© 2007-2016 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 7
15 December 1943:
Tsurumi. Laid down at Nippon Kokan K. K.'s shipyard as
kaibokan No. 2409.
25 January 1944:
Re-numbered CD-17.
20 February 1944:
Reserve Lt (Cdr, posthumously) Iizuka Tomokichi
(former CO of the auxiliary gunboat CHOAN MARU No. 2) is appointed Chief
Equipping Officer of CD-17, CD-13 and CD-19.
26 February 1944:
Launched.
20 March 1944:
Reserve LtCdr Fukuchi Akiji (former CO of PB-101) is
appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
31 March 1944:
Reserve Lt Inami Mikio (former CO of ammunition ship
ONOE MARU) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
13 April 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Reserve Lt
(promoted LtCdr 1 November 1944) Inami Mikio is the CO.
5 May 1944:
At 1630 arrives at Kure. Undergoes repairs.
11 May 1944:
At 0730 departs Kure and at 1930 arrives at Moji.
13 May 1944:
At 1800 CD-17 departs Moji with kaibokan ETOROFU and
CD-2, escorting convoy MOTA-19, consisting of SHIRAMINE, KONSAN, JUZAN,
KENZUI, MEDAN, IKUTA, KANKYO, NISSHU, MIIKESAN, KOAN, RIKKO, YUKI, ATSUTA,
GENKAI, TAMAHOKO and CHINZEI MARUs and seven unidentified merchant ships.
19 May 1944:
KENZUI MARU is detached to Kirun.
20 May 1944:
At 1300 arrives at Takao.
23 May 1944:
At 1200 CD-17 departs Takao with kaibokan ETOROFU and
CD-2 and auxiliary gunboat CHOJUSAN MARU, escorting convoy TAMA-19, consisting
of tankers MATSUMOTO, KONSAN, cargo ships DAIRIN, SHIRAMINE and TATSUYASU,
MEDAN, IKUTA, KANKYO, NISSHU, MIIKESAN, KOAN, RIKKO, YUKI, ATSUTA, GENKAI,
TAMAHOKO and CHINZEI MARUs and five unidentified merchant ships.
26 May 1944:
At 1100 arrives at Manila.
29 May 1944:
At 0700 CD-17 departs Manila with kaibokan ETOROFU
escorting convoy MASHI-01, consisting of KONSAN, MATSUMOTO, MEDAN, SIBERIA,
RIKKO, IKUTA MARUs, NICHINAN MARU No. 2 and one unidentified merchant ship.
6 June 1944:
At 2030 arrives at Singapore.
13 June 1944:
At 0730 CD-17 departs Singapore with kaibokan ETOROFU
escorting convoy SHIMA-01, consisting of SAN PEDRO, KONSAN and MEDAN MARUs and
four unidentified merchant ships.
22 June 1944:
At 1830 arrives at Manila.
24 June 1944:
At 0630, CD-17 departs Manila with kaibokan CD-8 and
ETOROFU escorting convoy MATA-23 consisting of tankers SAN PEDRO, KONSAN, MEDAN
and RIKKO MARUs and cargo ships KAMO, USSURI, NICHIZUI, TASMANIA, KAZAN, DAITEN
and TOUN MARUs and four unidentified merchant ships.
25 June 1944:
At 0430, SAN PEDRO MARU loaded with 12,000 tons of fuel
oil, is torpedoed and sunk by LtCdr (later Captain) Arthur E. Krapf's (USNA '34)
USS JACK (SS-259) at 16-09N, 119-41E. 25 passengers, two guards and eight
crewmen are KIA. NICHIZUI MARU rescues survivors. Convoy leader ETOROFU orders
evasive manoeuvers.
27 June 1944:
At 0517, MEDAN MARU MARU loaded with aviation gasoline,
is torpedoed and sunk with no survivors from the crew of 56 by LtCdr (later
Captain) Slade D. Cutter's (USNA ’35) USS SEAHORSE (SS-304) at 21-10N, 120-31E.
Later that day, at 1518, USS SEAHORSE again attacks. USSURI MARU is hit on the
port bow and damaged. At 2245, a B-24 "Liberator" bombs USSURI MARU, but misses.
28 June 1944:
At 0315, straggler USSURI MARU is bombed and sunk at
23-45N, 119-57E. Two of her crewmen are KIA. Shortly thereafter, at 0335, RIKKO
MARU is slightly damaged in air attack.
29 June 1944:
At 0900, the convoy arrives at Keelung.
30 June 1944:
At 0600, CD-17 departs Keelung with minesweeper
NUWAJIMA and kaibokan ETOROFU, escorting convoy TAMO-20B, consisting of KAMO,
MANSHU, KONZAN, YAMAHAGI, SHIROTAE, TOUN and TASMANIA MARUs.
3 July 1944:
At 2300, LtCdr Donald F. Weiss' (USNA '29) USS TINOSA
(SS-283) torpedoes and sinks KAMO and KONSAN MARUs at 32-25N, 128-50E. KAMO MARU
is carrying 525 passengers and 7,570 tons of general cargo. 415 passengers,
seven guards, three gunners and 74 crewmen are killed, a death toll of 499.
