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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Pacific War, World War II | ||||||||
 Map of the Sea of Japan | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Combatants | ||||||||
| United States | Japan | Soviet Union (unintentionally targeted) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
| Charles A. Lockwood, E.T. Hydeman | ||||||||
| Units involved | ||||||||
|
US Submarines:
| Japanese merchant fleet, I-122 Submarine | Soviet merchant fleet (Transbalt) | ||||||
| Strength | ||||||||
| 9 submarines | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
| USS Bonefish (SS-223) and its crew | 27 merchant ships, one submarine (I-122) | One merchant ship (Transbalt) | ||||||
The Operation Barney was an operation conducted by the United States Navy during the Pacific War in World War II. In June 1945, nine American submarines penetrated the Sea of Japan and sank numerous ships.
Operation
In 1944, the Japanese merchant fleet suffered heavy losses inflicted by American submarines, aircraft, and naval mines. Only a few Japanese ships were still moving in coastal areas, where they were relatively safe from submarine operations. In the secluded Sea of Japan, which was considered Japan's backyard, there was still active maritime traffic.
After experimenting with sonar on minesweepers in submarines, Admiral Lockwood conceived the idea to launch an attack using submarines equipped with mine sonar to navigate through the mine belts around the Sea of Japan. This would demonstrate to the Japanese that they were no longer safe anywhere, potentially aiding psychologically in bringing Japan to surrender. William Bernard (Barney) Sieglaff was tasked with devising the plan, which was subsequently named Operation Barney after him.
Under the command of E.T. Hydeman, three groups of three submarines (wolfpacks) entered the Sea of Japan through the Korea Strait on June 5 and 6, 1945, reaching their operation areas three days later. Over the span of eleven days, they sank 27 merchant ships totaling 54,784 BRT, as well as the Japanese submarine I-122 and accidentally the Soviet freighter Transbalt. The USS Bonefish was sunk by Japanese forces on June 19. On the night of June 24, the remaining eight submarines retreated from the Sea of Japan through the La Pérouse Strait. It was one of the most successful submarine operations of the war.
Specifically, the submarines sank:
- USS Sea Dog (SS-401) - 6 merchant ships
- USS Spadefish (SS-411) - 5 merchant ships
- USS Tinosa (SS-283) - 4 merchant ships
- USS Skate (SS-305) - 3 merchant ships and the submarine I-122
- USS Crevalle (SS-291) - 3 merchant ships
- USS Bonefish (SS-223) - 2 merchant ships
- USS Flying Fish (SS-229) - 2 merchant ships
- USS Bowfin (SS-287) - 2 merchant ships
- USS Tunny (SS-282) - No sinking
Encouraged by the success, Admiral Lockwood subsequently sent a group of seven boats into the Sea of Japan.
Literature
- Charles A. Lockwood, Hans C. Adamson: Hellcats of the Sea: Operation Barney and the Mission to the Sea of Japan. Lulu.com 2018, ISBN 978-0-359-05705-4.
- Steven Trent Smith: Operation Barney: Bloody payback in the Pacific. Navytimes, September 29, 2019
- Jack Sweetman: 50 Years Ago . . . Operation Barney., Proceedings, Vol. 121/6/1,108
In Media
- Hellcats of the Navy, Columbia Pictures 1957 (starring Ronald Reagan)
External Links
- Mark Loproto: Operation Barney: Revenge for a Lost Submarine (English)
- USS Bowfin History – Patrol 9 on USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park Pearl Harbor (English)
References
- Jack Sweetman: 50 Years Ago . . . Operation Barney, Proceedings, Vol. 121/6/1,108, June 1995.
- John A. Adams: If Mahan ran the Great Pacific War – An Analysis of World War II Naval Strategy, Indiana University Press 2008, ISBN 978-0-253-35105-0, p. 376.