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| IJN Kaidai Type KD7 class 1,630 Tons (surfaced) 2,602 Tons (submerged) 346' x 27.1' x 15' 6 x forward torpedo tubes with 12 Type 95 torpedoes 1 x 120mm gun 2 x 25mm AA gun  USN 1943 |
Submarine History Built at the Mitsubishi Yard in Kobe. Laid down May 21, 1941 as Kaidai Type KD7 class submarine designated Submarine No. 156 and was to become I-78. On November 1, 1941 redesignated I-178. Launched February 24, 1942 as I-178. Completed December 26, 1942 in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) with Lt. Commander Hidejiro Utsugi in command. That same day, attached to Sasebo Naval District to Kure SubRon with I-177, RO-106 and RO-107. On February 25, 1943 SubDiv 22 is activated at Kure with I-177, I-178 and I-180. On February 26, 1943 conducts a final test dive off Kure. On March 15, 1943 reassigned to SubRon 3. On March 30, 1943 departs Kure with I-177. On April 7, 1943 arrives Truk. First War Patrol On April 10, 1943 departs Truk on her first war patrol with I-177. On April 27, 1943 at 6:55pm roughly 90 miles east of Newcastle torpedoes and sinks Liberty ship SS Lydia M. Childs at Lat 33° 8' S, Long 153° 24' E. An hour later, a RAAF Catalina from Rathmines makes three bombing runs against a submarine in the area but its bombs fails to release. On May 18, 1943 returns to Truk. Second War Patrol On June 4, 1943 departs Truk on her second war patrol and proceeds southward to patrol off the eastern coast of Australia. On June 16, 1943 RAAF Beaufort A9-261 pilot P/O Barry Harrison from No. 32 Squadron flew an anti-submarine patrols "CAM83" along "blue route" south of Coffs Harbor but all patrols had negative results and nil sightings. On June 17, 1943 the submarine sends a routine signal to the 6th Fleet, roughly 65 miles southeast of Coffs Harbour. This would prove to be the last transmission received from I-178. That same day, RAAF Beaufort A9-274 pilot F/O Cushway from No. 32 Squadron flew an anti-submarine patrols "CAM84" along "blue route" south of Coffs Harbor but all patrols had negative results and nil sightings. Sinking History On June 18, 1943 the submarine failed to respond to signals and was presumed missing. That day, an oil slick, was spotted off Nambucca Head in New South Wales (NSW). Officially, presumed lost with all hands on August 4, 1943. On September 1, 1943 officially removed from the Navy list. The U.S. Navy at War Final Official Report lists I-178 as missing June 1943 in the "Central Pacific". Shipwreck During 1995, a metal object was discovered in about 40 meters water several kilometers off Port Clinton in the vicinity of Entrance Island and reported in the Morning Bulletin newspaper to be Japanese submarine I-178 as an April Fool's joke. No information about further investigations into this possible wreck or dives is available. This location is far from where presumed lost and unlikely. References Some sources claim USS SC-699 depth charged Japanese submarine I-178 roughly 30 miles west of Espiritu Santo but this claim is unlikely because the submarine would have been out of contact for almost three weeks. Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - U.S. Navy at War Final Official Report to the Secretary of the Navy page 55 (I-178) "I-178 / December 1942 / Sunk June 1943 in Central Pacific" Combined Fleet - IJN Submarine I-178: Tabular Record of Movement NAA RAAF No. 32 Squadron ORB (NAA: A9186, 62) page 146 (June 15-19, 1943), 154 (June 13-20, 1943), 156 (June 2-18, 1943) flew anti-submarine patrols but all patrols noted as "negative results". Morning Bulletin "Object may be submarine" April 1, 1995 This article was an April Fool's joke in the Morning Bulletin newspaper of Rockhampton, claiming that local residents had discovered missing submarine I-178. Contribute
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