Japanese claiming large naval losses by Allies according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 23 January 1942

British HMS Prince of Wales. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

British HMS Repulse. Library of Congress LC-B2- 4991-13 [P&P] LOT 11258

HMS Repulse

American USS Arizona

An item referred to a speach of the Japanese minister of navy admiral Shimada in the Diet claiming the Allied losses caused by the Japanese navy since the war broke out.Of warships the Allied lost 7 battleships, 1 aircraft carrier (Lexington type sunk with 2 direct hits by a submarine), 2 cruisers, 6 destroyers, 18 submarines and 27 minelayers. Damaged were another 4 battleships, 6 cruisers and an aircraft carrier. Furthermore were 977 aircraft lost. Of merchant ships off the west coast of the USA, 10 ships with total 70,000 tons sunk and 8 ships with total 90,000 tons damaged. There were also 81 merchant ships captured. The J.I.C. trivialized more or less the figures.(1)

Note

1. The British lost the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse. At Pearl Harbor, Hawaii were 4 American battleships sunk and another 4 damaged. The wreck of the USS Arizona is never salvaged. The USS Oklahoma is salvaged, stripped and sold. The USS Utah although converted into a target and technically no longer a battleship sunk and was never salvaged. The USS West Virginia was repaired and saw action in the war. The USS California sunk, was salvaged, repaired and saw action in the war. The USS Nevada waas beached, salvaged, repaired and saw action in the war. The USS Pennsylvania was damaged, repaired and saw action in the war. The USS Tennessee was damaged, repaired and saw action in the war. The USS Maryland was damaged, repaired and saw action in the war.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 44 dated 23 January 1942