Operation Storm: Japan's Top Secret Submarines and Its Plan to Change the Course of World War II (40 page)

W
HEN THE
I-13
and
I-14
abruptly left Nanao, Takahashi became suspicious. The whole point of their training was for subs to practice with their aircraft. When the two subs left their
Seiran
behind, it suggested something was up.
⁹
Takahashi asked around, but nobody knew why they’d departed. As it turned out, his instinct was right.

Ulithi had been a thorn in the side of the Imperial Japanese Navy ever since it became the primary anchorage for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. A circle-shaped coral atoll in the Carolina Islands, Ulithi was about halfway between Palau and Guam. The Imperial High Command was convinced that Ulithi’s harbor, with its enormous armada of ships, aircraft, and troop transports, was the main staging area for the Allied advance on Japan. Such an advance had to be stopped if Japan were to remain a sovereign nation.

The IJN had begun attacking Ulithi in November 1944. First, it launched
kaiten
against the defended anchorage, with middling results. A second
kaiten
attack in January 1945 fared no better, and a third attack, which included
tokko
aircraft, was only slightly more successful. Of the 24 Japanese bombers sent to attack Ulithi in March 1945, only two survived the long journey. It was dark when they arrived, but the anchorage was illuminated. U.S. sailors were
watching a movie when one bomber dove into the starboard side of the USS
Randolph
(CV-15). There was so little fuel left in the plane’s tanks that when she hit the carrier, she failed to catch fire. Her bombs exploded though, igniting the planes on the hangar deck. Despite being badly marred, the
Randolph
was soon repaired and served as Task Force 58’s flagship, the same task force that would soon run rampant up and down the east coast of Japan. As for the second Japanese bomber, she mistook a nearby island for an aircraft carrier and dove headfirst into its baseball field.
¹⁰

The Ulithi attacks were strong on bravery if short on results, but that didn’t stop Ariizumi. As soon as he returned to Nanao, he gathered his officers to brief them on the new target.
^*

“I would like to attack Panama,” he said stiltedly, “but Okinawa has already fallen. The final mainland battle is near.… The U.S. military’s advance base is Ulithi [which includes] aircraft carriers and troop transports. We need to sink [those] ships!”
¹¹

A
TTACK ORDERS WERE
issued on June 25 by Vice Adm. Jisaburo Ozawa, commander in chief of the Combined Fleet. The Ulithi mission was divided into two phases. Phase one was called Operation Light (
Hikari
) and called for the
I-13
and
I-14
to transport four high-speed reconnaissance aircraft named
Saiun
to Truk. The two subs were to arrive at Truk by the end of July, where the four planes would be uncrated, assembled, and flown over Ulithi to determine the disposition of enemy ships.
¹²
Once the information was collected,
it would be relayed by radio
¹³
and used by the
I-400
and
I-401
to finalize their attack.

Phase two of the mission was called Operation Storm (
Arashi
). It was appropriately named, since
Seiran
means “storm from a clear sky,” and they were responsible for leading the surprise attack on Ulithi. The order specified that the
I-400
and
I-401
were to rendezvous near the U.S. anchorage in late July or early August and then, using the information gathered from
Saiun
reconnaissance, launch their six bomb-carrying
Seiran
. The planes would depart on a moonlit night, fly the short distance to Ulithi, and crash into the largest American ships they could find, preferably a battleship or an aircraft carrier.
¹⁴
Another sub employing
kaiten
, or human torpedoes, was scheduled to attack Ulithi at the same time.
¹⁵
If all went well, the Japanese would materialize out of nowhere. It would truly feel as if U.S. naval forces had been struck by a storm out of a clear sky.

The plan was both desperate and dangerous. The route from Japan to Ulithi passed Okinawa, Saipan, Guam, and the Marshall Islands. Not only did the U.S. military control these islands, the shipping lanes connecting them were a major route for the U.S. Navy. Additionally, security was hardly lax at Ulithi, especially after three enemy attacks. There were regular air and sea patrols, an antisubmarine net across the harbor entrance, and military forces on round-the-clock alert. Despite all the security, it was decided that Ariizumi’s strike force would rendezvous south of Ulithi.
¹⁶
Though Japanese intel suggested American security was weakest there, the mission would not be easy. They would surely encounter the enemy. As usual, Ariizumi was undeterred.

