I-58 was a Japanese B3 type cruiser submarine that served in the final year of World War II . Her only significant wartime success came with a conventional torpedo attack upon USS Indianapolis on 30 July 1945. She was modified to carry Kaiten manned torpedoes, making several attacks that inflicted minor damage in exchange for every Kaiten launched being sunk. The submarine surrendered in September 1945, and was later scuttled by the United States Navy .
55-466: The submarine was laid down on 26 December 1942 at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal , and launched on 30 June 1943. During construction her 14 cm/40 11th Year Type naval gun was removed, making room for four Kaiten manned suicide torpedoes. The submarine was completed on 7 September 1944 and command was given to Kaigun Shōsa (Lieutenant Commander) Mochitsura Hashimoto . I-58 was assigned to
110-479: A cruise to the southern Pacific. Stops included Samoa , Australia , and New Zealand . While returning from Hawaii to California, she carried Commander John Rodgers , who had failed in his attempt to fly a seaplane from California to Hawaii. The ship reached San Francisco on 24 September. For the next six years, Idaho was based in San Pedro , where she continued to conduct readiness training, alternating between
165-604: A group of escort carriers for the invasion of the Mariana Islands . Idaho began the preparatory bombardment of Saipan on 14 June, with the assault taking place the following day. Idaho then shifted to Guam , where she shelled Japanese positions. During the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19–20 June, Idaho remained with the invasion fleet and protected the troop transports and supply ships. She steamed to Eniwetok in
220-411: A periscope, and Nickel attacked at flank speed . Nickel fired depth charges, and attempted to ram, sustaining minor damage to her hull. A Kaiten broke surface astern of Oak Hill and exploded. Half an hour later Nickel sighted another periscope astern of Oak Hill , and fired depth charges. An explosion followed, throwing a black geyser of oil and water 50 feet (15 m) into the air. An oil slick
275-652: A periscope, opened fire with her 3-inch gun, and the periscope disappeared. Harris established and maintained sonar contact with a submerged target, subsequently conducting multiple depth charge and hedgehog attacks throughout the evening of July 28 and into the morning of July 29th without apparent success before sonar contact was lost. Aboard I-58 , two explosions were heard, but a rain squall prevented any visual verification. The submarine eventually surfaced, but detected no ships on radar, and reported both as sunk. At 23:00 on 29 July 1945 I-58 surfaced 250 miles (400 km) north of Palau and headed south. Shortly afterwards
330-645: A refit from 14 October to 28 December 1942, Idaho received a new anti-aircraft battery of ten quadruple Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) guns and forty-three 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon guns , though the Oerlikons were added in stages. By the time the refit ended, she carried only sixteen of them, with eleven more added in January 1943, the remaining sixteen being added in February. From 22 October 1944 to 1 January 1945, Idaho received another major refit, which included
385-677: A second attack followed on Kiska, but the Japanese had already abandoned the island in July. On 7 September, Idaho returned to San Francisco to begin preparations for the next major amphibious assault, which shifted focus to the central Pacific. Idaho moved to Pearl Harbor and then joined the invasion fleet on 10 November, which then steamed to the Gilbert Islands . They arrived off Makin Atoll on 20 November; Idaho continued her role as gunfire support for
440-423: A top speed of 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph). The ship had a cruising range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at a speed of 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph). Her crew numbered 1,081 officers and enlisted men. As built, she was fitted with two lattice masts with spotting tops for the main gun battery. The main armored belt was 8–13.5 in (203–343 mm) thick, while
495-412: Is mentioned in the invitation, if known; otherwise, her type and number are given, e.g., DD 2217. For submarines, they do not have a keel to be laid; instead, the initials of the ship sponsor are welded on a steel plate during the ceremony. The plate will be mounted in a place of honor on the submarine once built. USS Idaho (BB-42) USS Idaho (BB-42) , a New Mexico -class battleship ,
550-418: Is now often called "keel authentication" and is the ceremonial beginning of the ship's life, although some modules may have been started months before that stage of construction. Keel-related traditions from the times of wooden ships are said to bring luck to the ship during construction and to the captain and crew during her later life. They include placing a newly minted coin under the keel and constructing
