Japanese submarine Ro-48
History | |
---|---|
Japan | |
Name | Submarine No. 389 |
Builder | Mitsubishi, Kobe, Japan |
Laid down | 17 March 1943 |
Renamed | Ro-48 on 31 July 1943 |
Launched | 15 October 1943 |
Completed | 31 March 1944 |
Commissioned | 31 March 1944 |
Fate | Sunk 19 July 1944 |
Stricken | 10 October 1944 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Kaichū type submarine (K6 subclass) |
Displacement |
|
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 |
|
Range |
|
Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
Crew | 61 |
Armament |
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Ro-48 was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū type submarine of the K6 sub-class. Completed and commissioned in March 1944, she served in World War II and was sunk in July 1944 during her first war patrol.
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-48 was
Service history
March–July 1944
Upon commissioning, Ro-48 was attached formally to the Maizuru Naval District and assigned to Submarine Squadron 11 for workups.[4] She was reassigned to Submarine Division 34 in the 6th Fleet on 3 July 1944.[4]
First war patrol
On 13 June 1944 the Combined Fleet activated Operation A-Go for the defense of the Mariana Islands, and the Battle of Saipan began with U.S. landings on Saipan on 15 June 1944.[4] On 5 July 1944, Ro-48 departed Kure, Japan, to begin her first war patrol, assigned a patrol area in the Marianas off Saipan.[4] She arrived in her patrol area, within 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) of Saipan, on 12 July 1944, and that date received orders to stand by to rescue Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service pilots stranded on Tinian.[4] While she was 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) north of Saipan at 21:30 Japan Standard Time on 14 July 1944, her commanding officer reported U.S. forces had forced him to submerge and that he was moving to a new position.[4] On 16 July 1944, 6th Fleet headquarters ordered Ro-48 to return to Japan.[4]
Loss
On 18 July 1944, a
The submarine Wyman sank probably was Ro-48.[4] On 10 July 1944, the Imperial Japanese Navy declared Ro-48 to be presumed lost off Saipan with all 76 men on board.[4] She was stricken from the Navy list on 10 October 1944.[4]
Some sources have credited the
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-48: Tabular Record of Movement". SENSUIKAN! Stories and Battle Histories of the IJN's Submarines. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 24 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.