KUSENTEI!

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

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1942:
Hokkaido. Laid down at Hakodate Dock K. K.'s shipyard.

31 December 1942:
Launched and numbered CH-35.

28 February 1943:
Completed and registered in the IJN.

March 1943:
Attached to the Kure Guard Unit. Conducts patrols in the Bungo Straits.

15 May 1943:
Attached to the Fifth Fleet. Conducts patrols and escorts convoys in the Kuriles.

15 June 1943:
Reassigned to the Osaka Naval Guard District.

8 August 1943:
Rabaul. Reassigned to the Eighth Fleet's 2nd Special Base Force. Escorts convoys between Rabaul, Palau and Wewak, New Guinea.

3 October 1943:
CH-35 departs Palau for Hollandia, New Guinea escorting convoy "Hollandia No. 1" consisting of UCHIDE MARU and SHINSEI MARU No. 5.

6 October 1943:
Arrives at Hollandia.

7 October 1943:
Departs Hollandia. NAGANO MARU, temporarily repaired after being damaged in August, joins the convoy.

11 October 1943:
Arrives at Palau.

17 October 1943:
CH-35 and CH-26 depart Palau escorting convoy "Wewak No. 11" consisting of MAYA, YASUKUNI, ASO and NISSHIN MARUs.

22 October 1943:
Arrives at Wewak less NISSHIN MARU that detached for Hollandia the previous day. The convoy unloads its cargo.

23 October 1943:
Departs Wewak for Palau.

28 October 1943:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) William B. Sieglaff 's USS TAUTOG (SS-199) attacks the convoy. Sieglaff fires six unreliable Mark XIV torpedoes and fails to get any hits. CH-26 and CH-35 counterattack and drop eight depth charges, but without damage to TAUTOG. That same day, at 1800, convoy "Wewak No. 11"arrives at Palau.

1 November 1943:
CH-35 and CH-26 depart Palau with minelayer SHIRATAKA escorting convoy "Hollandia No. 2" consisting of ASO, RYUWA, FUKOKU and KIZUGAWA MARUs with SHINSEI MARU No. 5.

E 3 November 1943:
SHIRATAKA detaches from convoy and returns alone to Palau. That same day FUKOKU MARU develops engine trouble and returns to Palau escorted by CH-35.

15 November 1943:
Reassigned to the Ninth Fleet's 2nd Special Base Force with CH-26 and CH-34.

24 November 1943:
Departs Palau with Wewak No. 14 convoy consisting of KANKYO, KANTO, FUKKAI, UMEKAWA and HOZAN MARUs escorted by SHIRATAKA and CH-35.

27 November 1943:
KANKYO MARU detaches from the convoy for Hollandia, arriving there later that day.

29 November 1943:
Arrives at Wewak.

30 November 1943:
KANTO and KANKYO MARU (the latter having arrived from Hollandia earlier) depart for Hollandia probably escorted by CH 35. The remaining ships depart back to Palau (arriving 4 December)

6 December 1943:
10m E of Cape Moen, 5 miles E of Wewak. HINOKI MARU is disabled by an internal explosion. CH-35 provides assistance.

23 December 1943:
CH-35 departs Palau for Wewak with minelayer SHIRATAKA and auxiliary subchaser CHa-61 escorting convoy "Wewak No. 16" consisting of ASO, SHOHO, CHINZEI and KURAMASAN MARUs. Enroute, SHIRATAKA detaches from convoy Wewak No. 15 convoy and escorts KURAMASAN MARU towards Hollandia.

27 December 1943:
Arrives at Wewak.

28 December 1943:
Departs Wewak.

30 December 1943:
Reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet's 4th Southern Expeditionary Fleet's 25th Special Base Force.

2 January 1944:
Arrives at Palau.

11 January 1944:
CH-35 departs Palau for Sarmi, New Guinea with auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-61 escorting convoy "Independent Sarmi No. 7" consisting of KOYU, BRAZIL, SHIROGANESAN, KANKYO and MUTSUYO MARUs.

E 13 January 1944:
CH-35 is detached from the convoy and heads to Palau.

15 January 1944:
At 0630, CH-35 departs Palau with subchasers CH-32, CH-34 and auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-10 escorting convoy "Wewak No. 17" consisting of ASO, TAIEI, KIBI and CHINZEI MARUs escorted by subchasers CH-32, CH -34 and auxiliary submarine chaser CHa10.

19 January 1944:
Arrives at Wewak.

20 January 1944:
Departs Wewak.

25 January 1944:
Arrives at Palau.

28 January 1944:
At 1600, CH-35 departs Palau with CH-16, CH-34 and CH-40 and auxiliary submarine chasers CHa-47 and CHa-61 escorting convoy SO-805 consisting of TOEI and HOKKAI MARUs, tanker TAKATORI MARU No. 2, TAIEI and TOKO MARUs. In addition, the convoy is given air cover.

