© 2001 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 1
31 January 1943:
The I-38 is completed at the Sasebo Navy Yard, commissioned
in the IJN and assigned to the Kure SubRon. Her Equipping Officer, Cdr (later
Rear Admiral, posthumously) Ankyu Eitaro (former CO of I-1) is assigned as the
Commanding Officer.
April 1943:
The I-38 is in SubDiv 11, undergoing work-up.
30 April 1943:
Reassigned to SubDiv 15, SubRon 1.
8 May 1943:
Departs Kure for Osako with an "Unpoto" gun sled* mounted
on her afterdeck. The I-38 is the first submarine in the IJN to be fitted with
this new weapons carrier. Departs Osako for Saeki.
9 May 1943:
Departs Saeki for Truk, towing the Unpoto.
14 May 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
15 May 1943:
Reassigned to SubDiv 8. Vice Admiral, the Marquis,
Komatsu Teruhisa (former CO of CA NACHI), CINC, Sixth Fleet, inspects the I-38
and her Unpoto. Later that day, she unloads her provisions. A repair ship comes
alongside to repair the sledge.
16 May 1943:
Departs Truk for Rabaul.
18 May 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul. The Unpoto is removed and some
provisions are unloaded.
19 May 1943:
The remaining provisions from the aft storerooms are
transferred to the submarine depot ship CHOGEI. The I-38 also disembarks all her
torpedoes except four.
21 May 1943:
The I-38 departs Rabaul for her first supply run to Lae,
New Guinea, carrying 48.6-tons of ammunition and provisions in addition to 12
officers of the 7th Base Unit.
23 May 1943:
The I-38 arrives at Lae and makes a rendezvous with two
Daihatsu barges offshore. After embarking 17 sick and wounded IJA soldiers, the
I-38 departs. She is then spotted by a PT boat that fires a total of six
torpedoes at her, but they all miss.
25 May 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
27 May 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 2nd supply run to Lae with 48.6
tons of food, medicines and 29 soldiers.
28 May 1943:
Off Lae, the I-38's lookouts spot a PT boat and the
submarine dives away. All cargo is disembarked and six IJA soldiers are taken
aboard at Lae that night.
31 May 1943:
Returns to Rabaul and receives a new cargo from the GOSHU
MARU.
2 June 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her third supply run to Lae.
4 June 1943:
Off Lae. The I-38 makes a rendezvous with a Daihatsu
barge. Cdr Ankyu embarks Lt Gen Imamura Hitoshi, CINC, Eighth Area Army,
returning to his headquarters on Rabaul.
6 June 1943:
Returns to Rabaul. She receives new cargo from the TAISEI
MARU. An Unpoto sledge is again mounted on her afterdeck.
9 June 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her fourth supply run to Lae.
12 June 1943:
Arrives at Lae. All cargo and the sledge are disembarked
in exchange for six IJA soldiers. This is the first successful delivery of a
gun, using an Unpoto sledge.
After departure, an enemy plane spots the I-38. Cdr Ankyu crash-dives.
The plane drops three bombs, but they all miss. About midnight, the I-38 is
spotted by another plane and again crash-dives.
13 June 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
15 June 1943:
Refuels from the oiler NARUTO.
17 June 1943:
The I-38 receives a new Unpoto sledge from the TAISEI
MARU.
19 June 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her fifth supply run to Lae, carrying
48.5 tons of provisions.
21 June 1943:
Arrives at Lae and disembarks the provisions.
23 June 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
24 June 1943:
The I-38 receives another new Unpoto sledge from the
TAISEI MARU.
25 June 1943:
The I-38 undergoes maintenance work and her upper deck
is painted.
26 June 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her sixth supply run to Lae, carrying
48.5 tons of provisions. Reassigned to the Eighth Fleet.
28 June 1943:
At sunset, arrives at Lae. The cargo is disembarked in
exchange for 15 IJA soldiers.
30 June 1943:
Returns to Rabaul. It is decided to divert her
temporarily to commerce raiding operations.
1 July 1943:
Takes aboard supplies from the submarine tender CHOGEI.
2 July 1943:
Departs Rabaul to raid enemy communications and
reconnoiter the Kula Gulf (her first war patrol).
4 July 1943:
Arrives at her prescribed area.
5 July 1943:
Cdr Ankyu spots two enemy transport vessels but is unable
to attack.
6 July 1943:
In the morning, Cdr Ankyu fires a torpedo on an American
destroyer but misses.
7 July 1943:
At night, the surfaced I-38 is suddenly attacked by an
enemy warship (probably the USS WALLER (DD-466) at 08-00S, 158-05E). The
destroyer engages the I-38 with guns and machine-gun fire. Cdr Ankyu
crash-dives. Ten minutes later the enemy vessel drops a pattern of depth
charges. The I-38 dives to 265 feet (80 meters). The enemy vessel continues the
chase for one-and-one-half hours.
