SENSUIKAN!

© 2001 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp

26 April 1942:
The I-32 is completed at the Sasebo Navy Yard, commissioned in the IJN and based in the Kure Naval District. Cdr Ikezawa Masayuki (former CO of I-74) is the Commanding Officer.

16 May 1942:
Assigned to SubRon 1's SubDiv 15.

16 June 1942:
Departs Kure.

30 June 1942:
Departs Truk on her first war patrol to reconnoiter New Caledonia, New Hebrides and Efate.

8 July 1942:
The I-32 arrives off Noumea.

9 July 1942:
The I-32 carries out periscopic observation of Efate.

14 July 1942:
The I-32 is in SubRon 1's SubDiv 15 with the I-31 and the 1-33.

4 August 1942:
W Australia. The I-32 sights the 9,424-ton Australian troop transport KATOOMBA that had departed Fremantle alone after embarking troops of the 9th Australian Army Division for transport to Sydney. In the late afternoon, soon after the KATOOMBA left the harbor and with the coastline on the horizon, Cdr Ikezawa surfaces on the transport's starboard stern quarter. The I-32 opens fire with her deck gun at a range of about half a mile.

The KATOOMBA's Captain swings the ship to put the submarine stern-on to present a minimum target and to give his 4-inch stern gunners their best shot. A gun duel begins that lasts for a ten hours. The transport sends out an S.O.S. that she is being chased and shelled by a submarine. The Japanese submarine RO-34 sends several messages confirming the attack. The transport and the submarine match each other in speed and the I-32 is unable to close. Neither the KATOOMBA nor the I-32 takes a hit. Finally, well into the night, Cdr Ikezawa breaks off the action. The Katoomba reaches Sydney safely.*

28 August 1942:
The I-32 passes S of Australia. Arrives at Georgetown, Penang,Malaya.

6 September 1942:
Departs Penang.

13 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk.

30 September 1942:
Departs Truk for Japan because of a leaking tank.

13 October 1942:
Arrives at Kure. Undergoes repairs.

1 November 1942:
LtCdr Hori Takeo relieves LtCdr Ikezawa.

4 December 1942:
Departs Kure for Rabaul.

December 1942:
Based at Rabaul.

24 December 1942:
The I-32 delivers 22-tons of food and ammunition to Buna.

29 December 1942:
The I-32 arrives off Buna with a new shipment of supplies but fails to contact the shore troops and returns.

9 January 1943:
The I-32 arrives at Buna, evacuates 43 wounded and sick soldiers.

14 January 1943:
The I-32 arrives at Buna, delivering 22-tons of food and ammunition.

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 and the JUNYO, BatDiv 3's KONGO and the HARUNA, CruDiv 4's ATAGO and the TAKAO, CruDiv 5's HAGURO and the 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) destroyer force from Rabaul. The Japanese successfully evacuate 11,700 troops from Guadalcanal.

During the operation the I-32 is stationed SE of Guadalcanal with the I-11 and the I-25.

11 February 1943:
The I-32 sights an enemy carrier heading north.

25 March 1943:
The I-32 departs Truk to raid enemy communications in Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Espiritu Santo area for her second war patrol. No contacts are made.

1 June 1943:
The I-32 returns to Truk.

10 June 1943:
Returns to Kure.

16 August 1943:
Departs Kure for Lae, towing an "unkato" supply container.

5 September 1943:
Arrives at Lae.

16 September 1943:
The I-32 departs Rabaul on her third war patrol to reconnoiter Noumea, carying a Yokosuka E14Y1 "Glen" floatplane.

25 September 1943:
The I-32's attempt to launch her floatplane fails because of a catapult malfunction. She is diverted to the East coast of Australia.

7 October 1943:
The I-32 sights a convoy of five merchants, but all her torpedoes miss.

20 October 1943:
LtCdr Hori is ordered to reconnoiter Noumea again.

26 October 1943:
West of Hawaii. The I-36 reports sighting six fleet tankers proceeding west. The C-in-C Sixth Fleet cancels the I-32's previous orders and sends her to intercept the tankers, but LtCdr Hori fails to locate the convoy.

8 October 1943:
The I-32 carries out a periscopic observation of Pago-Pago, and reports the results next day.

12 November 1943: The I-32 suffers an engine breakdown. LtCdr Hori decides to terminate the patrol and returns to Truk.

20 December 1943:
Returns to Kure for an overhaul.

10 January 1944:
LtCdr Imoto Masayuki (former CO of I-153) relieves LtCdr Hori.

31 January 1944: American Operation "Flintlock" - The Invasion of the Marshalls:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's Task Force 58 lands the 4th Marine Division and the Army's 7th Infantry Division that capture the Kwajalein, Roi-Namur and Majuro atolls.

25 February 1944:
Departs Kure.

13 March 1944:
The I-32 departs Truk on a supply mission to Wotje, Marshall Islands and to raid enemy communications on the way back.

15 March 1944:
Enroute, the I-32 receives a signal that orders LtCdr Inamoto to intercept an enemy task force off Wotje.

23 March 1944:
60 miles N of Jaluit. At about 0600 (JST), the I-32 sights a carrier. The I-16, RO-36, -41, -42, -43, -44 and the RO-108 are diverted to intercept the suspected task force. This is the last message received from the I-32.

The signal is intercepted by Fleet Radio Unit, Pacific's (FRUPAC) codebreakers. A hunter-killer group of Cdr W. T. McGarry's USS HALSEY POWELL (DD-686), HULL (DD-350), LtCdr J. P. Ingle's MANLOVE (DE-36) and Lt W. S. O'Kelly's submarine chaser PC-1135 is dispatched to intercept the I-32. They rendezvous at Erikubi Atoll.

24 March 1944:
50 miles S of Wotje. At 0422, a submarine running on the surface is picked up by MANLOVE's SL radar at five miles. The MANLOVE closes to 3,000 yards. The submarine crash dives, but is quickly reacquired by the destroyer escort's sonar. The HALSEY POWELL expends all of her depth charges in a series of attacks on the submarine. Then the MANLOVE attacks with depth charges and 7. 2-inch Mark 10 "hedgehog" projector charges. The PC-1135 also attacks with 7.2-inch spigot mortar-fired "Mousetrap" bombs. The submarine - most probably the I-32 - sinks at 08-30N, 170-10E. This was the only Mousetrap kill of a Japanese submarine in the war.

24 March 1944:
Presumed lost with all 106 hands.

10 June 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors' Notes:
*Special thanks go to Mr. George Ringer of Australia who was aboard the KATOOMBA as a member of the Australian Merchant Marine when she was shelled by the I-32. Mr. Ringer was also aboard the KALINGO when she was sunk by the I-21. Former shipmates may contact Mr. Ringer at gjringer@adam.com.au

Thanks for help in preparing this TROM also go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan. – Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp

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