KUSENTEI!

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

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1 January 1938:
Osaka. Laid down at the Sakurajima Zosensho shipyard.

13 September 1938:
Launched and numbered CH-4.

28 December 1938:
Completed and registered in the IJN.

7 December 1941: Operation "M" - The Invasion of the Northern Philippines:
Assigned to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto's (former CO of AOBA) 2nd Base Force of Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's (36) (former CO of KIRISHIMA) Third Fleet. Attached to the Philippines Seizure Force in Cdr Ota's SubChasDiv 21 with CH-5, CH-6, CH-16, CH-17 and CH-18. At 1630, departs Mako, Pescadores.

10 December 1941:
Participates in the landings at Vigan, Philippines. January 1942:
Conducts anti-submarine patrols from Davao, Philippines.

8-12 March 1942:
Participates in the capture of Surabaya, Java.

10 March 1942:
Assigned to Vice Admiral Takahashi's Southwest Area Fleet's newly formed Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet in Special Base Force 22 organized at Surabaya with CH-5 and CH-6. Escorts convoys to Balikpapan, Borneo.

25 June 1942:
CH-4 departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 004 consisting of one unidentified merchant ship.

1 July 1942:
Arrives at Manila.

4 July 1942:
CH-4 departs Manila with CH-3 and auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 2 escorting convoy No. 903 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.

10 July 1942:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

15 July 1942:
CH-4 departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 006 consisting of one unidentified merchant ship.

19 July 1942:
Arrives at Manila.

19 May 1943:
CH-4 departs Palau escorting convoy No. 2502 consisting of five unidentified merchant ships.

26 May 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

11 June 1943:
CH-4 departs Palau escorting convoy No. 2504 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.

19 June 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

22 June 1943:
CH-4 departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 2602 consisting of fleet oiler TSURUMI.

23 July 1943:
CH-4 departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 2604 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.

29 July 1943:
Arrives at Palau.

4 August 1943:
CH-4 departs Palau escorting convoy No. 2507 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.

9 August 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

20 August 1943:
At 0900, CH-4 and CH-5 depart Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 2606 consisting of AMAGISAN, NICHIAI and YAMAYURI MARUs and fleet oiler TSURUMI.

23 August 1943:
YAMAYURI MARU and CH-5 are detached for Menado and then NICHIAI MARU is detached.

26 August 1943:
Off Palau. LtCdr John A. Scott's TUNNY (SS-282) unsuccessfully attacks a convoy consisting of transport AMAGISAN MARU and fleet oiler TSURUMI escorted by CH-4 at 07-30N, 134-20E. CH-4 depth charges and damages TUNNY. Scott is forced to terminate his patrol.

20 October 1943:
CH-4, destroyer WAKATAKE and auxiliary subchaser CHa-41 escort convoy No. 2609 consisting of nine unidentified ships from Makassar, Celebes to Palau.

29 October 1943:
At 0600, departs Palau escorting SENKO MARU via Menado to Balikpapan.

4 January 1944:
CH-4 arrives at Kupang, Timor escorting a convoy consisting of cargo ships NICHIEI and HEIMEI MARUs.

22 March 1944:
At 0745, CH-4 and patrol boat PB-102 (ex-USS STEWART, DD-224) depart Tarakan escorting a convoy consisting of NANSUSAN, SEITO, ANJO and SHONAN MARUs.

24 March 1944:
At 1150, arrives at Balikpapan.

18 April 1944:
Kendari, Celebes. CH-4 runs aground in Staring Bay and sustains medium damage. Later, she undergoes repairs at Surabaya.

13 June 1944:
Repairs are completed. Thereafter, escorts convoys from the Philippines to Balikpapan.

7 August 1944:
At 0630, CH-4 and patrol boat PB-2 depart Tawi Tawi escorting TATSUHARU MARU to Balikpapan, Borneo.

11 August 1944:
At 2030, arrives at Balikpapan.

8 November 1944:
At 1900, CH-4, three unidentified subchasers and patrol boat PB-2 depart Manila for Balikpapan escorting convoy B-02 consisting of MANYO MARU and oilers HISHI MARU No. 2 and KYOEI MARU.

9 November 1944:
Mindoro Strait. At 1530, LtCdr Franch C. Lynch's USS HADDO (SS-255) torpedoes and sinks HISHI MARU No. 2 at 12-24N 120-45E. The escorts counterattack with depth charges, but Lynch evades and escapes.

E 11 November 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan. 2 March 1945:
Surabaya. CH-4 undergoes repairs and servicing and then returns to convoy escort duties.

13 August 1945:
Surabaya Channel. CH-4 hits a mine and is damaged.

August 1945: Cease Fire:
Bandjermasin, Borneo. CH-4 is turned over to Allied Forces. Later, she is sold to an unknown party.

3 May 1947:
Removed from the Navy List.

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-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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