Torpedoing The Stanvac Manila
On 24 May 1943, 100 miles (160 km) south off Noumea 23°45′S 166°30′E / 23.750°S 166.500°E / -23.750; 166.500. I-17 sighted the 10,169 ton Panamanian flagged tanker Stanvac Manila. The tanker had six PT boats on board as cargo. At 0407, I-17's torpedo hit the tanker, flooding the engine and fire room and disabling all power and communications. At 12:05 the Manila sank, taking the two PT boats PT-165 and PT-173 with her. At about 13:00 the destroyer USS Preble arrived and towed three of the surviving PT boats, PT-167, PT-171 and PT-174 to Noumea. The remaining boat, PT-172, made Noumea under her own power. One life was lost.
Read more about this topic: Japanese Submarine I-17, Service