KUSENTEI!

© 2005-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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1941:
Aoi. Laid down at Harima Shipbuilding's yard.

3 June 1941:
Launched and numbered CH-19.

20 September 1941:
Completed and registered in the Kure Naval District.

8 December 1941:
Assigned to the Kure Guard Unit. Conducts patrols in the Bungo Straits.

February 1942:
Celebes (now Sulawasei), Netherlands East Indies. CH-19 is reassigned to the Third Fleet’s First Base Force. Conducts patrols out of Staring Bay and later out of Kendari.

10 March 1942:
Makassar, Celebes. Reassigned to the 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet in Captain (later Vice Admiral)(40) (former XO of ATAGO) Mori Kunizo's 23rd Special Base Force with CH-20 and CH-21.

4 April 1943:
CH-19 departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 485 consisting of nine unidentified merchant ships.

11 April 1943:
Arrives at Saigon.

13 April 1943:
At 1400, departs Saigon escorting convoy No. 572 consisting of NICHINAN MARU and an unidentified naval auxiliary merchant ship.

16 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.

1 May 1943:
CH-19 is reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet’s Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet's 21st Subchaser Division with CH-20 and CH-21.

17 July 1943:
CH-19 departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 411 consisting of CHIYODA, GOYO, HAKUSHIKA, SEINAN, BISAN and SUZAN MARUs and one unidentified merchant ship.

22 July 1943:
At 1700, BISAN and SUZAN MARUs are detached from convoy at 22-42N, 119-11E for Amoy. At 2359, the convoy arrives at Takao.

20 August 1943:
CH-19 is reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet’s First Southern Expeditionary Fleet's 11th Special Base Force with CH-20 and CH-21.

22 September 1943:
CH-19 departs Singapore with fleet oiler ASHIZURI escorting convoy SA-12 consisting of transports TEIKO and USSURI MARUs and tankers SEISHIN and KIRISHIMA MARUs.

25 September 1943:
LtCdr Joseph H. Willingham's USS BOWFIN (SS-287), on her first war patrol, torpedoes and sinks KIRISHIMA MARU at 09-53N 112-10E. [1]

At 1403, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from CH-19 that reads: “At 1030, arrived at the scene. At 1233 (10-02 N, 122-01 E) sighted crew [of KIRISHIMA MARU] and at 1330 picked up a total of 53 men including the Captain. Continuing the search for the others.”

26 September 1943:
At 1600, USN codebreakers decrypt another message from CH-19 that reads: “At 1425 picked up 9 more men. Above makes total of 62 of 87 (including passengers) rescued from KIRISHIMA MARU ----- heading for Saigon.”

18 October 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques as escort for convoy No. 329.

19 October 1943:
At 1100, arrives at Saigon.

2 October 1943:
departs St Jacques in convoy No. 514 consisting of 12 unidentified merchant ships escorted by Submarine Chaser CH19.

6 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.

12 October 1943:
CH-19 departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 627 consisting of KYUEI MARU and two unidentified merchant ships.

14 October 1943:
KYUEI MARU is hit by two dud torpedoes at 06-00N, 104-10E.

16 October 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.

13 November 1943:
CH-19 departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 441 consisting of seven unidentified merchant ships.

21 November 1943:
Arrives at Takao.

E 14 December 1943:
Departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 441 (2 sections) enroute to either Hong Kong or Takao.

16 January 1944 :
CH-19 and auxiliary gunboat CHOJUSAN MARU depart St Jacques escorting convoy No. 457 consisting of nine unidentified merchant ships.

26 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao.

24 March 1944:
CH-19 departs Takao with kaibokan AWAJI and auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU escorting convoy TASA-13 consisting of NICHINAN MARU and 15 other unidentified merchant ships.

29 March 1944:
At about 0500, LtCdr Chester W. Nimitiz Jr's USS HADDO (SS-255) torpedoes and damages NICHINAN MARU at 17-42N, 109-57E.

1 April 1944 :
Arrives at St Jacques.

11 April 1944:
Camranh Bay. Joins convoy SATA-14 consisting of 11 unidentified merchant ships and departs port.

18 April 1944:
Arrives at Takao.

7 May 1944 :
At 1900, CH-19 departs Singapore with minesweeper W-8 escorting convoy SHIMI-02 consisting of DURBAN, CHINA, FUKUJU and KUNIYAMA MARUs and tankers EIYO, CHIHAYA, SHINEI and NICHINAN MARUs and TONAN MARU No. 2

11 May 1944:
Anchors briefly at Cape Kidurang.

12 May 1944:
At 1005, arrives at Miri, Borneo.

13 May 1944:
CH-19 departs Miri with kaibokan CD-11 and destroyers ASAKAZE and HARUKAZE escorting convoy MIMA-10 consisting of 11 unidentified merchant ships.

