I-168

I-168. The Imperial Japanese Navy Kaidai-class submarine I-168 was a vessel that achieved significant notoriety during the Pacific War. Commissioned in the mid-1930s, it served through the opening campaigns of World War II before executing one of the most impactful submarine attacks of the conflict. Its operational career, marked by a singular, devastating success, ended when it was itself destroyed by United States Navy forces in 1943.

Design and construction

The vessel was a member of the Kaidai VIa subclass, an evolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy's long-range fleet submarine designs. Its construction was undertaken at the Kure Naval Arsenal, a major naval facility responsible for building many of Japan's warships. Laid down in June 1931 and launched in June 1933, the submarine was commissioned into service in July 1934. The design emphasized long endurance and heavy armament, featuring six torpedo tubes and a deck-mounted 14 cm/40 caliber gun. These characteristics were intended to support the Combined Fleet's strategy of attrition against an adversary's battle line, a doctrine heavily influenced by the teachings of Satō Tetsutarō.

Service history

Following its commissioning, I-168 was assigned to the Kure Naval District for training and shakedown exercises. At the outbreak of the Pacific War, it was attached to Submarine Division 12, part of Submarine Squadron 3 within the Sixth Fleet. Its early war patrols were conducted in support of major operations, including the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway. During the Battle of the Coral Sea, it was deployed on a reconnaissance mission. The submarine's commanding officer for its most famous mission was Lieutenant Commander Yahachi Tanabe, an experienced submariner who had previously served on the cruiser Yura.

Sinking of USS Yorktown

In the aftermath of the Battle of Midway in June 1942, the damaged American aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5) was under tow by the destroyer USS Hammann (DD-412). I-168, commanded by Yahachi Tanabe, successfully penetrated the screen of escorting destroyers, which included USS Hughes (DD-410) and USS Gwin (DD-433). On 6 June, Tanabe fired a spread of Type 95 torpedos. Two torpedoes struck USS Yorktown (CV-5), while a third hit USS Hammann (DD-412), which sank almost immediately. The additional damage proved fatal to the carrier, which finally capsized and sank early the following morning. This action eliminated the last remaining American carrier crippled during the Battle of Midway and represented a rare Japanese tactical success in the otherwise disastrous engagement.

Later operations and loss

Following its success at Midway, I-168 continued operations in the Solomon Islands campaign. It was involved in supply missions to Japanese garrisons on Guadalcanal and conducted patrols around the New Hebrides. On 13 July 1943, while patrolling near New Georgia, it torpedoed and damaged the United States Navy oil tanker SS Gulfwave. Two weeks later, on 27 July 1943, I-168 was detected and attacked northeast of New Ireland by the destroyer escort USS Scamp (SS-277). The American submarine scored a hit with its Mark 14 torpedo, and I-168 sank with all 97 hands, including its commander, Lieutenant Commander Yoshitake Uesugi.

Legacy

The sinking of USS Yorktown (CV-5) and USS Hammann (DD-412) secured I-168 a permanent place in the history of naval warfare in the Pacific War. The action is extensively documented in works such as Gordon Prange's *Miracle at Midway* and is a focal point in analyses of the Battle of Midway. The wreck of USS Yorktown (CV-5) was located in 1998 by an expedition led by Robert Ballard. While the submarine itself is remembered for this single mission, its fate also illustrates the increasing effectiveness of United States Navy anti-submarine warfare as the war progressed, a trend that would devastate the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine force.

Category:Imperial Japanese Navy submarines Category:World War II submarines of Japan Category:Ships sunk by American submarines