Japanese submarine I-61

I-61 was a Kaidai-class cruiser submarine of the KD4 sub-class built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. She sank in an October 1941 collision,[2] just prior to Japan's entry into World War II.

History
Empire of Japan
Name: I-61
Builder: Mitsubishi Kobe Yard, Kobe, Japan
Laid down: 15 November 1926
Launched: 12 November 1927
Completed: 6 April 1929
Commissioned: 6 April 1929
Decommissioned: 11 January 1932
Recommissioned: June 1934
Decommissioned: 20 March 1940
Recommissioned: ?
Fate:
  • Sunk in collision 2 October 1941
  • Refloated 20 January 1942
  • Scrapped 1942
Stricken: 1 April 1942
General characteristics
Class and type: KD4 Type, Kadai type submarine
Displacement:
  • 1,635 (1,720 maximum) tons surfaced
  • 2,300 tons submerged
Length: 97.70 m (320 ft 6 in)
Beam: 7.80 m (25 ft 7 in)
Draught: 4.83 m (15 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) diesel
  • 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) electric
Range:
  • Surface: 10,800 nmi (20,000 km; 12,400 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)[1]
  • Submerged: 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph)
Test depth: 60 m (197 ft)
Complement: 58 officers and enlisted
Armament:

Construction and commissioning

The first unit of the KD4 sub-class, I-61 was built by Mitsubishi at Kobe, Japan. Her keel was laid on 15 November 1926 and she was launched on 12 November 1927. She was completed on 6 April 1929.

Service history

Upon completion, I-61 was assigned to the Sasebo Naval District. On 24 April 1929, she and her sister ship, the submarine I-62, combined to form Submarine Division 29.[3][4] She was placed in reserve on 11 January 1932,[4] but returned to active status in June 1934.

On 11 March 1939, I-61 suffered damage in a collision with the Japanese destroyer Yakaze off Mitajiri, Japan, but was repaired and returned to service.[3] On 20 March 1940, Submarine Division 29, consisting of I-61, I-62, and I-64, was placed in reserve.[4] On 8 January 1941, I-61 collided with the merchant ship Kōshū Maru south of Cape Ashizuki, Japan.[3]

On 2 October 1941, with the commander of Submarine Division 29 on board, I-61 departed Sasebo with the submarine tender Rio de Janeiro Maru bound for a fleet gathering point at Murokusumi in Yamaguchi Prefecture. In the Koshiki Channel that evening, the Japanese gunboat Kisomaru mistook a red light she saw I-61 displaying aft of Rio de Janeiro Maru for that of a smaller vessel than I-61 and collided with I-61 around 23:21. I-61 sank quickly, with the loss of 70 lives.[2][3][5]

On 20 January 1942, I-61′s wreck was refloated, and it was sold for scrapping in 1942. I-61 was struck from the naval register on 1 April 1942.

References

Footnotes
  1. もしくは10ktで10,000海里（『写真 日本の軍艦 第12巻 潜水艦』p57の表より）(in Japanese)
  2. [#昭和天皇実録八巻]493頁(伊号潜水艦沈没事件)この脚注はこのページ上で2回使用されています。(in Japanese)
  3. 『ハンディ版 日本海軍艦艇写真集19巻』72頁。この脚注はこのページ上で4回使用されています。(in Japanese)
  4. 『艦長たちの軍艦史』428頁。この脚注はこのページ上で3回使用されています。(in Japanese)
  5. 『日本海軍の潜水艦 - その系譜と戦歴全記録』103頁。(in Japanese)

Bibliography
  • 海軍歴史保存会『日本海軍史』第7巻、第9巻、第10巻、第一法規出版、1995年。(in Japanese)
  • 勝目純也『日本海軍の潜水艦 - その系譜と戦歴全記録』大日本絵画、2010年。(in Japanese)
  • 宮内庁編『昭和天皇実録　第八　昭和十五年至昭和十七年』東京書籍株式会社、2016年3月。ISBN 978-4-487-74408-4。(in Japanese)
  • 外山操『艦長たちの軍艦史』光人社、2005年。 ISBN 4-7698-1246-9 (in Japanese)
  • 雑誌「丸」編集部『写真 日本の軍艦 第12巻 潜水艦』光人社、1990年。ISBN 4-7698-0462-8 (in Japanese)
  • 雑誌「丸」編集部『ハンディ版 日本海軍艦艇写真集19巻』潜水艦伊号、光人社、1997年。(in Japanese)
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