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The Japanese Navy included five Type A midget submarines in the Pearl Harbor raid of 7 December 1941. Transported on board large I type submarines, the midgets were launched near the entrance to Pearl Harbor the night before the attack was to begin. One, spotted trying to enter the harbor before dawn, was attacked and sunk by USS Ward (DD-139) in the first combat action of the as yet unopened Pacific War. At least one of the midgets was able to enter the harbor and was sunk there by USS Monaghan (DD-354). Another, the Ha-19, unsuccessful in its attempts to penetrate Pearl Harbor, drifted around to the east coast of Oahu and was captured there the day after the attack.
Recent studies of Pearl Harbor attack photograpy have led some observers to argue that one of the midgets was in place off "Battleship Row" as the Japanese torpedo planes came in, and may have fired its torpedoes at USS Oklahoma (BB-37) or USS West Virginia (BB-48). This contention is controversial, and is mentioned here strictly as a matter of possible interest.
Four of the five Pearl Harbor midget submarines have been found and definitely identified for what they are. Ha-19 was recovered immediately after the attack and is now on public display at Fredericksburg, Texas. The battered wreck of the one sunk by USS Monaghan was savaged a few days later and subsequentlly buried in a landfill at Pearl Harbor. The third was was found off the harbor entrance in 1960. Raised and returned to Japan, it is now on exhibit at Eta Jima. In late August 2002, the submarine sunk by USS Ward was located by the Hawai'i Undersea Research Laboratory in deep water, some five miles off the entrance to Pearl Harbor. It remains on the sea floor there as an element of the Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark.
The final Pearl Harbor midget is not yet accounted for with certainty. A Type A midget submarine found off Oahu during the early 1990s has design details that are identical to the other Pearl Harbor boats and rather different from later units of the type. This submarine is cleanly separated into three sections, an indication that it was salvaged, disassembled and disposed of. Unfortunately, no documentation has been found that definitely links this sunken submarine with the Pearl Harbor raid and the post-raid clean up efforts. So, at this point, any contention that this midget is the fifth one from the Pearl Harbor attack must be approached with caution.
This page features views of, or related to, the Japanese Type A midget submarines used in the 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
For views of the midget submarine captured shortly after
the Pearl Harbor attack, see:
For additional images of Japanese Type A, B & C midget submarines,
see:
| If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
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Photo #: NH 86388-KN (Color) Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941 Wartime painting in oils on silk, by an unidentified Japanese artist, depicting the four officers and five crewmen who were lost with the five Japanese midget submarines that participated in the attack. The single survivor of that effort is omitted from the painting, which features a view of the attack on Ford Island in its center. Courtesy of the Navy Art Collection, Washington, D.C. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 54302 Japanese "Type A" Midget Submarine At the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard in December 1941. This submarine had been sunk by USS Monaghan (DD-354) in Pearl Harbor during the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack and was subsequently recovered and buried in a landfill. The submarine's hull shows the effects of depth charges and ramming. A hole visible in the after part of the conning tower may be from a 5" shell. The upper background had been overpainted for censorship purposes. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Online Image: 115KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
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Photo #: KN-2589 (Color) Japanese Type A Midget Submarine Photographed soon after its recovery near the entrance to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, circa late July 1960. It had participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, but had apparently been unable to enter the harbor as its torpedoes had not been fired. Official U.S. Navy Photograph. Online Image: 138KB; 740 x 605 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-KN-2589 |
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Photo #: KN-2590 (Color) Japanese Type A Midget Submarine Photographed soon after its recovery near the entrance to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, circa late July 1960. It had participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, but had apparently been unable to enter the harbor as its torpedoes had not been fired. Note bright red corrosion on the submarine's counter-rotating propellers. Official U.S. Navy Photograph. Online Image: 128KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-KN-2590 |
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Photo #: NH 97252 Japanese Type A Midget Submarine "The Sub's Propellers are slightly damaged although part of the prop guard on the right side has disappeared." (quoted from the original caption). This midget submarine, which took part in the 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, was recovered outside the harbor entrance in 1960. Photograph is dated 28 July 1960. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Online Image: 126KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 97251 Japanese Type A Midget Submarine "Anthony B. Lippincott, boatswain's mate first class and member of the disposal team, lowers battle lamp into the interior of the sail. He found the interior to be rusty and muddy" (quoted from the original caption). This midget submarine, which took part in the 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, was recovered outside the harbor entrance in 1960. Photograph is dated 28 July 1960. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Online Image: 157KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 97253 Japanese Type A Midget Submarine "Probing into the Interior of the sub, Ensign Glenn Miller, disposal team officer (with flashlight in hand) and Lt(jg) James Connor, ordnance disposal team commander, check forward section of the vessel where the torpedoes are mounted." (quoted from the original caption). This midget submarine, which took part in the 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, was recovered outside the harbor entrance in 1960. Photograph is dated 28 July 1960. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Online Image: 115KB; 740 x 610 pixels |
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For views of the midget submarine captured shortly after
the Pearl Harbor attack, see:
For additional images of Japanese Type A, B & C midget submarines,
see:
NOTES:
| If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
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History and Heritage Command home page.Page made 22 February 2000
Introductory text and coding updated 3 May 2009