SENSUIKAN!
HIJMS Submarine I-31:Tabular Record of
Movement
© 2001-2009 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 1
30 May 1942:
Completed at the Yokosuka Navy Yard and registered in the Kure Naval District. 1-31 is assigned to the Sixth Fleet, in SubRon 1's SubDiv 15. LtCdr Inoue Kikuo is the Commanding Officer.
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.
15 August 1942:
Departs Kure. I-31 proceeds to an area SE of the Solomons with Subron 1's I-9, I-15, I-17, I-19, I-26 and I-33.
25 August 1942:
175 miles SE of San Cristobal. At 0543 (Z-9), I-31 makes contact with the Americans, but is unable to attack.
30 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
6 September 1942:
Departs Truk to patrol off Guadacanal, Solomons.
October 1942:
Returns to Truk.
October 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Undergoes repair.
October 1942:
Departs Truk.
4 November 1942:
I-31's Yokosuka E14Y "Glen" floatplane conducts air reconnaissance of Suva, Fiji.
11 November 1942:
I-31's Glen conducts reconnoiters Vanikoro, Fiji.
25 November 1942:
Departs Shortland for a supply mission to Guadalcanal.
13 January 1943:
Arrives at Kure for an overhaul.
25 February 1943:
Departs Kure to be based at Paramushiro, Kuriles to perform supply missions to Attu and Kiska, Aleutians.
20 March 1943:
Paramushiro. Oiler TEIYO MARU refuels I-31, I-169 and I-171.
23 March 1943:
Departs Paramushiro on a supply run to Kiska.
25 March 1943:
10 miles S of Agattu Island. I-31 arrives in her patrol area.
1 April 1943:
I-31 is in the Northern District Force, Fifth Fleet in Rear Admiral Kouta Takero's SubRon 1 with I-2, I-7, I-34, I-35, I-168, I-169 and I-171.
SubRon 1's mission is to reinforce and resupply the isolated Japanese garrisons in the Aleutian Islands. I-31, still under LtCdr Inoue, arrives at Attu.
8 May 1943:
Departs Paramushiro on a supply mission.
10 May 1943:
Arrives at Kiska and discharges her cargo. Departs for Attu.
11 May 1943: American Operation "Landcrab" - 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.
12 May 1943:
Nine miles NE of Holtz Bay, Attu. Captain William A. Corn's USS PENNSLYVANIA (BB-38) is proceeding northward, away from the island, to rejoin Captain Horace D. Clarke's IDAHO (BB-24) with which she is assigned to provide bombardment fire support.
Overhead, a PBY "Catalina" on anti-submarine patrol, radios that a torpedo is headed for PENNSLYVANIA! Captain Corn maneuvers the battleship evasively at full speed. Her lookouts sight the torpedo's wake passing safely astern. The PBY flies back along the track of the torpedo and drops a smoke bomb at the point from where the torpedo had been fired.
At 1937, LtCdr John E. Edwards' USS PHELPS (DD-360) of PENNSYLVANIA's Screening Group makes a sound contact. At 1939, PHELPS drops two depth charges, then loses contact.
Cdr Henry D. Rozendal's USS FARRAGUT (DD-348) and Lt Cdr Paul G. Osler's EDWARDS (DD-619) are detached to hunt down the submarine. For about ten hours, they conduct sonar searches and carry out depth charge attacks.
Five miles NE of Chichagof Harbor. The submarine - probably the I-31 - is finally forced to the surface where EDWARDS sinks her by gunfire in about 1000 fathoms of water at 52-08N, 177-38E. Diesel oil rises and grows to cover an area of about five square miles.
14 May 1943:
Presumed lost with all hands.
1 August 1943:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Note:
Special thanks go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan. – Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
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