Japanese mini sub find draws worldwide interest

Honolulu Advertiser ^ | Friday, August 30, 2002 | William Cole

[Vidalia]

After looking for 15 years, finding the Japanese submarine that drew the first fire of the United States in the war in the Pacific was not something the University of Hawai'i was completely prepared for.

The Hawai'i Undersea Research Laboratory found that out when it returned to port Wednesday and saw a pier lined with reporters.

[Vidalia]

More interesting graphics and video...

[Leisler]

Good shooting!

[hchutch]

If that minisub is in U.S. waters, the thing should belong to us...

[Judith Anne]

Agreed. It was sent to our Hawaiian shore in an act of war, and destroyed. Their side lost. It belongs to the US.

[RonF]

The sub should be considered ours, and Japan can go suck an egg for it. The remains therein should be recovered, if possible, in a respectful manner (no published photographs!) and belong to any surviving family, absent which they should be turned over to the Japanese government.

[You Gotta Be Kidding Me]

If only the UN were available to help in 1941. There would not have been a WWII. /sarcasm/func/off/

[Notforprophet]

Agreed. The sub itself is ours, the remains should be sent to Japan to any surviving relatives.

It's damn cool that they found that little sub after all these years, tho!

Notforprophet

[You Gotta Be Kidding Me]

What's that saying? Oh yeah, "shoot first and ask questions 61 years later."

[xrp]

Who cares who the submarine belongs to, it is a 60 year old hunk of junk. How about this: If Japan wants it, it can come raise it itself. Otherwise, what difference does it really make?

[OldSmaj]

Evidence that the Ward found its mark with its 5-inch gun has created a new controversy: Some media reports portrayed the United States as having started the war by firing the first shots.

Oh, great!

Blame it on the US!

Hell, I expect the relatives of the sub occupants to file a wrongful death lawsuit and collect millions, thereby opening the door for all the germans on D-Day to follow suit.

Will it ever end?

[capitan_refugio]

A sunken warship is considered a war grave. There are international treaties to which the United States and Japan are signatories. No civilized country would tamper with another country's sunken warship without first gaining the permission of that country.

There are several U.S. submarines sunken in Japanese territorial waters, the most famous of which is probably the "Wahoo" near the island of Hokkido. I would not want the resting place of those brave men disturbed; nor would I disturb the resting place of any other soldier or sailor.

The Japanese minisub does not "belong" to anyone other than the Japanese.

[tictoc]

One crew member got out alive and went on to fame and fortune in Hollywood.

[capitan_refugio]

I agree it is an interesting find, but see post above.

[capitan_refugio]

Correction, see post #11, two above.

(Interesting in-between post!)

[toddst]

I would not want the resting place of those brave men disturbed; nor would I disturb the resting place of any other soldier or sailor.

Yeah, well let's get uptight about this. I guess you don't want to hear the stories about guys who "have their own Jap." Lots of skeletons out there, privately owned and displayed. Not recovered from ships but land implacements on islands in the Pacific. Just fact.

[Notforprophet]

You have a good point. It's not for me to decide international treaty law.

But I'd still figure that the sub is ours, and any remains belong to Japan.

[tophat9000]

One of the other mini subs... Captured Dec 7 41

[capitan_refugio]

If you look at post #17 you will see the mini sub that was beached. There was also a German U-boat that was captured before it could be scuttled. These are considered "war prizes." That is a completely different situation than a sunken war grave.

I had a freep mail that mentioned the recovery of the Confederate submarine Hundley. My reply on that is when the Hundley sunk in the 1860's, (1) the treaties had not yet envisioned, and (2) the CSA was not a separate country ... but that is entirely another thread! ;^)

[capitan_refugio]

I suppose there are still a few "Jewish lampshades" out and about too. I am aware that soldiers took home more that captured swords, flags, and helmuts. And I am sure there are people who collect real shrunken heads. Lots of people live on the edge of civilized behavior - like Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, and Pol Pot.

[capitan_refugio]

I caught my own Feudian slip ...
That should read "helmet" not "Helmut". I suppose there were a few Wolfgangs and Dieters taken home as booty too!