19 May 1944:
Arrives at Manila.

29 May 1944:
At 0600, CH-19 and CH-60 depart Moji for Singapore with escort carrier SHINYO, light cruiser KASHII and kaibokan AWAJI, CHIBURI and CD-11 escorting convoy HI-65 consisting of fleet oiler SHIRETOKO, tankers ITSUKUSHIMA, OMUROSAN, ZUIHO and TOHO MARUs, cargo liners ARIMASAN, MANILA, KASHII and TATSUWA MARUs and troop transport SHINSHU MARU. Later, light minelayer TSUBAME departs Moji, then catches up with the convoy and joins the escort.[2]

2 June 1944:
Bashi Strait, near Yasho Island. LtCdr (later Captain) Enrique D. Haskins' new USS GUITARRO (SS-363)torpedoed by and sinks kaibokan AWAJI at 22-34N, 121-15E. CH-19 and CHIBURI rescue the survivors, but several die of their wounds.

LtCdr Albert L. Raborn's USS PICUDA (SS-382) fires two torpedoes at liner ARIMASAN MARU that cause her to collide with troop transport SHINSHU MARU's stern. This causes a depth-charge explosion that kills about 70 men and causes rudder damage. Liner KASHII takes SHINSHU MARU in tow. Liner 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:
Departs Keelung. Later that day, arrives at Takao, Formosa. KAIYO rejoins the convoy after brief stop at Saei (Tsoying) Formosa. Tanker JINEI MARU joins the convoy at sea. ARIMASAN, MANILA, KASHII, TATSUWA and SHINSHU MARUs are all detached for Manila

9 June 1944:
CH-19 and CH-43 depart Manila with kaibokan SHIMUSHU and FUKUE and escorting convoy MASA-06 consisting of nine unidentified merchant ships.

E 12 June 1944:
SHIMUSHU and FUKUE are detached and return to Manila.

E 15 June 1944:
CH-19 is detached.

18 June 1944:
CH-19 departs Takao with destroyer KURETAKE and auxiliary subchaser CHa-94 escorting convoy TAMA-21 consisting of six unidentified merchant ships.

23 June 1944:
Arrives at Manila.

25 June 1944:
At 1240, CH-19 and CH-43 departs Saigon escorting convoy SAMA-08 consisting of MATSUKAWA and YAMABUKI MARUs.

26 June 1944:
Off Nha Trang Bay, TSURUSHIMA MARU joins the convoy.

30 June 1944:
Off Manila Bay. At 0312, LtCdr Arthur E. Krapf's USS JACK (SS-259) torpedoes and sinks TSURUSHIMA MARU. The convoy scatters, but at 0422, JACK torpedoes and sinks MATSUKAWA MARU at 14-25N, 119-45E. Later that day, the remaining ships arrive at Manila.

14 July 1944:
CH-19 departs St Jacques escorting convoy SASHI-29B consisting of 1 unidentified merchant ship escorted by minelayer Hatsutaka and Submarine chaser CH19.

17 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

2 August 1944:
CH-19 and CH-41 depart Saigon escorting convoy SAMA-16 consisting of SHIROGANESAN MARU and two unidentified merchant ships.

6 August 1944:
At 0312, LtCdr (later Captain) Henry G. Munson’s USS RASHER (SS-269) torpedoes and sinks SHIROGANESAN MARU at 14-10N, 117-02E.

7 August 1944:
Arrives at Manila.

12 August 1944:
At 0600, CH-19 departs Manila with CH-32, minesweeper W-18 and four unidentified auxiliary gunboats escorting convoy MASA-10 consisting of DURBAN, TEIRITSU, RISSHUN and YAMABUKI MARUs. At 2000, anchors at Lucanin, Bataan Peninsula.

13 August 1944:
Departs Lucanin, but the weather worsens and late that day the convoy returns to Lucanin.

14 August 1944:
At 1700, departs Lucanin. In poor weather, the four auxiliary gunboats lose contact with the convoy.

20 August 1944:
At 1810, arrives Camranh Bay.

21 August 1944:
At 0800, departs Camranh Bay. At 0951, LtCdr Michael P. Russillo's USS MUSKALLUNGE (SS-262) torpedoes DURBAN MARU. Although DURBAN MARU is taken under tow by new arrival OYO MARU, she eventuually sinks at 11-45N 109-46E. Later that day, the convoy arrives at Saigon.

