KUSENTEI!

© 2008-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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E 1942:
Osaka. Laid down at Naniwa dockyard.

1943:
Launched and numbered CH-56.

30 November 1943:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District. Attached to the Yokosuka Guard Unit. Undergoes training.

2 June 1944:
CH-56 and CH-23 depart Moji with kaibokan CD-14, auxiliary submarine chasers CHa-90 and CHa-95escorting convoy MOTA-21 (part 1) consisting of 23 unidentified merchant ships.

7 June 1944:
At 0900, an enemy submarine is sighted at 28-18N, 123-03E.

9 June 1944:
At 0900. an enemy submarine is sighted at 24-50N, 120-30E.

10 June 1944:
Arrives at Takao.

25 August 1944:
Reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet’s Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet’s 22nd Special Base Force at Balikpapan, Borneo.

11 September 1944:
At 1500, CH-56 departs Moji for Takao with destroyer HARUKAZE, kaibokan CD-9 and CD-26 escorting convoy MOTA-26 consisting of GASSAN, SEIZAN, HAKUSAN, HOTEN, MURORAN, MANILA, MACASSAR, DAIIKU, DAIKYO, NANKING, FUYUKAWA, PEKING, DAIZEN, HIDA and JUNHO MARUs and NICHIYU MARU No. 2 and tanker DAISHO MARU.

16 September 1944:
GASSAN, SEIZAN and HAKUSAN MARUs split from the convoy and later that day arrive at Keelung, Formosa.

17 September 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Takao.

25 September 1944:
At 1400, CH-56 departs Takao with destroyer HARUKAZE, kaibokan CD-6, CD-9, CD-16 and fleet stores ship KURASAKI escorting convoy TAMA-27 consisting of DAIBIN, SAN DIEGO MARUs and nine unidentified merchant ships.

30 September 1944:
An enemy submarine contact is made.

3 October 1944:
Arrives at Masinloc.

4 October 1944:
At 0630, departs Masinloc. At 0855, Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Rueben T. Whitaker's USS FLASHER (SS-249) torpedoeds and sinks DAIBIN MARU, which had detached with KURASAKI, at 15-15N, 119-50E. Late that day, the remaining ships arrive at Manila.

6 October 1944:
Fleet oiler SHIRETOKO departs Manila with small tanker KYOEI MARU. It is unclear whether there is an escort. Stops briefly at Lubang Island before resuming voyage.

7 October 1944:
NW of Manila. At 0334, LtCdr James A. Adkins' USS COD (SS-224) attacks SHIRETOKO by SJ radar. He fires four torpedoes on radar bearings and range and gets two hits at 13-30N, 119-20E. Later that day, arrives a Busuanga anchorage and stays there carrying out urgent repairs for the next fivedays.

12 October 1944:
Departs Busuanga. Later that day, arrives at Tawi Tawi.

13 October 1944:
Departs Tawi Tawi. Later that day, arrives at Puerto Princesa, Palawan Islands.

16 October 1944:
Departs Puerto Princesa. Later that day, arrives at Brookes Point.

17 October 1944:
Departs Brookes Point. Later that day, arrives at Banggi Island.

18 October 1944:
CH-56 joins the convoy as escort. Later that day, tanker SHUNTEN MARU and minesweeper W-105 also join the convoy.

19 October 1944 :
Departs Banggi Island and reaches Kudat later that day. SHUNTEN MARU and W-105 probably are detached.

20 October 1944:
Departs Kudat. Later that day, arrives at Turtle Island.

21 October 1944:
Departs Turtle Island.

22 October 1944:
Arrives at Tarakan.

24 October 1944:
Departs Tarakan and anchors for the night at unknown location "Moerabantai"

25 October 1944:
Departs Moerabantai. Later that day, arrives at Sangkulirang Bay.

26 October 1944:
Departs Sangkulirang Bay. Later that day, arrives unknown location "Howala" Pagar.

27 October 1944:
Departs "Howala" Pagar. Later that day, arrives at Balikpapan.

12 November 1944:
CH-56 departs Singapore escorting convoy SHISA-29 consisting of eight unidentified merchant ships.

16 November 1944:
Arrives at St Jacques.

18 November 1944:
At 0645, CH-56 departs Singapore for Manila with kaibokans KURAHASHI, CD-31 and CD-32 escorting convoy SHIMA-05 consisting of MANILA and TASMANIA MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 5 and tanker AYANAMI MARU.

24 November 1944:
The convoy arrives at Miri, Borneo and departs at 1710.

25 November 1944:
At 0535, LtCdr John R. Madison's USS MINGO (SS-261) torpedoes MANILA MARU and gets three hits. Loaded with ammunition and gasoline, MANILA MARU explodes and sinks in four minutes at 05-42N, 113-15E. The escorts do not counter-attack.

29 November 1944:
SHIMA-05 arrives at Manila.

4 December 1944:
At 1100, CH-56 departs Manila for Singapore with patrol boat PB-104 (ex-Dutch VALK), auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 13 and auxiliary netlayer TOKACHI MARU escorting a convoy consisting of AYANAMI and SHOEI MARUs and BANSHU MARU No. 63.

5 December 1944:
AYANAMI MARU has engine trouble and is detached back to Manila.

13 December 1944:
At 1625, arrives at Singapore.

1944-1945:
Based at Surabaya, Java. Escorts convoys.

8 April 1945:
At 1505, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from CH-56 that reads: “At 1350 enemy submarine made torpedo attack on transport unit in position 06-30S, 113-08E. Mopping up unit No. 2 will sortie immediately and attack and sink the enemy.”

23 April 1945:
At 2000, departs Surabaya escorting three small ships of 150 tons each (probably wooden "Shuttleboats")

28 April 1945:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

At 1348, codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from CH-56 responding to orders to rescue survivors: “Reference Serial 281045, expect to rescue personnel aboard Shuttle Vessel No. 302, which has run aground at Sebangkatan Island, when this convoy passes there the afternoon of the 30th.”

30 April 1945:
At 1707, codebreakers decrypt a message from CH-56 that reads: “Communication Boat No. 302 ran aground on the north side of Salinguigan Island, 02-19S, 117-14E. Part of the crew (including the Captain, 3 Japanese, and 7 (natives ?) were rescued. The others ---.”

15 August 1945: End of Hostilities:
Surabaya. Handed over to Allied coalition forces. Later scrapped.

3 May 1947:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors’ Notes
Thanks go to John Whitman of the USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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