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| IJN B1 Type submarine 2,584 Tons (surfaced) 3,654 Tons (submerged) 356' 6" x 30' 5" x 16' 7" 6 x 21" torpedo tubes with 17 torpedoes 1 x 14cm deck gun E14Y Glenn (deck hanger)  Artwork IJN 1942  IJN 1942  IJN 1942 |
Sub History Built by Mitsubishi Kobe Yard at Kobe. Laid down February 3, 1939 as B1 Type submarine No. 42. Launched June 8, 1940 as イ-25 (I-25). Assigned to LtCdr Tagami Meiji as chief equipping officer. Commissioned October 15, 1941 in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) assigned to LtCdr Tagami Meiji attached to Yokosuka Naval District. Wartime History On October 31, 1941 assigned to the Sixth Fleet, SubDiv 4, SubRon 1 as flagship for the division. On November 7, 1941 at Sukumo Bay off Shikoku embarks a E9W1 Type 96 floatplane Slim and the crew led by CPO Fujita Nobuo and begins floatplane launch and recovery training in the Inland Sea. First War Patrol On November 11, 1941 assigned to the advance force for Operation Z the attack against Pearl Harbor and Oahu. On November 21, 1941 departs Yokosuka on her first war patrol to Hawaii. On December 5, 1941 arrives northwest of Oahu and at 2:30pm spots eight U.S. aircraft headed eastward and I-25 dives to 100' to avoid being spotted. On December 7, 1941 during Operation Z patrols northeast of Oahu on the eastern station forming a patrol line with Japanese submarines I-17, I-9, I-15. At 12:45pm, the sound man aboard I-25 reports sounds of explosions from Oahu from the attack. The I-25 operated off the west coast of the United States sinking two American freighters and damaging another. With only one torpedo remaining, Captain Tagami was preparing to conclude his patrol. Second War Patrol On February 5, 1942 departs Kwajalein on her second war patrol bound for the South Pacific to preform reconnaissance of Allied ports in Australia and New Zealand. For the first nine days of the patrol, the submarine remained on the surface until approaching Australia and only remained surfaced at night. On February 14, 1942 patrolled a few miles off Sydney close enough that the submarine could see lights ashore but rough seas made it impossible to launch the floatplane and remained submerged by day. On February 17, 1942 in the predawn darkness surfaced and launched E14Y Glen piloted by W/O Fujita Nobuo who performed a reconnaissance over Sydney Harbor and landed safely at 7:30am and was recovered and departed on the surface to the south bound for Melbourne. On February 26, 1942 surfaced to launch E14Y Glen piloted by W/O Fujita Nobuo off Cape Wickham off the northern end of King Island at the western end of Bass Strait halfway between Victoria and Tasmania. The floatplane performed a reconnaissance of Port Philip Bay off Melbourne and was recovered safely. On March 1, 1942 surfaced to launch perform E14Y Glen piloted by W/O Fujita Nobuo for a reconnaissance flight over Hobart on Tasmania then departs bound for New Zealand. On March 7, 1942 at 4:00am surfaces in Cook Strait off the southern coast of the North Island of New Zealand and prepares to launch her E14Y Glen for a reconnaissance flight over Wellington but while suspended from the deck crane, the floatplane begins to swing and the wings are slightly damaged and the launch aborted with the plane stowed and submarine returns to the open sea. On March 8, 1942 in the Cook Strait off Wellington launched E14Y Glen piloted by W/O Fujita Nobuo that overflies the city and returned safely. Afterwards, proceeded to Auckland. On March 13, 1942 during the night the same floatplane piloted by W/O Fujita Nobuo flies over Auckland and returns safely. On March 12, 1942 at 4:30pm off Great Barrier Island two vessels chase and release depth charges but cause no damage. On March 17, 1942 launched is E14Y Glen piloted by W/O Fujita Nobuo to perform a reconnaissance of Fiji. Afterwards, returns to Kwajalein ending the patrol on March 31, 1942. Afterwards, departs for Yokosuka for a refit at dry dock number 5. On April 18, 1942 in dry dock during the "Doolittle Raid" by B-25 Mitchells that damaged Ryuho in adjacent dry dock number 4. Third War Patrol Departs on her third war patrol bound for Alaska. On May 21, 1942 launched E14Y Glen piloted by W/O Fujita Nobuo for a reconnaissance flight over Kodiak Island. Afterwards, proceeds to the Pacific Northwest of the United States to target enemy shipping and to conduct a shore bombardment. On June 20, 1942 after midnight torpedoes and damages SS Fort Camosun off Cape Flattery at roughly Lat 47° 22N, Long 125° 30W, but the British steamer is aided by four tugs and escapes. Afterwards, Canadian corvette HMCS Quesnel (K133) unsuccessfully searched for the submarine. On June 