KONSAN MARU's casualties are 23 crewmen KIA.
4 July 1944:
At 1930, arrives at Moji.
10 July 1944:
Reassigned to the 1st Escort Group with CHIBURI and
CD-18.
13 July 1944:
At 1600, CD-17 departs Mutsure for Manila with Rear
Admiral Sato Tsutomu (40)(former ComSubRon 1) Eighth Escort Convoy Command’s
escort carrier SHINYO providing air cover and ferrying nine Mitsubishi A6M
"Zekes", light cruiser KASHII and kaibokan CHIBURI, SADO, and CD-7 escorting
convoy HI-69, consisting of escort carriers KAIYO and TAIYO each loaded with 55
A6M "Zekes" and 10 Yokosuka D4Ys "Suisei" ("Comet" dive-bombers disassembled or
crated, KIMIKAWA, AKI, ASAMA, SAIGON, KACHIDOKI (ex-PRESIDENT HARRISON), MANKO
MARUs and tankers KOEI, HAKKO, OTOWASAN, OMUROSAN, KUROSHIO, HARIMA, SERIA,
TENEI MARUs and possibly MANJU MARU.
18 July 1944:
Near Takao, Formosa. About 0600, LtCdr John J.
Flachsenhar's (USNA '35) USS ROCK (SS-274) fires four torpedoes at HARIMA MARU,
but misses. Cdr Alan Banister's (USNA '28) USS SAWFISH (USS 276) then fires nine
torpedoes at the convoy. HARIMA MARU is hit by a single torpedo, but remains
able to steam. At 1055, LtCdr Roger M. Keithy's (USNA '35) USS TILEFISH (SS-307)
torpedoes and heavily damages CD-17. 10 crewmen are KIA. The convoy continues to
Manila without stopping at Takao as originally planned, but damaged CD-17 and
HARIMA MARU do put into Takao.
22 July 1944:
At 1532, USN codebreakers decrypt a message from the CO
of CD-17 that reads: "At 1055 on the 18th received torpedo attack from enemy
submarine and since there was very great danger of sinking all secret
publications with the exception of those listed below were weighted and thrown
into the sea -----."
Mid July-August 1944:
CD-17 undergoes repairs at Mako.
4 August 1944:
At 1300 departs Takao escorting MI-10, consisting of
DAIZEN, HIDA, HINAGA and FUYUKAWA MARUs KENZUI, TEIFU (ex French BOUGAINVILLE),
KAKOGAWA, TSUKUBASAN, ROKKO, SEIGA, HAKOZAKI, MYOGI MARUs and UNYO MARU No.7,
WAKO GO and tankers SHUNTEN, TAKETSU (BUTSU), CHIYODA, SHIMOTSU, KOSHIN, KOTOKU,
NICHINAN (1945 grt), OEI MARU and SHIMOTSU MARUs and KYOEI MARU No. 6, plus 11
unidentified ships. The escort consists of KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-20, CD-3,
CD-17, minelayer MAESHIMA, auxiliary gunboats CHOJUSAN MARU, PEKING MARU and
possibly KAZAN MARU.
10 August 1944:
At 0200 CD-17 (and later at 0730 KURETAKE) is detached
from MI-10 and arrives at Sasebo. Undergoes repairs.
16 August 1944:
Departs Sasebo.
17 August 1944:
At 1800 arrives at Chinkai.
19 August 1944:
Departs Chinkai and at 1530 arrives at Pusan.
Undergoes permanrent repairs throughout August, September and most of October.
11 October 1944:
Departs Pusan.
12 October 1944:
Arrives at Chinkai.
14 October 1944:
At 0530 departs Chinkai and at 1830 arrives at
Sasebo.
26 October 1944:
Convoy HI-79 departs Moji for Singapore, consisting
of TENEI, MATSUSHIMA, KAGU, MELBOURNE, ARIMASAN MARU and fleet supply ship
MAMIYA, escorted by light cruiser KASHII (F) with Rear Admiral Yoshitomi
Setsuzo (39), CO, 5th Escort Group embarked, kaibokans NOMI and UKURU, and
minelayer NIIZAKI.
27 October 1944:
CD-17 joins the escort of HI-79 from Sasebo.
28 October 1944:
Minesweeper W-21 joins the escort of HI-79.
29 October 1944:
CD-17 and UKURU are detached from the convoy to
escort MELBOURNE MARU close to Kirun, then both rejoin the convoy.
30 October 1944:
At 1900 convoy HI-79 arrives at Takao. MAMIYA, KAGU
MARU and minesweeper W-21 are detached.
31 October 1944:
At 1600, the convoy departs for Singapore. Kaibokan
MANJU joins the escort.
2 November 1944:
E of Hainan. At 1432, the convoy is bombed by a B-24
"Liberator" heavy bomber from high altitude. No damage is incurred.
9 November 1944:
At 1000 arrives at Singapore.
