Most successful torpedo attack ever?

[Sunbury]

On September 15th 1942, the Imperial Japanese Submarine 1I9 commanded by Lt. Cmdr Kinashi Takaichi found the US Aircraft Carrier Wasp within range and fired 4 torpedos at her. Two torpedos struck her on her starboard side and she was so badly damaged, the Americans had to sink her later on.. The third torpedo struck the Battleship North Carolina on the port side, ripping a 32ft by 18ft gash in her hull. The fourth torpedo blew the bow off the the Destroyer O'Brien. 4 torpedos and 3 ships hit, one critcally damaged, two others damaged.

What is most amazing is that the North Carolina and O'Brien were part of the escort for the aircraft carrier Hornet and were 6 miles away from the USS Wasp.

The Americans thought the Imperial Japanese Submarine 1I5 had torpedoed the North Carolina and O'Brien but the Imperial Japanese Navy attributed all hits to the 1I9. The effectiveness of the Japanese Long lance torpedo was still not fully understood by the Allies.

It has to be the most successful torpedo attack ever.

[RichTO90]

It has to be the most successful torpedo attack ever.

True, but they were not "Long Lances". I19 used Type 95 Mod 1 Submarine torpedoes, which were also oxygen-kerosene fueled. They had a max range of 12,000 meters.

Cheers!

[OpanaPointer]

Dibs on Shinano.

[AVV]

Hello!

It has to be the most successful torpedo attack ever.

A candidate from the Mediterranean:
Axum was ordered to intercept and block an Allied convoy to Malta, on 12 August 1942, north of Bizerta, Tunisia. The convoy formed part of the allied Operation Pedestal. The Axum succeeded in sinking the Royal Navy light cruiser HMS Cairo, and damaging the cruiser HMS Nigeria and the oil tanker SS Ohio with a single salvo of four torpedoes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_submarine_Axum

Best regards, Aleks

[Sunbury]

Thanks Rich, I stand corrected

AVV thankyou! I didnt know of the Axum. Her attack certainly was effective and deadly. Its always good to learn new facts.

Opana, an aircraft carrier sunk, a battleship damaged and destroyer damaged trumps one aircraft carrier sunk.

[AVV]

an aircraft carrier sunk, a battleship damaged and destroyer damaged trumps one aircraft carrier sunk.

Don't forget that Shinano was the biggest warship ever sunk by a submarine (although, I personally think that term warship cannot be applied to her at the moment of her demise).

Best regards, Aleks

[Tim Smith]

It still surprises me that so many ships have survived having their bows blown off. How do they do it? Amazing that internal hatches can stand up to the sea, really.

[Takao]

Actually the I-19 fired six torpedoes not four. Torpedo #1 was a complete miss. #2 misses USS Wasp and continues on to hit the USS O'Brien. #3, #4, and #5 all hit USS Wasp. Finally, #6 will miss USS Wasp and continue on to hit USS North Carolina. It is also quite probable the Torpedo #6 passed underneath the USS Lansdowne and USS Mustin, before it impacted the USS North Carolina.

But was it the "Most successful" torpedo attack? Well, that depends on how you clarify "most successful." 5 hits for 6 torpedoes is very good shooting. However, Commander Eugene B. Fluckey would also achieve the same results(5 hits for 6 torpedoes) sinking both the aircraft carrier IJN Unyo(3 hits) and the tanker Azusa Maru(2 hits). Also, the USS Haddo, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Chester W. Nimitz, Jr. would go 5 for 6, sinking the Kinryu Maru, Norfolk Maru, and damage the tanker Taiei Maru. However, what sets the American submarine commanders apart from Kinashi Takaichi, is that Fluckey and Nimitz were actually aiming for their targets, while two of Takaichi's hits were just "dumb luck."

However, if "most successful" is defined tonnage sunk, I-19 is not at the top of that list.

Still, all in all, Kinashi Takaichi's success was a very remarkable combination of skill and luck.

[OpanaPointer]

Thanks Rich, I stand corrected

AVV thankyou! I didnt know of the Axum. Her attack certainly was effective and deadly. Its always good to learn new facts.

Opana, an aircraft carrier sunk, a battleship damaged and destroyer damaged trumps one aircraft carrier sunk.

Tonnage actually sunk, please?

[cstunts]

Hello,

No, it was the salvo fired by CruDiv 7 at the Battle of Sunda Strait that sank four transports and a minesweeper...all Japanese.

[OpanaPointer]

Hello,

No, it was the salvo fired by CruDiv 7 at the Battle of Sunda Strait that sank four transports and a minesweeper...all Japanese.

Tonnage?

[Ironmachine]

No, it was the salvo fired by CruDiv 7 at the Battle of Sunda Strait that sank four transports and a minesweeper...all Japanese.

Given the number of torpedoes fired (for example, in http://www.combinedfleet.com/mikuma_t.htm it is said taht "The Japanese force fires about 90 torpedoes in the engagement"), and the fact that more than one ship was firing them, it seems that the ratio ships sunk/torpedoes fired is not any better than in the previous cases.
Not to mention that sinking your own side's ships is hardly the definition of "success".

[Sunbury]

Takao, the book "The Pacific Campaign" by Dan Van Der Vat gives 4 torpedos fired not six. Likewise the site http://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=286 gives 4 torpedos only.

On 15 Sep 1942, Wasp was in a group of warships that escorted transports bound for Guadalcanal. While in the process of spotting and launching combat air patrol fighters, she was struck by two out of a spread of four torpedoes launched from Japanese submarine I-19.

Opana, tonnage - Wasp was 19,000 tons (approx) North Carolina forced to return to Hawai for repairs was 46,700 tons (approx) and the O'Brien was 2,200 approx. Yes the Shinano was the biggest ship ever sunk by a submarine, but size isnt everything, she was not operational when sunk.

The O'Brien sank on the 19 October 1942 after temporay repairs to her bow, she was heading to Sans Franscisco for complete repairs but sunk enroute. http://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=287
She can be added then to the Wasp as sunk by 1I9.

[OpanaPointer]

As sewer pipe sailors claim tonnage SUNK for bragging rights, I'm warm and cozy with Shinano. And killing her before she could get in combat means she didn't get a chance to kill any of us, a major plus in my book.

[Takao]

Sunbury,

All sources I have read give 6 torpedoes, this is the first I have heard that only 4 torpedoes were fired.
Zenji Orita's "I-Boat Captain"
Norman Polmar and Dorr B. Carpenter's "Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy; 1904-1945"
I-19's TROM over at Nihon Kaigun/combinedfleet http://www.combinedfleet.com/I-19.htm
Eric Hammel's "Guadalcanal: Starvation Island"
John B. Lundstrom's "First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign

The only debate seems to be: Did two or three torpedoes hit the USS Wasp?