Alan D. Zimm by Attack on Pearl Harbor: Strategy Combat Myths Deceptions

Author:Attack on Pearl Harbor: Strategy, Combat, Myths, Deceptions
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 161200010X
Publisher: Casemate Publishing
Published: 2011-04-19T05:00:00+00:00

(14) Submarine Patrol Areas

Yamamoto expected the air attack to flush the fleet out of the harbor. Damaged ships would be sent to the mainland for repairs. Those ships underway at the time of the attack would need to return to Pearl Harbor for fuel. The submarines were to sink these ships. At one time Yamamoto mentioned that he expected better results from the submarines than from the aerial assault.

In fact, both US carriers were out on missions, and there were a large number of cruisers, destroyers, and minesweepers in the exercise areas—44 Pacific Fleet combatants were out of the harbor at the time of the attack.

Merchant shipping was also a target. The Hawaiian Islands themselves were not self-sufficient: in 1941 imports required approximately 25 shiploads per month to bring in food and manufactured goods and take away export products (mostly sugar and pineapple).64 This traffic was also to be sunk.

There was every indication that the Hawaiian area would provide ample targets, fully justifying the deployment of almost half the available Japanese submarine force.

The submarines’ performance was disappointing. Warships moved with little interference. Merchant traffic was not interrupted. About the only accomplishments from this massive submarine deployment was a single torpedo hit on the Saratoga on 11 January 1942, putting her out of action for three months. The oiler Neches was sunk on 23 January 1942. This represented a slim return for the deployment of 23 submarines over several months.

Very few attacks were executed. Upon their return, Admiral Ueda accused the Japanese submariners of cowardice.65

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