The Yanagi missions fell under the Tripartite Pact which provided for an exchange of personnel, strategic materials and manufactured goods between Germany, Italy and Japan.

[2] Two days later, however, I-29 finally saw her first combat when she located the Russian armed steamship Uelen transporting tin and wool, and deciding to pounce on the ship, I-29 fired two torpedoes, but both missed.

Surfacing, the submarine damaged Uelen with her deck gun and machine gunfire before crash diving due to counter attacks by the enemy ship.

[2] On 2 September, I-29 saw her first truly successful action when her crew located the British armed merchant ship Gazcon, prompting I-29 to fire her torpedo battery at the target, at least one of which made its mark, sinking the vessel with ease.

I-29's kill streak still wasn't over, as six days later she spotted the British armed freighter Ocean Honour, which she promptly blasted with her 14 cm (5.5 in) deck gun and sank with the loss of 15 sailors and 5 gunners.

Then on the 22nd, I-29 spotted the American armed steamship Paul Luckenbach, enabling the submarine to cripple the enemy ship with a torpedo hit that flooded her entire bow.

Finally on 3 December, I-29 crippled the Norwegian armed fleet oiler Belita with a torpedo hit, then finished her off with shellfire from her deck gun.

U-180 transferred Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a leader of the Indian Independence Movement who was going from Berlin to Tokyo, and his adjutant, Abid Hasan.

248 Squadron RAF off Cape Peñas, Bay of Biscay, at 43°40′N 5°51′W / 43.66°N 5.85°W / 43.66; -5.85, and the protection provided to her during the entry into Lorient by the Luftwaffe's only long range maritime fighter unit, V Gruppe/Kampfgeschwader 40 using Junkers Ju 88s.

On her way back to Kure, Japan, she was attacked at Balintang Channel, Luzon Strait, near the Philippines by Commander W. D. Wilkins' "Wildcats" submarine task force: Tilefish, Rock and Sawfish, using Ultra signal intelligence.