KAIBOKAN!

(Type C Escort by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings of Japanese Warships")

IJN Escort Amakusa:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2006-2018 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 7


5 April 1943:
Osaka. Laid down at Hitachi Zosen Co. Ltd.’s Sakurajima shipyard as kaibokan No. 321.

31 September 1943:
Lanched and named AMAKUSA.

20 November 1943:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District. Assigned to the General Escort Command’s Second Surface Escort Division. LtCdr (Reserve) Shinoda Yoshitomo (former CO of NAGATA MARU) is the Commanding Officer.

23 November 1943:
Departs Kobe escorting convoy 8123.

25 November 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

3 December 1943:
AMAKUSA departs Yokosuka for Truk escorting seaplane carrier AKITSUSHIMA.

9 December 1943:
Arrives at Truk.

15 December 1943:
At 0800, AMAKUSA departs Truk for Yokosuka with auxiliary gunboat CHOAN MARU No. 2 escorting convoy No. 4215 consisting of TAIKOKU, TATSUTAGAWA, GOSEI, TETSUYO and SUMIYOSHI MARUs.

28 December 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

31 December 1943:
AMAKUSA departs Yokosuka for Truk with auxiliary gunboat CHOAN MARU No. 2 escorting convoy No. 3231 consisting of TATSUURA, AKIBASAN and KOKUYO (4667 gt) MARUs.

12 January 1944:
Arrives at Truk.

19 January 1944:
AMAKUSA departs Truk for Yokosuka with auxiliary subchaser CHa-23, auxiliary netlayer KOKKO MARU, auxiliary minesweeper NOSHITO MARU No. 2 GO and auxiliary gunboat CHOAN MARU No. 2 escorting convoy 4119 consisting of KEMBU, HOKOKU MARUs and MIKAGE MARU No. 18 and an unidentified merchant ship and storeship KINEZAKI. [1]

20 January 1944:
At 0900 NOSHIRO MARU No. 2 GO and KOKKO MARU detach from convoy.

31 January 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

4 February 1944:
AMAKUSA departs Yokosuka for Truk with destroyer FUJINAMI, minelayer NATSUSHIMA and subchaser CH-31 escorting convoy No. 3206 consisting of GYOTEN (ex-British EMPIRE MOONBEAM), TATSUHA, ZUIKAI, RYUKO and SHINKYO MARUs. The convoy is carrying troops of the IJA’s 52nd Infantry Division.

17 February 1944: American Operation "Hailstone" - The Attack on Truk:
185 miles NW of Truk. At 0228 (JST), LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Richard H. O’Kane's USS TANG (SS-306) fires four torpedoes and gets two hits on GYOTEN MARU at 08-02N, 149-17E. At 0320, she splits in two and sinks a few minutes later. The escorts counter-attack unsuccessfully.

In the early morning of 17 February, Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher’s Task Force 58's five fleet carriers and four light carriers launch air attacks on Truk. Mitscher launches 30 strikes of at least 150 aircraft each. At about 1400, some of Mitscher’s planes attack convoy No. 3206. ZUIKAI MARU is hit by bombs and sinks at 1415. At 1420, TATSUHA MARU is also hit by bombs, explodes and sinks.

18 February 1944:
The remnants of convoy No. 3206 arrive at Truk. Mitscher launches carrier strikes about every hour for two days. During the raids, TF 58 sinks 31 merchant transports and 10 naval vessels, destroys nearly 200 aircraft and damages severely about 100 more. Truk is eliminated as a major IJN fleet anchorage.

26 February 1944:
AMAKUSA arrives at Saipan.

27 February 1944:
At 1300 kaibokan AMAKUSA and MIKURA depart Saipan escorting SHINKYO MARU (5139 grt) bound for Truk.

2 March 1944:
At 2330, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from AMAKUSA that reads: “At 2156 the SHINKYO MARU received torpedo attack and is in danger of sinking in position 06-22N, 148-27E."

