heres more on the I-168
6 June 1942:
At 0410, one of the I-168's lookouts spots the YORKTOWN about 12 miles away. At 0600, Tanabe spots the first destroyers. He submerges and slows to three knots. As he closes, he sees six destroyers circling a mile away. The minesweeper VIREO has the YORKTOWN in tow. At 0605, the USS HAMMANN (DD-412) puts a salvage party aboard the carrier. The HAMMANN is secured to the YORKTOWN's starboard side and provides power for the carrier's pumps and foam to fight the fires.
The I-168 arrives and sights the carrier and her screen. For nine hours, Tanabe skillfully makes his approach steering by chart and sound with only a few periscope sightings. Undetected, he penetrates the destroyer and cruiser screen. At 1331, from 1,900 yards, he fires two torpedoes at the overlapping formation, followed by two more three seconds later. The first torpedo hits the HAMMANN, breaks her back and sinks her in about four minutes. As she goes down, her depth charges explode and kill 81 of her 241-strong crew. At 1332, the next two torpedoes strike the YORKTOWN starboard below the bridge. The fourth torpedo misses and passes astern.
At 1336, American destroyers commence a counterattack. A destroyer passes directly overhead and drops two depth charges. After more attacks the forward torpedo room and maneuvering room flood. After battery cells are extensively damaged and all crew dons gas masks. The outer and inner doors of torpedo tube No. 1 spring and admit water. The lights go out and the emergency lights come on.
At 1640, with his batteries nearly exhausted, Tanabe battle surfaces determined to go down fighting, but the three destroyers USS GWIN (DD-433), HUGHES (DD-410) and the MONAGHAN (DD-354) are about five miles away. Tanabe sets off at the best speed the I-168 can now make - only 14 knots. Tanabe signals to the flagship of the Combined Fleet YAMATO that he has attacked and sunk the YORKTOWN. One destroyer closes within 5,470 yards, firing intermittently. After the emergency repair of an electric engine is completed, Tanabe submerges again. The I-168 stays down until 2000 and then resurfaces. During 13 hours of chase, she has been attacked with some 40 depth-charges.
Contrary to Tanabe's report, the YORKTOWN has not yet sunk. The two torpedo hits corrected her list from 26 to 17 degrees. Captain Buckmaster removes the salvage party and plans to resume work in the morning.
Admiral Yamamoto suspends the invasion of Midway.
7 June 1942:
At 0458, the 19,875-ton YORKTOWN rolls over to port and sinks in about 3,000 fathoms of water.* Cdr Tanabe has made the biggest kill yet by any submarine in the Pacific.
He made the kill with 6th Year Type torpedos.
6th Year Type21"22' 5"3157 lbs.441 lbs.7,000m @ 36 kts
10,000m @ 32 kts
15,000m @ 26 kts ?An older torpedo still used in some of the older RO-class submarines
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