Japanese submarine Ro-37
History | |
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Japan | |
Name | Submarine No. 203 |
Builder | Sasebo Naval Arsenal, Sasebo, Japan |
Laid down | 9 October 1941 |
Renamed | Ro-36 on 20 June 1942 |
Launched | 30 June 1942 |
Completed | 30 June 1943 |
Commissioned | 30 June 1943 |
Fate | Sunk 22 January 1944 |
Stricken | 30 April 1944 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Kaichū type submarine (K6 subclass) |
Displacement |
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Length | 80.5 m (264 ft 1 in) overall |
Beam | 7 m (23 ft 0 in) |
Draft | 4.07 m (13 ft 4 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
Crew | 61 |
Armament |
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Ro-37 was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū type submarine of the K6 sub-class. Completed and commissioned in June 1943, she served in World War II and was sunk during her second war patrol in January 1944.
Design and description
The submarines of the K6 sub-class were versions of the preceding K5 sub-class with greater range and diving depth.[1] They displaced 1,133 tonnes (1,115 long tons) surfaced and 1,470 tonnes (1,447 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 80.5 meters (264 ft 1 in) long, had a beam of 7 meters (23 ft 0 in) and a draft of 4.07 meters (13 ft 4 in). They had a diving depth of 80 meters (260 ft).[2]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 2,100-
The boats were armed with four internal bow 53.3 cm (21.0 in)
Construction and commissioning
Ro-37 was
Service history
Upon commissioning, Ro-37 was attached formally to the Maizuru Naval District and assigned to Submarine Squadron 11 for workups.[4] On 16 September 1943 she was reassigned directly to 6th Fleet headquarters, and she departed Maizuru bound for Truk on 22 September 1943.[4] During her voyage, she was reassigned to Submarine Division 1 in the 6th Fleet on 24 September 1943.[4] She arrived at Truk on 7 October 1943.[4]
First war patrol
Ro-37 got underway from Truk on 20 October 1943 to begin her first war patrol, assigned a patrol area east of the New Hebrides as part of Submarine Group A.[4] While at sea, she was reassigned to Submarine Division 34 on 31 October 1943, but otherwise her patrol was uneventful.[4] She returned to Truk in November 1943.[4]
Second war patrol
During the second half of December 1943, Ro-37 took aboard supplies from the auxiliary
Loss
Ro-37 was 155 nautical miles (287 km; 178 mi) southeast of
Meanwhile, Cache transmitted a distress signal, which the destroyer USS Buchanan (DD-484) — which was on a voyage from Purvis Bay to Espiritu Santo — received.[4] Buchanan put on flank speed to go to Cache′s assistance.[4] Buchanan made radar contact at a range of 12,750 yards (11,660 m) with what her commanding officer described as a "fairly large" submarine on the surface 130 nautical miles (240 km; 150 mi) east-southeast of San Cristobal and 95 nautical miles (176 km; 109 mi) northwest of where Ro-37 had torpedoed Cache.[4] After closing to a range of 2,000 yards (1,800 m), Buchanan illuminated Ro-37 with a searchlight in time to see her submerge.[4] Buchanan then detected Ro-37 on sonar at a range of 1,250 yards (1,140 m).[4] Buchanan dropped 53 depth charges over the next three hours and finally sank Ro-37 at 11°47′S 164°17′E / 11.783°S 164.283°E.[4] Buchanan′s crew observed an oil slick covering 5 square miles (13 km2) on the surface, and the following morning a large amount of wooden and cork debris was seen floating in the vicinity of the sinking.[4]
On 17 February 1944, the Imperial Japanese Navy declared Ro-37 to be presumed lost in the New Hebrides area with all 61 hands.[4] She was stricken from the Navy list on 30 April 1944.[4]
Notes
References
- Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
- Carpenter, Dorr B. & Polmar, Norman (1986). Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1904–1945. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-396-6.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander (2017). "IJN Submarine RO-37: Tabular Record of Movement". SENSUIKAN! Stories and Battle Histories of the IJN's Submarines. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp (2003). "Kaichu Type". Sensuikan!. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- Hashimoto, Mochitsura (1954). Sunk: The Story of the Japanese Submarine Fleet 1942 – 1945. Colegrave, E.H.M. (translator). London: Cassell and Company. ASIN B000QSM3L0.