3 March 1944:
At 0840, codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from AMAKUSA that reads: "We attacked the submarine but results unknown. No. 1 hold of SHINKYO MARUis flooded to the depth of 13 feet and is not increasing. Although there is a list to starboard there is no danger of sinking at present. 1. The engines can be turned over at slow speed as soon as steam is raised. In response to the heaving to of the ----, MIKURA will take aboard about 450 of 600 troops, and AMAKUSA ----- ( blanks) plan to take about about 600 men. ----- is difficult to determine. Please dispatch additional rescue ships to salvage as much material as possible.” At 1225, codebreakers decrypt a final message from AMAKUSA that reads: “The flooding of SHINKYO MARU will reach the bottom of the boilers at any moment and will become dangerous tonight.”

4 March 1944:
At 0800, codebreakers decrypt a message that reads: “ "SHINKYO MARU sank at 0544.” AMAKUSA took off survivors at an unknown date and time and later carries them to Truk.

5 March 1944:
At 1100 both kaibokan arrive at Truk laden with survivors.

6 March 1944:
At 1130, AMAKUSA departs Truk for Saipan with kaibokan MIKURA, subchaser CH-33 and minesweeper W-21 escorting convoy No. 4304 consisting of URAKAMI, SHIRANE, JUZAN and AWAJI MARUs.

E 7 March 1944:
Submarine Chasers CH-14 and CH-51 that had left Chichi Jima at 1007 on 3rd March join as additional escorts.

10 March 1944:
At 1222, arrives at Saipan.

1 April 1944:
At 1100, AMAKUSA departs Tokyo Bay as part of the escort of 26-ship convoy “Higashi-Matsu” (East Pine) No. 4. The ships and their destinations are: Saipan: SHOUN, TOKO, TAKASAN, AKIKAWA, KOKO, SHIRAMINE, TAIKAI, KAKOGAWA and MACASSAR MARUS. Guam: MIMASAKA, TOAN, AZUCHISAN and NISSHU MARUs and UNYO MARU No. 8 Truk: Fleet supply ship KINESAKI, SHOZUI, TATEBE, SHIMA, SHINYO and HAVRE MARUs. Palau: Fleet supply ship MAMIYA, TENRYUGAWA, TAIAN and TOSEI MARU s and SHINSEI MARU No. 5 Yap: SHINSEI MARU. The convoy commander is Rear Admiral Kiyota Takahiko (42)(former CO of NACHI) in destroyer SAMIDARE. The other escorts include destroyer ASANAGI, torpedo-boat HIYODORI, kaibokans MIKURA, FUKUE, OKI, CD-2, CD-3 and subchaser CH-50.

3 April 1944:
5 miles S of Tori-Shima. At about 1457, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen's USS POLLACK torpedoes and sinks TOSEI MARU at 30-14N, 139-45E. The escorts counter-attack USS POLLACK and drop 55 depth-charges without effect.

8 April 1944:
N of Saipan. At 0228 (JST), LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Frederick J. Harlfinger's USS TRIGGER (SS-237) fires four torpedoes at the convoy, but fails to get any hits. OKI and SAMIDARE counter-attack unsuccessfully.

9 April 1944:
62 miles WNW of Saipan. At 1625, LtCdr (later Captain) Slade D. Cutter's USS SEAHORSE (SS-304) torpedoes and hits MIMASAKA MARU at 15-30N, 145-00E. MIMASAKA MARU is taken in tow by TOAN MARU. The escorts counter-attack USS SEAHORSE unsuccessfully.

10 April 1944:
At about 0100 (JST), MIMASAKA MARU founders. She is carrying over 1,000 Naval personnel, most of whom are rescued.

The convoy arrives at Saipan, then is split into separate groups that continue on to their respective destinations.

