KUSENTEI!

© 2005-2008 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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1941:
Laid down at the Harima shipyard.

13 August 1941:
Launched and numbered CH-23.

15 November 1941:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District.

8 December 1941:
Conducts antisubmarine patrols in Tokyo Bay.

15 May 1942:
Assigned directly to the Combined Fleet and attached to SubChasDiv 23.

11 June 1942:
Arrives at Guadalcanal.

14 July 1942:
Reassigned to Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi's Eighth Fleet with the 7th Base Force's SubChasDiv 23 at Lae, New Guinea. Escorts convoys between Rabaul and the Solomon Islands.

17 August 1942:
CH-23 departs Rabaul for Basuba with light cruiser TENRYU, subchasers CH-22, CH-24 and minesweeper W-20 escorting a convoy consisting of KAZUURA, RYOYU and KANYO MARUs transporting the 25th Air Flotilla's base supplies.

18 August 1942:
At 1730, arrives at Basuba. 22 January 1943:
CH-23 and torpedo boat HIYODORI depart Rabaul escorting transport TOA MARU No. 2 on a troop transport run to Kolombangara, Guadalcanal.

22 February 1943:
CH-23 depart Rabaul escorting TAMATSU and KOFUKU MARUs to Palau.

28 February 1943:
NE of Manus, Admirality Islands. At 1138, the convoy is attacked unsuccessfully by a submarine, probably USS ALBACORE (SS-218), at 01-29S, 147-38E.

2 March 1943:
Arrives at Palau.

9 May 1943:
CH-23 and CH-38 depart Rabaul for Palau escorting convoy R-09 consisting of YODOGAWA, CHOKO, YAMABUKI, FUKKO, NIKKI, TATEISHI MARUs and BANSHU MARU No. 15.

11 May 1943:
NE of Manus. At 0730, that same day, YODOGAWA MARU is hit by two torpedoes fired by LtCdr Edward C. Stephan's USS GRAYBACK (SS-208) at 00-40N, 148-55E. The YODOGAWA MARU is set afire and sinks.

17 May 1943:
Arrives at Palau.

18 October 1943:
Vunapope, near Rabaul. Six North American B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers of the 345th Bomb Group's 500th Squadon attack and damage shipping in the bay including the IJA cargo-passenger ship JOHORE MARU and two other unidentified freighters. CH-23 is underway in nearby St. George's Channel when 1st Lt Thane C. Hecox's B-25-D drops two 1,000-lb bombs and blows off her bow.

CH-23 is beached to avoid sinking. Later, she receives emergency repairs, probably by repair ship YAMABIKO MARU and others.

8 December 1943:
At 1400, CH-23 departs Kavieng escorting a convoy consisting of KANAIYAMA and KYUTOKUSAN MARUs.

9 December 1943:
At 1500, arrives at Rabaul.

13 January 1944:
Departs Rabaul escorting small seatruck FUKUEI MARU No. 9.

14 January 1944:
Arrives at Kavieng, New Ireland.

18 January 1944:
Arrives at Rabaul escorting SHINSEI MARU No. 18 from Kavieng.

23-24 February 1944:
Truk. CH-23, auxiliary minelayer MINSEI MARU and special minesweepers No. 5 and No. 6, in cooperation with aircraft of the 902nd Naval Air Group, conduct anti-submarine operations near the Uligar and Salat Passes.

25 February 1944:
Arrives at Pusan, Korea. Undergoes repairs until May.

3 May 1944:
Reassigned to the Southern Expeditionary Fleet. Escorts convoys to Manila.

August 1944:
Reassigned directly to the Combined Fleet and attached to SubChasDiv 21. Escorts convoys between Takao, Formosa, Shanghai, China, the Philippines and Japan.

16 October 1944:
Imari Bay. CH-23 joins the escort of convoy MOMA-05 consisting of DAIHAKU, KOMEI, TENSHO, DAISHO, TATSUURA, TAIYO, ESASHI, DORYO, PACIFIC, AOKI and SUGIYAMA MARUs escorted by kaibokan KASADO and CH-17, CH-18 and CH-28. At 1820, the convoy departs.

21 October 1944:
At 1600, arrives Takao. KASADO is detached.

23 October 1944:
At 0900, departs Takao and shelters in a bay on S Formosa, sailing at 2300.

24 October 1944:
At 1830, arrives at Sabtang Island anchorage.

25 October 1944:
At 0400, departs Sabtang Island.

26 October 1944:
At 0403, DAISHO MARU is torpedoed and sunk by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Maurice H. Rindskopf's USS DRUM (SS-228) at 19-30N, 120-44E. At 0655, Rindskopf also torpedoes DAIHAKU MARU at 19-07N, 120-42E . The forepart sinks, although the aft part remains afloat and is successfully beached in Lapoc Bay. At 0710, TAIYO MARU is torpedoed by LtCdr Richard W. Peterson's USS ICEFISH (SS-367) and sinks at 19-04N, 120-36E .

28 October 1944:
At 1230, anchors in Lapoc Bay.

29 October 1944:
At 0700, departs Lapoc Bay. At 1600. arrives at N San Fernando.

30 October 1944:
At 0700, departs N San Fernando. At 1600. arrives at Santa Cruz.

31 October 1944:
At 0500, departs Santa Cruz. At 0950, KOMEI MARU is torpedoed and sunk by LtCdr Enrique D. Haskin's USS GUITARRO (SS-363) at 15-18N, 119-50E. A few minutes later, at 1010, PACIFIC MARU is also torpedoed and sunk by GUITARRO at 15-15N, 119-56E.

1 November 1944:
At 0400, arrives at Manila.

4 January 1945:
Off San Fernando, Luzon. CH-23 is damaged by USAAF aircraft.

February 1945:
Reassigned to the support ? direction fleet. Escorts convoys to Shanghai.

15 August 1945:
Tsingtao, China. The crew of CH-23 receive notice of the termination of hostilities with the Allied Powers.

15 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

10 December 1945:
Assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service and designated a special cargo ship.

1948:
Scrapped.

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-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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