A pair of historical questions..

[Ducimus]

You'll find interesting information from the Japanese themselves here:
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...IJO/index.html

Originally Posted by Ducimus

You'll find interesting information from the Japanese themselves here:
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...IJO/index.html

Had not perused the naval chapters of the Pacific USSBS before, thanks. Relevant entries include Nav #'s 11, 37, 45, 56 and 57.

Couple of things to note, the presence of senior officers (a RAdm) as convoy escort Group Commander since most Allied escort group commanders (as opposed to Hunter-Killer Group Commanders) were generally far more junior. As the war progressed they probably had more admirals than they could effectively employ. By nature these officers would tend to be doctrinally set in their ways and less able to cope with command problems that likely were outside their previous service experience.

Also the conversion of at least one naval ASW squadron to a Special Attack (Kamikaze) role in the summer of 1944, something that reinforces my observation re placing service interests over national interests.

Edit
@ Schwartzritter.

The problem was that Mahan's theories of sea power ceased to be relevant any time after 1905 and can be said to have been to all intents and purposes dead after the Falkland's battle, 8 December 1914 and almost 30-years to the day before Pearl Harbor. He dragged several generations of willing naval officers and more than a few partisan politicians down the wrong strategic path. Those officers that realized that Mahan had feet of clay frequently went into submarines and naval aviation during the inter-war period and they were the largely ones who rose to senior command in the crucible of naval warfare from 1939-45. Except in Japan, where even the revered Yamamoto remained an unreconstructed Mahaniac until the day he died and his replacements were doctrinally even more conservative.

[Ducimus]

INTERROGATION NAV NO. 11
JAPANESE NAVAL ESCORT OF SHIPPING AND SHIPPING LOSSES
Interrogation of: Captain OI, Atsushi, IJN, a permanent officer of the Japanese Navy who has had staff college training. He served as a Staff Officer of the Combined Escort Fleet from its organization in November 1943 until the war's end.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...JO/IJO-11.html



INTERROGATION NAV NO. 37
ATTACKS ON JAPANESE SHIPPING
Interrogation of: Lt. Comdr. YATSUI, Noriteru, IJN; a naval officer of 8 years service. He was Navigation Officer of the cruiser Oi when she was sunk in July 1944 and served on the staff of the 7th Escort Convoy from that time until the end of the war.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...JO/IJO-37.html


INTERROGATION NAV NO. 45
ESCORT AND PROTECTION OF SHIPPING
Interrogation of: Lieut. Comdr. YASUMOTO, Shisei, IJN; Commander of the escort vessel Shiokaze, March 1944 to June 1945; Staff Officer of 103rd Convoy Escort Squadron, Seventh Fleet, from June 1945 to end of war.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...JO/IJO-45.html


INTERROGATION NAV NO. 47
CONVOY ESCORT AND PROTECTION OF SHIPPING
Interrogation of: Rear Admiral HORIUCHI, Shigetada, IJN, Chief of Staff, First Escort Fleet from May 1944 to December 1944; Commanding 901 Air Group, FORMOSA from January 1945 to September 1945.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...JO/IJO-47.html


INTERROGATION NAV NO. 53
ESCORT AND PROTECTION OF SHIPPING
Interrogation of: Commander KUWAHARA, Tadao, IJNR (retired), who was commander of an escort vessel engaged in convoy work between MOJI and SINGAPORE; civilian experience as master of N.Y.K. liners; while in Military Affairs Office, assisted in recruiting and training crews for Naval supply ships and civilian ships.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...JO/IJO-53.html


INTERROGATION NAV NO. 63
ANTI-SUBMARINE TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT
Interrogation of: Lieutenant Commander OKAMOTO, T.; Staff Officer of First Escort Fleet Air Squadron and (general Headquarters, Grand Escort Fleet.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...JO/IJO-63.html

[Lannes]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

You'll find interesting information from the Japanese themselves here:
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...IJO/index.html

Very nice source material, Ducimus....

Thanks!

[Armistead]

I think the only crew to ever use the escape hatch was the famous Tang. O'Kane was on the bridge when he fired his last torpedo which was a circle runner that came back and hit Tang. Some of the crew that survived made it to the bow torp room and several escaped using the escape hatch in a few hundred feet of water

I think the book about it is called "Escape from the Deep"...great story. Tells mostly of the last patrol and the men using the escape hatch, several used it but died before making it. Also tells of the wounded and others too afraid to try it that accepted their death with quiet courage.

Also gets into detail of those that escaped being captured and their time as POW's being tortured, etc..

[Jan Kyster]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

You'll find interesting information from the Japanese themselves here:
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/...IJO/index.html

Maybe some interesting stuff here as well, War Diary (CVs):

http://wwiiarchives.net/servlet/documents/usa/125/0


And the complete collection of Submarine War Patrol Reports:

http://wwiiarchives.net/servlet/documents/usa/100/0

[Aviv]

Very interesting, guys. This should give me some interesting reading to do. I already read about the USS Tang, it's a good experiance to read, especially with the prison parts afterward. I had heard how the Japanese Navy did not focus on protecting merchants (the same reason how they did not use their submarines to attack merchants).

@CptChacal I always thought it was the torpedo loading hatch too, but then how do you explain there's not one for the front tubes and also, this picture looks the same like the part of the submarine http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=8910

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Aviv

@CptChacal I always thought it was the torpedo loading hatch too, but then how do you explain there's not one for the front tubes and also, this picture looks the same like the part of the submarine http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=8910

It looks to me like the vertical hatch behind the sailor is the escape hatch and he's actually posing in the torpedo loading hatch. These drawings show the layout of a Gato class sub, with everything marked.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0821203.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0821230.jpg

[Aviv]

I see, I see. In that case my bad, apologies. I like the blueprints though!

[Sailor Steve]

No bads, no apologies necessary. You might still be right. My observation is no better than yours.

[mobucks]

There was an access hatch that the deck gun crew would use for access to the gun and magazine.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Jan Kyster

And the complete collection of Submarine War Patrol Reports:

http://wwiiarchives.net/servlet/documents/usa/100/0

That is much easier to navigate then the collection i knew of.