her midget under Lt Iwasa Naoji with PO1C Sasaki Naokichi. Each of the other Special Attack Unit's "mother" submarines also launches a midget. Their orders are to attack any ships that attempt to sortie from the harbor.
At 0830, LtCdr William P. Buford's USS MONAGHAN (DD-354) is attempting to sortie from Pearl Harbor via the North Channel to evade the on-going air raid when the nearby destroyer/minesweeper USS ZANE (DMS-14) reports she has "sighted enemy submarine 200 yards astern of the MEDUSA."
The minelayer BREESE (DM-18) spots the midget next, followed by the seaplane tender CURTISS (AV-4) that opens fire. At 0837, the MONAGHAN spots the submarine's periscope and part of its conning tower about 1,200 yards off her starboard bow. LtCdr Buford orders flank speed and prepares to ram. In the meantime, the repair ship USS MEDUSA (AR-1) and the tender TANGIER (AV-8) open fire on the midget.
The submarine fires a torpedo at the CURTISS, but then broaches and is hit by 5-inch shell fire from the tender that decapitates her skipper. The midget is also raked by .50 cal. machine-gun fire. Her torpedo misses the CURISS and hits a dock.
The MONAGHAN bores in on the submarine. The midget turns into the destroyer and fires its last torpedo. It just misses to starboard and explodes against the shore of Ford Island. The MONAGHAN rams the midget and pushes her down to the bed of the 30-foot deep harbor. The destroyer then drops two depth charges that blow the midget to the surface. Iwasa and Sasaki's midget sinks NW of Ford Island.**
All five of the Special Attack Unit's midgets fail to return to their "mother" submarines.***
12 December 1941:
Departs Hawaii area. En route, the I-22 receives an order to shell Johnston Island.
15 December 1941:
The I-22 approaches Johnston Island in a small squall and opens fire at 5,500 yards. The first two salvos bracket Johnston and the third sets off an oil tank that fires a nearby power house. The submarine continues to fire at this well-lit target for ten minutes and hits several other buildings. One shell lands astern of the transport WILLIAM WARD BURROWS (AP-6) at anchor inside the reef. Another shell passes over her forecastle, but she is not hit. The USMC garrison's 5-inch guns return inaccurate fire as the surfaced submarine departs the area at 18 knots.
21 December 1941:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
4 January 1942:
Departs Kwajalein with the I-18 and the I-24 to patrol off Hawaii.
10-17 January 1942:
Patrols off Hawaii.
18 January 1942:
Departs the Hawaii area to reconnoiter the French Frigate Shoal.
2 February 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka with the I-4, -5, -6, -7, -18 and the I-24.
10 April 1942:
Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, CINC, Combined Fleet, orders all submarine units to reconnoiter the enemy's fleet bases in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific, destroy the enemy's maritime commerce and support the Port Moresby (MO) Operation.
15 April 1942:
The I-22 is in Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sasaki Hankyu's Eastern Advanced Detachment: Sasaki's SubDiv 3 with the I-21 and the I-24 and Captain Katsuta Haruo's SubDiv 14 with the I-27, -28 and the I-29. Departs Kure.
24 April 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
30 April 1942:
Departs Truk with the I-24, -28 and the I-29 to form a patrol line SW of Guadalcanal by 5 May.
4 May 1942: Operation "MO" - The Invasions of Tulagi and Port Moresby:
Rear Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi's Port Moresby Attack Force departs Rabaul towards the Jomard Pass in the Louisiade Archipelago with DesRon 6's light cruiser YUBARI, four destroyers and a patrol boat escorting Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Abe Koso's Transport Force of 12 transports and a minesweeper.
That day, in the Battle of the Coral Sea, Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Frank J. Fletcher's Task Force 17 attacks Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Shima Kiyohide's Tulagi Invasion Force. SBDs dive-bombers and TBD torpedo-bombers from the carrier YORKTOWN (CV-5) sink a destroyer, three minesweepers and damage four other ships.
5 May 1942:
Fletcher's force turns N to engage Vice Admiral Takagi Takeo's Carrier Strike Force. SBDs and TBDs from YORKTOWN and LEXINGTON (CV-2) sink Rear Admiral Goto Aritomo's light carrier SHOHO off Misima Island. In turn, Japanese planes damage the oiler USS NEOSHO (AO-23) and sink the destroyer SIMS (DD-409).
SubDiv 3's I-22 and the I-24 reach their assigned patrol area with the I-28 and the I-29 in support of Operation MO.
8 May 1942:
Douglas SBD "Dauntless" dive-bombers from the YORKTOWN and LEXINGTON damage Vice Admiral Takagi Takeo's carrier SHOKAKU and force her retirement. The ZUIKAKU's air group suffers heavy losses. Japanese carrier bombers and attack planes attack Task Force 17 and damage YORKTOWN and LEXINGTON that is further damaged when gasoline vapors are ignited, triggering massive explosions that cause her to be abandoned. Later, the LEXINGTON is scuttled by the destroyer PHELPS (DD-360). This Battle of the Coral Sea halts the Japanese thrust toward Port Moresby and they are forced to cancel Operation MO.
11 May 1942:
The I-22 is ordered to return to Truk.
