KUSENTEI!

© 2005-2006 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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E 1942:
Osaka. Laid down at Naniwa dockyard.

1943:
Launched and numbered CH-52.

30 November 1943:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District. Attached to the Yokosuka Guard Force. Thereafter, escorts convoys between Yokosuka and Chichi-Jima, Bonin Islands.

January 1944:
CH-52 departs Yokosuka with CH-50 and minelayer SARUSHIMA escorting convoy 3125 B (Otsu) consisting of KASAGI MARU and possibly others to Chichi-Jima.

25 January 1944:
At 0700, CH-52 departs Yokosuka for Truk with kaibokan ISHIGAKI escorting convoy 3125A consisting of REIYO, TAMISHIMA and HANAGAWA MARUs.

30 January 1944:
At 1000, LtCdr Joseph W. Williams' USS SPEARFISH (SS-190) torpedoes TAMISHIMA MARU. At 2205, Williams again torpedoes TAMISHIMA MARU. In this second attack, she sinks instantly at 21-12N, 149-18E. HIRADO drops 46 depth-charges, but SPEARFISH escapes undamaged.

7 February 1944:
Arrives at Truk.

21 February 1944:
CH-52 is damaged by a mine.

March 1944:
Yokosuka. Undergoes repairs

4 May 1944:
At 1400, CH-52, CH-31 and CH-32 depart Tateyama with destroyers ASANAGI, MINATSUKI, torpedo boat OTORI, kaibokan OKI, CD-24 and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 escorting convoy 3503 consisting of KEIYO, HAKOZAKI, HIYORI (NICHIWA), ENOSHIMA, MINO, OSAKA, TAIKOKU, FUKKO, TATSUTAGAWA, SHINFUKU, FUKOKU, KOHO, KOJUN and SHUNSEN MARUs.

E 9 May 1944:
CH-52 is detached from the convoy near Chichi-Jima.

10 May 1944:
At 0430, CH-52, departs Chichi-Jima with auxiliary net layer SHINTO MARU No. 2 and NISSHO MARU No. 3 and auxiliary minesweeper Wa-4 escorting convoy No. 4510 consisting of KUMANO, SEIRYU, YAGI and YUSHU MARUs and BANEI MARU No. 6 and ASAHI MARU No. 2.

11 May 1944:
At 0330, in position 29.50N 141.50E Seiryu Maru is torpedoed and sunk by USS Sturgeon.

13 May 1944:
At 0820, arrives Yokosuka,

14 May 1944:
Arrives at Saipan. 20 June 1944 At 1402, CH-52 departs Chichi-Jima with auxiliary minesweepers SEKI MARU No. 3, TOSHI MARU No. 8 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-20 and an unidentified warship escorting convoy No. 4620B consisting of SURUGA, KASHIMA, YAYOI, KANESHIGE (KINJO), HASSHO, KUMANOSAN MARUs and UNKAI MARU No.7, TOKAI MARU No. 4. 24 June 1944:
At 0030, LtCdr 's USS GROUPER (SS-xxx) torpedoes and sinks KUMANOSAN MARU at 34-45N, 139-30E. At 1430, the convoy arrives at Yokosuka.

6 July 1944:
At 0645, CH-52 departs Hachijo-Jima, Bonin Islands for Chichi-Jima with kaibokan YASOJIMA, OKI, auxiliary subchaser SEKI MARU No. 2 escorting convoy No. 3706 consisting of SHIBAZONO, and YAEI MARUs, UNKAI MARU No. 7 and oil tanker No. 3995.

7 July 1944:
At 0700, arrives at Chichi-Jima. 18 July 1944:
At 1700, CH-52 departs Yokohama with torpedo boat CHIDORI, auxiliary minesweeper KEINAN MARU and an unidentified warship escorting convoy No. 3718B consisting of RYUKO, KYUSHU, YAYOI and SURUGA MARUs.

22 July 1944:
At 1400, arrives at Chichi-Jima.

23 July 1944:
At 1200, the same convoy departs Chichi-Jima.

27 July 1944:
At 0400, arrives at Nagaura, Tokyo Bay.

5 December 1944:
CH-52 departs Yokosuka for Hachijo Jima with subchaser CH-51 escorting an unidentified convoy. Enroute, CH-52 collides with CH-51. The extent of damage to CH-52 is unclear, but probably minor. However, CH-51 is forced to return to Yokosuka for repairs.

28 December 1944:
At 0200, CH-52 departs Chichi-Jima for Yokohama with kaibokan CD-6, subchaser CH-44 and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 escorting convoy No. 4228 consisting of TAISHO, CHOSHIN and KYUSHU MARUs.

1 January 1945:
At 0400, arrives at Tateyama.

26 January 1945:
At 0900, CH-52 departs Yokosuka for Chichi-Jima with kaibokan CD-47, subchaser CH-51 and auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 10 escorting convoy No. 3126 consisting of AITOKU, TAISHO, KYUSHU and RYUJIN MARUs. Anchors overnight at Tateyama.

29 January 1945:
At 0600, departs Tateyama.

29 January 1945:
At 2108, three North American B-25 “Mitchell” medium bombers attack the convoy. They hit auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 10 with five rockets that leave her flooding and unnavigable. CD-47 is also damaged by the planes at 27-45N, 142-00E.

At about 0200, CH-52 takes TAKUNAN MARU No. 10 under tow, but the tow line parts and the auxiliary subchaser sinks.

30 January 1945:
The convoy arrives at Chichi-Jima and unloads. At 2230, all ships depart except RYUJIN MARU.

3 February 1945:
Arrives at Tateyama.

March 1945:
Reassigned to the Sasebo Naval District.

May 1945:
Escorts convoys between Qingdao (Tsingtao), China and Sasebo and later between Pusan, Korea and Sasebo.

14 August 1945:
Near Sasebo. Damaged by unknown causes. [1]

15 August 1945: Cessation of Hostilities:
Sasebo. CH-52’s crew is notified of war’s end.

1948:
Scrapped.

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Authors' Note:
[1] Sources differ as to the agent of damage. One source claims it was USN carrier based aircraft, but this cannot be substantiated. Most likely the damage was caused by a mine.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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