SENSUIKAN!
(Type D1 submarine by Takeshi Yuki)
IJN Submarine I-371: Tabular Record of
Movement
© 2002-2017 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 3
22 March 1944:
Laid down at Mitsubishi Kobe Yard as a Type D1 "Tei-gata" transport
submarine No. 5471.
21 July 1944:
Launched and numbered I-371.
25 August 1944:
Lt (LtCdr, posthumously) Kamijikkoku Yasuo (66)
(former CO of RO-62) is appointed the Chief Equipping Officer (CEO).
2 October 1944:
I-371 is completed, commissioned in the IJN and
attached to Sasebo Naval District. She is fitted with a Type 22
surface/air-search radar and an E27/Type 3 radar detector. Assigned to SubRon
11 for working-up. Lt Kamijikkoku Yasuo is the Commanding Officer.
6 December 1944:
I-371 is reassigned to Rear Admiral Owada Noboru's
(former CO of YAMASHIRO) SubRon 7.
December 1944:
I-371 is transferred from the Inland sea to Yokosuka
and undergoes a 20-day working-up there.
30 December 1944:
Departs Yokosuka for Mereyon Islet, Yap, carrying 50
tons of food and mail, plus aviation gasoline, aircraft spares and ammunition
for the Truk-based 171st NAG.
18 January 1945:
Arrives at Truk and debarks the cargo destined for
the local units. I-371's arrival enables the Nakajima C6N1 Saiun "Myrt"
long range reconnaissance aircraft of the 171st NAG resume flights over Ulithi.
20 January 1945:
An Aichi E13A1 "Jake"
floatplane from Truk arrives on Mereyon and delivers a coded message about the
arrival of I-371.
22 January 1945:
Departs Truk for Mereyon Islet.
25 January 1945:
Arrives at Mereyon at about 2200 as the second IJN
supply submarine to reach the badly starved IJA garrison. I-371 unloads 50
metric tons of edibles and mail. As a result, the daily rice ration is increased
from five to seven ounces per man.
26 January 1945:
All cargo is unloaded by 0300. Departs Mereyon for
Truk.
28 January 1945:
Arrives at Truk, where some passengers are embarked.
24 February 1945:
Bungo Suido. Cdr Frank D. Latta's USS LAGARTO
(SS-371) is on an anti-picket boat sweep to aid Task Force 38's carrier planes
in remaining undetected as they approach to strike Japan. At 1113, LAGARTO's
radar picks up a surfaced submarine at 5,000 yards. Cdr Latta attacks and sinks
a submarine - probably I-371 - at 32-40N, 132-33E. [1]
12 March 1945:
Presumed lost in the Truk area with 84 hands including
the evacuees. [2]
10 April 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
[1] Since the ETA was three days earlier, I-371 may not have
been sunk by LAGARTO. The location of the sinking does not fit the Japanese
estimates either.
[2] While some sources credit USS HAGGARD (DD-555) with the sinking of
I-371 off Okinawa on 23 March, her victim was more likely RO-41. Special thanks
for help in preparing this TROM go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan.
– Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.
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