KUSENTEI!

© 2008 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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1942:
Koyagi Island. Laid down at Kawaminami’s yard as subchaser No. 444.

1943:
Launched and renumbered CH-44.

15 May 1943:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District. Attached to the Yokosuka Guard Unit. Escorts convoys between Yokosuka and Kobe.

January 1944:
Assigned to convoy escort service between Yokohama, Minami-Tori-Shima and Chichi-Jima.

20 March 1944:
30 miles NE of Torishima. LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen’s USS POLLACK (SS-180) torpedoes and sinks auxiliary netlayer HAKUYO MARU at 30-53N, 140-42E. CH-44 counterattacks unsuccessfully and POLLACK escapes.

23 December 1944:
At 0600, CH 44 departs Tateyama with auxiliary sub chaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 escorting convoy No. 3122 consisting of CHOSHIN and MIYO MARUs and oil tanker No. 3998.

27 December 1944:
At 0515, near Futami, CHOSHIN MARU is mined, but is able to continue. Shortly thereafter arrives at Futami Port, Chichi-Jima.

28 December 1944:
At 0200, CH-44 departs Chichi-Jima for Yokohama with kaibokan CD-6, subchaser CH-52 and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 escorting convoy No. 4127 consisting of TAISHO, CHOSHIN and KYUSHU MARUs.

1 January 1945:
At 0400, arrives at Tateyama.

January 1945 :
Off the Kii Peninsula. Escorts convoys in the Kumano Sea.

April 1945:
Reassigned to the 4th Special Attack Unit. Patrols between Daio Zaki and Shimizu.

15 August 1945: End of Hostilities:
At Yokosuka.

September 1945:
Yokosuka. Surrendered to Allied Occupation Forces. CH-44’s hull and machinery are in such bad condition that her use of as a repatriatrion vessel is deemed impossible. She is laid up at Yokosuka. [1]

15 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

1948:
Scrapped.

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Authors' Note:
[1] Another Japanese source says CH-44 was surrendered at Yokohama. Still another source claims she was laid up at Uraga Dock Co., Tokyo.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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