Japanese submarine I-168

The Japanese submarine "I-168 (I-68", until 20 May 1942) was a "Kaidai" type of cruiser submarine active in World War II. A KD6 sub-class boat, "I-168" was built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the early 1930s. At the Battle of Midway she sank the only American warships lost in the battle: the aircraft carrier and the destroyer . At that time she was commanded by Lieutenant Commander Yahachi Tanabe.
Early career.
The submarine was completed at the Kure Dock Yard on 31 July 1934. She was originally designated "I-68". On 23 November 1941, "I-68" and the rest of Submarine Squadron 3 were stationed near lingam to perform reconnaissance duties in preparation for the impending Attack on Pearl Harbor. Still on station near Hawaii on December 13, "I-68" was subjected to 21 separate depth charge attacks. The last attack damaged her batteries and flooded the aft torpedo tubes. After undergoing repairs at Kwajalein, "I-68" conducted several uneventful missions in the Pacific, before being re-designated "I-168" on 20 May 1942 as part of a general submarine re-numbering program undertaken by the IJN.
Battle of Midway.
"I-168" was one of 13 submarines forming the Advance Expeditionary Force of the Japanese attack on Midway Island. Under the command of Tanabe Yahachi, she steamed south of Midway as far as Kure Island during her approach on 31 May 1942. The American aircraft carriers had passed through the area of the submarine patrol line before the submarines arrived on their patrol stations. "I-168" spent the first three days of June observing Midway's southern horizon through the periscope by day and through binoculars at a range of at night. "I-168" observed and reported heavy aircraft activity indicating the island anticipated the Japanese attack. She made periscope observations during the first Japanese air attack on Midway. "I-168" commenced shelling Midway with its deck gun at 0130 5 June; but submerged when illuminated by shore searchlights after firing only six rounds.
"I-168" was unsuccessfully attacked by aircraft on 5 June; and upon surfacing after the attack, received orders to sink the damaged American aircraft carrier . Lookouts detected "Yorktown", and the destroyer alongside her at 0530 6 June. "I-168" closed the range from at , and then slowed to for the final approach through "Yorktown"s destroyer screen. Over-cautious use of the periscope resulted in getting too close to the carrier on the initial approach, so the submarine circled to starboard to increase the range and then fired a salvo of four torpedoes at 1330 from a range of . After observing the torpedo hits, "I-168" descended to and slowed to three knots directly under "Yorktown". American destroyers , , and dropped 60 depth charges before damaging "I-168" at 1530. A depth charge exploding near the bow put out the lights, damaged the forward battery room, sprung the hatches to No. 1 torpedo tube and reduced the submerged depth to . All unoccupied crewmen grabbed sacks of rice from forward storage and moved astern to trim the submarine because of the flooding forward. After a few hours of relative quiet, "I-168" surfaced an hour before sunset and ran west at to charge batteries and ventilate interior spaces. Two American destroyers spotted her at a range of and commenced firing from a range of about 30 minutes later. "I-168" submerged and evaded the approaching destroyers.
After conducting emergency repairs, Tanabe and his crew limped back to Japan using only two engines, a journey of twelve days. Following full repairs at Sasebo, "I-168" was placed under the command of Lieutenant Commander Katsuji Watanabe and reassigned to cargo transportation missions to the beleaguered Solomon Islands and Kiska.
Fate.
On 27 July 1943, "I-168" engaged the American submarine in the Steffen Strait near New Hanover Island. After crash-diving his boat under an incoming torpedo, Lieutenant Commander Walter Gale Ebert returned fire, sinking "I-168" with all hands.