At the end of World War II, once the Japanese military surrendered, part of the terms were to dismantle the Japanese navy. As a result, the US had to decide what to do with Japan’s remaining ships, including submarines. Ultimately, the decision was made to sink the ships rather than allow them to remain afloat, which was costly and unnecessary.
So, the US Navy took the submarines out to sea, loaded them with explosives, and helped them find their way to the bottom of the ocean. Fortunately, this incident’s footage was captured and is now public for all to view.
Japanese Submarines
As part of the US Navy’s defeat of the Japanese in the Pacific, the US captured hundreds of Japanese vessels, including submarines. Instead of keeping these subs afloat, the decision was made to sink them.
Loading Explosives
Before heading to sea, members of the US Navy loaded each submarine with explosives. These explosives were enough to punch a hole in each submarine, allowing it to fill with water and sink to the bottom of the ocean floor. The goal was not to destroy the submarine, just to sink it.
Boxes of Explosives
In this picture, we have a different view of Navy sailors packing up the explosives that will be used to sink the Japanese subs to the bottom of the ocean. On the right-hand side of the image, you can see the completed boxes of explosives ready to be used.
Navy Fleet
In this image, the Navy fleet, including the USS Chicago, set out to sea to find the right spot to blow up the submarines. The cruiser Chicago is at the front of the ship column, leading the way with its big armament.
Multiple Submarines
You can see at least four Japanese submarines that are part of this column that will be exploded and sunk. While the Navy captured many more ships, the Chicago and its sister ships were only responsible for sinking this submarine group.
Officers Make Ready
In this image, you can see officers watching the submarines travel out to sea with their commands being followed to find a location at least 60 miles offshore to sink the Japanese fleet.
Chicago Fires
The Chicago opened fire with her big guns to help set off a chain reaction with the explosives. As soon as the munitions hit, you can see multiple explosions onboard each ship.
Direct Hit
This image shows the exact moment ammunition fired from the Chicago and other US Navy ships hit one of the Japanese submarines. The effect of the munitions hitting the boat as smoke suddenly filled the air is prominent, and you could likely hear the explosions for miles.
Submarine Explosion
You can see in this image that the first explosions have started to take place onboard one of the Japanese submarines. Every explosion hastens the sinking of each ship as more and more water is taken on board, overwhelming the submarine’s ability to stay afloat.
Sunk Submarines
In this image, you can see the last of one Japanese submarine before it’s lost to the sea forever. It didn’t take long for every submarine to explode and sink. The munitions from the American Navy, as well as the explosives packed onboard, made sinking these submarines an easy task.
One Final Gasp
In this image, another Japanese submarine grabs one final gasp of air before passing underneath the waterline. You can see the explosions still letting out plenty of smoke as fires raged on board due to both the munitions hitting the boat and the explosions rigged up by Navy sailors.
Watch the Full Video
You can watch the full video to see the whole scene as the US Navy sinks the Japanese subs. Considering the devastation that both the US Navy and Japanese fleets undertook during the war, it’s somewhat peaceful to know that these submarines have been sunk beyond recourse and can no longer harm any sailors again.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©dimentionx/Shutterstock.com.
