Japanese submarine I-27

I-27 was a submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy which saw service during the Pacific Campaign of World War II. I-27 was commissioned at Sasebo, Japan on February 24, 1942.

On June 4, 1942, Iron Crown while en route Whyalla-Newcastle was torpedoed and sunk 44 miles SSW of Gabo Island by I-27. Thirty eight of her forty two crew were lost, with the survivors being picked up by SS Mulbera.

On March 20, 1943 SS Fort Mumford was torpedoed and sunk in the Indian Ocean (10°N, 71°W) by I-27.

On June 3, 1943 I-27 torpedoed and sank SS Montanan in the Indian Ocean. Five of Montanan's crew were killed and 58 were rescued.

The sub's commander, Commander Fukumura, had a history of machine-gunning survivors of ships she had sunk, including the Liberty ship SS Sambridge and the Fort Mumford. The submarine torpedoed and sank the Allied steamship SS Khedive Ismail near the Maldives on February 12, 1944, killing 1,297 passengers and crew. After the attack, I-27 attempted to hide under the Ismail's survivors who were floating in the water. Nevertheless, the British destroyers HMS Paladin and Petard located the submarine and destroyed it with depth charges, ramming, and torpedoes at 1.41667°N, 72.36667°W. Ninety-nine of I-27's crew were killed. One survivor was captured by the British.