27 April 1944:
At 1140, AMAKUSA departs Saipan with destroyer HOKAZE (F), kaibokan MIYAKE, CD-6, CD-10, minelayer SARUSHIMA and an unidentified vessel escorting Rear Admiral Matsuyama Mitsuharu's (40)(former CO of KITAKAMI) 7th Convoy Escort Group's convoy “Higashi Matsu” No. 6 (return) consisting of AZUCHISAN, AWAJI, SHOUN, TOAN, SHOZUI, KATSUKAWA, TAKAOKA, TONEGAWA, HOKUSHIN and TATEBE MARUs and four unidentified ships.

4 May 1944:
Arrives at Tokyo Bay.

14 May 1944:
At 0430, AMAKUSA departs Tateyama with destroyer SATSUKI, kaibokan CD-4 and CD-6 escorting Rear Admiral Tsuruoka Nobumichi's (43)(former CO of FUSO) Third Surface Escort Division's convoy Higashi Matsu No. 8 carrying elements of the IJA's 43rd Infantry Division including the 135th and 136th Infantry Regiments. The convoy consists of MANJU MARU and army transports TOSAN and NOTO MARUs. The convoy steams in a wide arc in bad weather.

19 May 1944:
At 1030, arrives at Saipan. The convoy disembarks troops.

24 May 1944:
At 1700, AMAKUSA departs Saipan with two unidentified subchasers escorting convoy 4525 consisting of TAKUNAN and MAMIYA MARUs.

25 May 1944:
At 0900, arrives at Guam. Departs shortly thereafter.

30 May 1944:
Arrives at Tokyo.

June 1944:
LtCdr Matsui Toshio (65) assumes command.

6 June 1944:
AMAKUSA departs Yokosuka for Saipan with kaibokan NOMI, OKI, destroyer MATSUKAZE, torpedo boat CHIDORI (part way only), auxiliary minesweepers SHOWA MARU No. 7 and SHOWA MARU No. 8 and subchasers CH-16 and CH-18 escorting convoy No. 3606 consisting of SUGIYAMA, SHINROKU, KANSEISHI, KAIKO, AWAJI, YAMATAMA, DAITEN, RYUKO, TOYOKAWA, TOKO, SHOZUI, MIHO and HAKUYO MARUs. Soon after leaving SUGIYAMA MARU is attacked and damaged by LtCdr (later Captain) James B. Grady's USS WHALE (SS-239) at 31-06N, 142-24E, but the ship is taken in tow.

9 June 1944:
NE of Chichi-Jima. LtCdr Edmund K. Montross' USS SWORDFISH (SS-193) torpedoes and sinks MATSUKAZE at 26-59N, 143-13E. AMAKUSA rescues nine survivors. The escorts depth charge SWORDFISH unsuccessfully. The convoy steams to Chichi-Jima arriving later that day. It is decided to unload the ships there, rather than to proceed to Truk as originally planned.

14 June 1944:
At 0100, AMAKUSA departs Chichi-Jima with destroyer SATSUKI, kaibokan OKI and NOMI and auxiliary minesweepers SHOWA MARU Nos.7 and No. 8 escorting the "Miho Maru" convoy consisting of MIHO, KANSEISHI, TOYOKAWA and AWAJI MARUs.

15 June 1944:
About 150 km SE of Tori Shima. At 0103, USS SWORDFISH torpedoes and sinks KANSEISHI MARU at 29-30N, 141-14E. The convoy puts into Yaene Wan, Hachijo Jima for safety departing later that day at 1800.

17 June 1944:
At 1400, arrives at Yokosuka.

28 June 1944:
Departs Yokosuka.

30 June 1944:
Arrives vback at Yokosuka.

2 July 1944:
At 1800, AMAKUSA departs Yokosuka for Chichi-Jima with light-cruiser YASOJIMA, kaibokan OKI, minesweeper W-20, auxiliary minesweeper SHOWA MARU No.7, auxiliary subchaser CHa-9 and an unknown warship escorting convoy No. 3702 consisting of SHIBAZONO, EIKO, DAIJI, RYUKO and YAEI MARUs, UNKAI MARU No.7 and Oil Tanker No. 3995.

