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.)