SENSUIKAN!
HIJMS Submarine I-31:Tabular Record of
Movement
© 2001 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
30 May 1942:
Completed at the Yokosuka Navy Yard, commissioned in the IJN and based in the Kure Naval District. The 1-31 is assigned to the Sixth Fleet, in SubRon 1's SubDiv 15. LtCdr Inoue Tadakane (former CO of I-75) 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:
The I-31 is in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Yamazaki Shigeaki's (former CO of old CA YAKUMO) SubRon 1. She departs Kure with the I-33 on her first war patrol to an area SE of the Solomons.
That same day, Yamazaki in the I-9 departs Yokosuka with the I-15, I-17, I-19 and the I-26 for the Solomons.
25 August 1942:
175 miles SE of San Cristobal. At 0543 (Z-9), the I-31 makes contact with the Americans, but is unable to attack.
30 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
6 September 1942:
Departs Truk on her second war patrol to patrol off Guadacanal, Solomons carrying a Yokosuka E14Y1 "Glen" floatplane to reconnoiter a suspected American seaplane base on Ndeni Island. The submarine is directly attached to the Sixth Fleet HQ for the duration of the mission.
11 September 1942:
At dawn, the I-31 launches its aircraft. The pilot reports sighting two seaplane tenders and two PBY "Catalina" flying boats in Graciosa Bay. About 2000 (local), the I-31 surfaces and enters the bay.
12 September 1942:
At 0230, the I-31 opens fire from her deck gun which jams after a few shots. Both tenders fire back, illuminating the stationary submarine with star shells. After several near misses, LtCdr Inoue dives. Later that day, the I-31 receives an order to reconnoiter Vanikoro Island.
13 September 1942:
Early in the morning, the I-31 launches her floatplane to reconnoiter Vanikoro. As a result of intermittent squalls the pilot fails to sight any enemy vessels and his "Glen" crashes on landing.
345 miles SSE of Guadalcanal. Early in the morning, a Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat of the Yokohama NAG sights one carrier, two battleships and two destroyers steaming north. The I-31 and I-9 are ordered to form a patrol line and intercept the enemy task force. They are soon joined by the I-15, -17, -21, -24, -26 and the I-33.
22 hours after the I-31's attack on Ndeni, the destroyers SHIGURE and SHIRATSUYU also shell the island.
5 October 1942:
Planes from Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) George D. Murray Task Group's USS HORNET (CV-8) bomb the Buin-Tonolei area and Faisi, Bougainville, Solomons. The I-31, -1, -3, -5, -8, -22, -172 and -176 form a patrol line to intercept her.
October 1942:
Returns to Truk.
October 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Undergoes repair.
October 1942:
Departs Truk.
26 October 1942:The Battle of Santa Cruz:
The I-31 is in the A group with the I-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -7, -22 and the I-172.
4 November 1942:
The I-31's floatplane conducts air reconnaissance of Suva, Fiji.
11 November 1942:
The I-31's Glen conducts reconnoiters Pago-Pago.
16 November 1942:
Truk. Vice Admiral Komatsu convenes a meeting of his submarine captains. He announces that the Sixth Fleet has been ordered by Admiral Yamamoto, CINC, Combined Fleet to organize a supply system for the IJA's 17th Army garrison on Guadalcanal.
That same day, the I-31, -9 and -19 are ordered to proceed to Shortland to take aboard supplies and ammunition for Guadalcanal.
20 November 1942:
The I-31 arrives at Shortland.
25 November 1942:
Departs Shortland for a supply mission to Guadalcanal.
27 November 1942:
The I-31 arrives at Guadalcanal, delivering 30 tons of supplies.
27 December 1942:
The I-31 arrives at Guadalcanal, delivering rubber supply containers and 15 tons of cargo.
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.
23 March 1943:
Departs Paramushiro on a supply run to Kiska.
25 March 1943:
10 miles S of Agattu Island. The I-31 arrives in her patrol area.
1 April 1943:
The I-31 is in the Northern District Force, Fifth Fleet in Rear Admiral Koda Takero's SubRon 1 with the I-2, -7, -34, -35, -168, -169 and the I-171.
SubRon 1's mission is to reinforce and resupply the isolated Japanese garrisons in the Aleutian Islands. The I-31, still under LtCdr Inoue, arrives at Attu.
14 April 1943:
The I-31 departs Paramushiro with Colonel Yamazaki Yasuyo embarked. Yamazaki takes command of Attu's defenses.
17 April 1943:
The I-31 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 "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.
That same day, the I-31 and I-34 arrive at Kiska and learn about the Americans' landing on Attu.
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.
At 1325, a PBY "Catalina" on anti-submarine patrol, radios that two torpedoes are headed for the PENNSLYVANIA! Captain Corn maneuvers the battleship evasively at full speed. Her lookouts sight the torpedoes wakes 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.
The garrison of Attu reports two explosions near an enemy battleship, (possibly "end-of-run" torpedo explosions) after which the battleship starts to fire at the water around her with her small caliber guns.
At 1937, LtCdr John E. Edwards' USS PHELPS (DD-360) of the PENNSYLVANIA's Screening Group makes a sound contact. At 1939, the 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 attacks with Mark 6 depth charges.
13 May 1943:
Five miles NE of Chichagof Harbor. About 0600, the submarine - probably the I-31 - is finally forced to the surface where the 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 95 hands.
1 August 1943:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Note:
Special thanks for help in preparing this TROM go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan.
– Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
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