17 May 1942:
S of Truk. Early in the morning, LtCdr Joseph H. Willingham's USS TAUTOG (SS-199) attacks two I-class submarines, including the I-22. Two hours later, the TAUTOG sinks the I-28 that was heading towards Truk on the same course.
That same day, the I-22 arrives at Truk. She is assigned to Captain Sasaki's Special Attack Unit, embarking a Type A midget submarine and its crew that was carried to Truk aboard the seaplane/submarine tender CHIYODA (later converted to a carrier).
18 May 1942:
Departs Truk with the I-24 and I-27.
20 May 1942:
Australia. The I-29's floatplane reconnoiters Sydney.
29 May 1942:
The flagship I-21 launches her E14Y "Glen" to reconnoiter Sydney harbor. At 0420, it circles twice over the harbor near where the heavy cruiser USS CHICAGO (CA-29) is anchored. First thought to be an American plane, RAAF fighters are eventually sent to intercept, but are unsuccessful. The Glen returns to the I-21 and reports sighting a "battleship". The Eastern Detachment Commander orders an attack on Sydney harbor by his midget submarines.
30 May 1942:
The I-22, -24 and the I-27 arrive off Sydney.
31 May 1942: The Attack on Sydney:
Seven miles E of Sydney. Between 1720 and 1740, the "mother" submarines I-22, I-24 and the I-27 each release their midgets. The I-22's midget, the HA-21, is piloted by Lt Matsuo Keiu with PO2C Totake Masao. The HA-21 is spotted after it enters the harbor. The patrol boat YANDRA tries to ram her and then attacks with depth charges. The HA-21 survives, only to be attacked again by the HMAS SEA MIST off Taylor's Bay. The HA-21's crew shoot themselves. The midget is later found disabled on the harbor floor with her motor still running.***
The I-24's midget, the HA-17, enters the harbor, avoids the nets and slowly makes her way. At Potts Point, she is spotted and fired upon by the anchored CHICAGO's AA guns, but is not hit. The HMAS GEELONG also fails to score a hit. The HA-17 fires both of her torpedoes at the CHICAGO. Both miss. One runs aground and fails to explode. The other passes under the Dutch submarine K-IX and sinks the old accommodation ferry HMAS KUTTABUL. The K-IX is damaged.
Four hours after her release, the I-27's midget, the HA-14, becomes entangled in anti-submarine netting and is detected. Her crew detonates their demolition charges and destroy themselves and the midget.
3 June 1942:
After lingering outside Sydney to recover the midgets that fail to return, the I-22 and the other submarines finally give up and switch to commerce warfare.*****
The I-22 heads for New Zealand area to reconnoiter Wellington and Suva.
8-9 June 1942:
The I-22 carries out periscopic reconnaissance of Wellington.
Mid-June 1942:
Off Auckland, Cdr Ageta attacks a small steamer but the torpedo passes under its keel.
25 June 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein with the I-21, -24, -27 and the I-29.
Early July 1942:
Departs Kwajalein for Yokosuka.
10 July 1942:
LtCdr Narusawa Sunao is posted as the next Commanding Officer
11 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. The I-122 is in Captain Sasaki's SubDiv 3 with the I-21 and I-24.
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 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 Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo and Guadalcanal opening the campaign to take the island.
14 August 1942:
The I-22 is in Vice Admiral, the Marquis, Komatsu Teruhisa's (former CO of NACHI) Sixth Fleet (Submarines) at Truk in Subron 1 with the I-15, -16, -17, -18, -19, -20, -21, -24, -25 and the I-26.
23 August 1942: Operation KA: The Destruction of the American Fleet and the Recapture of Guadalcanal:
Vice Admiral (later 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's light cruiser YURA and nine destroyers arrive off Truk from Japan. Kondo's force 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's light cruiser NAGARA with three destroyers for operations in the Solomons.
30 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka to operate in the Solomons area.
11 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka to operate in the Solomons area.
15 September 1942:
LtCdr Narusawa receives an order to join a patrol line SW of Rennell Island.
1 October 1942:
The I-22 reports sighting a convoy 40 miles SE of Malaita, Solomons.
4 October 1942:
Eastern Solomons. The I-22 reports her position. It is the last signal received from her.
12 November 1942:
The I-22 is presumed lost with all 100 hands.
15 December 1942:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Notes:
*Mt. Niitaka, located in Formosa (now Taiwan), is then the highest point in the Japanese Empire.
**The I-22's midget is later raised and used as landfill at Pearl. Lt Iwasa's sleeve with his rank insignia is found in the wreck and is returned quietly to Japan after the war. It is now on display at the Yasukuni Shrine, Tokyo. Japanese sources theorize that the I-22's midget is the one that tried to torpedo the CURTISS and was then rammed and sunk by the MONAGHAN.
***On 6 March 1942, all of the Pearl Harbor midget crews (except POW Ensign Sakamaki) are promoted two ranks, posthumously.
****Matsuo and Totake's midget HA-21 is salvaged along with the I-27's midget HA-14. Parts of the two submarines are joined together to form a single midget that is on display at the Australian War Memorial in its ANZAC Hall, Canberra, Australia. It is one of four such Type A midgets on display around the world. In 1968, Lt Matsuo's mother visits Sydney and is presented the "sennin-bari" belt once worn by her son.
*****All of the Sydney midget crews are promoted two ranks, posthumously.
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.

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