605-453: The Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs to Tinian from San Francisco . I-58 submerged and prepared to attack with Type 95 torpedoes . After manoeuvering into position, at 23:26 ( JST ) the submarine fired a spread of six torpedoes at 2-second intervals. At 23:35, Lt. Cdr Hashimoto observed two equally spaced hits on the cruiser's starboard side. The ship stopped, listed to starboard, and
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#1733092889869660-621: The Marines had wrested control of the small island from its Japanese garrison. Idaho replenished fuel and ammunition at Majuro before returning to shell Japanese positions on other islands in the Marshalls before steaming to Kavieng, New Ireland to conduct a diversionary bombardment on 20 March. On 25 March, Idaho arrived in the New Hebrides , before continuing on to Australia for a brief stay. She returned to Kwajalein on 8 June, where she joined
715-760: The Panama Canal . She steamed to Monterey, California , where she joined the Pacific Fleet in September. The fleet then conducted a series of training exercises and held a naval review on 13 September for President Woodrow Wilson . Idaho hosted the Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels and the Secretary of the Interior John B. Payne for a tour of Alaska, which concluded on 22 July. Idaho returned to
770-892: The Sixth Fleet's Submarine Squadron 11 for training in the Inland Sea before being assigned to the 15th Submarine Division on 4 December 1944. A few days later she was assigned to the Kongo ("Diamond") group, with I-36 , I-47 , I-48 , I-53 and I-56 , to launch Kaiten attacks on five U.S. fleet anchorages. I-58 was assigned to attack Apra Harbor , Guam . After a week of exercises I-58 took on fuel, provisions and torpedoes, and embarked four Kaiten and their crews, before departing Kure with I-36 on 31 December 1944. Between 03:10 and 03:27 on 12 January 1945, eleven miles (18 km) west of Apra, she launched all four Kaiten. The last Kaiten detonated immediately after launching, but at 05:30, as I-58
825-765: The aircraft carrier Yorktown , four light cruisers , and two destroyer squadrons to the Atlantic to reinforce the Neutrality Patrols. Idaho left Hawaii on 6 June, bound for Hampton Roads to join the neutrality patrols. In September, she was stationed in Hvalfjörður , Iceland , and was there when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December. With the United States now an active participant in World War II, Idaho and Mississippi left Iceland on 9 December to rejoin
880-532: The aircraft carrier USS Randolph . After returning to Kure for further training, I-58 was attached to the Tatara group, with I-44 , I-47 and I-56 , formed to attack American shipping as part of Operation Ten-Go . I-58 was unable to penetrate the intense U.S. anti-submarine defences, and was forced to return to Kyushu on 10 April to recharge batteries. She made another attempt, but repeated attacks by enemy aircraft made any attack impossible. The submarine
935-499: The superstructure . Unlike earlier American battleships with triple turrets, these mounts allowed each barrel to elevate independently. The secondary battery consisted of fourteen 5-inch (127 mm)/51 caliber guns mounted in individual casemates clustered in the superstructure amidships . Initially, the ship was to have been fitted with twenty-two of the guns, but experiences in the North Sea during World War I demonstrated that
990-507: The 1920s and 1930s in the Pacific Fleet , where she conducted routine training exercises. Like her sister ships , she was modernized in the early 1930s. In mid-1941, before the United States entered World War II , Idaho and her sisters were sent to join the Neutrality Patrols that protected American shipping during the Battle of the Atlantic . After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Idaho and her sisters were sent to
1045-543: The 25th. Permanent repairs were completed quickly, allowing the ship to return to Okinawa on 22 May, where she resumed her fire support mission. She operated off Okinawa until 20 June, before departing for the Philippines. There, she conducted training operations in Leyte Gulf until Japan agreed to surrender on 15 August. Idaho was among the ships to enter Tokyo Bay on 27 August, carrying a detachment of occupation troops. She
1100-455: The 7th the operation was cancelled, and two days later she was redirected to the area west of Okinotorishima to support Operation Tan No. 2 , an air attack on the anchorage at Ulithi . The submarine jettisoned two Kaiten and proceeded at full speed. On 11 March I-58 was stationed off Okinotorishima to act as a radio relay ship for 24 Yokosuka P1Y "Frances" twin-engined kamikaze bombers. Only six aircraft reached Ulithi, and one crashed into
1155-601: The Battle Fleet was transferred from California to Hawaii; Idaho joined the other ships on 1 July. By this time, World War II had broken out in Europe, spawning the Battle of the Atlantic . In response, President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated the Neutrality Patrols to protect American shipping. On 7 May 1941, Admiral Harold Stark , the Chief of Naval Operations , transferred Idaho , her sisters Mississippi and New Mexico ,