T
HE
I-13
AND
I-14
spent ten days in Maizuru loading supplies.
¹⁷
Meanwhile the
I-400
and
I-401
continued training in Nanao Bay. Once Takahashi learned the target was Ulithi, he recommended a change in their training regimen. He wanted to practice flying at low altitude to avoid radar, reasoning it would be difficult for U.S. fighters to spot a
Seiran
only 100 feet above the water. Even if
they were discovered, it would be nearly impossible for a fighter to attack them without the risk of crashing into the ocean. Asamura agreed, and training changed accordingly.
¹⁸

Additionally, Takahashi had come to accept the necessity for suicide. He hadn’t believed in sacrificing aircrews to attack the Panama Canal, but now that they were sinking a capital ship, there was no alternative. The only way to ensure success was to turn his plane into a giant bomb and crash it headlong into an aircraft carrier. Given that most flights were
tokko
by this time, he really had no choice.

When aircrews from the
I-13
and
I-14
came to say goodbye, Takahashi couldn’t help but notice their guilty expressions.
¹⁹
Their sub’s new reconnaissance role meant they were no longer going to die, a Truk-based aircrew would fly in their stead. As the
Seiran
pilots crowded around Takahashi, they tried cheering him up. “We’re praying for your success,” they told him, adding, “We’ll be following you soon.”
²⁰

The parting proved so difficult, Takahashi thought he’d prefer dying than having to say goodbye again.
²¹
It was an uncharacteristically sentimental feeling for a man known to be critical. Then again, they’d trained so closely, the pilots seemed more like brothers than colleagues. He couldn’t help but feel emotional.

A
FTER TRAINING WAS
complete, the
I-400
and
I-401
left Nanao Bay for Maizuru, keeping a lookout for U.S. subs along the way. It was July 13, and Takahashi was confident that their skills had improved enough that the Ulithi mission stood a chance of success.
²²

When the
I-400
arrived at Maizuru, Captain Kusaka pulled Takahashi aside and gave him 300 yen and a four-day pass. Considering that a pilot’s monthly salary was 122 yen, this was a large sum of money. Kusaka told him the pass and extra pay had come from Vice Admiral Daigo, commander in chief of the Sixth Fleet.

Takahashi knew why he was getting them.
Might as well have a good time
, he thought.
²³
After Maizuru, it would be too late.

Four days later, when Takahashi returned from shore leave, he noticed a
Seiran
being repainted. The plane wasn’t just receiving
a touch-up coat of green—its fuselage was covered in silver, to resemble an American fighter. When Takahashi saw Japan’s red sun emblem being replaced by the blue and white naval star insignia of a U.S. aircraft, he became indignant.

“Who is responsible for such a cowardly act?” he demanded.
²⁴

Painting the
Seiran
to look like American aircraft was a blatant violation of international law. It wasn’t so much this violation that infuriated Takahashi—it was the disgrace of flying such an important mission in aircraft disguised to look like the enemy. It was downright shameful.

Takahashi knew it was useless to complain. No one was going to pay attention to the inflamed sensibilities of a pilot. In the spirit of protest, he drew a picture on the prop spinner showing a heart with an arrow through it and the words “Hit to Kill.”
²⁵

Asamura didn’t share Takahashi’s concerns about the ruse. They only had one shot at attacking Ulithi, and the odds were against them. Yes, it was a “dirty play,” but if U.S. fighters mistook the
Seiran
for friendly aircraft it might buy enough time for him to crash into a ship. There was no point in worrying about international sensibilities.
²⁶
They needed every advantage they could get.

