KUSENTEI!
IJN Subchaser CH-58:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2008-2010 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 3
1943:
Niigata Laid down at the Niigata Iron Works shipyard.
1943:
Launched and numbered CH-58.
26 January 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN in the Sasebo Naval District. Attached to the Sasebo Guard Force.
February 1944:
transfer in the 18th squadron of destroyers and mine-laying areas of Amami Oshima, engaged in escort.
10 April 1944:
CH-58 is reassigned to the Fourth Surface Escort Division, Sasebo Naval District.
Early June 1944:
Escorts oil supply convoys between TawiTawi, Philippines and Tarakan, Borneo.
11 June 1944:
CH-58 departs Takao with kaibokan KASADO, auxiliary gunboat CHOHAKUSAN MARU and auxiliary subchaser CHa-90 escorting convoy TAMO-20A consisting of 10 unidentified merchant ships.
17 June 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
19-20 June 1944:
CH-58, torpedo boat TOMOZURU and patrol boat KAII provide escort for the 18th Escort Squadron consisting of minelayer TOKIWA (F), armed merchant cruiser SAIGON MARU, small minelayer TAKASHIMA, auxiliary minelayers KOEI and SHINKO MARUs that lay 1,650 mines off Okinawa.
25 July 1944:
At 0155, CH-58 departs Davao for Zamboanga, Philippines with kaibokan CD-6 and CD-16, minesweeper W-30, subchaser CH-49, auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 12, auxiliary netlayer TOKACHI MARU, auxiliaries TOKO MARU and HIYODORI MARU No. 2 escorting convoy Z-258 consisting of AZUCHISAN, OYO, TATSUHARU, RYUKA and KITAGAMI MARUs and HISHI MARU No. 2, KYOEI MARU No. 2 and LST No. 127. The convoy is provided air cover.
27 July 1944:
At about 0100, LtCdr (later Captain) Bladen D. Claggett's USS DACE (SS-247) attacks the convoy and sinks tanker KYOEI MARU No. 2. At about 1400, the convoy is attacked by aircraft in the Pilas Channel, but suffers no damage. At 1830, the convoy arrives at Zamboanga.
28 July 1944:
CH-58 and CH-49 depart Zamboanga with kaibokan CD-6 and CD-16 escorting convoy C-294 consisting of 4 unidentified merchant ships.
31 July 11944:
Arrives at Cebu.
8 August 1944:
CH-58 departs Manila with kaibokan CD-5, CD-6, CD-9 and CD-16 and an unidentified warship escorting convoy MATA-26 consisting of TAKETSU (BUTSU), IKOMASAN, ASAKA MARUs and 18 other unidentified merchant ships.
14 August 1944:
In the eye of a major typhoon, war built tanker TAKETSU (BUTSU) MARU breaks up, though whether a result of the weather or a drifting mine is unclear. IKOMASAN and ASAKA MARUs are both stranded on islands in the Bashi Island Group, North of Luzon. Both are later refloated.
17 August 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
20 August 1944:
CH-58 departs Keelung with kaibokan CD-5, CD-6, CD-9, CD-18, and Auxiliary gunboat CHOHAKUSAN MARU escorting convoy TAMO-23 consisting of KIYOKAWA and SHINFUKU MARUs and TONAN MARU No. 2 and 11 unidentified merchant ships.
22 August 1944:
LtCdr (later Admiral/CINCPACFLT) Bernard A. Clarey’s USS PINTADO (SS-387) torpedoes and sinks TONAN MARU No. 2 at 29-53N, 125-9E.
26 August 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
October 1944:
Escorts convoys between Sasebo and Okinawa.
10 October 1944:
Off Naha, Okinawa. Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher’s Task Force 38 planes damage CH-58.
October–November 1944:
Undergoes battle damage repairs at Sasebo and Jinhae.
December 1944:
Attached to the Sasebo Naval District. Continues repairs.
18 January 1945:
CH-58 departs Sasebo with kaibokan CD-22 escorting auxiliary gunboat CHOHAKUSAN MARU en route to Ishigaki-Jima to deliver "Shinyo" type explosive motorboats of the 38th Attack Unit.
24 January 1945:
SW of Kyushu. At 0740, CD-22 detects LtCdr James D. Grant's USS GREENLING (SS-213) with her sonar and attacks the submarine with depth charges until 1030, when contact is lost. Later that night, CD-22 picks up submarine radio traffic at 4235 kilocycles, probably originating from GREENLING.
28 January 1945:
Arrives at Ishigaki.
January 1945:
Escorts convoys between Sasebo and Amami-Oshima, Ryukyus.
21 March 1945:
CH-58 departs Kagoshima with kaibokan CD-29 and auxiliary minesweeper TAIAN MARU escorting convoy KANA-101 consisting of cargo ship KACHAOSAN MARU.
22 March 1945:
At 2200, arrives at Kuji Wan, Amami Oshima.
23 March 1945:
At 0530, departs Kuji Wan. At 1030, CD-29 orders the convoy away from its intended destination of Okinawa and directs it to head to the China coast. At 1615, American carrier aircraft attack the convoy. KACHAOSAN MARU is bombed and sinks at 1628. CH-58 is also slightly damaged.
10 May 1945:
CH-58 is reassigned to the 5th Special Attack Squadron, Sasebo Naval District.
21 May 1945:
USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message that reads: "CH-37, CH-58 and Transport T. 173 are scheduled to depart Sasebo at 1800." The message also gives the scheduled positions for 1800, 22 May as 30-40N, 129-45E and 1800, 23 May as 29-25 N, 129-15 E.
22 May 1945:
Near Amami Oshima. Aircraft from carriers USS BENNINGTON (CV-20) and HORNET (CV-12) sink CH-58, CH-37 and landing ship T. 173 at 29-45N, 129-10E.
10 August 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
Thanks also 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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