SENSUIKAN!
HIJMS Submarine RO-33: Tabular Record of
Movement
© 2001-2003 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
7 October 1935:
Kure Navy Yard. The RO-33 is completed, commissioned in the IJN and based in the Maizuru Naval District.
15 November 1940:
Assigned to the Combined Fleet's SubRon 4 in SubDiv 21.
1 December 1941:
LtCdr Sakamoto Eiichi is posted as the Commanding Officer.
8 December 1941: Operation "E"- The Invasion of Malaya:
The RO-33 is in Rear Admiral Yoshitomi Setsuzo's SubRon 4 in Captain Iwagami Hidetoshi's SubDiv 21 with the RO-34.
Departs Sasebo with the RO-34 and the Maki Unit to raid enemy communications in the Malaya-Java area.
12 December 1941:
South China Sea. The RO-33 patrols off Anambas Island.
14 December 1941:
Arrives at Camranh Bay, Indochina with the RO-34.
18 December 1941: The Invasion of British Borneo:
Japanese invasion forces land at Miri, Sarawak, Borneo.
21 December 1941:
Departs Camranh to patrol E of Singapore.
5 January 1942:
Departs her patrol area to return to Camranh.
7 January 1942:
Returns to Camranh.
13 January 1942:
Departs Camranh to patrol SE of Anambas and W of Java.
30 January 1942:
Returns to Camranh.
8 February 1942:
Departs Camranh to patrol in the same area as the I-53.
9 February 1942:
The RO-33 is attached to the "A" Unit with the RO-34.
10 February 1942:
Patrols off Anambas.
13 February 1942:
Departs the patrol area to support the invasion of Java. Patrols S of Sunda and Lombok Staraits, off Bali and Tjilatjap.
Dutch Rear Admiral Karel W. F. M. Doorman's Striking Force departs Parigi Bay, Sumatra, to intercept a Japanese convoy heading for Palembang.
15 February 1942:
At 0920, Doorman's Striking Force, now with HMS EXETER and HMAS HOBART attached, is sighted by an Aichi E13A1 "Jake" launched from the CHOKAI. The RO-33, I-53 and I-55 are ordered to intercept the returning force at the northern entrance of the Sunda Strait. No contacts are made as Doorman's force turned back after being attacked by Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" torpedo-bombers from the light carrier RYUJO.
20 February 1942:
Transits the Lombok Strait, Java into the Indian Ocean.
1 to 4 March 1942:
Off Tjilatjap, the RO-33 sights several enemy transports and destroyers. LtCdr Sakamoto attempts to attack them, but fails to hit any vessels.*
8 March 1942:
Arrives at Staring (now Teluk) Bay, Celebes.
10 March 1942:
SubRon 4 is disbanded. The RO-33 and the RO-34 are reassigned to SubRon 6 of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Inoue Shigeyoshi's (former CO of HIEI) Fourth Fleet.
22 March 1942:
Departs Staring Bay with the RO-34.
26 March 1942:
Arrives at Palau with the RO-34.
30 March 1942:
Departs Palau for Truk with the RO-34.
3 April 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
4 April 1942:
Assigned to the South Seas Unit with the RO-34.
10 April 1942:
SubRon 6 is disbanded. SubDiv 21 is reassigned to SubRon 7, Fourth Fleet.
15 April 1942:
Departs Truk with the RO-34.
18 April 1942:
The RO-33 arrives at Rabaul. LtCdr Kuriyama Shigeshi assumes command. Later, LtCdr Sakamoto is reassigned as the CO of the I-154.
20 April 1942:
The RO-33 departs Rabaul to reconnoiter Port Moresby, New Guinea. SubDiv 21, under the South Seas Force, is ordered to search the Jomard Passage for convoy routes and to reconnoiter the Russell and Deboyne Islands for suitable anchorages prior to the planned assault on Port Moresby. The RO-33 and RO-34 are later ordered to blockade Port Moresby and guide Japanese shipping into the area.
23 April 1942:
Returns to Rabaul.
1 May 1942:
Departs Rabaul to support the capture of Port Moresby.
4 May 1942: Operation "MO" - The Invasions of Tulagi, Solomons and Port Moresby, New Guinea:
Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi's (former CO of KISO) Attack Force departs Rabaul towards the Jomard Pass in the Louisiade Archipelago with DesRon 6's light cruiser YUBARI, four destroyers and a patrol boat escorting Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Abe Koso's Transport Force of 12 transports and a minesweeper.
4 May 1942: The Battle of the Coral Sea:
Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Frank J. Fletcher's Task Force 17 attacks Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Shima Kiyohide's (former CO of OI) Tulagi Invasion Force at Tulagi. Douglas SBD dive-bombers and TBD torpedo-bombers from the YORKTOWN (CV-5) sink a destroyer, three minesweepers and damage four other ships. The next day, Fletcher's force engages Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) Takagi Takeo's (former CO of MUTSU) Carrier Strike Force. SBDs and TBDs from the YORKTOWN and the LEXINGTON (CV-2) sink Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Goto Aritomo's (former CO of MUTSU) light carrier SHOHO. In turn, Japanese planes damage the oiler USS NEOSHO (AO-23) and sink the destroyer SIMS (DD-409).
