Submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy - Japan and the U.S. at War by December 7, 1941

The last U.S. Merchant ship to be sunk between Hawaii and the West Coast by the Imperial Japanese Navy was witnessed by a Boeing 314 Pan Am Clipper. On October 28, 1944, the "John A. Johnson", a Liberty ship, was observed being sunk by the I-12 submarine of the Japanese Navy. As was standard Imperial Navy procedure, the crew was in the process of being machine gunned to death when the B-314 dropped down and buzzed the submarine, causing the sub to crash dive and saving the lives of the remaining 60 crewman, many of whom had wounds from the machine gunning. The clipper radioed for help, saving the remaining seamen.

Historical Background : How the 1930's led up to Japan and the U.S. at War The last U.S. Merchant ship to be sunk between Hawaii and the West Coast by the Imperial Japanese Navy was witnessed by a Boeing 314 Pan Am Clipper. On October 28, 1944, the "John A. Johnson", a Liberty ship, was observed being sunk by the I-12 submarine of the Japanese Navy. As was standard Imperial Navy procedure, the crew was in the process of being machine gunned to death when the B-314 dropped down and buzzed the submarine, causing the sub to crash dive and saving the lives of the remaining 60 crewman, many of whom had wounds from the machine gunning. The clipper radioed for help, saving the remaining seamen.