T
HE
I-400
AND
I-401
spent seven days at Maizuru loading three months’ worth of supplies.
²⁷
Enough food, ammunition, and fuel were boarded to get them to Ulithi and, assuming everything went right, to Hong Kong and Singapore after that.
²⁸
So many crates, canned goods, and rice sacks were stacked in the corridors that traversing the sub was difficult. To ease the congestion, wooden planks were laid on top so the crew literally walked over their food.
²⁹
It raised the height of the deck so much, the planks were almost even with the bottom bunks in the crew quarters.

Though wartime food was deplorable, the
I-401
didn’t lack for delicacies. Among her stores were bread, Inari sushi,
sekihan
(red sticky rice), dried squid, hindquarters of lamb, curry powder, onions, canned spinach, parsley, soy sauce, whiskey, and straw-covered flagons of sake. Staples such as canned sweet potatoes and white
rice were loaded in great quantity, since they made up a significant part of the crew’s diet.

As the day of their departure grew near, everyone made preparations for their death. Asamura entrusted a dagger with a note stating “Stake everything you have” to a friend for delivery to his parents in Osaka.
³⁰
Nambu led a delegation of the
I-401
’s officers to pray at Shiraito Shrine. When they finished, they received inspirational headbands to wear into battle.
³¹

Unknown to his officers, Nambu invited their families to say goodbye.
³²
When their mothers, fathers, and wives suddenly appeared in Maizuru, there were moments of tear-filled joy. Nambu made it clear that this was the last time they were likely to see their son, husband, or brother. Japan’s position was so desperate, he even feared America would invade while they were away. Nambu could only guess what would happen to his family if they fell into enemy hands. He hoped his wife would hide in the mountains.
³³
In the meantime, he preferred not to think about the consequences.

Yata had written a farewell note to his mother, but when she surprised him by coming to say goodbye, he chose not to send it. She assumed that Yata, her only child and last living relative, would not be returning from his mission. What Yata didn’t know was that his mother planned to hang herself after they said goodbye.
³⁴

The
I-400
and
I-401
finished their preparations by July 19.
³⁵
That night 12 members of the
Seiran
aircrew were invited to a farewell banquet with the head of the Sixth Fleet, Admiral Daigo.
^†
Ariizumi, Nambu, and Kusaka, the
I-400
’s captain, arrived at Shitairo, a traditional Japanese restaurant, at 6:00
P.M
.
³⁶
Senior Staff Officer Shojiro Iura, who had briefed Fujita on bombing Oregon, attended as well. Geishas kept the cups filled, as toasts were drunk in honor of the 12 brave men. It was a solemn occasion, and a poem recognizing their sacrifice was recited. As the night grew late alcohol flowed freely and the men indulged in camaraderie and sentimental song.
³⁷

The high point came when the
Seiran
aircrews were invited to approach Admiral Daigo. One by one each man came forward and stated his rank, name, and sub designation. Daigo then handed him an empty cup, which a geisha filled with sake. After the pilot had drunk his share, he returned the cup and thanked the admiral for his support.
³⁸

Daigo could see the determination written on each man’s face.
³⁹
These were the finest young men Japan had to offer. Ariizumi’s four subs represented a quarter of all the operational combat subs left in Japan. Surely, those present felt the ultimate sacrifice would soon be shared by everyone around the table.

T
HE NEXT MORNING
the
Seiran
aircrews assembled on deck alongside the
I-401
’s catapult.
^‡
Nambu wore his dress uniform for the ceremony. The senior officers of the Maizuru Naval Base wore the same. The crew of the
Sen-toku
squadron also gathered to watch as Commander Ariizumi presented each member of the
Seiran
aircrew with a short sword, a parting gift from Admiral Daigo.
⁴⁰
The scabbard of each sword was engraved with the words “Divine Dragon Special Attack Unit.”
⁴¹
Ariizumi had come up with the designation based on the first character of his name.
⁴²
It was a bit of bravado, since the unit had not received any official designation. By this point Ariizumi was more concerned about inspiring his men than about navy protocol.

The
Seiran
crews stood at attention as Ariizumi stopped in front of each man and presented him with his sword. No written order had been issued declaring the mission a suicide attack, but no such order was necessary. The men knew what the sword implied. It meant fight to the death.
⁴³