30 January 1944:
At 0150, IJA freighter TOKO MARU, carrying troops of the 31st Infantry Regiment and 4th Field Hospital to Manus Island in the Admiralties, is torpedoed by LtCdr (later Captain) Slade D. Cutter's USS SEAHORSE (SS-304) at 06-20N, 138-08E. TOKO MARU sinks by the stern taking down 457 troops.

1 February 1944:
IJN transport TOEI MARU, carrying drummed gasoline and ammunition, is sunk by SEAHORSE's last torpedoes at 04-24N, 143-15E. LtCdr Cutter makes for Pearl Harbor.

E 4 February 1944:
CH-35 arrives at Rabaul, New Britain.

13 February 1944:
CH-35 departs Palau for Wewak and Hollandia escorting convoy "Wewak Transportation Yoto No. 2" consisting of TASMANIA and YASHIMA MARUs.

14 February 1944:
CH-35 is detached and returns to Palau. The convoy continues to its destinations unescorted.

23 February 1944:
At 1155, CH-35 departs Palau for Hollandia with auxiliary subchasers CHa-3 and CHa-63 escorting convoy "Wewak No. 20" consisting of KIBI, NARITA and TAIEI MARUs and DAIGEN MARU No. 3.

26 February 1944:
At 1833, LtCdr Robert J. Foley's USS GATO (SS-212) torpedoes and sinks DAIGEN MARU No. 3 at 01-51N, 115-15E. She takes down 554 troops of the IJA's 66th Infantry Regiment and 23 crewmen. The subchasers drop 26 depth-charges, but GATO slips away undamaged.

27 February 1944:
Arrives at Hollandia.

12 March 1944:
At 0700, CH-35 departs Palau for Hollandia with auxiliary subchasers CHa-10, CHa-47 and CHa-49 escorting convoy "Wewak Transportation Convoy No. 21" consisting of YAKUMO and TAIEI MARUs, an unidentified ship and a small sea truck.

16 March 1944:
At 1600, arrives at Hollandia.

17 March 1944:
At 1400, departs Hollandia.

18 March 1944:
Arrives at Wewak. Begins unloading that evening, but Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kenmore M. McManes' five destroyers of Task Group 74. 5 bombard Wewak. The unloading is curtailed and the convoy moves to another part of the island called Mushu where USS DALY (DD-519) sinks auxiliary subchaser CHa-10 at 03-33S, 143-38E.

19 March 1944:
The convoy is ordered to return to Palau. 50 miles N of Wewak, the convoy is attacked several times by waves of Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" heavy bombers, North American B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers of the 345th Bomb Wing, Douglas A-20 "Havocs" of the 3rd Bomb Group and P-38 "Lighning" fighers. The planes bomb, strafe and sink YAKUMO and TAIEI MARUs and auxiliary subchasers CHa-47 and CHa-49. Several A-20's are shot down during the attacks. In retaliation, the American's strafe the stuggling Japanese sailors in water.

20 March 1944:
Reassigned to the Central Pacific Area Fleet's 30th Base Force in Subchaser Division 31.

E 23 March 1944:
CH-35 arrives at Palau, the only survivor of the convoy.

25 March 1944:
CH-35 is attached to the Ninth Fleet.

30-31 March 1944: American Operation “Desecrate One”:
Palau. The anchorage is attacked by F6F "Hellcats", SBD "Dauntless", TBF "Avenger" and SB2C "Helldiver" carrier aircraft of Task Group 58. 1's USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) and COWPENS (CVL-25), TG 58. 2's BUNKER HILL (CV-17), HORNET (CV-12), MONTEREY (CV-26) and CABOT (CVL-28) and TG 58. 3's YORKTOWN (CV-10), LEXINGTON (CV-16), PRINCETON (CVL-23) and LANGLEY (CVL-27). TF 58’s planes sink many ships and damage CH-35, among others, at 07-30N, 134-30E.

5 May 1944:
Reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet's 4th Southern Expeditionary Fleet's 28th Special Base Force with CH-26 and CH-34. Escorts convoys to Davao and Cebu, Philippines.

11 June 1944:
CH-35 and CH-12 depart Keelung with destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-6 and CD-16 escorting convoy TAPA-09 consisting of TAMA, OYO and AZUCHISAN MARUs and two unidentified ships.

13 June 1944:
Arrives at Takao. KURETAKE probably is detached.

30 June 1944:
At 1000, CH-35, CH-12 and kaibokan CD-16 and CD-19 depart Cebu escorting convoy SEPA-01/SEDA- 01 consisting of TAMA, OYO and AZUCHISAN MARUs.

1 July 1944:
CH-35, CH-12, kaibokan CD-16, CD-19 and TAMA MARU separate and head for Palau.

4 July 1944:
At 0230, a friendly aircraft crash lands in the sea. CH-35 is detached to rescue its crew and falls behind. At 0352, TAMA MARU is torpedoed and sunk at 07-50N 133-40E in the second of two attacks by LtCdr Carl Tiedeman's USS GUAVINA (SS-362).

