History | |
---|---|
Japan | |
Name | Submarine No 396 |
Builder | Mitsui Zosensho, Tamano, Japan |
Laid down | 5 August 1943 |
Launched | 23 April 1944 |
Renamed | Ro-55 on 23 April 1944 |
Completed | 30 September 1944 |
Commissioned | 30 September 1944 |
Fate | Sunk 7 February 1945 |
Stricken | 10 May 1945 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Kaichū type submarine (K6 subclass) |
Displacement |
|
Length | 80.5 m (264 ft 1 in) overall |
Beam | 7 m (23 ft 0 in) |
Draft | 4.07 m (13 ft 4 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range |
|
Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
Crew | 61 |
Armament |
|
The second Ro-55 was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū type submarine of the K6 sub-class. Completed and commissioned in September 1944, she served in World War II and was sunk during her first war patrol in February 1945.
The submarines of the K6 sub-class were versions of the preceding K5 sub-class with greater range and diving depth. [1] They displaced 1,133 tonnes (1,115 long tons) surfaced and 1,470 tonnes (1,447 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 80.5 meters (264 ft 1 in) long, had a beam of 7 meters (23 ft 0 in) and a draft of 4.07 meters (13 ft 4 in). They had a diving depth of 80 meters (260 ft). [2]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 2,100- brake-horsepower (1,566 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor. [3] They could reach 19.75 knots (36.58 km/h; 22.73 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the K6s had a range of 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km; 13,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph); submerged, they had a range of 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). [1]
The boats were armed with four internal bow 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes and carried a total of ten torpedoes. They were also armed with a single 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 anti-aircraft gun and two single 25 mm (1.0 in) AA guns. [1]
Ro-55 was laid down as Submarine No. 396 on 5 August 1943 by Mitsui Zosensho at Tamano, Japan. [4] She was launched on 23 April 1944 and was renamed Ro-55 that day, the second Japanese submarine of that name. [4] She was completed and commissioned on 30 September 1944. [4]
Upon commissioning, Ro-55 was attached to the Maizuru Naval District and assigned to Submarine Squadron 11 for workups. [4] She was reassigned to Submarine Division 34 in the 6th Fleet on 4 January 1945. [4]
On 27 January 1945, Ro-55 departed Kure, Japan, to begin her first war patrol, assigned a patrol area in the South China Sea west of Mindoro in the Philippine Islands. [4] While in the Philippine Sea east of Luzon on 2 February 1945, she reported that Allied aircraft had attacked her and that she would reach her patrol area five days late. [4] The Japanese never heard from her again. [4]
After dark on 7 February 1945, the United States Navy destroyer escort USS Thomason (DE-203) detected a surfaced submarine on radar while escorting a Leyte Gulf-bound Allied convoy off Iba, Luzon. As she closed the range, the submarine submerged, and at 23:30 Thomason began attacks against it, firing 24-projectile Hedgehog barrages that sank the submarine at 15°27′N 119°25′E / 15.450°N 119.417°E. [4]
The submarine Thomason sank probably was Ro-55. [4] On 1 March 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy declared her to be presumed lost off the Philippine Islands with all 80 men on board. [4] The Japanese struck her from the Navy list on 10 May 1945. [4]