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#17330928898691210-589: The Marianas and then on 14 February steamed north to Iwo Jima , the target of the next major amphibious assault. The ship bombarded the Japanese defenders on 19 February as the Marines went ashore; Idaho remained there for nearly a month before withdrawing on 7 March to replenish at Ulithi . On 21 March, Idaho joined Task Force 54 (TF 54), the Gunfire and Covering Group under the command of Rear Admiral Morton Deyo , as
1265-591: The Marshalls to replenish her stocks of ammunition from 28 June to 9 July, before returning to Guam on 12 July. She bombarded the island for eight days before ground troops went ashore on 21 July. The ship continued to support American forces ashore until 2 August, when she returned to Eniwetok for further supplies. From there, she steamed to Espiritu Santo , where on 15 August she entered a floating dry dock for repairs. In early September, Idaho steamed to Guadalcanal , where she took part in amphibious assault training. On 12 September, she steamed to Peleliu and joined
1320-596: The Navy began installing aircraft catapults on its battleships, and Idaho was among the vessels to receive a Mark II catapult. Idaho was heavily modernized in the early 1930s. Her original turbines were replaced with new geared models manufactured by Westinghouse , and she received six express boilers designed by the Bureau of Engineering . This improved her performance to a top speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) from 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW). Her armament
1375-642: The Pacific Fleet. They stopped in Norfolk before steaming through the Panama Canal and continuing on to San Francisco, where they arrived on 31 January 1942. For much of the year, Idaho was occupied with combat training off the coast of California. In October, she went to the Puget Sound Navy Yard to receive replacements for her worn out main battery guns. The original secondary battery of 5-inch/51 cal. guns
1430-787: The Pacific and the Caribbean Sea . On 7 September 1931, she departed San Pedro for the Norfolk Navy Yard , where she received a major reconstruction that began after her arrival on 30 September. The lengthy reconstruction finished on 9 October 1934, and after completing another shakedown cruise in the Caribbean, Idaho returned to San Pedro, arriving on 17 April 1935. Fleet maneuvers increased in frequency, particularly after tensions began to rise with Japan over its expansionist policies in Asia. In mid-1940,
1485-555: The Pacific, where she supported amphibious operations in the Pacific. She shelled Japanese forces during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands and the Philippines campaigns and the invasions of Peleliu , Iwo Jima , and Okinawa . Idaho was among the ships present in Tokyo Bay when Japan formally surrendered on 2 September 1945. With the war over, the ship was decommissioned in July 1946. She
1540-446: The additional guns, which would have been placed in the hull, would have been unusable in anything but calm seas. As a result, the casemates were plated over to prevent flooding. The secondary battery was augmented with four 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns . In addition to her gun armament, Idaho was also fitted with two 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes , mounted submerged in the hull, one on each broadside . Starting in 1921,
1595-602: The area at full speed, heading north while recharging batteries. On the morning of 9 August, 260 miles north east of Aparri , Luzon , I-58 sighted a zigzagging "convoy of ten transports" escorted by three destroyers, and Kaiten No.'s 4 and 5 were launched. In fact the "convoy" was the hunter-killer team Task Group 75.19 led by the escort carrier USS Salamaua , carrying out anti-submarine sweeps between Leyte and Okinawa. The destroyer escort USS Johnnie Hutchins sighted and attacked Kaiten No.5 with her guns, and then attacked Kaiten No.4 with depth charges. Kaiten No.5
1650-417: The backbone of a vessel, called the keel . As steel ships replaced wooden ones, the central timber gave way to a central steel beam. Modern ships are most commonly built in a series of pre-fabricated, complete hull sections rather than around a single keel. The event recognized as the keel laying is the first joining of modular components, or the lowering of the first module into place in the building dock. It
1705-451: The dead across the River Styx should the ship sink. The first milestone in the history of a ship is the generally simple ceremony that marks the laying of the keel. Shipyard officials issue invitations to the ceremony, and they conduct the ceremony. The builder may be the commander of a naval shipyard or the president of a private company. The ship's prospective name, without the "USS",
Japanese submarine I-58 (1943) - Misplaced Pages Continue
1760-489: The flagship of Bombardment Unit 4 for the invasion of Okinawa . She began shelling Okinawa on 25 March, and the landings started on 1 April. The battle marked the height of the kamikaze attacks by the increasingly desperate Japanese defenders. Idaho shot down five kamikazes in a massed attack on 12 April, and in return, a near miss inflicted damage to her port side anti-torpedo bulge. Temporary repairs were effected off Okinawa, and on 20 April she left for Guam, arriving on
