© 2006-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
15 October 1943:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ shipyard.
15 January 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-11.
15 March 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN.
5 April 1944:
Assigned to the General Escort Command’s First Surface
Escort Division.
20 April 1944:
At 0600, CD-11 departs Moji-Mutsure for Singapore with
kaibokan KURAHASHI, CD-10 and CD-20 escorting convoy HI-59 consisting of tankers
OKIKAWA, NIPPPO, EIHO, OTORISAN, BAN-EI and NIYO MARUs and probably KINUGASA,
NOSHIRO and TERITSU MARUs and also probably tanker NICHINAN MARU No. 2.
2 May 1944:
At 1200, HI-59 arrives at Manila and is dissolved.
29 May 1944:
At 0600, CD-11 departs Moji with escort carrier SHINYO,
light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan AWAJI, CHIBURI and subchasers CH-19 and CH-60
escorting convoy HI-65 consisting of oilers SHIRETOKO, ITSUKUSHIMA, OMUROSAN,
ZUIHO and TOHO MARUs, cargo liners ARIMASAN, MANILA, KASHII and TATSUWA MARUs
and troop transport SHINSHU MARU. Light minelayer TSUBAME departs Moji later,
catches up with the convoy, and joins the escort.
2 June 1944:
Bashi Strait. AWAJI is torpedoed by LtCdr (later
Captain) Enrique D. Haskins' new USS GUITARRO (SS-363) and sinks near Yasho
Island at 22-34N, 121-15E. CHIBURI and CD-19 rescue the survivors, but several
die of their wounds.
LtCdr Albert L. Raborn's USS PICUDA (SS-382) fires two torpedoes at
ARIMASAN MARU that cause her to collide with SHINSHU MARU's stern. This causes a
depth charge explosion that kills about 70 men and causes rudder damage. KASHII
takes SHINSHU MARU in tow. ARIMASAN MARU is lightly damaged in the attack and
heads for Keelung, Formosa with KASHII and SHINSHU MARU.
3 June 1944:
Arrives at Keelung, Formosa.
4 June 1944:
ARIMASAN, MANILA, KASHII, TATSUWA and SHINSHU MARUs all
detach for Manila. JINEI MARU joins convoy with CD-4.
12 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
17 June 1944:
At 0400, CD-11 departs Singapore with light cruiser
KASHII and kaibokans CHIBURI and CD-7 escorting fast convoy HI-66 consisting of
transport/cargo liners SANUKI, HOKKAI and AWA MARUs and tanker OMUROSAN MARU.
The convoy hugs the continental coast avoiding deep water as much as possible.
26 June 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Moji.
24 July 1944:
At 0600, CD-11 departs Manila for Moji with escort
carrier KAIYO, kaibokans HIRADO (F), MIKURA, ISHIGAKI, KURAHASHI, CD-20 and
torpedo boat HIYODORI escorting convoy HI-68. The convoy sails in three columns
consisting of landing ship MAYASAN MARU, oilers OTORISAN MARU and NICHINAN MARU
No. 2 and escort carrier TAIYO in column No. 1; landing ship TAMATSU MARU) and
transports TOSAN, KASHII, NISSHO and AKI MARUs in column No. 2 and ex-seaplane
tender KIYOKAWA MARU and oilers ITSUKUSHIMA, TOA, TOHO and SHIMPO MARUs in
column No. 3.
A three-submarine wolf pack of Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Rueben T.
Whitaker’s FLASHER, LtCdr Franklin Hess’s ANGLER (SS-240) and LtCdr (later
Captain) Francis D. Walker’s CREVALLE (SS-291) tracks the convoy.
26 July 1944:
Off Luzon. The wolfpack attacks and sinks TOSAN, AKI and
OTORISAN MARUs and damages KIYOKAWA MARU.
27 July 1944:
At 1100, arrives at Takao.
28 July 1944:
At 1800, departs at Takao.
3 August 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
10 August 1944:
CD-11 departs Imari Bay for Singapore with Rear
Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi's (former CO of KISO) 6th
Escort Convoy’s destroyers FUJINAMI and YUNAGI, kaibokans HIRADO, MIKURA,
KURAHASHI, SHONAN and and escort carrier TAIYO escorting convoy HI-71 comprised
of oilers AZUSA, TEIYO, EIYO, ZUIHO, KYOKUTO and NIYO MARUs and HAKKO MARU No.
