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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Japanese Supply Submarines

Introduction courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.

Japanese Supply Submarines at Mare Island in June and July 1945. There was no info on this boat in the shipyard logs. I spent several days trying to identify them. The boat appears to be about 140' long which eliminates a lot the Japanese subs. It could be a Ha-class boat, but I found nothing on the web indicating that any of them made the trip east and the few photos of the Ha-class don't match this one. I now think she is a Japanese Army Supply Sub. The army built 26 of them Yu-1, Yu-1001 & Yu-3 classes.
The 8 June 1945 issue of Mare Island's newspaper "The Grapevine" indicates that the subject sub was "280-ton Japanese cargo-carrying Submarine" and was "137 feet long". The article goes to describe the sub as crudly built with no interior bulkheads, two six cylinder diesel engine and a periscope which operated by counterweights. The scope could only be raised 3 feet.
The 22 June 1945 issue of Mare Island's newspaper "The Grapevine" identifies the sub as the Yu-3 and the shipyard was offering tours and sell parts of the submarine to sell war bonds.
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Japanese Supply Sumbarines188kPrototype Imperial Japanese Army Type 3 transport submarine Yu-1 on the stocks at the Hitachi - Kasado Factory, 1943. USN photo from The Maru Special No.43, Japanese submarines III, courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines166kYu-1 on trial at Kudumatsu, 1944. USN photo from The Maru Special No.43, Japanese submarines III, courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines952kYu-1 being secured inside the docking well of the landing ship dock Rushmore (LSD-14) in 1945. Yu-1 had been lost in an accident at Lingayen Gulf in January 1945, salvaged by Grasp on 18 January 1945, she was then carried away by Rushmore back to the United States. USN photo from The Maru Special No.43, Japanese submarines III, courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines168kYu-3 in the well deck of Rushmore (LSD-14), 12 May 1945.From the photo album of Ken Kracht, PhoM1c, Rocky Mount (AGC-3).
U.S. Navy photo ©1945 Ken Kracht; restoration ©2017 Carl Kracht.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines141kYu-3 afloat, conning tower - location unknown but probably Damortis or Port Sual, before 25 January. Rocky Mount (AGC-3) was in the Lingayen Gulf until February 1945, and anchored off San Fabian (7 miles south of Damortis) on several occasions.From the photo album of Ken Kracht, PhoM1c, Rocky Mount (AGC-3).
U.S. Navy photo ©1945 Ken Kracht; restoration ©2017 Carl Kracht.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines319kA Japanese sub possibly of the Yu-3 class tied up to the pier at Mare Island Navy Yard, 5 June 1945. Official USN photo # 4270-45, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines280kCurious onlookers line the pier for a sneak a peek at Japanese sub, possibly of the Yu-3 class at Mare Island Navy Yard, 5 June 1945. Official USN photo # 4271-45, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines205kBroadside view of a Japanese sub, possibly of the Yu-3 class at Mare Island Navy Yard, 5 June 1945. Official USN photo # 4272-45, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines286kInterior of a Japanese sub, possibly of the Yu-3 class at Mare Island Navy Yard, 7 July 1945. Official USN photo # 5164-45, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines292kSpacious interior of a Japanese sub, possibly of the Yu-3 class at Mare Island Navy Yard, 7 July 1945. A sign labeled "Main Control Compartment" is hanging to the left of the smiling man at what might be the diving planes.Official USN photo # 5165-45, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines952kA Yu-1 underway off Japan.Japanese Navy photo courtesy of Yasufumi Kunimoto.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines416kThe Japan Steel Works made 9 Yu-1 for the Japanese Army during WW II.Japanese Navy photo courtesy of Yasufumi Kunimoto.
Japanese Supply Sumbarines197kPage 1 & Page 2 of an article on the construction history of the Yu-1 submarine which appeared in "Warship Internnational," 1999.Japanese Navy photo courtesy of Yasufumi Kunimoto.

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
Imperial Japanese Navy Page
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