After cross-checking references, Blair does state that Tautog sunk RO-30 on 26 April 1942. This is one of the most vivid sub-vs-sub described in his book (p229). According to Blair "En route to the Marshalls, Joe Willingham's Tautog was nearly sunk by a Japanese submarine. At about 10 a.m., on April 26, while proceeding on the surface, Tautog's officer of the deck sighted a periscope "opening out, prepartory to firing." With fine presence of mind, the OOD ordered hard left rudder and called the crew to battle stations. When the stern torpedo tubes came into position, Willingham fired a single torpedo. It either hit or exploded magnetically *above* the Japanese submarine. Willingham flashed a passing patrol plane to investigate. The pilot reported boxes, cushions and other debris. RO-30, a 1,000 ton submarine, was striken from the Japanese navy list."Originally posted by Don Bowen
The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships entry for Tautug credits her with RO-30 on April 26, 1942. Japanese Warships of WWII states RO-30 scrapped post war. Conway All the World's Warships agrees with the scrap in 1947.
Also note that Japanese I-boats with numbers < 100 were renumbered late in the war by adding 100 (I-73 becomming I-173, etc). Most of my sources give the number at time of loss but several use the +100 number.
A web search turned up:
http://www.merriam-press.com/mono_075/m_056.htm
which turns out to be a book for sale but the listing has some interesting data.
Don
Now, I thought all this stuff in Blair's book was supposed to be confirmed by JANAC records. However, in searching the date for this incident in Official Chronology USN around this date, there is no mention of said encounter. Normally, this book mentions most piddly little incidents like "submarine attacked by aircraft but sustained no damage". I am not sure what to make of this. However, it is 3 sources to 2 that RO-30 did not get sunk on this date.
In investigating an cross-referencing Silent Victory on this matter, I have found what appear to be several errors - possibly typographical, possibly not. There are several confusing sections regarding I-boat identities. For instance. on page 476, it is stated that the Scamp sunk I-24, however, on page 553, it says Trout sank her, and that Scamp sunk the I-182. (Actually, it appears Scamp really sunk I-168 according to OCUSN and JWWW2 - this was the boat that got the Yorktown). On page 418, I-24 (or possibly I-31) was sunk by destroyers DCs in the Aleutians. Both OCUSN and JWWW2 state that the I-24 was rammed and sunk by PC 487 (or SC 487). SV says I-9 was rammed and sunk - OCUSN and JWWW2 say it was DD Frazier's depth charges that did it. So, there is confusion in Blair's book - disappointing, as I thought it was the definitive reference.
However, you have given me a couple more excellent leads for references. I really like the OCUSN book, but it has no index, so you have to know what dates to look on.
Do you happen to have any good references about Dutch subs? It appears up until the fall of the Dutch East Indies, they were doing significant damage to the IJN, and even continued well into 1944 at least. There is one Dutch sub, the Zwaardvisch (I'm betting that's Swordfish in Dutch) that seems to have wreaked havoc in the Java Sea, even sinking a U-boat U-168 (!!) on 6 Oct 1944 and taking 27 of the crew prisoner (OCUSN p261). I keep running across references to this and some other subs from time to time, but they seem to be largely ignored in the US literature.
Thanks again,
Bob T.