1815-528: The installation of ten 5-inch/38 caliber guns in individual, dual-purpose mounts in place of the old 25-caliber guns. She also received new Mark 8 radars for her main battery fire control system. Idaho was laid down on 20 January 1915 at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey . She was launched on 30 June 1917, and after fitting-out work ended, the new battleship
1870-432: The main armored deck was up to 3.5 in (89 mm) thick. The main battery gun turrets had 18 in (457 mm) thick faces on 13 in (330 mm) barbettes . The conning tower had 16 in (406 mm) thick sides. The ship was armed with a main battery of twelve 14-inch (356 mm)/50 caliber guns in four, three-gun turrets on the centerline, placed in two superfiring pairs forward and aft of
1925-422: The navigation officer Lt. Tanaka spotted a ship approaching from the east, making 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and not zigzagging. Lt. Cdr. Hashimoto incorrectly identified the target as an " Idaho -class battleship [ sic ]". She was in fact the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis , and had sailed from Guam for Leyte the previous day, after having delivered parts and nuclear material for
1980-403: The nearly 60-metre (200 ft)-long section of the submarine, vertically on the seafloor 200 metres (660 ft) deep. Plans called for a submersible to be deployed to confirm identity. The submarine, heavily encrusted with marine life, was positively identified as I-58 on 7 September 2017, by its rudder. Keel laying Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of
2035-575: The next two weeks, shelling Japanese positions in the Gilberts as well as contributing her antiaircraft battery to defend against Japanese aerial attacks. On 5 December, she left the area for Pearl Harbor, where she prepared for the next attack, against the Marshall Islands . On 31 January 1944, Idaho and the rest of the fleet arrived off Kwajalein to begin the preparatory bombardment. She continued to batter Japanese forces until 5 February, by which time
2090-623: The peacetime routine of fleet exercises over the next five years; these were held off the coast of North and South America, as far south as Chile . The ship was also present for a variety of ceremonies during this period, including a Naval Review for President Warren Harding in Seattle in 1923. The Pacific Fleet was reorganized as the Battle Fleet in 1922. She took part in major exercises off Hawaii in 1925, departing California on 15 April. The exercises lasted until 1 July, after which Idaho embarked on
2145-455: The preparatory bombardment of the island. In the ensuing Battle of Peleliu , dug in Japanese defenders inflicted heavy casualties on the assaulting Marines, with Idaho providing artillery support until 24 September, when she withdrew for an overhaul. She steamed to Manus and then to Bremerton, Washington , arriving on 22 October. During the refit, the 5-inch /25 cal. guns were replaced by ten 5-inch /38 cal. guns in single enclosed mounts; she
2200-410: The ship over it, having the youngest apprentice place the coin, and, when the ship is finished, presenting the owners with the oak block on which the keel is laid. The tradition of the placement of coins derives from the mast stepping custom of placing coins under the mast and is believed to date back to Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome and were intended to " pay the ferryman " to convey the souls of
2255-421: The start of a ship's construction . It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship. Keel laying is one of the four specially celebrated events in a ship's life; the others are launching , commissioning , and decommissioning . Earlier, the event recognized as the keel laying was the initial placement of the central timber making up
Japanese submarine I-58 (1943) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2310-451: Was commissioned into the fleet on 24 March 1919. Shortly afterward, the ship began her shakedown cruise , departing on 13 April for Guantánamo Bay , Cuba, before returning to New York. There, the President of Brazil , Epitácio Pessoa , boarded the ship to return to Brazil. The trip began on 6 July; Idaho reached Rio de Janeiro on 17 July, where Pessoa left the ship, and continued on to
2365-405: Was also revised, with the main battery turrets being modified to allow elevation to 30 degrees, greatly extending the range of the guns. Two of the 5-inch guns were removed, and eight 5-inch/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns were installed. She received an additional 2-inch (51 mm) armored deck, and her underwater protection was improved. Both lattice masts were removed; a heavy tower bridge
2420-512: Was also sighted. On 18 August I-58 , arrived back at Kure. On 2 September Japan surrendered . On 1 April 1946 in "Operation Road's End" I-58 , stripped of all usable equipment and material, was towed from Sasebo to an area off the Gotō Islands by the submarine tender USS Nereus and scuttled at 32°37′N 129°17′E / 32.617°N 129.283°E / 32.617; 129.283 . On 25 May 2017, sonar images revealed
