Japanese Subchasers

KUSENTEI!

(Subchaser No. 46 by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings of Japanese Warships")

IJN Subchaser CH-61: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2005-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 1

1943:
Niigata. Laid down at the Niigata Engineering Co., Ltd. factory.
1943:
Launched and numbered CH-61.
8 May 1944:
Completed and registered in the Kure Naval District. Assigned to the Kure Guard Unit. Undergoes training at Saeki.
June 1944:
Based at Takao, Formosa. Escorts convoys between Takao and Manila.
20 June 1944:
At 1930, CH-61 departs Moji for Singapore with destroyer KURETAKE, minelayer SHIRATAKA and kaibokan HIRADO, KURAHASHI, CD-5 and CD-13 escorting convoy HI-67 consisting of transports GOKOKU, MANJU, NANKAI, KINUGASA, ASAKA, ASAHISAN and HAKOZAKI MARUs and oilers MIRI, OTORISAN, NICHINAN No. 2, SARAWAK and SHINEI MARUs.
E 26 June 1944:
CD-2 and destroyer ASAGAO join convoy HI-67.
29 June 1944:
Near dawn, LtCdr Anton W. Gallaher's USS BANG (SS-385) picks up convoy HI-67. Gallaher makes a long "end-around" in daylight. At about 1500, he fires all ten torpedoes in his bow and stern tubes at three ships. He damages MIRII and SARAWAK MARUs. Both oilers are hit in the bow, but each manages to proceed to Manila.
30 June 1944:
The convoy arrives at Manila. GOKOKU, SARAWAK and MIRII MARUs are detached.
3 July 1944:
At 0600, HI-67 departs Manila.
9 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore at 1640.
14 July 1944:
At 1900, CH-61 departs Takao for Manila with kaibokan KUSAGAKI, CD-1, CD-22 and minelayers MAESHIMA, ENTO and minesweeper W-34 escorting convoy TAMA-21C consisting of MANTAI, MITSUKI, JINSAN, SEATTLE, YASUKUNI, TENSHIN, YAMATAMA, SAINEI, HIYAMA, KOKKA [4], SHOZAN and SHOEI MARUs and tankers SHONAN, MITSU, AYAGIRI and AYAZONO MARUs.
16 July 1944:
At 0946, LtCdr Harold E. Ruble's USS PIRANHA (SS-389) torpedoes and sinks SEATTLE MARU at 19-17N, 120-15E. HIYAMA and SHOZAN MARUs rescue the survivors.
Over the next six hours, Captain William V. O'Regan’s wolf pack, nicknamed the "Mickey Finns", consisting of LtCdr Duncan C. MacMillian's USS THRESHER (SS-200), LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Novell G. Ward's GUARDFISH (SS-217) and Ruble's PIRANHA closes in and decimates the convoy.
At 2300, MacMillian's THRESHER torpedoes and sinks SAINEI MARU at 18-53N, 119-32E. At 2350, Ward's GUARDFISH torpedoes and sinks JINZAN MARU. Two minutes later, Ward torpedoes and sinks MANTAI MARU.
17 July 1944:
The attacks continue. At 0034,Ward's GUARDFISH torpedoes and sinks HIYAMA MARU. W-34 and CD-1 rescue survivors. At 0345, MacMillian's THRESHER torpedoes and sinks SHOZAN MARU at 18-50N, 119-43E. CD-1 and W-34 rescue the survivors.
19 July 1944:
At 1920, convoy TAMA-21C arrives at Manila.
23 July 1944:
At 1545, CH-61 departs Manila for Moji with torpedo boat SAGI, kaibokan CD-1, CD-18 CD-28, minesweeper W-17 and minelayer ENOSHIMA escorting convoy MI-08 consisting of MIZUHO, MANILA, ARABIA, TATSUBATO, HAKUROKU MARUs and tankers SAN DIEGO, SAN LUIS, NITTETSU, MIRII, CHIHAYA, RYUSHO and SANKO (YAMAKO) MARUs and KYOEI MARU No. 6. The convoy speed is eight knots.
27 July 1944:
At 0920, auxiliary subchaser CHa-74 and auxiliary transport OYO MARU join the escort. At 1605, the convoy arrives at Takao and is again reorganized. CH-61 is detached.
1 October 1944:
At 1300, CH-61 departs Takao for Manila, Philippines with torpedo boat HIYODORI, kaibokan CD-6, CD-16 and CD-20, minesweepers W-38 and W-39, subchaser CH-61 and two unidentified warships escorting convoy TAMA-29 consisting of EJIRI, TOKO, RYUEI, KOSHO, URADO and TEIFU MARUs and seven unidentified merchant ships.
3 October 1944:
At 1703, the convoy arrives at Camiguin Island.
6 October 1944:
At 1900, the convoy departs Camiguin Island.
8 October 1944:
At 0250, the convoy arrives at North San Fernando. W-38 and W-39 are detached.
10 October 1944:
At 1335. LtCdr Donald G. Baer's USS LAPON (SS-260) torpedoes and sets EJIRI MARU afire at 16-10N, 119-45E. She is carrying 2086 passengers. Abandon Ship is ordered. Unmanned, she drifts aground at about 1700 S of Cape Rena. Several explosions occur and she sinks about 1800. LAPON endures 28 DCs, but escapes unharmed.
12 October 1944:
At dawn, the convoy arrives at Manila Bay, but does not enter because of fear of air attacks. TAMA-29 continues southward. At 1410, LtCdr William T. Kinsella's USS RAY (SS-271) torpedoes and sinks TOKO MARU at 13-32N, 128-21E. RAY counts 30 DCs, but escapes unharmed.
13 October 1944:
The convoy arrives at Manila.
16 November 1944:
At 0600, CH-61 departs Keelung for Moji with kaibokan CD-20 and CD-39 escorting convoy TAMO-29 consisting of SHUYO, FUKUJU and MELBOURNE MARUs and two unidentified ships.
23 November 1944:
At 0348, LtCdr Evan T. Shepard’s USS PICUDA (SS-382) torpedoes and sinks SHUYO MARU at 34-14N, 128-28E. At 0845, after tracking the convoy and making an "end-around", Shepard torpedoes and sinks FUKUJU MARU at 34-10N, 128-58E. The escorts counter-attack and drop 23 depth charges on PICUDA, but she escapes undamaged.
24 November 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
9 January 1945:
Off southern Formosa. Vice Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain’s Task Force 38 carrier-based aircraft attack and sink CH- 61 at 22-40N, 120-04E.
10 March 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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