SENSUIKAN!
HIJMS Submarine RO-35: Tabular Record of
Movement
© 2001-2003 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
25 March 1943:
The RO-35 is completed at Mitsubishi's Kobe Yard, commissioned in the IJN and based in the Maizuru Naval District. LtCdr Manabe Masateru is the Commanding Officer.
March 1943:
The RO-35 is assigned to SubRon 11 to work up.
17 July 1943:
Departs Kure for Truk.
20 July 1943:
Reassigned to the Sixth Fleet (Submarines).
Early August 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
16 August 1943:
Departs Truk to reconnoiter the Espiritu Santo area, New Caledonia.
25 August 1943:
At 1700, LtCdr Manabe reports sighting a convoy of six transports off Espiritu Santo. It is the last signal received from the RO-35.
E of the Solomons, 170 miles from Ndeni, Santa Cruz island. LtCdr A. F. White's USS PATTERSON (DD-392) is screening a convoy of Task Unit 32. 4.7 from the New Hebrides toward the lower Solomon Islands. At 1912, White's radar picks up a surface contact. The PATTERSON is ordered to close and investigate. At 4,000 yards, the contact - a diving submarine - disappears. White's sonar reacquires the target at 3,800 yards and the PATTERSON commences dropping depth charge patterns. At 2153, the PATTERSON's crew hears a deep underwater explosion - probably marking the end of the RO-35 at 12-57S, 164-23 E.
8 September 1943:
The Sixth Fleet at Truk requests that LtCdr Manabe provide a situation report, but there is no reply.
2 October 1943:
Presumed lost with all 66 hands off Espiritu Santos, New Hebrides Islands.
1 December 1943:
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.
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