KUSENTEI!

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

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17 April 1935:
Yokohama. Laid down at Tsurumi Ship Building.

6 June 1936:
Launched and numbered CH-3.

5 October 1936:
Completed and registered in the IJN.

7 December 1941: Operation "M" - The Invasion of the Northern Philippines:
CH-3 is in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kubo Kyuji’s (38) (former CO of KAGA) First Base Force of Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s (35)(former CO of YAMASHIRO) Third Fleet. CH-3 is attached to Takahashi's Philippines Seizure Force in LtCdr Okawara’s SubChasDiv 1 with CH-1 and CH-2.

10 December 1941:
Beginning at 0550, participates in the landings at Aparri, Philippines.

9 January 1942: Operation "H" - The Invasion of Celebes, Netherlands East Indies:
SubChasDiv 1's CH-3, CH-1 and CH-2 depart Davao with light cruiser NAGARA, patrol boats P-1, P-2, P-34 and MineSweepDiv 21's W-7, W-8, W-9, W-11 and W-12 escorting eight transports carrying Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mori Kunizo's (former CO of AO SATA) Sasebo No. 1 Combined Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) and Rear Admiral Kubo's 1st Base Force.

11 January 1942: The Invasion of Menado, Celebes Dutch East Indies:
SubChasDiv 1’s CH-3, CH-1 and CH-2 and Rear Admiral Kubo’s 1st Base Force with NAGARA, MineSweepDiv 21 and patrol boats provide escort for the Menado invasion force of eight transports carrying Sasebo No. 1 Combined SNLF.

At 0300, the SNLF lands on Kema, Celebes. At 0400, they land on Menado. Later, 334 men of Cdr (later Captain) Horiuchi Toyoaki's (later XO of TAKAO) Yokosuka No. 1 SNLF (Air) are dropped successfully from Mitsubishi G3M1-L "Nell" converted transport aircraft in the Menado-Kema area. The paratroops seize Langoan airfield.

31 January 1942: The Invasion of Ambon Island, Netherlands East Indies:
The invasion convoy includes ten transports carrying 820 men of Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hatakeyama Kouichiro's (former CO of KINUGASA) Kure No. 1 SNLF, elements of the Sasebo SNLF and the 228th Infantry Regiment.

The convoy's escort is provided by SubChasDiv 1’s CH-2, CH-1 and CH-3 with Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Tanaka Raizo in light cruiser JINTSU with DesDiv 8's DesDiv 15 and DesDiv 16, MineSweepDiv 21 and patrol boats PB-34 and PB-39. Air cover is provided by CarDiv 11's MIZUHO and CHITOSE. CruDiv 5's NACHI and HAGURO, DesDiv 6's IKAZUCHI and DesDiv 7's USHIO and SAZANAMI provide the covering force.

5-10 February 1942: The Invasion of Makassar, Celebes:
SubChasDiv 1’s CH-3, CH-1 and CH-2 and Rear Admiral Kubo’s 1st Base Force with NAGARA, MineSweepDiv 21 and SubchasDiv 2 provide escort for the Makassar invasion force of six transports carrying Mori's Sasebo Combined SNLF.

10 March 1942:
Assigned to Vice Admiral Takahashi's Southwest Area Fleet's newly formed Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet in Special Base Force 21's SubChasDiv 1 organized at Surabaya, Java. Thereafter, escorts convoys between Surabaya, Kendari and Makassar, Celebes.

1 May 1942:
SubChasDiv 1 is disbanded. CH-3 is reassigned to SubChasDiv 2 in the Yokosuka Naval District with CH-1 and CH-2.

4 June 1942:
CH-3 and destroyer MINAZUKI depart Manila escorting convoy No. 901 consisting of one unidentified merchant ship.

10 June 1942:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

15 June 1942:
CH-3 departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 003 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.

21 June 1942:
Arrives at Manila.

24 June 1942:
CH-3 departs Manila escorting convoy No. 902 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships..

29 June 1942:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

5 July 1942:
CH-3 departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No.005 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.

10 July 1942:
Arrives at Manila.

14 July 1942:
In the Southwest Area Fleet's Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet in Special Base Force 21. That same day, CH-3 departs Manila in convoy No. 904 consisting of one unidentified merchant ship.

19 July 1942:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

25 December 1943:
At 1200, departs Surabaya escorting tanker SHINKOKU MARU, that is en route to Balikpapan, Borneo as far as Laut Island; then returns to Surabaya.

30 December 1943:
CH-3 departs Surabaya for Kupang, Timor escorting convoy "T" consisting of HEIMEI, NICHINAN (41,2742), TENSHO and NICHIEI MARUs and one unidentified ships.

2 January 1944:
Arrives at Nangahale, Flores where NICHINAN and TENSHO MARUs and the unidentified ship are detached. The remainder of the convoy departs the next morning,

4 January 1944:
At 1200, arrives at Kupang. About 1700, the anchorage is attacked by B-25 “Mitchell” medium bombers at low level. One B-25 strikes HEIMEI MARU and crashes into the sea. Its bomb load lands on the ship, which later has to be scuttled by shore-based gunfire.

10 January 1944:
At 1630, arrives at Surabaya.

23 January 1944:
At 0830, CH-3 departs Palau with minelayer SHIRATAKA and destroyer SHIRANUHI escorting convoy Wewak No. 18 consisting of KAYO, KOFUKU and MEXICO MARUs.

28 January 1944:
Arrives at Wewak. Immediately prior to arrival, SHIRATAKA detaches to nearby Kairiru Island to unload troops. At Kairiru Island, she embarks 700 sick and wounded soldiers. SHIRANUHI diverts to Hollandia, New Guinea.

29 January 1944:
The convoy departs Wewak. CH-3 and SHIRATAKA catch up with the convoy and SHIRANUHI.

3 February 1944:
All arive at Palau.

19 October 1944:
CH-1, CH-3, CH-19, auxiliary minesweepers CHOUN MARU No. 6 and CHOUN MARU No. 7 depart Miri escorting convoy MISHI-11 consisting of 16 unidentified merchant ships.

23 October 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

4 April 1945:
Departs Batavia escorting German U-Boat depot ship QUITO Go to Balikpapan, Borneo.

September 1945:
Surabaya, Java. Captured by Allied Forces.

11 July 1946:
Off the coast of Singapore. Scuttled by the Royal Navy.

10 August 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Author's Notes:
Little data were found detailing CH-3's movements during 1942-Dec '43 and Mar '44-Aug '45. Readers with access to such data are requested to post the information on the Discussion and Questions board or at j-aircraft.org's IJN Ship Message Board

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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