2 September 1944:
At 2052, CH-19 and CH-32 depart Cape St. Jacques for Manila with minesweepers W-18 and W-101 escorting convoy SAMA-12 consisting of RISSHUN and YAMABUKI MARUs.

10 September 1944:
Manila. CH-19 is reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet’s Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet's 31st Special Base Force.

11 September 1944:
At 0900, arrives at Manila.

16 September 1944:
CH-19 departs Yulin, Hainan Island for Takao with auxiliary netlayer KAINAN MARU escorting the second echelon of convoy HI-72/MAMO-03 consisting of tanker SHINCHO MARU.

21 September 1944:
At 0159, USAAF aircraft bomb and damage SHINCHO MARU at 22-40N, 119-29E. Kaibokan CD-21 from nearby convoy HI-74 takes the ship in tow. Later that day or the next, HI-72/MAMO-03 reaches Takao.

30 September 1944:
At 1200, CH-19 departs Takao with kaibokan CD-18, CD-26 escorting convoy MI-19 consisting of KENEI, IWAKUNI, YULIN, HAKUROKU, MITSU, DAIMEI, ARISAN, TEIFU, TASMANIA, DAIA and SHINSEI MARUs.

2 October 1944:
Arrives at Aparri and departs same day at 2300.

3 October 1944:
At 1500, arrives at Lapoc.

4 October 1944:
At 0600, departs Lapoc. At 1700, arrives at North San Fernando.

5 October 1944:
At 0600, departs North San Fernando.

6 October 1944:
At 0600, arrives Manila.

8 October 1944:
At 0700, CH-19 departs Manila for Miri, Borneo with kaikoban CD-18 and CD-26, patrol boat PB-105 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-56 escorting reorganized convoy MI-19 consisting of NITTETSU, SAN LUIS, DAIZEN, HIDA, SAN DIEGO, EIKYO, TOKUWA, SHUNTEN, TATSUBATO, DAISHU and YOSHU MARUs.

9 October 1944:
About 1700, LtCdr Henry D. Sturr’s BECUNA (SS-319) torpedoes and damages SAN LUIS MARU, but she is able to continue. LtCdr Francis W. Scanland’s HAWKBILL (SS-366) also torpedoes SAN LUIS MARU about the same time. At 1804, BECUNA torpedoes and sinks TOKUWA MARU.

That same day, CH-19, CH-1, CH-3, auxiliary minesweepers CHOUN MARU No. 6 and CHOUN MARU No. 7 depart Miri escorting convoy MISHI-11 consisting of 16 unidentified merchant ships.

10 October 1944:
SHUNTEN MARU and two of the escorts are detached with damaged SAN LUIS MARU and head for Sandakan, Borneo. [3]

14 October 1944:
At 0208, LtCdr (later Captain) Bladen D. Claggett’s DACE (SS-247) torpedoes and sinks NITTETSU MARU and damages DAIZEN and EIKYO MARUs.

17 October 1944:
Arrives at Miri.

23 October 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

1 November 1944:
CH-19, CH-1, CH-26 and CH-36 depart Singapore for Manila escorting convoy SIMA-04 consisting of HACHIJIN, AYAGIRI, ATSUTA and TOYO (YUTAKA) MARUs.

2 November 1944:
225 miles E of Singapore. At 1717, in heavy weather, Lt (later Vice Admiral Sir) Hugh "Rufus" MacKenzie's British submarine HMS TANTALUS attacks the convoy. MacKenzie torpedoes and sinks cargo ship HACHIJIN MARU and damages CH-1 at 00-45N, 107-441E.

14 November 1944:
Philippines. Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Frederick C. Sherman, in temporary command of Task Force 38, launches air strikes against Japanese shipping. Off Sablayan Island, Mindoro, convoy SIMA-04 is attacked by F6F “Hellcat” fighter-bombers from USS YORKTOWN (CV-10). The Hellcats sink merchant tanker AYAGIRI MARU at 12-40N, 120-41E and damage IJA cargo ship TOYO MARU and CH-19, CH-1, CH-26 and CH-36.

17 November 1944:
At 1600, CH-19 and CH-26 depart Manila for Takao escorting convoy MATA-33 consisting of ESASHI MARU.

N San Fernando. That same day, the convoy is joined by DORYO MARU from Manila. Later that day, the convoy is attacked by eight American aircraft. ESASHI MARU is set afire, beached and abandoned. CH-26 and DORYO MARU head for Takao, but because of air raids there, they are diverted to Hong Kong.