8 July 1943:
Reconnoiters the Kula Gulf.
9 July 1943:
At night, again reconnoiters the Kula Gulf.
10 July 1943:
Reconnoiters the Kula Gulf for the third time, then
receives an order to return to Rabaul to continue the supply missions.
11 July 1943:
En route to Rabaul, the I-38 is repeatedly subjected to
air attacks, crash-diving each time.
12 July 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
17 July 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her seventh supply run to Lae.
19 July 1943:
At night, arrives at Lae, disembarking her cargo. On her
way back, she is attacked repeatedly by enemy bombers.
21 July 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
23 July 1943:
The I-38 receives a new Unpoto sledge and cargo.
24 July 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her eighth supply run to Lae.
26 July 1943:
At night, arrives at Lae, disembarks her cargo.
28 July 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
30 July 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her ninth supply run to Lae. Five or
six supply drums are lost en route.
2 August 1943:
Arrives at Lae.
3 August 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
6 August 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her tenth supply run to Lae.
8 August 1943:
Arrives at Lae and disembarks her cargo.
9 August 1943:
En route back to Rabaul, the I-38's lookouts spot an
airplane and she crash-dives.
10 August 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
12 August 1943:
The I-38 receives new cargo from the NAGOYA MARU.
14 August 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 11th supply run, this time to
Kolombangara. About 100 miles from Rabaul, the I-38 is strafed and bombed by an
enemy plane.
15 August 1943:
At night, the I-38 is attacked by six enemy aircraft
and depth-charged.
17 August 1943:
Arrives at Kolombangara and disembarks her cargo.
19 August 1943:
En route to Rabaul, the I-38's lookouts spot six
B-24s. The submarine crash-dives.
20 August 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
26 August 1943:
Receives a new Unpoto from the TOYO MARU.
28 August 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 12th supply run to Lae.
30 August 1943:
Arrives at Lae, disembarks her cargo.
1 September 1943:
Enroute to Rabaul, the I-38 is spotted by enemy
aircraft and dives several times. Returns to Rabaul.
2 September 1943:
Receives a new Unpoto from the TOYO MARU.
7 September 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 13th supply run to
Kolombangara.
10 September 1943:
While negotiating the entrance to the Kolombangara
Gulf, the I-38 is attacked by an enemy aircraft that drops a bomb, but misses.
The I-38 continues her voyage to Shortland without disembarking her cargo.
12 September 1943:
I-38 arrives at Shortland and disembarks her cargo.
Thirty minutes after her departure her lookouts spot an aircraft and I-38
crash-dives.
At 2300, the I-38, continuing her voyage on the surface, is suddenly
attacked by an aircraft that drops three bombs, but they all miss. The plane had
apparently switched off its engine before diving to remain unnoticed.
13 September 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
17 September 1943:
Receives a new cargo of provisions from the TOYO
MARU.
20 September 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 14th supply run to
Finschafen with ComSubDiv 15 Captain Harada embarked.
22 September 1943:
The I-38 arrives in her prescribed area but fails
to establish a contact with the IJA garrison. She retreats to outer sea.
23 September 1943:
I-38 approaches Finschafen again, but there is
still no answer from the ground troops. Later that night, she spots an enemy
convoy but is unable to attack because of her cargo.
24 September 1943:
Cdr Ankyu makes a final attempt to contact the
garrison on Finschafen. The I-38 is then ordered to patrol in the area until 27
September and then move to Sarmi.
27 September 1943:
Arrives at Sarmi and disembarks half of her cargo.
28 September 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
3 October 1943:
The I-38 departs on her 15th supply mission to Sio.
5 October 1943:
Arrives at Sarmi and starts to disembark her cargo.
With two thirds of the cargo still on the upper deck, she is attacked by an
enemy aircraft and dives immediately. She later surfaces and disembarks the rest
of her cargo.
8 October 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
10-13 October 1943:
The I-38 participates in "Unkato" container**
towing tests at Rabaul. The tests end in failure.
12 October 1943: Air raid on Rabaul:
At Rabaul. LtGen (later
General) George C. Kenney's 5th Air Force hits Rabaul with the biggest raid made
up to then in the Pacific war. Three hundred forty-nine aircraft, including 87
B-17 and B-24 bombers, 114 B-25 strafers, 12 RAAF "Beaufighters", 125 P-38
"Lightning" fighters and others from New Guinea and Australia hit Rabaul's
airfields and its Simpson Harbor.
The I-38, I-36, I-176, I-177, RO-105 and the RO-108 are moored in deep
water. The harbor is bombed, but when the attack begins, most of the submarines
submerge to safety.
15 October 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 16th supply run to Sarmi.
16 October 1943:
Arrives at Sarmi. Disembarking the cargo is suspended
because of a severe thunderstorm. An enemy PT boat attacks the I-38 and forces
her to dive. The boat then drops four depth-charges.
