Note: The following is one of a series of articles looking at events in the history of Bulloch County.

Although a landlocked county far, far away from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, the courthouse lawn in the center of Statesboro was the location of captured Japanese two-man suicide submarine on March 13, 1944.

Its arrival was heralded by the Bulloch Herald on March 9.

How this enemy submarine came to BC is almost as curious as the story behind the midget Japanese submarine itself.

Known as "Kaiten, which roughly translated as "Return to the Sky," these suicide craft were developed late in the war between the Allied and Axis powers.

Entitled "Secret Weapon to be Shown Here," it revealed "Japan's unsuccessful secret weapon, the captured two-man submarine which participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor" was coming to Bulloch.

An article in the Virginian-Pilot's webpage dated March 25, 2018 at www.pilotonline.com, and written by Jakon Hays, was entitled "Curious Japanese Submarine Draws Curious Crowds."

It stated "The Imperial Japanese Navy Type A HA-19 mini submarine was to enter Pearl Harbor under the cover of darkness before the Japanese aerial attack on the Hawaiian base."

Then, "Once the attack began, the submarine was to surface and fire its two torpedoes at U.S. Navy ships. The HA-19 was never able to complete its mission."

This was because "the submarine suffered navigational issues, came under attack from the U.S. Navy and eventually washed ashore, where it was captured."

Weighing over eight tons, they were 50 feet long. Designed for two people, they were now piloted by a single male. These pilots, aged between 18 and 21, were promised their families would get 10,000 yen for their sacrifice.

Only surpassed in effectiveness by the Kamikaze planes, each "Kaiten" carried a 3,400-pound warhead: they are credited with sinking a number of ships.

These included the USS Mississinewa, a fleet oiler with the resulting loss of 63 men and the USS Underhill, a destroyer escort, with the resulting loss of 113 men.

These craft didn’t survive the impact with targets. If the warhead didn't detach and explode, the pilots must simply blow themselves and their craft up as close to their target as they could.

The U.S. Armed forces captured some of these vessels when the Americans overran Japanese bases. This craft was returned to America as part of a fund-raising venture run the War Production Board in Washington, D.C.

The organization "Bundles for America" which provided "kits" to American servicemen that contained the daily necessities for them while they were travelling.

The article revealed that the BFA has provided more than 1 million “kit bags” for our armed forces. They were available at any of the 542 BFA Centers and the 4,000 "day rooms" and "canteens" across the nation.

Once the submarine had been lowered onto a specially-constructed platform on Statesboro's courthouse lawn by a crane, steps were set up leading to catwalks which stretched alongside the length of the sub.

Portholes had been cut into the side of the sub so its visitors could see the insides from a number of locations. "Admission" cost 50 cents per adult and 25 cents for servicemen in uniform and school children.

The Bulloch Herald announced visiting hours for this exhibit would be from 10:30 on Monday morning until 5:30 in the evening. According to the Herald this was truly a once-in-everyone's lifetime opportunity.

All were encouraged to see the sub as their admission would help America win the war. The Herald reported that the event was a roaring success, and raised a grand total of $474.15 cents in admission fees.

Roger Allen is a local lover of history who provides a brief look each week at the area's past. E-mail him at rwasr1953@gmail.com.