Japanese submarine I-70

I-70 was laid down on January 25, 1933 in Sasebo Naval Arsenal and was launched almost a year later on June 14, 1934. It was commissioned on November 9, 1935. On May 12. 1941, I-69 (another Japanese submarine) collided with I-70 creating a gash in the latter's starboard tanks and conning tower. Both were able to make it to Yokosuka for repairs.

I-70 was part of a group of submarines sent to patrol off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 (December 8 in local Japan time). That day, it failed to answer a radio call. The last radio received from the submarine was on December 9, 1941 when it reported seeing USS Enterprise near Naval Station Pearl Harbor.

On December 10, 1941, it was sighted by a Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless aircraft from USS Enterprise from VS-6 after 6:00 AM. The aircraft scored a near-miss with a 1,000-pound (454 kg) bomb which damaged its hull and prevented it from diving. Later that day, another SBD of VS-6 saw the damaged submarine. Although the submarine attempted to maneuver and was even able to fire its 13 mm deck machine gun, the SBD was able to climb to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) and hit the ship amidships with a bomb, blowing several gunners overboard. The sub stopped and then disappeared underwater about 45 seconds later at coordinates 23°45′N 155°35′W.[2]