Cape Mendocino in WW2 History | World War II Database

18 Dec 1941

United States

Just before dawn, Japanese submarine I-17 commanded by Cdr Kozo Nishino running on the surface 12 miles off Cape Mendocino, California spotted the 2,000-ton steamer SS Samoa with a load of lumber. I-17 fired at the ship with her deck gun plus firing one torpedo, but Samoa steamed on for San Diego undamaged. This was the first Japanese attack on shipping within the territorial waters of the continental United States. ww2dbase [Japanese Attacks on the Continental United States | Cape Mendocino, California | DS]

20 Dec 1941

United States

While running on the surface off Cape Mendocino, lookouts on Japanese submarine I-17 spotted the 6,900-ton tanker SS Emidio steaming unescorted from Seattle to San Francisco. Emidio’s captain, Clark Farrow, saw the submarine closing for an attack and applied full speed toward Eureka and Humboldt Bay. I-17 gave chase and despite the uneven seas, the submarine’s deck gun was able to land five out of the six shots fired. Emidio came to a stop and ran up a white flag as the crew made for the life boats. A US Navy PBY Catalina patrol plane from Patrol Squadron VP-44 out of Alameda appeared, causing I-17 to make an emergency dive. Despite the presence of the aircraft, I-17 set up for a submerged torpedo attack. Emidio was hit with two torpedoes which sealed her fate. Land-based aircraft arrived and I-17 slipped away. Five Emidio men had been killed and 31 survived. The abandoned ship did not sink, however. She drifted northward and eventually grounded 85 miles away on Steamboat Rock near Crescent City, California. The hulk remained in place until hauled away for scrap in 1959. ww2dbase [Japanese Attacks on the Continental United States | Cape Mendocino, California | CPC]

2 Mar 1942

United States

Japanese submarine I-17 attacked a merchant ship estimated at 7,000 tons off Cape Mendocino and claims the ship is sunk. No Allied records correspond to this attack so it is likely the ship was undamaged and perhaps even unaware of the attack. ww2dbase [Japanese Attacks on the Continental United States | Cape Mendocino, California | DS]

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis

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