Page 202 - Micronesia
P. 202
UBMARINE I-169 - The I-169 was launched in 1934 and par- transport for use in moving special cargo. The ship saw service
transporting war material between the Solomon’s and the Caroline
S ticipated in the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. It was Islands until she was hit with two torpedoes from the submarine
USS Drum in 1943. The repair of this damage can still be seen on
renamed for her last Commanding Officer LCDR Shinohara, the the port side of hold number two. One of the Yamagiri Maru’s most
only survivor of her ill-fated crew, and was ultimately converted to interesting features is the huge armor piercing shells contained in
an underwater transport. Her large size and long range made her her cargo. The Yamagiri Maru was sunk by dive bombers that re-
perfect for this duty. After the fall of Saipan, it was one of the few ported several hits and left a huge hole amidships that proved fa-
ships that could keep Truk re supplied. The I-169 was lost during tal to the ship. She now rests on her port side with the pilot house
an American air attack after the original “Operation Hailstone” accessible to divers. Heavy coral growth decorates the stern, in-
raid. During the attack she attempted to dive to avoid damage, cluding a hot pink anemone, large barrel sponges and lots of cyan
in the rush, the crew failed to close the main induction valve and tube sponges. The Yamagiri rests on its port side and has a small
she flooded her forward compartments causing the submarine to gun on its forecastle. Most divers head for is hold five, where the
sink itself. Attempts were made to salvage her. It was discovered large shells are located. They are impressively long, perhaps a yard
that some crewmen had survived the sinking. But due to various in length, and tumbled together. The depth here is 100ft. LENGTH:
problems, the rescue and salvage failed. All hands were lost, with 439 Ft. / 133m, DEPTH: Superstructure 30 - 50 Ft./ 9 - 18m, DEPTH:
the exception of her Commanding Officer, who was ashore when Bottom: 110 Ft./34m, Gross Tonnage: 6,438 tons.
the attack began. LENGTH: 336 Ft./ 102m, DEPTH: Bottom: 144
Ft./44m, Gross Tonnage: 1,400 tons.
Y AMAGIRI MARU - The Yamagiri Maru was built in 1938. In
1941 the Japanese Imperial Navy converted her to a military
