Posted on Dec 23, 2015
US had A-bomb, Japan had I-400 submarine — and this veteran helped nab it
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RP Members another interesting piece of History
During the final days of World War II, Gordon Neslund played a role in capturing one of Japan's most top-secret weapons.
While serving aboard the USS Proteus in the South Pacific, his ship was called from its regular duty of supporting and supplying U.S. submarines to help capture a Japanese vessel.
The Japanese had surrendered unofficially four days earlier, on Aug. 15, 1945, but some onboard the Proteus worried the Japanese sub's sailors would continue to fight.
The vessel raised a black flag — the naval sign of surrender — after U.S. destroyers followed the sub for hours.
As U.S sailors approached the submarine and began boarding, its size became more apparent.
"It was a monster," said Neslund, a retiree living in Roseville. "Most of us didn't even know what it was when we first saw it."
Without knowing it, they had captured Japan's super-weapon project.
During the final days of World War II, Gordon Neslund played a role in capturing one of Japan's most top-secret weapons.
While serving aboard the USS Proteus in the South Pacific, his ship was called from its regular duty of supporting and supplying U.S. submarines to help capture a Japanese vessel.
The Japanese had surrendered unofficially four days earlier, on Aug. 15, 1945, but some onboard the Proteus worried the Japanese sub's sailors would continue to fight.
The vessel raised a black flag — the naval sign of surrender — after U.S. destroyers followed the sub for hours.
As U.S sailors approached the submarine and began boarding, its size became more apparent.
"It was a monster," said Neslund, a retiree living in Roseville. "Most of us didn't even know what it was when we first saw it."
Without knowing it, they had captured Japan's super-weapon project.
US had A-bomb, Japan had I-400 submarine — and this veteran helped nab it
Posted from stripes.com
WWII World War Two
Japan
Weapons
Sailors
Posted 9 y ago
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Both of the I-400 Class submarines were built to bomb (a) the USA's West coast and (b) the Panama Canal. The float planes they carried inside were capable of a tiny bomb load. One actually succeeded in bombing (I believe) an obscure part of Oregon. The other never made it to Panama. As war fortunes turned against Japan, the two giants were used as supply carriers.
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