4 July 1944:
After receiving reports of an enemy carrier task force conducting raids on Chichi-Jima, the convoy reverses course for the homeland and later is dissolved. Later that day AMAKUSA arrives at Hachijo Jima.

6 July 1944:
Departs Hachijo Jima.

7 July 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

10 July 1944:
At 0500, AMAKUSA departs Yokosuka for Iwo-Jima and Chichi-Jima with destroyers WAKABA and HATSUHARU, kaibokan CD-12, minesweeper W-27 and auxiliary subchaser FUMI MARU escorting convoy No. 3710 consisting of NISSHU, TAISEI, TONEGAWA, DAIJI and EIKO MARUs and TOKAI MARU No. 4.

12 July 1944:
At 1500, AMAKUSA and CD-12 are detached with NISSHU, TAISEI and TONEGAWA MARUs and head for Iwo Jima.

14 July 1944:
Arrives at Iwo-Jima. The merchants unload and depart.

15 July 1944:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.

16 July 1944:
AMAKUSA departs Chichi Jima with destroyer WAKABA and HATSUHARU and kaibokan CD-12 and minesweeper W-27 escorting convoy No. 3716 consisting of TAISEI, TONEGAWA and EIKO MARUs.

18 July 1944:
Reassigned to the Yokosuka Naval District.

19 July 1944:
At 1025, convoy No. 3716 arrives at Yokosuka. AMAKUSA remains there for the rest of the month.

1 August 1944:
AMAKUSA and auxiliary subchasers TAKUNAN MARUs No. 2 and No. 10, and auxiliary minesweepers Wa-11 and Wa-14 escort nine vessels of the 2nd Torpedo Boat Squadron's 1st detachment from Tateyama to Hachijo Shima The torpedo boats are towed by converted subchasers SEKI MARU No. 3 and KYO MARU No. 7. It is likely that the merchant ships YAEI and TAISEI MARUs accompany this convoy.

11 August 1944:
AMAKUSA and auxiliary subchasers TAKUNAN MARUs No. 2 and No. 10 escort nine vessels of the 2nd Torpedo Boat Squadron's 2nd detachment from Tateyama to Hachijo Shima. This consists of 8 MTBs and the motor sailboat KOEI MARU No. 5. Later that day arrive at Oshima.

12 August 1944:
Departs Oshima and later that day arrives at Hachijo Jima.

18 August 1944:
Departs Hachijo Jima.

20 August 1944:
At 1015, arrives at Chichi-Jima island, then departs for Yokosuka.

22 August 1944:
Returns to Yokosuka.

28 August 1944:
Departs Yokosuka.

29 August 1944:
At 1900 CH-44, kaibokan AMAKUSA and auxiliary submarine chaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 2 depart Tateyama escorting convoy No. 3827 consisting of SHIBAZONO and INA MARUs bound for Chichi-Jima.

31 August 1944:
At 1300 an airraid warning is received and the ships turn around and head north to Hachijo Jima. The escorts outstrip the merchantmen that are left behind.

1 September 1944:
Early that morning INA MARU is torpedoed east of Sumisu Jima and sunk by USS PILOTFISH. At about 0900 SHIBAZONO MARU is unsuccessfully attacked also by USS PILOTFISH, the ship avoids the attack and at 1300 arrives at Hachijo Jima where the ship anchors. The escorts are called back to meet the ships but are unable to contact INA MARU that has disappeared with the loss of 30 crew.

2 September 1944:
AMAKUSA arrives at Hachijo Jima.

3 September 1944:
Departs Hachijo Jima.

4 September 1944:
Arrives back at Hachijo Jima.

5 September 1944:
Departs Hachijo Jima.

8 September 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

11 September 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Tateyama.

13 September 1944:
Departs Tateyama and later that day returns to port.

14 September 1944:
At 1800, convoy No. 4913 departs Chichi Jima, consisting of IKUTAGAWA MARU and Oil Tanker No. 3998 scorted by. kaibokan CD-4, submarine chaser CH-44 and auxiliary submarine chaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 6.

