Monsun Gruppe - Submarine Patrols From Penang

Submarine Patrols From Penang

Although operations from Penang had originally been envisioned as patrols along the trade routes while transporting strategic materials to Europe, many were turned back after allied patrols sank South Atlantic refueling assets.

• Japanese submarine I-30 sailed on 22 April 1942 and reached France on 2 August.
• Japanese submarine I-8 sailed on 27 June 1943 carrying tungsten and an extra crew for U-1224, and reached France in late August 1943.
• Japanese submarine I-34 sailed 12 November 1943 and was torpedoed by HMS Taurus the following day.
• U-178 sailed 27 November 1943 with a cargo of 121 tons of tin, 30 tons of rubber and two tons of tungsten. She sank the 7,200-ton American Liberty ship Jose Navarro before reaching France on 25 May.
• Japanese submarine I-29 sailed 16 December 1943 with a cargo of rubber, tungsten, and two tons of gold; she reached France on 11 March 1944.
• U-532 sailed 4 January 1944 with a cargo of tin, rubber, tungsten, quinine and opium; and sank the 7,200-ton American Liberty ship Walter Camp two ships before returning to Penang after the refueling oiler Brake was sunk.
• U-188 sailed 9 January 1944 with a cargo of tin, rubber, tungsten, quinine and opium; and sank seven British freighters before reaching France on 19 June.
• U-168 sailed 28 January 1944 with 100 tons of tin, tungsten, quinine and opium; and sank a 4,400-ton Greek freighter and the 1,400-ton British repair ship Salviking before returning to Jakarta after Brake was sunk.
• Cappellini sailed for France in a cargo configuration as UIT-24 with about 130 tons of rubber, 60 tons of zinc, five tons of tungsten, 2 tons of quinine, and 2 tons of opium on 9 February 1944; but returned to Penang after Brake was sunk.
• U-183 sailed 10 February 1944 with a cargo of tin, rubber, tungsten, quinine and opium; and sank the 5,400-ton British freighter Palma, the 7,000-ton British tanker British Loyalty and the 5,300-ton British freighter Helen Moller before returning to Penang after Brake was sunk.
• Guiliani sailed for France in a cargo configuration as UIT-23 on 15 February 1944 and was torpedoed three days later by HMS Tally-Ho.
• Japanese submarine I-52 sailed for France in a cargo configuration on 23 April 1944 with a cargo including two tons of gold and was sunk by TBF Avengers from USS Bogue on 23 June 1944.
• U-183 sailed on 17 May 1944 and sank one ship before returning to Penang on 7 July.
• U-1062 sailed for France in a cargo configuration on 6 July 1944 and was sunk in the Atlantic on 5 October.
• U-168 sailed 4 October 1944 and was torpedoed two days later by HMNLS Zwaardvisch.
• U-181 sailed 19 October 1944 and sank one ship before returning to Jakarta on 5 January 1945.
• U-537 sailed 8 November 1944 and was torpedoed the following day by USS Flounder.
• U-196 sailed 11 November 1944 and disappeared while traversing an allied minefield.
• U-862 sailed 18 November 1944 and sank two ships in the only German U-boat Pacific patrol of the war before returning to Jakarta on 15 February 1945.
• U-843 sailed for Norway on 10 December 1944 and was sunk in the Kattegat by RAF Mosquitoes on 2 April 1945.
• U-510 sailed for Norway with 150 tons of tungsten, tin, rubber, molybdenum and caffeine on 6 January 1945; and sank the 7,100-ton Canadian freighter SS Point Pleasant Park before surrendering in France.
• U-532 sailed for Norway on 13 January 1945 with a cargo of 110 tons of tin, eight tons of tungsten, eight tons of rubber, four tons of molybdenum and smaller quantities of selenium, quinine, and crystals. The type IXC40 boat sank the 3,400-ton British freighter Baron Jedburgh and the 9,300-ton American tanker Oklahoma; and surrendered at Liverpool when the war was over.
• U-861 sailed 14 January 1945 with 144 tons of tungsten, iodine, tin, and rubber; and arrived in Norway on 18 April.
• U-195 sailed for Norway in an oiler configuration on 17 January 1945 but returned to Jakarta on 3 March after experiencing engine trouble.
• U-183 sailed on 24 April 1945 and was torpedoed two days later by USS Besugo.