Скачать или смотреть When Japan's "Unsinkable" Carrier Left Port — An American Submarine Sank 72,000 Tons in 17 Hours

Why a disgraced American submarine commander chased Japan's largest aircraft carrier for six hours through the darkness outside Tokyo Bay — and how he used four torpedoes to sink 72,000 tons of steel that the Japanese believed was unsinkable. This World War 2 story reveals how one man's desperation for redemption became the largest warship ever destroyed by a submarine.

November 29, 1944. Commander Joseph Enright knelt at the periscope of USS Archerfish, watching the biggest ship he had ever seen emerge from Tokyo Bay. Three destroyers guarded it. His radar showed it was massive — but he had no idea what it was.

One year earlier, Enright had let the carrier Shokaku escape. He had been so ashamed that he asked to be relieved of command. The Navy transferred him to a desk at Midway. His career was over.

Then they gave him one last chance.

The ship on his radar was Shinano — Japan's most secret weapon. A 72,000-ton supercarrier converted from a Yamato-class battleship hull. An armored flight deck designed to survive direct bomb hits. Carrying 50 kamikaze flying bombs. American intelligence didn't even know it existed.

But Japan had made a fatal mistake. In their rush to get Shinano operational, the shipbuilders had not finished installing the watertight doors. The pumps were missing. The crew of 2,150 men had almost no training. Captain Toshio Abe had begged to wait. The Navy said no.

What Enright did during the next six hours defied everything submarine commanders were taught about engaging capital ships. Japanese destroyers circled the massive carrier. Captain Abe zigzagged to escape. But every turn brought Shinano closer to Archerfish — not further away.

At 3:17 AM, Enright fired six torpedoes from 1,400 yards. Four hit.

What happened over the next seven hours — and why 1,435 men died on a ship that should have survived — is a story of hubris, redemption, and the largest warship ever sunk by a submarine. But almost no one has heard it.

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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - The Disgraced Commander
3:06 - Japan's Secret Supercarrier
6:37 - The Six-Hour Chase
10:00 - Seventeen Hours

SOURCES: USS Archerfish patrol reports, U.S. Naval Technical Mission to Japan analysis, Commander Enright's memoirs "Shinano! The Sinking of Japan's Secret Supership" (1987)

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This is entertainment storytelling based on WW2 events from verified historical sources. While we aim for engaging narratives, some details may be dramatized. This is not an academic source. For verified history, consult professional historians and archives. Watch responsibly.