5 May 1942:
Arrives off Port Moresby.
8 May 1942:
Aircraft from the LEXINGTON sight the Carrier Strike Force Main Body (SHOKAKU and ZUIKAKU). SBDs from the YORKTOWN and the LEXINGTON damage the SHOKAKU and force her retirement. The ZUIKAKU's air group suffers heavy losses. Takagi's planes damage the YORKTOWN and the LEXINGTON that is further damaged by gasoline explosions. She has to be abandoned and later scuttled by the destroyer PHELPS (DD-360).
10 May 1942:
Departs her patrol area.
19 May 1942:
The Battle of the Coral Sea halts the Japanese thrust toward Port Moresby and they are forced to cancel Operation MO. Returns to Rabaul.
23 May 1942:
Departs Truk with the RO-34.
30 May 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo for overhaul and repair.
9 July 1942:
Departs Sasebo with the RO-34.
17 July 1942:
Arrives at Truk with the RO-34.
23 July 1942:
Departs Truk for Rabaul.
27 July 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul with the RO-34.
29 July 1942:
Departs Rabaul to operate in the Coral Sea in the Port Moresby area and SE coast of New Guinea.
6 August 1942:
North Queensland, Australia. N of Murray Island. The 300-ton M/V MAMUTU set out from Port Moresby for Daru on the western shores of the Gulf of Papua. At 1034 (local), the RO-33 spots the MAMUTU and starts the chase. By 1100, MAMUTU is half-way across the gulf when her crew spots the submarine several miles astern. The RO-33 shells and sinks the MAMUTU at 09-11S, 144-12E. LtCdr Kuriyama orders his machine gunner to open fire on the survivors in the water. Those killed include many women and children. There are only 28 survivors of the 114 persons who were aboard.*
7 August 1942: American Operation "WATCHTOWER" - The Invasion of Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands:
Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond K. Turner's Amphibious Task Force 62, covered by Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Frank J. Fletcher's Task Force 61 and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's Task Force 63's land-based aircraft, lands MajGen (later Gen/MOH/Commandant) Alexander A. Vandegrift's 1st Marine Division on Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo and Guadalcanal opening the campaign to take the island.
Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi (former CO of KIRISHIMA), CINC, Eighth Fleet, orders SubRon 21's RO-33, then off New Guinea, and the RO-34 and SubRon 7's I-121, -122 and 123 to the Indispensable Strait off Guadalcanal to reconnoiter the landing area and contact Japanese shore patrols on the island.
11 August 1942:
Arrives off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal.
12 August 1942:
At 1200, the RO-33 arrives off Cape Hunter and contacts the Japanese shore patrol. According to them, an enemy task force consisting of two carriers, two battleships, five cruisers and several transports was spotted leaving Guadalcanal. LtCdr Kuriyama relays this information to his headquarters.
13 August 1942:
Delivers food to Japanese shore patrol at Cape Esperance.
16 August 1942:
Returns to Rabaul.
22 August 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol off Port Moresby.
25 August 1942:
The RO-33 patrols S of Samarai.
26 August 1942:
LtCdr Kuriyama sends a regular situation report after arriving in his prescribed area. It is the last signal received from the RO-33.
29 August 1942:
At 1134, the 3,310-ton merchant MALAITA, escorted by Cdr J. C. Morrow's destroyer HMAS ARUNTA, leaves Port Moresby for Cairns, Australia to escape bombing raids. At 1210, near the Port Moresby harbor entrance, the MALAITA is torpedoed by the RO-33 at 09-50S, 144-55E. The torpedo hits the MALAITA below the bridge on her starboard side and she takes on a heavy list to starboard. By 1245, the crew abandons ship fearing that she is about to capsize, but later reboards her. The MALAITA is taken under tow back to Port Moresby.
10 miles SE of Port Moresby. The ARUNTA makes a sonar contact on the RO-33. Cdr Morrow makes four attacks with Mk.VII depth charges and the ARUNTA's crew sees a large oil slick. The RO-33 sinks at 09-36S, 147-06E with all 70 officers and men.
1 September 1942:
Presumed lost off Port Moresby.
5 October 1942:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
*Author and historian Kimata Jiro dismisses any notion about the gunning of the survivors as wartime propaganda. Once the MAMUTU was seen to go down, the sub immediately left the area because an SOS had been sent and planes could arrive at any minute.
Thanks for assistance in researching the IJN officers mentioned in this TROM go to Mr. Jean-François Masson of Canada.
Special thanks for help in preparing this TROM go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan. – Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.
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