On November 23, 1943, after three days of endless fighting, the Allied invasion of the Gilbert Islands, known as Operation Galvanic, was ending.
Strategically positioned in the Central Pacific, over 2,000 miles away from Pearl Harbor, the loss of the Gilberts was not just a territorial retreat but a significant dent in their strategic defense and a blow to their military confidence.
As the Allied forces gained ground, the Japanese command, taken by surprise, scrambled to respond. A desperate Admiral, Mineichi Kogan, issued orders to recall four Japanese submarines southwest of Hawaii and five more near Truk and Rabaul to converge on the Gilberts.
Nine of those Japanese Subs fought against US Forces in the Gilberts, and six were lost.
The Japanese desperately needed a win.
Then, that night, after arriving off Makin, the Japanese submarine I-175, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Sunao Tabata, spotted the perfect target: USS Liscome Bay escort carrier, right in the middle of a protective formation, with a 2 ship-wide gap on her side.
The perfect opportunity for chaos…
