SENSUIKAN!

© 2001-2017 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 1

18 March 1942:
Laid down at Kure Naval Yard as B2 Type Submarine No. 372.

20 August 1942:
Renumbered I-42.

10 November 1942:
Launched and attached to Yokosuka Naval Base.

27 July 1943:
Cdr (Captain, posthumously) Ogawa Tsunayoshi (50)(former CO of I-33, I-164) is appointed the Chief Equipping Officer (CEO).

3 November 1943:
Completed and attached to Yokosuka Naval Base; Cdr Ogawa is the Commanding Officer (CO).

Late November 1943:
Participates in ASW exercises in the Iyo Nada with Kure-based sub tender CHOGEI, I-43, RO-40 and RO-113.

1 January 1944:
I-42 is in Rear Admiral Owada Noboru's (former CO of YAMASHIRO) SubRon 7 in SubDiv 11 with I-43, I-52, I-183, I-184, ROs 40, RO-41, RO-43, RO-113, RO-114 and RO-115.

31 January 1944:
Reassigned to SubDiv 15, Sixth Fleet.

12 February 1944:
Departs Yokosuka on her first war patrol to operate NE of Truk.

20 February 1944:
Arrives at her assigned area.

3 March 1944:
Arrives at Saipan.

4 March 1944:
Departs Saipan for Truk.

7 March 1944:
Arrives at Truk.

15 March 1944:
I-42 departs Truk on a supply run to Palau.

19 March 1944:
Arrives at Palau, embarks cargo and personnel.

23 March 1944:
Departs Palau for a supply run to Rabaul. Her estimated time of arrival is 30 March. Cdr Ogawa zigzags on the surface at 18 knots.

At 2119, LtCdr John A. Scott's USS TUNNY (SS-282), alerted by an "Ultra" signals- intelligence message from ComSubPac at Pearl Harbor, picks up a contact at 13,000 yards on TUNNY's SJ radar. Scott closes the target on the surface and visually identifies it as an I-class submarine, but I-42's lookouts also sight TUNNY. For almost an hour and one-half, Scott and Ogawa maneuver for position, each attempting to prevent the other from obtaining a shot.

Six miles SW of Angaur, Palau. At 2324, Scott fires four torpedoes at 1,900 yards. He comes hard starboard to prevent a collision and crash-dives to avoid a possible return attack. Before TUNNY's hatch is closed, two hits are heard and felt and a brilliant flash is seen. Scott dives to 150 feet and begins to circle the area. His soundman reports that the screws of the Japanese submarine have stopped. Breaking up noises are heard that continue for an hour. I-42 sinks with all 102 hands at 06-40N, 134-03E.

27 April 1944:
Presumed lost N of the Admiralty Islands.

30 April 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors' Note:
[1] Cdr Ogawa Tsunayoshi is promoted Captain, posthumously.

Thanks go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan.

– Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.

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