LCI(L)-600

From the U-boat.net.

The LCI(L)-600 was built by the New Jersey Shipbuilding Corporation in Barber, NJ.  It was laid down on 27 March 1944, launched 29 April 1944 and commissioned the same day.  That is a pretty amazing one month to build a ship that was 158-feet long that was designed to carry 200 troops.  LCI(L) refers to Landing Craft Infantry (Large).

It was sunk 12 January 1945 by a Japanese Kaiten launched by the I-36.

--GreGen

The Last Mission of LCI (L)-600-- Part 1

From lagenweb.org by James Murphy.

The I-58, the Japanese submarine that sank the USS Indianapolis, on an earlier mission on Jan 12, 1945, launched all four human-manned torpedo submarines called Kaiten and is credited with sinking an escort carrier and a large oiler on that date.  I could find no mention of an American escort carrier sinking that day or fleet oiler.

However, on that same date, the Japanese submarine I-36 released special attack submarines called Kaiten and is credited with sinking the LCI-L-600.

--GreGen

USS Indianapolis Survivor Edgar Harrell-- Part 7

From Tinian, the Indianapolis went to Guam and then was ordered to the Philippines..  The captain asked that escort ships be sent in case of encounter with Japanese submarines, but the request was denied.  Mr. Harrell made a big point of the fact that the Indy was sent directly into "Harm's Way" without escort.

Three days out, Mr. Harrell had just gotten off his watch at midnight.  The temperature was still at 110 degrees and the Indianapolis had no air conditioning.  Fortunately, the captain had allowed off-duty sailors to sleep on the deck.  Harrell returned to his quarters and got a blanket and went topside, all the way forward.

The night before, he had slept on top of gun turret #1 at the front of the ship.  There was a life raft on top of that turret.  This night, he slept on the deck.

This night, the Japanese submarine I-58 was in the area.  It had two Kaiten suicide submarines aboard, but, after he saw a large ship, Cmdr. Horshimoto decided not to use them.  Two of his torpedoes struck the Indianapolis.  The first torpedo literally took the ship's bow off.  Harrell said it simply was no longer there.

The second torpedo struck directly below the Marine compartment, causing the magazine for No. 2 turret to explode.  Harrell could clearly hear the sound of bulkheads breaking on the ship.

--GreGen

The I-58 Sank the USS Indianapolis-- Part 2: Biggest Success Was Sinking the USS Indianapolis

The most success the I-58 had during the war was the sinking of the Indianapolis on July 30, 1945 while operating between the Marianas Islands and Philippines. It was surrendered at the end of the war and was scuttled by the U.S. Navy off Goto, Japan, 1 April 1946.

It was a B3-type cruise submarine and carried Kaiten manned torpedoes (I knew about kamikazes, but not the Kaiten manned torpedoes) and damaged two destroyers during its career.

Construction on it began 25 December 1943 and was ciompleted 7 September 1944. The sub was 356 feet long and had a 94-man crew.

--GreGen