Subject: Midget sub attack Alchiba Solomons 1942 ------------------------------------------------- Do you have any more details other than shown on your site of the submarine attacks on the USS Achiba? You have indicated those on Nov 28 and Dec 7 1942 were carried out by midget subs from I-16 and I-24. But I can not unearth anything further about these attacks. An ex US Marine who was there at the time and observed the second attack when the ship was beached, has had an article published about that event in the latest edition of The Naval Historical Review published here in Sydney. He wrote to me at my old address left over 7 years, and I have no idea of how he came by that. The US Navy told him that the attack came from I-16, but the sub he says he saw did not carry any deck gun, I believe as you have reported this attack he saw was made by a midget, hence no deck gun. Any further light you may be able to throw on this incident would be most welcome.
15Dec41. Destroyer Sturtevant (DD-240), escorting cargo vessel Alchiba (AK-23), depth-charges sound contact. [Atlantic]
14June42. ... stores and equipment in nine cargo ships* - "commercial" rather than "combat" loaded - because as recently as May it had been assumed that the Marines would have at least six months to train in New Zealand. (* includes AK Alchiba)
9Aug42. Suffering from the effects of at least 65 hits, ASTORIA (CA-34) fought for her life. The heavy cruiser received word that BUCHANAN (DD-484) was on the way to assist in battling the fires and that ALCHIBA (AK-23) was coming to tow the ship.
... supply ship Alchiba offered a towline, but they were too late to do any good, except recovering survivors.
15Oct42. ... barge towing expedition ... 75 miles from Guadalcanal, these lucrative targets were sighted ... hastily turned back .. to Espiritu Santo and arrived safely.
21Nov42. "Alchiba departed Noumea ... she carried a touchy cargo of aviation gasoline, bombs and ammunition, and towed a barge full of Marston mats.
28Nov42. Cargo ship Alchiba (AK-23) is damaged by Japanese midget submarine Ha.10 (from submarine I-16) 3,000 yards northeast of Lunga Point, Guadalcanal.
On the morning of the 28th when Alchiba was starting to unload at Lunga Point, a Japanese midget submarine No. 10 (launched by I-16) boldly and precisely fired a single torpedo past the screen of five destroyers in Alchiba's No. 2 hold. In a flash the forward part of the ship was ablaze and she took a 17-degree list. Her skipper, Commander James S Freeman, apprehensive less his ship blow up or sink, made straight for the beach two miles west of Lunga unloading point and drove her bow hard into the sand so that over 150 feet of her keel rested on the solid bottom. Meanwhile XO, LCDR Shaw, organized damage control to fight the fires, flood magazines and pour CO2 into the blazing hold. All day the work went on in a cloud of smoke and a shower of exploding machine-gun ammunition. Men would go down into a hold, come out exhausted, then plunge back into the smoke-filled compartment. That night the flames grew more intense and all hands except fire-fighters were evacuated. Japanese aircraft, attacked to a well-lighted target, splashed a salvo of bombs close aboard at 0330. Throughout 19 November, unloading and fire-fighting continued, simultaneously. Alchiba was destined to burn for four days, to be in peril for nearly a month, and even to be announced a total loss by the Navy ; but never was the old Navy maxim "Don't give up the ship!" more faithfully and skillfully honored. Alchiba survived.
28Nov42. Cargo ship Alchiba (AK-23) is damaged by Japanese midget submarine Ha.10 (from submarine I-16) 3,000 yards northeast of Lunga Point, Guadalcanal.
8Dec42. Cargo ship Alchiba (AK-23) is damaged by Japanese midget submarine Ha.38 (from submarine I-24) off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal.
Vestal (AR-4), repair ship, arrived at Espiritu Santo 16Nov42 and for the next year tackled some 5,603 jobs on 279 ships; (including) the torpedoed and fire damaged cargo ship Alchiba (AK-23).
Alchiba AK-23, reclassified in 1943 as Attack Cargo Ship AKA-6.
1Nov43. Cape Torokina Landing, Empress Augusta Bay.
The 3rd Marines went up in style in twelve lightly combat-loaded
transports and cargo ships. ...
To ensure fast unloading and quick getaway ... the assault
cargo ships were loaded only to one-quarter capacity. ...
Some 14,000 men and 6,200 tons of supplies had been put ashore
in eight hours' working time.
More plus pics.
HTH,
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