2, fleet oiler HAYASUI, food-supply ship IRAKO, transports TEIA, AWA, NOTO,
HOKKAI, TAMATSU, NOSHIRO and MAYASAN MARUs and cargo ships KASHII, NISSHO and
ORYOKU MARUs.
15 August 1944:
HI-71 arrives at Mako, Pescadores. NIYO, HAKKO and
ORYOKU MARUs and IRAKO are detached.
17 August 1944: Operation "SHO-1-GO" (Victory) - The Defense of the
Philippines:
At 0800, in typhoon weather, HI-71 sorties from Mako for Manila.
To strengthen HI-71's escort forces, old destroyer ASAKAZE and kaibokans SADO,
MATSUWA and HIBURI arrive from Takao and kaibokan ETOROFU arrives from Saei, on
orders of 1st Surface Escort Division.
18 August 1944:
At 0524, LtCdr Louis D. McGregor's USS REDFISH
(SS-395) torpedoes and damages EIYO MARU. ASAKAZE and YUNAGI are detached to
escort her back to Takao.
Off Cape Bolinao, Luzon. At 2210, LtCdr (later Captain) Henry G. Munson's
USS RASHER (SS-269) torpedoes and sinks oiler TEIYO MARU in a surface radar
attack. At 2222, Munson torpedoes and sinks carrier TAIYO at the rear of the
convoy. At 2310, RASHER, still on the surface, hits transport TEIA MARU with
three torpedoes using radar bearings. The ex-French liner is set afire and
sinks.
19 August 1944:
The convoy splits into two groups. Just past midnight,
RASHER, still running on the surface, closes on an eastbound group of three
large ships and one escort. At 0033, LtCdr Munson puts two radar-directed
torpedoes into the port sides of AWA and NOSHIRO MARUs. Both ships beach
themselves near Port Currimao. LtCdr Charles M. Henderson's USS BLUEFISH
(SS-222) and LtCdr (later Captain) Gordon W. Underwood's SPADEFISH (SS-411) join
in the attack on HI-71. At 0320, BLUEFISH hits and sinks HAYASUI. SPADEFISH hits
TAMATSU MARU with two torpedoes and the big landing craft depot ship rolls over
and takes down 4,755 men. HI-71 makes for San Fernando.
21 August 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
25 August 1944:
At 1650, CD-11 departs Manila for Singapore with
destroyer FUJINAMI, kaibokans HIRADO, MIKURA, KURAHASHI, and SubChaser CH-28
escorting convoy HI-71 consisting of AZUSA, KYOKUTO, HOKKAI, ZUIHO, KYOKUHO and
AWA MARUs. At 1845, KYOKUHO MARU develops engine trouble and drops behind
escorted by FUJINAMI. Later, they catch up with the convoy.
1 September 1944:
At 1356, arrives at Singapore.
6 September 1944:
At 0630, CD-11 departs Singapore for Moji with Rear
Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi's (victor of Wake Island and former CO of KISO) 6th
Escort Convoy Command’s destroyer SHIKANAMI, kaibokan HIRADO (F), KURAHASHI,
MIKURA, CD-11 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-19 escorting fleet convoy HI-72
consisting of ASAMA, NANKAI, RAKUYO, ZUIHO, SHINCHO and KACHIDOKI MARUs
(ex-PRESIDENT HARRISON).
11 September 1944:
S China Sea. 100 miles NE of the Paracel Islands.
At 0910, convoy HI-72 is joined by unescorted convoy MAMO-03 consisting of
transport KIBITSU, armed merchant cruiser GOKOKU and ex-seaplane tender KAGU
MARUs.
12 September 1944:
S China Sea. E of Hainan, China. At 0155, Cdr
Thomas B. Oakey’s USS GROWLER (SS-215) torpedoes and sinks flagship HIRADO at
17-54N, 114-59E. Rear Admiral Kajioka goes down with the ship. He is promoted
Vice Admiral, posthumously. At 0500, LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Eli T. Reich’s
USS SEALION (SS-315) torpedoes RAKUYO MARU, but she stays afloat for another 13
hours, sinking at 1820 that evening. She is carrying 1,318 Allied POWs, of whom
1,051 are lost. Reich also torpedoes and sinks NANKAI MARU.