2475-455: Was built in place of the fore mast, and a light pole mast was erected in place of the main mast. During the installation of the new bridge, she was fitted out as a flagship , which included the addition of a flag bridge for the admiral and his staff. These alterations greatly increased her displacement, to 33,420 long tons (33,960 t) standard and 36,157 long tons (36,737 t) full load. Her crew increased significantly, to 1,443. During
2530-423: Was down by the bow, but Hashimoto decided to attack again and dived to 100 feet (30 m) to open the range and reload torpedo tubes. While the submarine was submerged, at 00:27 on 30 July, Indianapolis capsized and sank at 12°02′N 134°48′E / 12.033°N 134.800°E / 12.033; 134.800 . When I-58 made a periscope check, the target was gone. The submarine surfaced, and departed
2585-506: Was leaving the area, she observed two pillars of smoke. She arrived back at Kure on 22 January 1945 and was credited with sinking an escort carrier and a large oiler , but the attack was not successful. After the American invasion of Iwo Jima in February 1945, I-58 and I-36 joined the Shimbu group formed to counterattack American forces. She departed Kure on 1 March carrying four Kaiten. On
2640-494: Was ordered to an area between Okinawa and Guam on the 14th, but had no success. The operation was cancelled on the 17th, and I-58 returned to Kure on the 30th. In May 1945 the submarine was sent to the Kure Naval Arsenal to refit. Her aircraft catapult and hangar were removed, enabling her to carry six Kaiten. She was also fitted with a snorkel . On 22 June 162 B-29s of the U.S. Twentieth Air Force bombed Kure. I-58
2695-488: Was removed as these guns were badly needed to arm merchant ships. Further training followed until April 1943, when on the 7th she departed for the Aleutian Islands , where Japanese troops had occupied the islands of Attu and Kiska . Idaho served as the flagship of the bombardment and patrol force. On 11 May, US Army forces went ashore on Attu, and Idaho provided gunfire support for the assault. The following month,
2750-479: Was running northwards on the surface at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), her Type 3 radar detected multiple targets. Soon after ships were sighted on the horizon. The submarine dove, and at 17:16, the crew sighted what they believed to be a seaplane carrier escorted by a destroyer. In reality, the "seaplane carrier" was the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill , escorted by USS Thomas F. Nickel en route from Okinawa to Leyte. At 18:26, Oak Hill sighted
2805-569: Was sold to ship breakers in November 1947 and subsequently dismantled. Idaho was 624 feet (190 m) long overall and had a beam of 97 ft 5 in (29.69 m) and a draft of 30 ft (9.1 m). She displaced 32,000 long tons (32,514 t) as designed and up to 33,000 long tons (33,530 t) at full combat load. The ship was powered by four-shaft Curtis turbines and nine oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers rated at 32,000 shaft horsepower (24,000 kW ), generating
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#17330928898692860-553: Was sunk by fire from her 5-inch stern gun. Kaiten No.4 sighted again over an hour later and again attacked with depth charges which resulted in a violent explosion, throwing water 30 feet (9.1 m) into the air. According to Hashimoto, the previously sighted destroyer had disappeared. He headed northwards to evade pursuit. The crew of Johnnie Hutchins were later awarded the Navy Unit Commendation . Around 17:00 on 12 August 1945, 360 miles south-east of Okinawa , while I-58
2915-650: Was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 43rd state . She was the third of three ships of her class . Built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey , she was launched in June 1917 and commissioned in March 1919. She was armed with a battery of twelve 14-inch (356 mm) guns in four three-gun turrets, and was protected by heavy armor plate, with her main belt armor being 13.5 inches (343 mm) thick. Idaho spent most of
2970-415: Was the only ship of her class to receive this modification. The installation of these guns required the removal of the last of the old 5-inch /51 guns, as the new weapons required continuous ammunition hoists. After completion of the work, she conducted training off California. On 28 January 1945, Idaho departed San Diego , bound for Pearl Harbor. There, she joined the bombardment group, which proceeded to
3025-507: Was undamaged, although there were several near-misses. I-58 was then attached to the Tamon group with I-47 , I-53 , I-363 , I-366 and I-367 , and on the evening of 18 July she sailed for an area east of the Philippines. On 28 July, 300 miles north of Palau , I-58 sighted the 6,214-ton cargo ship SS Wild Hunter , escorted by the destroyer escort USS Albert T. Harris (DE-447) . Two Kaiten were launched, but Wild Hunter sighted
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