The Fate of the Captured Midget Submarine HA. 19

The Fate of the Captured Midget Submarine HA. 19 is a story of misfortune, survival, and an unexpected role in World War II history. In the early hours of December 7, 1941, before Japanese warplanes reached Pearl Harbor, a covert naval force was already en route to the Oahu naval base. Among them was HA. 19, a Type A Ko-hyoteki-class midget submarine launched from the Type C cruiser submarine I-24. Piloted by Ensign Kazuo Sakamaki and Chief Warrant Officer Kiyoshi Inagaki, HA. 19’s ill-fated mission began with a critical equipment failure: a broken gyrocompass.

Despite reaching the entrance of Pearl Harbor, the submarine faced navigational challenges due to the malfunctioning compass. The crew inadvertently ran aground on a reef multiple times. At approximately 8:17 AM, the destroyer USS Helm (DD-388) spotted HA. 19 and engaged. Initial shots missed but inadvertently freed the sub from the reef. Inagaki managed to dive and evade further attacks, but the submarine continued struggling against the underwater terrain.

Desperate attempts to infiltrate the harbor proved futile as HA. 19 repeatedly struck reefs. Eventually, depth charges disabled its torpedo launcher and periscope, forcing the crew to abandon their mission. An attempt to return to I-24 was unsuccessful, and the submarine grounded once more. With no means of escape, Sakamaki ordered the scuttling of HA. 19, but the attempt failed. While Sakamaki survived and was taken prisoner, Inagaki perished, his body washing ashore the next day.

HA. 19 was left stranded on the reef until the following day when American bombers attempted to destroy it. Though their explosives missed, the shockwaves dislodged the vessel, which later washed ashore. Once in American hands, the captured midget submarine took on an unexpected role—one that would deal a symbolic blow to Japan.

After being disassembled into three sections, HA. 19 was transported to the submarine base at Pearl Harbor for analysis. Once intelligence had gathered all necessary information, the U.S. military repurposed the submarine to aid in a national campaign: raising funds through War Bonds.

War Bonds played a crucial role in financing the United States’ war effort. Even before the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had introduced Series E Defense Bonds on May 1, 1941. The government promoted these bonds through various means, including Hollywood celebrities hosting rallies. Following the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, HA. 19 became a striking attraction on a nationwide tour, rallying Americans to invest in the war effort.

In September 1942, the captured submarine was shipped to the mainland, placed on a flatbed trailer, and sent across the country. To enhance its appeal, the hull was modified with 22 viewing ports. Visitors could peer inside for a fee of $1, viewing two life-sized mannequins dressed in Japanese naval uniforms with “fierce samurai expressions.” This immersive display fascinated audiences and encouraged War Bond purchases wherever HA. 19 traveled.

At the beginning of 1943, after the tide of war had turned following the American victory at Midway, HA. 19 made its way through New Mexico and Texas, stopping in cities like Lordsburg, Las Cruces, El Paso, and Fort Bliss. However, its arrival in the small town of Belen, New Mexico, created an astonishing spectacle.

On January 13, 1943, HA. 19 was scheduled for a brief one-hour stop in Belen. The response was overwhelming, with an estimated 2,000 residents—out of a total population of around 8,000—gathering to see the infamous submarine. By the time HA. 19 departed, the town had raised over $3,200 in War Bond sales, an impressive contribution from a community deeply involved in the war effort.

After traveling to 2,000 cities across 41 states, HA. 19’s tour came to an end. The submarine was initially stationed at the Key West Naval Station in Florida. However, in 1991, it found a permanent home at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas. Today, visitors can view HA. 19 without the need to purchase a War Bond, standing as a relic of wartime innovation, misfortune, and resilience. This once-feared weapon of war now serves as a symbol of history, perseverance, and the unexpected turns of military conflict.