© 2001-2005 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 2
28 December 1943:
The I-45 is completed at the Sasebo Navy Yard, commissioned in the IJN and based in the Yokosuka Naval District. Cdr
Tagami Meiji is assigned as the Commanding Officer.
1 January 1944:
The I-45 is in Rear Admiral Owada Noboru's (former CO
of YAMASHIRO) SubRon 7 in SubDiv 11 with the I-42, -43, -52, -183, I-184, RO-40,
-41, -43, -113 and the RO-114.
31 January 1944: American Operation "Flintlock" - The Invasion of the
Marshall Islands:
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 Kwajalein, Roi-Namur and Majuro.
25 March 1944:
The I-45 departs Kure on her first war patrol with the
I-16, -32, 36- and the I-38 to harass American supply lanes in an area E of the
Marshall Islands.
5 April 1944:
650 miles NE of Majuro. The I-45 is attacked by Grumman
TBM "Avenger" torpedo bombers and General Motors FM-2 "Wildcat" fighters from
Task Group 11.1's USS ALTAMAHA (CVE-18) at 14-27N, 176-37E. The I-45's stern and
rudders are damaged severely by rockets but Cdr Tagami manages to avoid a
subsequent Mark 24 "Fido" acoustic torpedo attack.
15 April 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
15 April-May 1944:
Yokosuka. Undergoes battle damage repairs.
10 June 1944:
Cdr (later Rear Amiral, JMSDF) Sekido Yoshimitsu (former
CO of I-185) relieves Cdr Tagami.
12 June 1944: American Operation "Forager" - The Invasion of
Saipan:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond K. Turner's Task Force 52 lands
Marine LtGen Holland M. Smith's V Amphibious Corps and the invasion of Saipan
begins.
13 June 1944: Operation "A-Go" - The Defense of the Marianas:
In
Tokyo, the CINC, Combined Fleet, Admiral Toyoda Soemu, (former CO of HYUGA),
activates A-Go.
28 June 1944:
Departs Yokosuka with the I-55 for Tinian, Marianas
carrying an "unkato" supply container loaded with weapons and ammunition. During
the voyage, the I-45 reports encountering heavy seas. The I-45 is redirected to
Guam to pick up stranded IJNAF carrier pilots.
14 July 1944:
Cdr Sekido attempts to deliver the container and pick up
his passengers, but fails to contact the aircrews ashore as a result of a
communications mix-up.
16 July 1944:
After a second failure to contact the aircrews ashore,
Cdr Sekido orders the container dumped and heads back towards Yokosuka.
28 July 1944:
Aeeives at Yokosuka.
5 September 1944:
LtCdr Kawashima Mamoru (former CO of I-162) assumes
command. Cdr Sekito is later reassigned to SubRon7 as a Staff Operations
Officer.
13 October 1944: Operation "Sho-I-Go" - The Defense of the
Philippines:
Admiral Toyoda Soemu, CINC, Combined Fleet, orders the Sho-I-Go
plan activated. That day, the I-45 departs Kure for the Philippine Sea on her
second war patrol.
20 October 1944: American Operation "King Two" - The Invasion of Leyte,
Philippines:
Admiral (later Fleet Admiral) William F. Halsey's Third Fleet of
738 ships including 18 aircraft carriers, six battleships, 17 cruisers, 64
destroyers and over 600 support ships land the Army's X Corps (24th Infantry and
1st Cavalry Divisions) and the XXIV Corps (7th, 77th and 96th Infantry
Divisions) that begins the campaign to retake Leyte.
24 October 1944:
The I-45 is redirected to take up station E of
Leyte.
25 October 1944:
I-45 is one of the submarines that the Japanese
think may have hit the USS SANTEE.
27 October 1944:
40 miles E of Leyte. LtCdr G. E. Marix's USS
EVERSOLE (DE-404), RICHARD S. BULL (DE-402) and Lt J. C. Horton's USS WHITEHURST
(DE-634) of Task Unit 77.7.1 are escorting a convoy from Leyte Gulf.
28 October 1944:
Off Dinagat Island, Philippines. At 0230, the
EVERSOLE makes sonar contact with a submarine, but is immediately hit by the
first of two torpedoes. LtCdr Marix orders Abandon Ship. The EVERSOLE remains
afloat for about 15 minutes before sinking stern first at 10-18N, 127-37E.
About 0300, the I-45 surfaces, opens fire on the survivors with its
machine gun, then dives. Five minutes later, an underwater explosion (probably
one of the EVERSOLE's own depth charges) kills or wounds many of the men in the
water. The BULL requests an ASW screen while she rescues 136 wounded survivors.
The WHITEHURST detaches from the convoy to conduct a search. She arrives
several hours later and at 0545 picks up a contact. Lt Horton conducts three
unsuccessful attacks with barrages of 7.2-inch Mark 10 "hedgehog" projector
charges, but his fourth attack results in several underwater explosions that are
so heavy they damage the WHITEHURST's sound gear. The BULL continues the search
but finds nothing. The lookouts in both ships notice many pieces of wood and
other debris in a widening oil slick. The submarine sunk in these attacks E of
Siargao Island at 10-10N, 127-28E is probably the I-45.
21 November 1944:
The I-45 is presumed lost with all 104 hands off
Philippines.
10 March 1945:
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.