240 miles south of Hong Kong. At about 0700, SHIKINAMI is torpedoed by
GROWLER and sinks at 18-16 N, 114-40 E. MIKURA rescues eight officers and 120
men. At 2300, LtCdr Paul E. Summers' USS PAMPANITO (SS-383) torpedoes and sinks
KACHIDOKI MARU with 950 Allied POWs aboard of whom 431 are lost. PAMPANITO also
sinks ZUIHO MARU. The Japanese rescue a few POWs from the two prison ships. The
survivors are transferred to KIBITSU MARU.
13 September 1944:
Arrives at Samah, Hainan Island.
15 September 1944:
Arrives at Yulin, Hainan Island. The convoy is
reorganized. KURAHASHI is detached.
16 September 1944:
Departs Yulin.
20 September 1944:
Off Formosa. At 0110, USAAF B-24 "Liberator" heavy
bombers attack the convoy’s first echelon (Moji-bound) at 23-20N, 119-12E.
GOKOKU MARU is damaged by a direct hit and ASAMA MARU suffers a near miss aft.
Both are towed into nearby Mako for repairs. KAGU MARU suffers hull damage by
near-misses. Kaibokan MIKURA is damaged and towed to Mako by CD-18. The bombers
also damage cargo vessels ASAKA and SHINCHO MARUs. KAGU MARU heads for Takao for
repairs escorted by CD-11, CD-10 and CD-20.
25 September 1944:
At 1300, departs Takao.
28 September 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
12 October 1944:
At 0700, CD-11 departs Woosung, E of Shanghai, for
Manila with Rear Admiral Matsuyama Mitsuharu’s (former CO of KITAKAMI) 7th
Convoy Escort Group’s kaibokans SHIMUSHU (F), OKINAWA and CD-13 escorting convoy
MOMA-04 consisting of transports NOTO, KINKA, KASHII and TAKATSU MARUs carrying
the IJA’s 1st Division's main body of about 10,000 men plus equipment.
19 October 1944:
Shushan Islands. ASAMA MARU carrying 5,000 troops
escorted by kaibokan OKINAWA arrive from Shanghai and join convoy MOMA-04.
20 October 1944:
At 0230, convoy MOMA-04 departs the Shushan Islands.
26 October 1944:
At 2315, the convoy arrives at Manila.
31 October 1944: Operation “TA No. 2”:
CD-11 departs Manila with Rear
Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kimura Masatomi's (former CO of SUZUYA) kaibokan
SHIMUSHU (F), OKINAWA and CD-13 escorting transports NOTO, KINKA, KASHII and
TAKATSU MARU.
2 November 1944:
Early in the morning the convoy is attacked by
Lockheed P-38 "Lightning" fighter-bombers. During the attack all kaibokan stream
kites loaded with explosives as an AA measure, the first time this weapon is
used in action. In the afternoon, the convoy is attacked by two dozen B-24
"Liberator" heavy bombers. NOTO MARU suffers a near miss that causes her to
flood and sink.
4 November 1944:
The convoy arrives back in Manila Bay.
5 November 1944:
Manila Bay. Aircraft of Rear Admiral (later Admiral)
Frederick T. Sherman's (former CO of LEXINGTON, CV-2) Task Group 38.3 [USS
LEXINGTON (CV-16), ESSEX (CV-9) and LANGLEY (CVL-27)] attack warships and
auxiliaries in the bay and damage OKINAWA.
8 November 1944: Operation "TA Go No. 4":
At 1030, TAKATSU (KOSHIN),
KINKA and KASHII MARUs, carrying 10,000 men of the 26th Infantry Division and
3,500 tons of munitions, depart Manila into typhoon seas escorted by CD-11,
CD-13 and Rear Admiral Matsuyama's kaibokan OKINAWA and Admiral Kimura's
destroyer screen of KASUMI (F), USHIO, AKISHIMO, ASASHIMO, NAGANAMI and
WAKATSUKI. All proceed under cover of the storm to Ormoc Bay, Luzon.
9 November 1944:
13th Air Force North American B-25 “Mitchell” medium
bombers and P-38 “Lightning” fighter-bombers damage kaibokan SHIMUSHU and
OKINAWA. In the evening, the convoy arrives at Ormoc Bay.
10 November 1944:
N of Cebu. The convoy is attacked by P-38s from
Morotai and B-25s from Leyte. About 1140, during the second attack of the day,
OKINAWA is bracketed by near misses and strafed by B-25 bombers while KASHII
MARU is damaged and TAKATSU MARU blows up after a bomb hit.
In the same attack, CD-11 is set afire and has to be beached. She is
later scuttled by CD-13 at 10-51N, 124-32E.
10 January 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Note:
Thanks go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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