21, 1942 used fishing boats as a screen to avoid a minefield off the Columbia River and after dark surfaces and fires seventeen shells from her 14cm deck gun towards Fort Stevens in northwest Oregon causing trivial damage. The shells impacted harmlessly into the sand and scrub around Battery Russell, damaging a baseball diamond backstop and a power line. The only injury was a soldier who cut their head rushing to his battle station. At about midnight, the firing ceased and the submarine departed. This was the first enemy attack against the mainland of the United States. Afterwards, departs to the west then northward for Alaska. On June 27, 1942 arrives south of Dutch Harbor. Three days later assigned to Advance Force, exchanges signals with Japanese submarine I-5 then departs westward bound for Japan. On July 17, 1942 returns to Yokosuka. Fourth War Patrol On August 15, 1942 departs Yokosuka on her fourth war patrol on a special mission to use the E14Y Glenn and six 76 kg incendiary bombs to cause forest fires in the Pacific Northwest of Oregon. These air raids were the only time an enemy aircraft bombed the mainland of the Continental United States (CONUS) and were dubbed the "Lookout Air Raids". On September 9, 1942 in the morning surfaced and launched the E14Y Glen piloted by Chief Flying Officer Nobuo Fujita who flew southeast over the Oregon coast, dropping incendiary bombs on Mount Emily, ten miles northeast of Brookings in hopes of starting forest fires to divert American personnel to fight the fires. Due to wet weather, light winds and fire spotters, the incendiary fires were spotted and failed to create widespread damage. After the E14Y Glen landed and was recovered, A-29 Hudson piloted by Captain Jean H. Daugherty that released 300 pound bombs that caused minor damage to I-25 at roughly at Lat 42°22′ N Long125°12′ W. Afterwards, I-25 became more cautious of patrolling planes and a USCG cutter operating in the area. On September 29, 1942 I-25 surfaced in the predawn darkness, deployed the E14Y Glen piloted by Chief Flying Officer Nobuo Fujita who flew towards Cape Blanco Light on Oregon. At 5:22am a plane was heard east of Port Orford released two bombs then returned to the submarine and was successfully recovered and submerged to avoid detection. No fires were created by the is attack. On October 4, 1942 at 4:15am I-25 torpedoed tanker SS Camden off Coos Bay off the southern coast of Oregon. On October 11, 1942 in rough seas spots two targets on the 500 miles west of Seattle. Initially, they were mistaken as "two battleships" and later "two submarines". At 11:00am I-25 fires her last torpedo that hits 30 seconds later causing several explosions sinking Soviet Submarine L-16 the explosions were near enough to damage a toilet aboard I-25. PARTIAL HISTORY On July 25, 1943 departs on her seventh war patrol with Captain Miyazaki Takeji to conduct an aerial reconnaissance over Espiritu Santo. On August 23, 1943 I-25 launches her E14Y Glen floatplane on a reconnaissance mission over Espiritu Santo and observes "three battleships" and smaller vessels. The next day, reports the observations by radio. This was the last message received from I-25. Sinking History The precise details about the loss of I-25 are not fully confirmed and several U.S. Navy attacks might relate to the submarine being damaged or sunk. Officially, the U.S. Navy states I-25 was sunk October 1943 to November 1943 in the Central Pacific, but the loss was more likely late August 1943 or early September 1943 in the vicinity of New Hebrides (Vanuatu). On August 25, 1943 while escorting a convoy bound for New Hebrides, radar aboard USS Patterson DD-392 spots the submarine and closes to 4,000 yards before I-25 crash dives. Picked up on sonar, the destroyer releases depth charges and likely sinks the I-25 at roughly Lat 13° 10S, Long 165° 27E. On September 3, 1943 destroyer USS Ellet (DD-398) claimed to sink a submarine I-25, 150 miles northeast of Espiritu Santo at roughly Lat 13°10'S, Long 165°27'E. Meanwhile, the Japanese Navy believed I-25 was operating on patrol. On September 16, 1943 Japanese Navy ordered I-25 to use her floatplane to perform a reconnaissance flight over Suva on Fiji four days later, but the submarine did not acknowledge receipt of the order and was presumed lost. Officially removed from the Navy list December 1, 1943 as lost in the Fiji area where it was ordered to patrol. References Combined Fleet - I-25 Tabular Record of Movement Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - U.S. Navy at War Final Official Report to the Secretary of the Navy page 54 "I-25 / Sunk October/November 1943 in Central Pacific" Contribute
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