17 September 1944:
At 0425, auxiliary submarine chaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 6 suffers an engine failure and starts to drift.

At 0700, AMAKUSA departs Tateyama to assist and subsequently tow TAKUNAN MARU No. 6 which is a drift at position bearing 120 degrees 20 miles off Mikurajima.

At 0745, at position bearing 37 degrees 3 miles off Miyakejima submarine chaser CH-44 meets up with TAKUNAN MARU No. 6. Shortly after CH-44 returns to convoy No. 4913.

At 1015, at position bearing 140 degrees 3 miles off Oshima AMAKUSA meets up with TAKANAN MARU No. 6. TAKUNAN MARU No. 6 meanwhile has managed to repair her engine failure and can navigate on her own again.

At 1700, arrives with TAKUNAN MARU No. 6 at Yokosuka outer harbor.

19 September 1944:
Departs Yokosuka.

21 September 1944:
Arrives at Hachijo Jima and departs later that day.

23 September 1944:
Returns to Hachijo Jima but departs later that day.

24 September 1944:
Arrives at Tateyama and departs later that day.

25 September 1944:
Arrives at Hachijo Jima.

27 September 1944:
Departs Hachijo Jima.

28 September 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

15 October 1944:
Departs Yokosuka but returns later that day.

18 October 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Tateyama.

19 October 1944:
AMAKUSA, torpedo boat CHIDORI, minesweeper W-29 and destroyer HATAKAZE depart Tateyama escorting convoy No. 3017 consisting of IKUTAGAWA MARU (bound for Hachijo Jima with AMAKUSA and HATAKAZE escorting) and KAIKO MARU and Oil Tanker No. 3998 bound for Chichi-Jima.

23 October 1944:
Early that day arrives at Haha Jima. At 2200, AMAKUSA departs Nishiura, Hahajima with destroyer HATAKAZE escorting convoy 4023B consisting of IKUTAGAWA MARU.

24 October 1944:
64 miles NE of Chichi-Jima. At 0935, LtCdr Talbot E. Harper's USS KINGFISH (SS-234) torpedoes and sinks IKUTAGAWA MARU at 27-5N, 143-19E. [2]

27 October 1944:
At 1300, the two escorts arrive at Yokosuka.

8 November 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Tateyama.

9 November 1944:
AMAKUSA, minesweeper W-29 and torpedo boat CHIDORI depart Tateyama escorting convoy No. 3108 consisting of HIYOSHI MARU No. 2 GO (bound for Chichi-Jima and escorted by W-29 and CHIDORI) and JUZAN MARU I GO bound for Haha Jima and escorted by AMAKUSA.

14 November 1944:
Arrives at Haha Jima.

15 November 1944:
W-29, and torpedo boat CHIDORI depart Chichi-Jima escorting convoy No. 4115 consisting of HIYOSHI MARU No. 2 GO (from Chichi-Jima and escorted by W-29 and CHIDORI) and JUZAN MARU I GO joining up from Haha Jima and escorted by kaibokan AMAKUSA.

19 November 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka and undergoes repairs for most of the rest of the month.

28 November 1944:
Transfers from Yokosuka to Yokohama.

29 November 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Tateyama.

30 November 1944:
AMAKUSA and CD-56 with submarine chaser CH-42, auxiliary minesweepers Wa-12, Wa-14 and auxiliary submarine chaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 2 depart Tateyama escorting convoy No. 3129 consisting of HIYOSHI MARU No. 2 GO bound for Haha Jima (with AMAKUSA and CD-56 as designated escorts) and YAEI and SHIBAZONO MARUs bound for Chichi-Jima. At 1600 heavy seas cause damage to YAEI MARU's hull and wash a Daihatsu landing barge overboard. The ship returns to Tateyama via Hachijo Jima escorted by TAKUNAN MARU No. 2 while the convoy continues its voyage.