14 January 1945:
At 0700, CH-19 and CH-57 depart Moji escorting convoy MOTA-32 consisting of DAIKYO, TENSHO, SAMARANG, AIZAN, SHUNSHO and DAISHUN MARUs, TAMON MARU No. 16 and five unidentified merchants, possibly including TETSUYO and TATSUHARU MARUs, escorted by kaibokan CD-31, CD-132, CD-144, MANJU and destroyer SHIOKAZE.

21 January 1945:
That evening, anchors at Sanmen Inlet, China coast.

22 January 1945:
At dawn, departs Sanmen Inlet. In late afternoon, arrives at Namkwan (Namquan) Bay. At 1600, convoy TAMO-38 heading north arrives consisting of DAINAN, BINGO, TOYOKAWA, RASHIN, SHINNO, TATSUWA and NICHIYU No. 7 escorted by kaibokan IKUNA, CD-26, CD-39 and CD-112. The two convoys merge at anchor.

23 January 1945:
At 0402, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Eugene B. Fluckey's USS BARB (SS-220), running on the surface, penetrates the outer escort screen and enters the harbor. An unbroken line of ships at anchor, 4200 yards in length, is clearly visible. Fluckey fires a total of eight torpedoes into the target line. DAIKYO MARU is hit and her cargo of munitions detonates in a massive explosion. SAMARANG and DAISHUN MARUs, TAMON MARU No. 16 and SHUNSHO MARU are all damaged. At 0600, the rest of the convoy departs Namkwan.

25 January 1945:
Arrives at Keelung (Kirun), Formosa where the convoy is dissolved.

31 January 1945:
At 0600, CH-19 departs Keelung for Moji with kaibokan CD-14, CD-16 and CD-46 escorting convoy TAMO-39. The convoy consists of AIZAN, SHUNSHO, DAISHUN, SAMARANG, TETSUYO and TATSUHARU MARUs.

1 February 1945:
CH-19 is detached from the convoy.

2 February 1945:
CH-19 departs Keelung with kaibokan KURAHASHI and SHINNAN, CD-22, CD-56 escorting convoy TAMO-40 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.

6 February 1945:
Arrives at the Ssu Chiao Shan anchorage.

8 February 1945:
Departs the Ssu Ciao Shan anchorage.

12 February 1945:
Arrives at Moji.

1 March 1945:
At 0800, CH-19 departs Mutsure for Keelung with kaibokan CD-26, CD-41, IKUNA, minesweepers W-15 and W-17 escorting convoy MOTA-40 consisting of IKOMASAN, AIZAN, DAIKI, TOYOGAWA, KITAKATA, ANKO and DOSHI MARUs.

5 March 1945:
Off Akuke Jima, Ryukyu Islands. At 1042, LtCdr Walter F. Schlech's USS TILEFISH (SS-307) torpedoes and damages minesweeper W-15's stern at 29-36N, 129-45E. W-15 is beached on Suwasi Island and later abandoned, a constructive total loss.

That same day, CH-19 is reassigned to the General Escort Command’s First Escort Fleet’s 31st Subchaser Division with CH-20, CH-21, CH-26 and CH-60.

9 March 1945:
At 2010, convoy MOTA-40 arrives at Keelung.

12 April 1945:
At 2000, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from CH-19 that reads: “No. 3 KAIYO MARU is (hurrying north?). Other than what appears to be a fragment of a boat belonging to TAMA MARU, we found no traces. Still continuing the search.”

27 June 1945:
S of Korea. CH-19 is damaged by aircraft.

8 August 1945:
Tsushima Strait. Fourteen B-25 “Mitchell” medium bombers of the 345th Bomb Group’s 499th Bomb Squadron bomb and strafe CH-19. Severely damaged by at least one bomb hit, CH-19 manages to damage six of the attacking aircraft. Later, she makes port in Tsushima harbor.

August 1945:
Arrives at Kure, probably under tow.

15 August 1945:
Japan accepts the Potsdam Declaration and hostilities cease. At an unknown later date, CH-19 arrives at Sasebo, probably under tow.

3 May 1947:
Removed from the Navy List.

1948:
Sasebo. Scrapped.

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Author's Notes:
[1] It is unclear whether CH-19 was detached after escorting the convoy close to Takao. The convoy then proceeded to Moji.

[2] Sources differ on the composition of the escort. One source shows either CH-19 or kaibokan CD-19 in the escort.

[3] It is unclear whether CH-19 was one of the escorts that was detached.

Thanks for assistance go to Cdr John D. Alden, USN-Ret. Thanks also go to John Whitman of the USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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