5 July 1944:
The escorts arrive at Palau alone.

30 June 1944:
At 1000, CH-35, CH-12 and kaibokan CD-6, CD-16 and CD-19 depart Cebu, Philippines escorting convoy SEPA-01/SEDA-01 consisting of TAMA, OYO and AZUCHISAN MARUs.

1 July 1944:
CH-35, CH-12, kaibokan CD-16, CD-19 and TAMA MARU separate and head for Palau.

4 July 1944:
At 0230, a friendly aircraft crash lands in the sea. CH-35 is detached to rescue its crew and falls behind. At 0352, TAMA MARU is torpedoed and sunk at 07-50N 133-40E in the second of two attacks by LtCdr Carl Tiedeman's USS GUAVINA (SS-362).

5 July 1944:
The escorts arrive at Palau alone.

8 July 1944:
Reassigned to the 4th Southern Expeditionary Fleet's 25th Special Base Force at Ambon, Moluccas.

26 July 1944:
At 0700, CH-35 departs Kau, Halmahera with subchasers CH-9, CH-34, auxiliary subchaser CHa-26 and SHONAN MARU Maru No. 17 escorting a convoy consisting of KANTO, TOSHO and KEMBU MARUs.

1 August 1944:
At 1850, arrives at Ambon.

4 August 1944:
At 1330, CH-35 departs Ambon with CH-26, CH-34 and minesweeper W-12 escorting an unnamed convoy consisting of SHINTAI, KANTO and KURAMASAN MARUs.

5 August 1944:
CH 26 is detached and returns to Ambon.

6 August 1944:
KANTO MARU is detached for Waha, Wangiwangi Island. At 1400, the remainder of the convoy arrives at Staring Bay, Celebes.

23 August 1944:
At 1500, CH-35 and CH-34 depart Makassar, Celebes escorting an unnamed convoy consisting of IKUTAGAWA MARU (ex-Italian CALITEA II) and TATEBE MARU.

26 August 1944:
At 1800, arrives at Surabaya, Java.

1 October 1944:
Singapore. CH-35 and CH-34 are reassigned to the 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet's 15th Special Base Force's Subchaser Division 11.

19 November 1944:
At 1000, CH-35 departs Singapore for Pangalanbrandan, Sumatra with minesweeper W-34 escorting a convoy consisting of NICHINAN, SHONAN, RITSUEI, SHOEI and AYAYUKI MARUs.

Malacca Straits. At 1837 that same day, British Lt Clifford R. Pelly's submarine HMS STRATAGEM torpedoes and sinks NICHINAN MARU at 01-36N, 102-53E. [1]

20 November 1944:
At 1822, aircraft attack the convoy, but inflict no damage.

22 November 1944:
Malacca Straits. An IJN float plane sights submarine HMS STRATAGEM and alerts CH-35 that depth charges and sinks STRATAGEM. CH-35 picks up the submarine's survivors and later lands them at Singapore. [1]

26 November 1944:
Arrives at Belawan, Sumatra. SHOEI MARU is detached. At 1900, the convoy arrives at Pangalanbrandan.

27 November 1944:
At 0205, CH-34 and CH-35 depart Singapore with kaibokan CD-27, minesweeper W-34 and auxiliary gunboat HUASHAN (KAZAN) MARU escorting convoy SHISA-30 consisting of EININ, TOHO, FUJISAN, HIKACHI (NISSHO), ENRYAKU, TATSUMIYA, YAMAKUNI and DAISHU MARUs.

30 November 1944:
Arrives at Saei (Tsoying). [2]

14 February 1945:
At 0800, CH-35, CH-20 and CH-34 depart Singapore with kaibokan CD-31 escorting convoy HI-88G consisting of small tankers YAEI MARU No. 1, TAKASAGO MARU No. 2 and NANSHIN MARU No. 30.

21 February 1945:
At 0900, arrives at St Jacques, Indochina. NANSHIN MARU No. 30 is detached and probably CH-34.

23 February 1945:
Off Cape Paderan, Indochina. Fifth Air Force B-25 bombers of the 345th Bomb Group's 500th Bomb Squadron attack convoy HI-88-G. The B-25's come under attack by covering IJA and IJN fighters, including a Rufe float fighter. At 1714, the B-25's strafe and bomb CH-35. Bracketed by two 500-lb bombs, CH-35 sinks at 11-30N, 109-00E. One of the B-25's is shot down by a subchaser.

3 May 1947:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Author's Note:
[1] After sinking NICHINAN MARU, Lt Pelly took HMS STRATAGEM to lie in ambush off the port of Malacca, Malaya, but on 22 Nov '45 she was detected by an aircraft, depth-charged by a surface vessel and sunk. Ten of her crew escaped and, suffering from the "bends", were picked by the Japanese. Seven died in captivity.

[2] One Japanese source (Komamiya) lists the destination as St Jacques rather than Saei, but this is probably an error since it is unlikely the convoy could make Formosa in three days even sailing direct.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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