17 November 1944:
At 1800 CD-17 departs Singapore with light cruiser
KASHII (F), kaibokan MANJU, NOMI, KASADO, MIYAKE, UKURU, CD-23 and CD-51 and
minelayer NIIZAKI escorting convoy HI-80 consisting of tankers TENEI,
MATSUSHIMA, RYOEI, MUNEKATA, KUROSHIO, NICHINAN and KAIHO MARUs and transport
ARIMASAN MARU.
20 November 1944:
At 1240, CD-17 is detached for Saigon. At 1725
arrives at St Jacques and later Saigon. Rebunkers.
E 21 November 1944:
Departs Saigon.
22 November 1944:
At 0900 departs St Jacques.
E 23 November 1944:
CD-17 from Saigon joins the escort of a convoy
southbound from Manila, probably in the area of the Palawan Passage. The convoy
consists of fleet oiler YUHO MARU, loaded with avgas, escorted by kaibokan
CHIBURI and CD-19.
26 November 1944:
Off Miri, Sarawak. LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret)
David B. Bell's (USNA '37) USS PARGO (SS-264) torpedoes YUHO MARU at 04-55N,
114-06'E. 26 crewmen are KIA. All three kaibokan counterattack the submarine
with depth charges, causing moderate damage. CHIBURI takes YUHO MARU in tow to
Miri, but the oiler sinks inside the port on 2 December.
E 28 November 1944:
Joins up with convoy from Singapore consisting of
tanker HAKKO MARU escorted by light cruiser OYODO, destroyer KISHINAMI and
minelayer YURIJIMA.
1 December 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
2 December 1944:
CD-17 departs Manila for Singapore with destroyer
KISHINAMI and minelayer YURISHIMA escorting oiler HAKKO MARU.
4 December 1944:
NW of Palawan Island. About 1300, LtCdr (later
Captain) George W. Grider's (USNA '36) USS FLASHER (SS-249) torpedoes and sinks
destroyer KISHINAMI at 12-54N, 116-27 E with the loss of 90 sailors including
her CO, Commander Mifune Toshiro (52). 150 survivors are rescued by YURISHIMA
and CD-17. In the same attack USS FLASHER damages HAKKO MARU that begins
burning. At about 1900, USS FLASHER returns again and torpedoes and sinks HAKKO
MARU at 13-12N, 116-37E. 24 crewmen and 24 passengers are KIA. CD-17 and
YURISHIMA rescue survivors.
14 December 1944:
Departs Saigon and later that day arrives at Camranh
Bay..
15 December 1944:
Departs Camranh Bay, Indochina for San Fernando,
Philippines with destroyer KARI escorting fleet supply ship MAMIYA.
20 December 1944:
S China Sea, about 450 miles NE of Camranh Bay. At
2040, LtCdr Charles F. Putman's (USNA '37) USS SEALION (SS-315) torpedoes and
damages MAMIYA at 17-48N, 114-09E. Putman evades the escorts.
21 December 1944:
S China Sea. At 0137, USS SEALION carries out a
second attack on MAMIYA and sinks her at 17-55N, 114-11E. Captain Kase Saburo
(44)(former CO of light cruiser KITAKAMI) is KIA. He is promoted Rear Admiral,
posthumously.
23 December 1944:
Arrives back at Camranh Bay.
24 December 1944:
Departs Camranh Bay escorting oiler NICHIEI MARU.
26 December 1944:
Departs Saigon with kaibokan CD-19 escorting oiler
NICHIEI MARU.
29 December 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
3 January 1945:
CD-17 and CD-19 depart Singapore with kaibokan
CHIBURI escorting a convoy consisting of tanker NICHIEI MARU carrying 13,000
tons of oil.
4 January 1945:
CD-17, CD-19 and CHIBURI are reassigned to SW Area
Fleet with their division.
6 January 1945:
Gulf of Thailand, 60 miles NE of Kota Bharu, Malaya.
Cdr Thomas L. Wogan's (USNA '30) USS BESUGO (SS-321), patrolling the mouth of
the Gulf, picks up a target on SJ radar. In a night surface attack, Cdr Wogan
fires six torpedoes; three strike home and sink NICHIEI MARU at 06-57N, 102-57E.
CD-19, CD-17 and CHIBURI rescue the survivors. Captain Okano Ikkan (36) and 40
of the crew are KIA. Okano is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.
10 January 1945:
CD-17, CD-19 and CHIBURI land NICHIEI MARU's
survivors at Cap St. Jacques.
12 January 1945:
Off Cape St. Jacques. Aircraft of Vice Admiral
(Admiral posthumously) John S. McCain, Sr's (USNA '06) Task Force 38 attack
shipping, airfields and other shore installations in the Saigon area. Planes
from USS LEXINGTON (CV-16), USS HANCOCK (CV-19) and USS HORNET (CV-12) sink
kaibokan CD-17, CD-19 and CHIBURI the latter with the loss of 88 crewmen, at
10-20N, 107-50E. CD-17 receives three torpedo hits and sinks at 0952 with 159
hands, including 12 officers.
10 March 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors’ Note:
Thanks go to the late John Whitman of Virginia, USA for info
on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages and Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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