SENSUIKAN!

© 2002-2008 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp

2 October 1944:
I-371 is completed at Mitsubishi's Kobe Yard as a Type D1 "Tei-gata" transport submarine and attached to the Sasebo Naval District. Assigned to SubRon 11. I-371 is fitted with a Type 22 surface/air-search radar and an E27/Type 3 radar detector. Lt Kamijikkoku Yasuo (former CO of RO-62) is the first 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 Island, 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.

25 January 1945:
Arrives at Mereyon at about 2200. I-371 is the second IJN supply submarine to reach the badly starved IJA garrison. That month, 467 men die of starvation. I-371 unloads 50 metric tons of edibles and mail. As a result, the daily ration is increased from five to seven ounces of rice 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 - perhaps 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.

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Authors' Notes:
[1] Since the ETA was three days earlier, I-371 may not have been sunk by LAGARTO. The location of the sinking also does not fit Japanese estimates.

[2] Some sources credit USS HAGGARD (DD-555) with the sinking of I-371 off Okinawa on 23 March; in reality, her victim most likely was 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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