SENSUIKAN!
HIJMS Submarine I-3: Tabular Record of
Movement
© 2001 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 2
30 November 1936:
The I-3 is completed at Kawasaki's Kobe Yard, commissioned as the SS-76 and is assigned to the Yokosuka Naval District.
10 November 1941: Operation "Z":
Saeki Bay. The I-3 in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Yamazaki Shigeaki's (former CO of old CA YAKUMO) SubRon 2 that is a part of Vice Admiral Shimizu Mitsumi's (former CO of ISE) Sixth Fleet. The I-3 is in Captain (later Rear Admiral) Shimamoto Hisagoro's SubDiv 7 with the I-1 and the I-2. LtCdr (later Cdr) Tonozuka Kinzo is the Commanding Officer.
Admiral Shimizu convenes a meeting of all his commanders aboard his flagship, the light cruiser KATORI. LtCdr Tonozuka and the other 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 the Kauai Channel between Oahu and Kauai with the I-1 and the I-2. SubRon 2 is arrayed NE and NW of Oahu. Its mission is to reconnoiter and attack any ships that try to sortie from Pearl Harbor.
15 December 1941:
SubRon 2 bombards Kahului, Maui.
18 December 1941-13 January 1942:
Patrols off Hawaii.
31 December 1941:
The I-3 shells Nawiliwili Harbor, Kauai.
9 January 1942: Operation "H" - The Invasion of the Celebes, Dutch East Indies:
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).
14 January 1942:
SubDiv 7 departs patrol area for Kwajalein, Marshall Islands.
22 January 1942:
SubDiv 7 arrives at Kwajalein.
24 January 1942:
Departs Kwajalein for Yokosuka.
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-3 is in Captain Shimamoto's SubDiv 7 with the I-1 and the I-2.
11 February 1942:
After its boats complete a refit and overhaul, SubRon 2 departs Yokosuka for Kendari, Celebes.
22 February 1942:
SubDiv 7 departs Staring Bay, Celebes and heads for Australian waters.
February 1942:
Australia. SubDiv 7 arrives 300 miles NW of Northwest Cape.
3 March 1942:
Australia. 150 miles SW of Perth. The I-3 shells but misses the British merchant TONGARIRO. The merchant sends out an S.O.S. that she is being chased and shelled by a submarine 90 miles NE of Rottnest Island and then escapes.
90 miles WNW of Fremantle. That same day, the I-3 also shells and misses the 8,988-ton British steamer NARBADA.
15 March 1942: Operation "C" - The Raids in the Indian Ocean:
The I-3 arrives at Penang, Malaya. Headquarters, Combined Fleet orders that the western coast 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.
16 March 1942:
Vice Admiral, the Marquis, Komatsu Teruhisa (former CO of CA NACHI) assumes command of the Sixth Fleet (Submarines).
28 March 1942:
Departs Penang for Ceylon.
April 1942:
Off Columbo, Ceylon. The I-3 acts as a weather reporting ship.
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 aircraft and sink several ships. Later, a floatplane finds Vice Admiral James Somerville's Eastern Fleet's cruisers HMS CORNWALL and the HMS DORSETSHIRE at sea. Nagumo's airmen sink both ships, but are unsuccessful in their search for the rest of Somerville's fleet.
7 April 1942:
Indian Ocean. The I-3 departs Ceylon to return to her base at Penang. On the way, LtCdr Tonozuka sights a convoy. He shells and damages the 4,872-ton British merchant ELMDALE at 6-52N, 78-50E.
8 April 1942:
Indian Ocean. The I-3 sinks the 5,051-ton British merchant FULTALA at 6-52N, 76-54E.
1 May 1942:
Arrives at Penang.
May 1942:
Departs Penang via the Straits of Malacca to Singapore and then to Yokosuka for repairs and upkeep. Captain (later Rear Admiral, posthumously) Tamaki Tomejiro is assigned as ComSubDiv 7 in SubRon 2.
20 May 1942:
LtCdr Togami Ichiro (former CO of I-72) is assigned as the Commanding Officer.
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 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:
Departs Yokosuka for the Aleutians.
20 June 1942:
The I-3 is in Rear Admiral Ichioka's SubRon 2 with the I-1 through I-7.
1 August 1942:
Returns to Yokosuka. The I-3 is adapted to a cargo role. Her aft 140-mm. (5.5-inch) gun is removed to make room for a 46-foot Daihatsu barge. Mountings are installed to stow the barge.
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 Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo and Guadalcanal opening a seven-month campaign to take the island.
20 August 1942:
SubRon 2 is disbanded. The I-3 is reassigned to SubRon 1.
8 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Truk.
14 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
15 September 1942:
Departs Truk to participate in supply missions to Guadalcanal while based at the Shortland anchorage off Bougainville.
1 November 1942:
LtCdr Togami is promoted to Commander.
16 November 1942:
Truk. Vice Admiral Komatsu convenes a meeting of his submarine captains. He announces that the submarine force has been ordered by Admiral Yamamoto, CINC, Combined Fleet to organize a supply system for the IJA's 17th Army garrison on Guadalcanal.
7 December 1942:
The I-3 departs Shortland on her third transport mission to Guadalcanal with her Daihatsu barge loaded with a cargo of ammunition, food and medicine.
9 December 1942:
Three miles off Kamimbo Bay, Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal. That night, LtCdr Togami makes a thorough periscope sweep, then brings the I-3 to the surface. Her crew is preparing to launch the barge when from the darkness Lt Jack Searles' PT-59 and the PT-44's .50-caliber machine-guns open fire! Searles launches two 21-inch Mark 15 torpedoes at the I-3. One hits the submarine amidships. A geyser of water spouts high in the air, followed by tremendous explosions.
The I-3's Chief Gunnery Officer and three seamen somehow survive the devastation, swim ashore and join the Japanese forces on Guadalcanal. The I-3 sinks in shallow water at 9-12S, 159-42E. Her camouflaged hull protrudes out of the water. A huge oil slick spreads for an hour and a half.
Cdr Togami is promoted two ranks posthumously to Rear Admiral.
20 January 1943:
Removed from the Navy List.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Author's
Note: Special thanks for help in preparing this TROM go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan
and Jan Visser ("Visje") of the Netherlands.– Bob Hackett
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