ALOHA Friends!
Welcome to the Sea Floor off of Oahu
They Exist!
“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore”
Vincent van Gogh
Emerging from History“There are fish in the sea better than have ever been caught”
Irish Sayings
Short "Teaser" for Tonight's Program
Submarine Archeology Score
The 1-401 submarine carried three folded-wing fighter/bomber aircraft in an
on-board hangar. The sub could surface and launch her planes in a matter of minutes.
One of the missions they were designed for was to bomb the Panama Canal.
"These subs were bigger than nuclear subs, the largest diesel subs ever built. They could launch aircraft, stay submerged and run 37,500 miles -- 1 1/2 times around the globe -- without refueling."
John Wiltshire, acting director of HURL (Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory)
It was HURL submersibles Pisces IV and Pisces V that found several of these 60-year-old Japanese submarines in February. The Geographic Channel partly funded and documented their mission for a special, "Hunt for the Samurai Subs," premiering TONIGHT as a crown jewel of the network's second annual Expedition Week.
This legendary class of submarines was developed by the WWII- era Japanese Empire using revolutionary technology. They were the largest submarines ever built -- 400 feet long -- until nuclear-powered submarines were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Had they become operational sooner, they might have had a big impact on the outcome of the war in the Pacific. Plans included the bombing of New York and Washington DC.
The U.S. Navy came into posession of the submarines at the end of WWII, sailing five of them from Japan to here to Pearl Harbor for inspection. A veteran involved in the transfer has reported that other than being unable to read the printing on the instruments, the American submariners had little trouble operating the vessels. The boats were ultimately sunk off of Oahu's coast (1946) in order to avoid sharing their technology with our Cold War adversaries, the Russians, per treaty as our WWII allies.
Tonight, "The Hunt for the Samurai Subs" on the National Geographic Channel tells their story.
"These subs were bigger than nuclear subs, the largest diesel subs ever built. They could launch aircraft, stay submerged and run 37,500 miles -- 1 1/2 times around the globe -- without refueling."
John Wiltshire, acting director of HURL (Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory)
It was HURL submersibles Pisces IV and Pisces V that found several of these 60-year-old Japanese submarines in February. The Geographic Channel partly funded and documented their mission for a special, "Hunt for the Samurai Subs," premiering TONIGHT as a crown jewel of the network's second annual Expedition Week.
This legendary class of submarines was developed by the WWII- era Japanese Empire using revolutionary technology. They were the largest submarines ever built -- 400 feet long -- until nuclear-powered submarines were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Had they become operational sooner, they might have had a big impact on the outcome of the war in the Pacific. Plans included the bombing of New York and Washington DC.
The U.S. Navy came into posession of the submarines at the end of WWII, sailing five of them from Japan to here to Pearl Harbor for inspection. A veteran involved in the transfer has reported that other than being unable to read the printing on the instruments, the American submariners had little trouble operating the vessels. The boats were ultimately sunk off of Oahu's coast (1946) in order to avoid sharing their technology with our Cold War adversaries, the Russians, per treaty as our WWII allies.
Tonight, "The Hunt for the Samurai Subs" on the National Geographic Channel tells their story.
One key interviewee is Atsushi Asamura, a kamikaze pilot assigned to the I-401 aircraft-carrying submarine.
Go to http://www.pacerfarm.org/i-400/ for a detailed memoir onboard the I-401 by the late Tom Paine that begins:
"This saga recounts my adventures during the last voyage of His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Sensuikan Toku (Special Submarines). In 1945 I returned from World War II as Executive Officer and Navigator of the U.S. Navy prize crew in one of these aircraft-carrying giants: H.I.J.M.S. I-400. Sailing her from Sasebo, Occupied Japan, to Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, seemed a fitting finale to my career in the Submarine Service. . ."
