USS Spadefish vs. Shinyo: How One Submarine Sank Japan’s Escort Carrier in 1944

On November 17, 1944, the USS Spadefish (SS-411) launched a daring nighttime torpedo attack against the Japanese escort carrier Shinyo in the East China Sea during World War II. Assigned to protect Convoy HI-81 from American submarines, Shinyo carried aircraft intended to provide a defensive shield over Japan's vital troop transports and supply ships. But as darkness fell, Commander Gordon W. Underwood and his submarine crew used surface-search radar, speed, and precise torpedo targeting to turn the convoy's protector into their primary target. After penetrating the Japanese defensive screen, Spadefish fired six torpedoes, striking Shinyo and triggering devastating fires and explosions that ultimately sent the carrier to the bottom. With Japanese destroyer Kashi launching a counterattack, the American submarine faced a desperate fight to escape. Discover how radar technology, nighttime surface tactics, the Torpedo Data Computer, and the vulnerabilities of Japanese escort carriers shaped this dramatic Pacific War engagement. This detailed WWII naval history documentary explores the sinking of Shinyo, the battle for Convoy HI-81, American submarine warfare, and the growing effectiveness of the U.S. Navy's undersea campaign against Japan in 1944. Sources: https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us... https://www.history.navy.mil/research... https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us... https://www.combinedfleet.com/ShinyoC... https://www.combinedfleet.com/Shinshu... #USSspadefish #Shinyo #WW2 #WorldWar2 #WWIIHistory #NavalHistory #SubmarineWarfare #PacificWar #USNavy #JapaneseNavy #ConvoyHI81 #AircraftCarrier #MilitaryHistory #WW2Documentary #TorpedoAttack