The December 7, 2009, Chicago Tribune had an article about the mini subs that alerted me to the PBS special.
A Japanese mini sub fired two 800 pound torpedoes in Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, most likely at the West Virginia and Oklahoma. It is believed to have been scuttled in the harbor the next day.
The Japanese submarine I-16 received a radio call from the mini sub at 10:41 pm December 8th reporting that the attack was a success, but they couldn't get out of the harbor so were going to scuttle the ship.
A photograph taken from an attacking Japanese plane seems to show a mini sub attacking in the harbor. It is believed that only the blast from a submarine-fired torpedo would have had the force to capsize the Oklahoma. Had it been hit by a lighter aircraft torpedo, it would have sunk by settling straight down to the harbor bottom.
It is believed that the mini sub was scuttled in a part of Pearl Harbor called West Loch, where, on May 21, 1944, a huge explosion took place as ammunition was being loaded for Operation Forager against the Mariana Islands. This was kept top secret and the salvage ship Valve was sent to the area to remove the debris. It is believed that the wreck of the submarine was removed at the time and dumped outside the harbor.
A Little Known Part of the War. --Cooter
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