From: Honolulu (Kita)
To: Tokyo
November 24, 1941
J-19
#234 (Part 1 of 2)

Re your #114 [a].

Strictly Secret.

1. According to normal practice, the fleet leaves Pearl Harbor, conducts maneuvers and forthwith returns.

2. Recently the fleet has not remained for a long period of time nor conducted maneuvers in the neighborhood of Lahaina Roads. Destroyers and submarines are the only vessels who ride at anchor there.

3. Battleships seldom, if ever, enter the ports of Hilo, Hanalei, or Kaneohe. Virtually no one has observed battleships in maneuver areas.

4. The manner in which the fleet moves :

Battleships exercise in groups of three or five, accompanied by lighter craft. They conduct maneuvers for roughly one week at sea, either to the south of Maui or to the southwest. Aircraft carriers maneuver by themselves, whereas sea plane tenders operate in concert with another vessel of the same class. Airplane firing and bombing practice is conducted in the neighborhood of the southern extremity of the island of Kahoolawe.

[a] Not available.
 
ARMY 26351 (Japanese)                                Trans. 12-16-41 (2)
 
From: Honolulu
To: Tokyo
November 24, 1941
J-19
#234 (Part 2 of 2)

The heavy cruisers in groups of six carry on their operations over a period of two to three weeks, doubtless going to Samoa. The length of time that they remain at anchor in Pearl Harbor or tied up at docks is roughly four or five days at a stretch.

The light cruisers in groups of five spend one to two weeks in operations. It would seem that they carry on their maneuvers in the vicinity of Panama.

The submarines go out on 24-hour trips Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The destroyers, in addition to accompanying the principal units of the fleet, carry on personnel training activities in the waters adjacent to Hawaii.

Mine layers (old-style destroyers) in groups of - - - - -, have been known to spend more than three weeks in operations in the - - - - - area.

Furthermore, on the night of the 23rd, five mine layers conducted mine laying operations outside Manila harbor.

 
ARMY 26352 (Japanese)                               Trans. 12/16/41 (2)
 

(EXHIBITS OF JOINT COMMITTEE , EXHIBIT NO. 2 JAPANESE MESSAGES CONCERNING MILITARY

INSTALLATIONS, SHIP MOVEMENTS, ETC.)