I.J.N. Submarines (I-172)

19 December 1941, the I.J.N. submarine I-172, under command of Kapitänleutnant I. Togami, sank the 5,113 ton American steamer PRUSA 150 miles south of Hawaii.

PRUSA was an old ship, built in 1919 owned and operated by Lukes Brothers SS Company. She sailed with George D. H. Roy as her master and she was unarmed. With her cargo of 6,720 tons of chrome, copra, hemp and mahogany she drew 25 feet and was making 10½ knots when attacked by I-172.

She departed Honolulu bound for Baltimore but only made it 150 miles out of port. The ship was steering a SW course when the lookouts spotted the torpedo, but it was only 100 yards away and the helmsman had no chance to avoid it. The torpedo hit at #5 hold & by the shaft alley on the portside. The explosion was so great that doors blew out, steam lines broke and the electrical system was knocked out.

In the eight minutes it took for the ship to sink, the ten officers and twenty-four men attempted to abandon ship in two lifeboats. Eight men were killed in the blast and the radioman went down with the ship, but the others got safely into the boats.

Hoping to be quickly picked up, the master had the boats remain in the area of the sinking for three days but then the winds picked up and their prevailing direction was contrary for the Hawaiian Islands, he set sail with his boat for the Gilbert Island chain more than 2,500 miles away. After a full month at sea, they were rescued by a Fiji Island government vessel and landed at Beruin Island. During the thirty-one days at sea, one man died.

The other boat, under command of the 1st Officer, remained at the location of the sinking of PRUSA and after only 8 days, were rescued on 27 December 1941 by the US Coast Guard cutter USCG TIGER (WPC-152).

23 January 1942, I-172, still under Togami, sank the 7,383 ton American Fleet Oiler NECHES at 21º 01’N x 160º 05’W

These were the only actions initiated by I-172 and Togami in the war. Under new commander Ota, I-172 was sunk on 11 November 1942 by USS SOUTHARD (DMS-10) at 10º 13’S x 161º 09’E.

Italian Submarine OTARIA

20 May 1941, the Italian submarine OTARIA, under command of CC Giussepe Vocaturo, sank the 4,662 ton British steamer STARCROSS at 51º 45’N x 20º 45’W. This was the only action initiated by OTARIA or Vocaturo during World War II. OTARIA lived out the war and was used for a short while afterwards, until scrapped.