1 December 1944:
Arrives at Hachijo Jima.

2 December 1944:
Departs Hachijo Jima.

4 December 1944:
Arrives at Haha Jima.

5 December 1944:
AMAKUSA and CD-56 depart Haha-Jima escorting convoy No. 4205 consisting of HIYOSHI MARU No. 2 GO bound for Yokohama.Shortly after departing they meet up with auxiliary submarine chaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 2 and SHIBAZONO MARU that have left that same day from Chichi-Jima.

9 December 1944:
At 1030 the convoy arrives at Yokohama with CD-56 and AMAKUSA detaching for nearby Yokosuka.

16 December 1944:
At 0800, AMAKUSA departs Yokosuka for Chichi-Jima with kaibokan CD-4, CD-56, minesweeper W-27 and auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 2 escorting convoy No. 3217 consisting of AITOKU MARU, UNYO MARU No. 6 and HIYOSHI MARU No. 2. Later that day the convoy arrives at Tateyama.

17 December 1944:
The fully assembled convoy departs Tateyama.

20 December 1944:
Arrives safely at Chichi-Jima, but enroute to her anchorage, HIYOSHI MARU No. 2 strikes a mine and has to be beached. AMAKUSA is also looking for a place to drop anchor in the S part of Futami Bay when a Mark-13 magnetic mine explodes under her keel. It causes slight flooding and knocks out her gyro-compass. AMAKUSA's pumps, plus two borrowed from CD-56, bring the flooding under control.

22 December 1944:
At 1400, AMAKUSA departs Chichi-Jima for Yokosuka with the convoy on its return journey. The convoy is renumbered as No. 4222.

26 December 1944:
At 1700, arrives at Yokosuka.

13 January 1945:
Yokosuka. Drydocked. AMAKUSA undergoes repairs to her hull.

22 January 1945:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Tateyama.

23 January 1945:
At 0600 AMAKUSA departs Tateyama with kaibokan CD-4, submarine chaser CH-44 and auxiliary submarine chaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 escorting convoy No. 3122 consisting of NAGATSU and MIYO MARUs and OIL TANKER No. 3998.

27 January 1945:
At 0530 arrives at Chichi-Jima.

28 January 1945:
At 0200 AMAKUSA, CD-4 submarine chasers CH-42 and CH-44 and auxiliary submarine chaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 depart Chichi-Jima for home islands, escorting Convoy No. 4127 consisting of NAGATSU, MIYO MARUs and OIL TANKER No. 3998.

S of Yome Jima, Bonins. After 2110, the convoy is attacked by a single Boeing B-29 "Superfortress". During the brief encounter one sailor from CD-4 is lost in the dark, probably washed overboard during an evasive manoeuvre.

30 January 1945:
Off Mikura Island. At 0735, Cdr. John J. Foote's USS THREADFIN (SS-410) torpedoes and sinks the 1,864-ton ISSEI MARU in 33-30N, 135-34E. The submarine is spotted by a Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" torpedo bomber from the 903rd NAG, who alerts the passing convoy. CD-4 is detached to the scene of attack. She conducts a depth-charge attack, forcing the submarine to the depth of 462 ft.

1 February 1945:
Arrives at Tateyama.

February 1945:
LtCdr Naito Shigeru (60) assumes command.

26 February 1945:
E of Izu Oshima (SW of Tokyo). AMAKUSA is attacked and damaged by aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher’s Task Force 58. Twenty-six sailors are KIA in the attack.

March 1945:
Yokosuka. AMAKUSA undergoes repairs.

16 March 1945:
Repairs are completed. AMAKUSA departs Yokosuka and arrives at Shimoda escorting KAIKO MARU in convoy 3315.

