Japanese rear admiral whose submarines patrolled Hawaiian waters during the Pearl Harbor attack and who later commanded all Japanese submarines in the eastern Solomon Islands. Historically significant ALS in Japanese, three pages, 7 x 10, February 15 [circa 1946–1948]. Yamazaki responds to questions from Captain Frederick Bell. In full (translated): “The Second Demobilization Department Historical Inquiry Section. To Captain Tagami, Sasebo District Demobilization Bureau. Answer to the question by Captain Frederick Bell First Destroyer Fleet Commander in Chief. 1) Aug. 25th 1942. Names of the submarines which attacked the American Air Forces flying above the sea from north east of ‘Sugashima’ to south east. First Fleet Submarines I-9, I-15, I-17, I-19, I-26, I-31, I-33. 2) Name of the submarine that was attacked by depth charge all day long on Aug 25th. The submarine was found out having too close contact with American Convoy Destroyers owing to the sea conditions during the above action. No. I-9 presume. 3) State of being depth charge and name of the submarine that torpedoed more than four times and hot at the fantail of ‘Saratoga’ during the above action No. I-26. However the object warship is unknown whether it was ‘Saratoga’ or not. Unknown about the state of its being depth charge. However it is remembered that the submarine continued its action without receiving much damage. 4) Name of submarines that did not return during the above action. None. 5) Commander in chief of the above Fleet Submarine Vice Admiral Shigeteru Yamazaki. Present address No. 696 East 3 chome (3rd street), Masgome Omori-ku, Tokyo. Notice. The above answers are stated based on the memory only having no records in detail.” Mild handling wear and light marginal staining, otherwise fine condition.
On December 7, 1941, the Second Submarine Group, under Rear Admiral Shigeteru Yamazaki, patrolled the waters between Kauai, Oahu, and Maui, assigned to intercept traffic entering and leaving Pearl Harbor. Captain Meiji Tagami, to whom the letter is addressed, commanded submarine I-25 and patrolled a line 120 nautical miles north of Oahu during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Lieutenant Commander Frederick Bell was in command of the destroyer USS Grayson when, in August 1942, the vessel saw Japanese sub I-9 running on the surface and gave chase. During the next several hours, I-9 was subject to attacks by the Grayson and other war ships. The Grayson used her entire supply of depth charges. Although the United States claimed a sinking, I-9 slipped away, as confirmed by Yamazaki in this letter; when asked by Bell to name the “submarines that did not return during the above action,” the Japanese admiral replied, “None.” Accompanied by the original mailing envelope and early handwritten translation of the letter. Unusual World War II naval content! RRAuction COA.
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