Monterey Bay in WW2 History | World War II Database

18 Dec 1941

United States

Japanese submarine I-23 commanded by LtCdr Genichi Shibata took her position off Monterey Bay, California. ww2dbase [Japanese Attacks on the Continental United States | Monterey Bay, California | DS]

20 Dec 1941

United States

Off Monterey Bay, California, Japanese submarine I-23 stalked the northbound 6,800-ton Richfield Oil tanker SS Agwiworld. I-23 approached the ship for a surface attack. Agwiworld’s captain, Frederick Goncalves, saw the attack developing and steamed directly away from the submarine to present the smallest target profile possible while also fishtailing. I-23 trailed the ship, firing her deck gun as Agwiworld steamed toward land, but I-23’s captain was reluctant to approach the shore. I-23 fired 14 shells at the tanker without scoring a hit. Agwiworld anchored off the pier at Santa Cruz, safe and undamaged. ww2dbase [Japanese Attacks on the Continental United States | Monterey Bay, California | CPC]

22 Dec 1941

United States

Japanese submarine I-23 departed the US west coast bound for Palmyra Island in the central Pacific. ww2dbase [Monterey Bay, California | DS]
Japanese submarine I-23 departed the US west coast bound for Palmyra Island in the central Pacific. ww2dbase [Japanese Attacks on the Continental United States | Monterey Bay, California | DS]