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| IJN Type B1 submarine 108.7m x 9.3m x 5.1m 2,584 tons surfaced 3,654 tons submerged 6 × 533mm torpedo tubes with 17 torpedoes 1 × 140mm deck gun 1 x E14Y seaplane  IJN February 23, 1942  Justin Taylan 2004 |
Sub History Built by Yokosuka Navy Yard at Yokosuka. Laid down April 18, 1938 as a Type B1 submarine designated Submarine No. 38. Launched July 19. 1939 as I-17. Commissioned January 24, 1941 in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJ) under the command of Commander Kozo Nishino attached to the Yokosuka Naval District assigned to SubDiv 1, SubRon 1, Sixth Fleet with I-15 and I-16. On August 5, 1941 becomes the temporary flagship of SubDiv 1 for a month. On November 11, 1941 assigned to Operation Z to the Advance Force under Rear Admiral Sato Tsutomu's SubRon 1 in Captain Imazato Hiroshi's SubDiv 1. Admiral Shimizu convened a meeting of all his commanders aboard his flagship Katori and briefed on the plan for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Wartime History On November 21, 1941 departs Yokosuka bound for Hawaii on her first war patrol with I-15. On December 7, 1941 patrolled north of Oahu to reconnoiter and engage any ships that try to sortie from Pearl Harbor. Afterwards, I-17 patrols off Cape Mendocino, Humboldt County, California. On December 20, 1941 during the early afternoon sights SS Emidio and opens fire with the 140mm deck gun, hitting the tanker five times within sight of land. Abandoning ship, the crew reached the Blunt Reef in lifeboats while the the tanker drifted north grounding on rocks off Crescent City, California. On December 24, 1941 a planned shelling of American coastal cities canceled because of the frequency of coastal air and surface patrols. Unarmed SS Absaroka is shelled by Japanese submarine I-17 about 26 miles off San Pedro at roughly Lat 33°40'N Long 118°25'W. Although abandoned, she is later reboarded and towed to San Pedro. On February 23, 1942 shortly after 7:00pm, I-17 surfaced off Coal Oil Point a few hundred yards off the Ellwood Oil Field at Goleta roughly ten miles west of Santa Barbara. Over 20 minutes she fired 17 shells from her 140mm deck gun at the Richfield aviation fuel storage tanks on the bluff. The shots were mostly wild, one landing more than a mile inland. The closest shell exploded 27m from one of the fuel tanks. The shelling caused only minor damage to a pier and a pump house. Recovered shell fragments are displayed at CAF Camarillo (Southern California Wing Aviation Museum). The shelling caused only minor damage to a pier and a pump house. Although the attack was ineffective, this was the first Axis vessel to shell the mainland and reports of the shelling triggered an "invasion" scare across the west coast of the United States. Previously, Commander Kozo Nishino had visited Ellwood Oil Field as the captain of a civilian oil tanker to load fuel and during a formal welcoming ceremony ashore was embarrassed when he tripped and fell into a patch of cactus. Possibly his attack was because of his knowledge of the location and to seek revenge. On July 15, 1942 placed under the command of Lt Commander Harada Hakue. Fourth War Patrol On August 15, 1942 departs Yokosuka on her fourth war patrol bound for the Solomon Islands. During November 1942 her deck gun was removed and the submarine departed for Guadalcanal on the first of many supply missions. Battle of the Bismarck Sea After the Battle of the Bismarck Sea I-17 was directed to the area to rescue survivors in lifeboats. On March 5, 1943, PT-143 and PT-150, discovered I-17 rescuing three lifeboats full of survivors from the battle. The PT-Boats opened fire with their guns and torpedoes, causing the submarine to crash dive. The PT boats then sinks the lifeboats with machine gun fire and depth charges. Several hours later, the I-17 resurfaced and rescued 33 surviving soldiers. The following day I-17 rescued another 118 soldiers and 4 sailors then travels to Lae and disembarks the 155 rescued. On May 24, 1943 roughly 100 miles south of Nouméa, spotted SS Stanvac Manila transporting six PT Boats and fires torpedoes that hit flooding the engine and fire room and disabling all power and communications. At 12:05pm sank. Sinking History On August 19, 1943 roughly forty miles southeast off Nouméa. I-17 launched its E14Y Glen reconnoitered and spotted a convoy that departed Nouméa Harbor. After recovering and stowing the plane, the I-17 followed the convoy. Spotted by their escort armed trawler HMNZS Tui and made an initial run over the sub without using depth charges, a second run dropping two depth charges, and a third run another two depth charges, then lost contact. Next, OS2U Kingfishers from VS-57 joined the search and spotted smoke on the horizon and radioed Tui to investigate. I-17 was spotted on the surface and Tui opened fire at maximum range, scoring one and possibly two hits. The two shells exploded ahead of the periscope, with the submarine severely damaged and slid down beneath the waves, leaving a trail of bubbles and oil marking her path. The submarine surfaced quickly five minutes later with the bow exiting at a steep angle. The OS2U Kingfishers strafed the deck of the submarine keeping the crew off the deck gun. The Kingfishers dropped further depth charges and the submarine sank at roughly Lat 23° 26′ S Long 166° 50′ E. Aboard, Ninety-one crew were lost. Officially stricken December 1, 1943. Rescue Six survivors were rescued by HMNZS Tui who stated the depth charge attacks had damaged the submarine and forced it to the surface, then the Kingfisher depth charges finally sank her. References Combined Fleet - HIJMS Submarine I-17: Tabular Record of Movement Contribute
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