17 March 1945:
Departs Shimoda and arrives at Hachijo Jima.

23 March 1945:
Departs Hachijo Jima escorting convoy No. 4323 consisting only of KAIKO MARU.

24 March 1945:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

29 March 1945:
Departs Yokosuka escorting convoy No. 3328 consisting only of RYUJIN MARU.

30 March 1945:
Arrives at Hachijo Jima.

1 April 1945:
Departs Hachijo Jima escorting convoy No. 4401B consisting of RYUJIN MARU and later that day arrives at Yokosuka.

9 April 1945:
Departs Yokosuka.

12 April 1945:
Arrives and later that day departs Yamada.

13 April 1945:
Joins up with convoy 1413 consisting of HAYASHIO and KYUSHU MARUs and escorts the convoy northwards.

16 April 1945:
Arrives and later that day departs Yamada.

18 April 1945:
Arrives at Onagawa.

22 April 1945:
Departs Onagawa.

25 April 1945:
Arrives at Onagawa.

26 April 1945:
Departs Onagawa.

27 April 1945:
Arrives at Hachinohe and departs later that day.

28 April 1945:
Arrives at Onagawa and departs later that day.

29 April 1945:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

28 May 1945:
Departs Yokosuka escorting SEIKAN MARU No. 10 bound for Aomori.

30 May 1945:
Arrives at Onagawa. Later in early June departs Onagawa with SEIKAN MARU No. 10.

30 July 1945:
LtCdr Sakawa Masami (62) (former CO of HATSUSHIMO) assumes command.

3 August 1945:
Departs Yokosuka escorting a convoy of unidentified ships.

6 August 1945:
Arrives at Onagawa Bay, Miyagi Prefecture, N Honshu.

9 August 1945:
Onagawa Bay. AMAKUSA, kaibokan INAGI, supply ship SOYA, minesweeper W-33, target ship OHAMA and subchaser CH-42 are at anchor when they are attacked by F-4U Mark IV "Corsair" fighter-bombers of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Sir Bernard J. Rawlings, RN, Task Force 37’s (British Pacific Fleet) carrier HMS FORMIDABLE. A 500-lb bomb dropped by the lead pilot of HMS FORMIDABLE’s 1841st Squadron flight of Corsairs, Lt Robert H. Gray, RCNVR, hits AMAKUSA below the after gun turret, explodes the ammunition locker, and blows out the starboard side of the ship. AMAKUSA capsizes to starboard and sinks in shallow water at 38-26N, 141-30E. Seventy-one sailors, including all members of her "black gang" are KIA. INAGI and OHAMA are also lost.

Lt Gray is brought down by heavy AA fire and crashes flames into the Bay. He is posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the fourth and last Commonwealth naval airman to be so honored.

That same day, Major (later Brig Gen, ANG) Charles W. Sweeney's B-29 "Superfortress", nicknamed "BOCKSCAR", of Sweeney's 393rd Bomb Squadron of the 509th Composite Group drops "Fat Man", the second atomic bomb, this time on Nagasaki. Japan agrees to an end of hostilities within a week.

LtCdr Sakawa survives the sinking of his ship. On 15 September 1945, he assumes command of destroyer USHIO.

15 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

1946:
Salvaged by the Nippon Salvage Company and scrapped by 25 September 1948.


Authors' Notes:
[1] Auxiliary subchaser CHa-23 and auxiliary gunboat CHOAN MARU No. 2 may only have proceeded as far as Chichi-Jima.

[2] This IKUTAGAWA MARU is the 1944 built 2D standard type, not ex-Italian CALITEA II renamed IKUTAGAWA MARU by the Japanese.

Thanks go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan and Mr. Erich Muhlthaler of Germany. Thanks for assistance with COs go to Matthew Jones of Tennessee. Thanks also go to the late John Whitman of Virginia, USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages and to Mr. Berend van der Wal of the Nethewrlands and Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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