"This saga recounts my adventures during the last voyage of His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Sensuikan Toku (Special Submarines). In 1945 I returned from World War II as Executive Officer and Navigator of the U.S. Navy prize crew in one of these aircraft-carrying giants: H.I.J.M.S. I-400. Sailing her from Sasebo, Occupied Japan, to Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, seemed a fitting finale to my career in the Submarine Service. . ."
I just love tales of technology, and of the deep.
How about
YOU?
ALOHA! Cloudia
27 comments:
Wow! I'd not heard about these subs...how amazing that we brought them back and sunk them.
The previous post with the Soldier and the Golden whining when he returned, was on Jay Leno Monday eve.
DrumMajor
This is a most interesting post, Cloudia! I am very much interested in this kind of technology. I wonder if my father ever knew about the existence of these submarines. He sailed during the whole war between England, America and Australia. He saw many attacks of both German and Japanese submarines and planes.
Thanks for this post!
Sailors who roam beneath the sea have lone been thought of as intrepid. Personally I think they are insane.
It would have taken a fleet of hundreds of these huge beasts to make a true contribution to Japan's war. I am surprised they used so much needed iron on them when they basically were flying airplanes at wars end made from paper.
A topic like this is always a mystery to me...never seen a submarine,no one told us the stories relating to them...just few Hollywood movies are the source where i saw one.The report you mentioned i hope is being telecast here in India too,i am not sure whether we see the same version of National Geographic ...i wish we do.I am getting addicted to your blog Cloudia !
really respect the fisherman..
Cool. I have only vague memories of hearing about these subs and had completely forgotten them. Looks intersing
An interesting post, Cloudia. I think I shall not be able to go under the sea, so deep. I think I should be very afraid.
Excellent and fascinating post, Cloud!
xo
Aloha!
This is really interesting, Cloudia. I knew that Japan had used subs, but I didn't realize how different and interesting they were.
My favorite parts of the Titanic movie were the actual footage!
I love the pictures, what incredible views the submarines must seen.
Happy Holidays
Blessings
♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Heidi ♥
HURL? What good are seasick sailors, hmm? ;-)
Miss Cloudia, when does Word Garden get to be on your blog list? I feel left out. :-(
MWM's father was a submariner in
WW2 and that fact was blamed for his demise aged 39. I don't think I would like to be cooped up in a submarine for days on end. :(
Interesting post Cloudia. :)
Especially the deep. Fascinating.
Have a terrific day. :)
Amazing post. I find the deep sea interesting, but wouldn't go down there. The very idea sends shivers up and down my spine. I am grateful for those that do, I'll watch the films and live through them.
These are neat subs. I am interested in this form of boat. My uncle was a submariner in WWII in the Pacific.
Guess that I would be too afraid to travel inside one of them - but then again, I never tried.
Maybe a chance to discover something new.
A wonderful Wednesday.
David and I traveled deep undersea in the Atlantis Submarine. We boarded it off Waikiki Beach in front of the Hawaiian Village.
We saw man-made reefs, a shark, and many colorful fish.
I blogged about it, if you are interested. Search for "Atlantis submarine."
ahoy!
Great post, Cloudia, and wonderful video!
Interesting post, Cloudia. I would definitely go on a submarine ride if I had the opportunity.
Fascinating topic! Great video, too. I wouldn't want to go too deep. Aloha, cher
This whole story gives me the shivers.
And that Tom Paine cut his wedding cake with his Japanese sword.
Thank you friends!
Don't go to the submarine-themed restaurant. Because it's a DIVE DIVE DIVE! LOL
I'd never heard of these, Cloudia, and I love hearing about new things. I am going to have to look some stuff up, now.
Aloha, Tschuess,
Chris
I love tales of archaeology (even once thought to become an archaeologist) but don't like subs. Makes me claustrophobic thinking about it. Dh's father was on one many years ago in the Navy.
I came here on research (after reading part of Tom Paine's interesting naval memoir) and found this. Fascinating.
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