© 2006 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
5 October 1943:
Laid down at Yokosuka Navy Yard's Marine Arsenal.
30 December 1943:
Launched and numbered CD-2.
28 February 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN.
1 April 1944:
At 1100, CD-2 departs Tokyo Bay as part of the escort of
convoy “Higashi-Matsu” No. 4. The ships and their destinations are: Saipan:
SHOUN, TOKO, TAKASAN, AKIKAWA KOKO, SHIRAMINE, TAIKAI, KAKOGAWA and MAKASSAR
MARUS. Guam: MIMIASAKA, TOAN, AZUCHISAN and NISSU MARU s and UNYO MARU No. 8
Truk: Fleet supply ship KINESAKI, SHOZUI, TATBEI, SHIMA, SHINYO and HARVRE MARU
s. Palau: Fleet supply ship MAMIYA, TENRYUGAWA, TAIAN and TOSEI MARU s and
SHINSEI MARU No. 5 Yap: SHINSEI MARU.
CD-2 and her crew undergo their workup and training while escorting this
large, important convoy. The convoy commander is Rear Admiral Kiyota Takahiko
(former CO of NACHI) in destroyer SAMIDARE. The other escorts include destroyer
ASANAGI, torpedo-boat HIYODORI, kaibokans AMAKUSA, MIKURA, FUKUE, OKI, 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 POLLACK and drop 55 depth
charges unsuccessfully.
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. While the troopships are diverted to the
west, OKI and SAMIDARE counter-attack with depth-charges. Harlfinger runs at 300
feet or more for 17 hours as six escorts dog his trail and rain down numerous
depth charges. Six DCs explode extremely close by and damage TRIGGER.
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
counterattack SEAHORSE unsuccessfully. Later that day, the convoy arrives at
Saipan where it is split into four echelons bound for Truk, Guam, Yap and Palau.
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:
CD-2 departs Takao with kaibokan FUKUE and gunboat UJI
escorting convoy TAMO-18 consisting of TAINAN, TOYOURA MARUs, SHINSEI MARU No.
5, fleet supply ship MAMIYA and three unidentified ships.
2 May 1944:
At 1500, CD-2 departs Keelung, Formosa for Moji with
kaibokan UJI and FUKUE escorting convoy TAMO-18 consisting of MAMIYA, TAINAN,
TOYOURA MARU and SHINSEI MARU No. 5 and four unidentified ships.
6 May 1944:
E China Sea. At 0325, LtCdr Josepth W. Williams' USS
SPEARFISH (SS-190) torpedoes and sinks TOYOURA MARU and damages MAMIYA at
32-16N, 127-08E. Later that day, Williams attempts unsuccessfully to finish off
MAMIYA. The escorts counter-attack SPEARFISH and inflict minor damage. UJI
probably tows MAMIYA.
E 9 May 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
11 June 1944:
At 1530, CD-2 departs Moji with destroyers ASAKAZE,
ASAGAO, kaibokan YASHIRO and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 3 escorting
convoy MI-07 consisting of MATSUURA, KAMO, SHINKOKU, NISHI, MINO, TAIKAI,
KAKOGAWA, MYOGI, OYO MARUs and tankers KOEI, TAIEI, CHIHAYA, RYUSHO and SAN LUIS
MARUs and 12 unidentified merchant ships. Immediately after leaving port, KOEI
MARU develops engine problems and is forced to return to port.
15 June 1944:
At 1040, anchors at Oshima Strait, Amami Oshima.
16 June 1944:
Departs Oshima Strait.
17 June 1944:
MATSUURA and KAMO MARUs are detached with destroyer
ASAGAO and head for Kirun.
18 June 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Takao. Later, ASAGAO rejoins
convoy. At 1955, the convoy departs Takao.
23 June 1944:
At 1800, arrives at Manila. CD-2 and ASAGAO are
detached.
E 26 June 1944:
CD-2 and destroyer ASAGAO join convoy HI-67 that left
Moji on 20 June consisting of transports MANJU, NANKAI, KINUGASA, ASAKA,
ASAHISAN and HAKOZAKI MARUs and oilers OTORISAN, GOKOKU, MIRI, SARAWAK and
SHINEI MARUs and No. 2 NICHINAN MARU escorted by destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokans
HIRADO, KURAHASHI, CD-5, CD-13 and subchaser CH-61.
29 June 1944:
At about 1510, LtCdr Anton R. Gallaher's USS BANG
(SS-385) attacks convoy HI-67 at 17-13N, 118-18E. Gallaher fires a spread of
five torpedoes. Tankers MIRI and SARAWAK MARUs are each hit in the bow by a
torpedo and damaged, but both are able to proceed to Manila. CD-5 also suffers
unspecified damage during the action.
E 1 July 1944:
The convoy arrives at Manila. CD-5 and ASAHISAN MARU
leave the convoy.
3 July 1944:
At 0600, CD-2 departs Manila for Singapore with
destroyers ASAGAO and KURETAKE and kaibokans HIRADO, KURAHASHI and CD-5 and
CD-13, minelayer SHIRATAKA and submarine chaser CH-61 escorting convoy HI-67.
9 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore at 1640.
18 July 1944:
Assigned to the General Escort Command’s First Surface
Escort Division.
September 1944:
CD-2 is damaged by unknown causes.
3 October 1944:
At 1025, CD-2 departs Yulin, Hainan Island, under tow
by minesweeper W-101 that is escorting a convoy consisting of SHINKO and UJINA
MARUs. The convoy proceeds slowly.
7 October 1944:
At 1900, arrives at Hong Kong.
October 1944:
Undergoes repairs at Hong Kong.
15 November 1944:
The General Escort Command’s 102nd Escort Squadron
is formed with CD-2, MIKURA, YASHIRO, CD-33, CD-34 and CD-35.
10 December 1944:
Reassigned to the General Escort Command’s 1st
Escort Fleet.
1 January 1945:
Reassigned to the First Escort Fleet's 102nd Escort
Squadron . The Squadron includes light cruiser KASHIMA (F), kaibokan MIKURA,
CD-2, CD-33, CD-34 and CD-35.
12 January 1945:
South China Sea, off SE French Indochina. CD-2 is
attacked and damaged by aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) John S.
McCain’s Task Force 38.
24 June 1945:
At 1930, CD-2 departs Gainichiwan (Yongil Bay), Chosen
(Korea) with kaibokan YASHIRO and CD-13 escorting convoy SEINAI-04 consisting of
ENRYAKU, MATSUURA MARUs and tanker YAMANAMI MARU.
26 June 1945:
At 0758, arrives at Hagi.
27 June 1945:
At 1045, arrives Maizuru. The convoy is dissolved.
5 July 1945:
CD-2 is assigned to the 2nd Coast Defense Group. CD-2 and
CD-34 occasionally patrol the Sea of Japan, but stay in port most of the time
because of the nation-wide fuel shortage.
30 July 1945:
Off Maizuru. CD-2 is attacked and damaged by aircraft
of British Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Sir Bernard J. Rawlings Task Force 37
(British Pacific Fleet) and Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's Task
Force 38. During the raid, the aircraft also damage submarine depot ship CHOGEI,
submarines I-153 and I-202 and minelayer TATSUMIYA MARU. CD-2 is not repaired.
15 August 1945:
Maizuru. CD-2’s crew receives notification of the
termination of war.
20 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List
20 July 1948:
Scrapped.
Authors' Notes:
Thanks for assistance go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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