17 October 1943:
At night, the I-38 approaches Sarmi again. Two
Daihatsu barges from the base succeed in unloading 80 per cent of her cargo.
18 October 1943:
Off Rabaul, the I-38's lookouts spot enemy aircraft
bound for Rabaul. She is forced to dive four times. Returns to Rabaul.
20-21 October 1943:
The I-38 participates in another Unkato towing
experiment.
24 October 1943:
Departs Rabaul on her 17th supply run to Sarmi.
Around 0915 her lookouts spot enemy aircraft bound for Rabaul; the submarine
crash-dives.
25 October 1943:
Arrives at Sarmi, disembarking her cargo. En route to
Rabaul, an enemy aircraft forces her to dive.
26 October 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
29 October 1943:
Departs Rabaul on her 18th supply run to Sio.
Enroute, an incoming enemy aircraft formation forces her to crash-dive.
30 October 1943:
At about 2300, the I-38 is spotted by an enemy patrol
plane.
31 October 1943:
Arrives at Sio and disembarks her cargo.
1 November 1943: American Operation "Shoestring II": The Invasion of
Bougainville:
Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Theodore S. Wilkinson's Third
Amphibious Force, TF 31, lands Lt Gen (later General/Commandant) Alexander A.
Vandegrift's 1st Marine Amphibious Corps at Cape Torokina, Empress Augusta Bay,
Bougainville, Solomons.
2 November, 1943:
The I-38 returns to Rabaul. The harbor and Rabaul's
airfields are attacked by 75 North American B-25 "Mitchells" escorted by 70 P-38
Lockheed "Lightning" fighters in support of the landings on Bougainville. The
I-38 submerges. A minesweeper is sunk and three stores ships damaged. After the
raid, the I-38 sinks one of the burning vessels with her deck gun.
The B-25's and P-38's claim 12 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 68
shot down during the raid. AA and air opposition is the strongest thus far
encountered by the Fifth Air Force. 21 American planes are lost.
5 November 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 19th supply run to Sio, towing
an Unkato container. Enroute she is attacked by enemy aircraft and crash-dives.
After surfacing, the I-38 abandons the container.
7 November 1943:
In the evening, arrives at Sio, disembarks her cargo,
taking aboard wounded and sick soldiers in exchange.
9 November 1943:
Returns to Rabaul. American reconnaissance aircraft
are spotted and the submarine dives twice.
16-17 November 1943:
The I-38 participates in more Unkato towing
experiments.
18 November 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 20th supply run to Sarmi.
19 November 1943:
While running surfaced, the I-38 is attacked by an
enemy PT boat but manages to crash-dive and escape. The boat drops four
depth-charges. Arrives at Sarmi.
20 November 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
23 November 1943:
Departs Rabaul on her 21st supply run to Sio.
25 November 1943:
Arrives at Sio and disembarks her cargo.
26 November 1943:
On her way to Rabaul, the I-38 is attacked by an
enemy bomber, that drops a bomb but misses.
27 November 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
1-7 December 1943:
The I-38 participates in more Unkato towing
experiments and a speed trial.
7 December 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 22nd supply run to Sarmi,
towing an Unpoto sledge.
9 December 1943:
Arrives at Sarmi. Disembarks her cargo and hands over
the Unpoto to a Daihatsu barge from the local base.
11 December 1943:
Returns to Rabaul.
18-19 December 1943:
Participates in more Unkato towing experiments.
19 December 1943:
Departs Rabaul for her 23rd supply run to Sio,
towing an Unkato.
21 December 1943:
Arrives at Sio, disembarking her cargo, then returns
to Rabaul.
23 December 1943:
Returns to Rabaul. In her 23 supply runs from Rabaul
to Lae, Sio, Kolombangara and Sarmi the I-38 carries a total of 753- tons of
cargo. In March 1944 Cdr Ankyu receives a citation from Admiral Koga Mineichi
(former CO of ISE), CinC, Combined Fleet, for the I-38's feats.
1 January 1944:
The I-38 is in SubRon 1's SubDiv 15 with the I-32,
-35, -36 and the I-41.
7 January 1944:
Returns to Kure for repairs and overhaul.
15 February 1944:
Cdr Ankyu is detailed to the Kure submarine school
research department until 6 March.
14 March 1944:
LtCdr Toyama Zenshin is assigned as the Commanding
Officer. Departs Kure.
30 March 1944:
Departs Truk.
8 April 1944:
The I-38 transfers the staff of the Ninth Fleet from
Wewak, New Guinea to Hollandia, New Guinea.
18 April 1944:
LtCdr Shimose Yoshiro (former CO of I-6) is appointed
the Commanding Officer. LtCdr Toyama is later assigned as the CO of the I-48.
27 April 1944:
Returns to Kure.
