{"id":30655,"date":"2025-01-04T11:08:13","date_gmt":"2025-01-04T11:08:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/?p=30655"},"modified":"2025-01-05T16:40:37","modified_gmt":"2025-01-05T16:40:37","slug":"7th-january-1942-first-confirmed-sinking-of-a-japanese-vessel-by-a-us-submarine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/7th-january-1942-first-confirmed-sinking-of-a-japanese-vessel-by-a-us-submarine\/","title":{"rendered":"7th January 1942: First confirmed sinking of a Japanese vessel by a US submarine."},"content":{"rendered":"
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7th January 1942: First confirmed sinking of a Japanese vessel by a US submarine in the Second World War<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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USS Pollack was the first US submarine to reach Japanese waters. She had departed from Pearl Harbor on 31st December 1941. The Pollack seriously damaged a cargo ship on 5th January 1942. Then, on 7th January 1942, the UNKAI MARU No. 1 was spotted. The Pollack attacked using torpedos.<\/div>\n
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The torpedo disabled the UNKAI MARU No. 1, causing water to start seeping into the vessel and cutting off her engines. A nearby vessel responded to calls for assistance and 53 men transferred onto the MEITEN MARU.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The MEITEN MARU attempted to tow thr Unkai Maru No. 1 to a port but the damage was too great. The Unkai Naru No. 1 sank as a result.<\/div>\n
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Below is a summary of the service record of the Unkai Maru No. 1.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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28 September 1941:<\/div>\n
Requisitioned by the IJN.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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1 December 1941: Arrives at Tama. Registered as an auxiliary collier, Otsu category, attached to the Sasebo Naval District under instruction No. 1573. [1]<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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2 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Conversion for military duty starts at Mitsui Bussan Zosenbu K.K. shipyard.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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17 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Departs Tama.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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18 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Arrives at Kure. Departs there later that day.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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19 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Arrives at Tokuyama. Departs there later that same day.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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20 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Arrives at Wakamatsu.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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21 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Arrives at Shimonoseki. Departs there later in the day.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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22 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Arrives at Sasebo.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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28 December 1941:<\/div>\n
The conversion is completed.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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29 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Departs Sasebo.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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30 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Arrives at Kure.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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31 December 1941:<\/div>\n
Departs Kure.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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1 January 1942:<\/div>\n
Arrives at Tokuyama.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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2 January 1942:<\/div>\n
Departs Tokuyama.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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5 January 1942:<\/div>\n
Arrivers at Yokosuka. Departs there later that day possibly with MEITEN and AKASHISAN MARUs.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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7 January 1942:<\/div>\n
At 0755, torpedoed by LtCdr (later Captain) Stanley P. Moseley\u2019s (USNA \u201825) USS POLLACK (SS-180) off Miko lighthouse; the ship is hit by one torpedo and disabled at 34-27N, 138-59E. One crewman is KIA. IJN auxiliary transport MEITEN MARU arrives and rescues 53 people. Later that day, MEITEN MARU starts towing UNKAI MARU No. 1 but strong wind and high waves break the towing line. UNKAI MARU NO. 1 is left drifting.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Image is USS Pollack, details here https:\/\/www.ww2online.org\/image\/uss-pollack-ss-180-water<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

7th January 1942: First confirmed sinking of a Japanese vessel by a US submarine in the Second World War. USS Pollack was the first US submarine to reach Japanese waters. She had departed from Pearl Harbor on 31st December 1941. The Pollack seriously damaged a cargo ship on 5th January 1942. Then, on 7th January… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30656,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t