▁April . ▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ▁was ▁with dra wn ▁from ▁Pen ang ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁because ▁of ▁Al lied ▁mines ▁and ▁because ▁the ▁base ▁was ▁within ▁range ▁of ▁both ▁K har ag pur ▁based ▁B - 2 4 ▁Liber ators ▁and ▁B 2 9 ▁bom bers . ▁A ▁ra id ▁by ▁mine - lay ing ▁Liber ators ▁from ▁No . ▁ 1 5 9 ▁Squadron ▁R AF ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁demonstrated ▁this ▁vulner ability ▁when ▁they ▁managed ▁to ▁block ▁the ▁har bour ▁entrance ▁for ▁a ▁time . ▁The ▁last ▁sub marine ▁to ▁leave ▁was ▁the ▁German ▁U - 8 4 3 ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 . ▁▁ ▁By ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁the ▁only ▁surv iving ▁Japanese ▁sub marine ▁of ▁the ▁squad ron ▁was ▁I - 1 6 5 . ▁It ▁was ▁s unk ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ' s ▁first ▁operation ▁was ▁a ▁swe ep ▁by ▁its ▁ 1 st ▁Division ▁from ▁A den ▁down ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁East ▁Africa ▁to ▁Mad agas car . ▁The ▁auxili ary ▁cru is ers ▁A ik oku ▁Mar u ▁and ▁H ō k oku ▁Mar u ▁accompanied ▁the ▁Division . ▁During ▁the ▁swe ep ▁the ▁cru is ers ▁captured ▁the ▁Dutch ▁tank er ▁Gen ora ▁ 4 8 0 ▁miles ▁S SE ▁of ▁Diego ▁Su are z ▁on ▁May