I thought of this question when Indiana Jones asked “What was the extent of German activity in the Pacific.” In the latest OOTF.
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On May 13, 1944 the Japanese submarine RO-501 was sunk by the US off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean. It was the first of two Japanese ships to be sunk in the European Theater of Operations. The RO-501 was originally a German U-boat called U-1224, but had been given to Japan. The second was the I-52, which was known as Japan’s “Golden Submarine” because it was carrying payment for Germany for technology. Her cargo from Japan included 9.8 tons of molybdenum, 11 tons of tungsten, 2.2 tons of gold in 146 bars packed in 49 metal boxes, 3 tons of opium, and 54 kg of caffeine. The gold was payment for German optical technology. She also carried 14 passengers, primarily Japanese technicians, who were to study German technology in anti-aircraft guns, and engines for torpedo boats. This is just a summary of both ships that were sunk, I highly recommend checking out both subs for yourself. They’re really interesting stories.
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Thanks for sharing, very interesting history indeed, including the new acoustic torpedoes .
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Another submarine used by the Japanese in the Yanagi missions was the I-29. This sub was sunk in July of 1944 by the USS Sawfish on its second exchange with the Germans. The Yanagi missions were undertaken by the Japanese, but the Germans also made reciprocal voyages. From February to June 1943 U-180 sailed to the Indian Ocean from Kiel, meeting with I-29 in the Mozambique Channel. U-180 transferred Subash Chandra Bose, future leader of the Indian National Army and received two tons of gold picked up from Penang in payment for German goods so far received.
There’s so much more to this: Yanagi missions - Wikipedia
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