© 2006-2008 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
30 October 1942:
Tokyo. Laid down at the Uraga Dock K. K. shipyard.
2 April 1943:
Launched and named FUKUE.
28 June 1943:
Completed and assigned to the Yokosuka Naval District. LtCdr Okabe Tsuyoshi is the Commanding Officer.
15 July 1943:
Reassigned to the Fourth Fleet’s Second Surface Escort
Division.
24 July 1943:
FUKUE departs Yokosuka for Truk escorting convoy No.
3724 consisting of MOGAMIGAWA, SEIKO and YAMAGIRI MARUs.
31 July 1943:
At 2307, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) George H. Wales’s USS POGY (SS-266)
torpedoes and sinks MOGAMIGAWA MARU. FUKUE briefly counter-attacks, dropping
only three depth charges. A few hours later, FUKUE and SEIKO MARU return to the
scene of the sinking and rescue about 600 survivors, but at 0610, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) David
L. Whelchel's USS STEELHEAD (SS-280) torpedoes SEIKO MARU. The rescue ship is carrying a cargo of timber and does not sink. FUKUE again counter-attacks, this time dropping 13 depth charges, but without result.
2 August 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
10 August 1943:
FUKUE departs Truk for Yokosuka escorting convoy No.
4810 consisting of GOSHU, KEISHO and MOMOYAMA MARUs.
18 August 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
27 August 1943:
FUKUE departs Yokosuka for Truk escorting convoy 3827A consisting of NIKKO and
KOSEI MARUs.
6 September 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
8 September 1943:
FUKUE departs Truk for Yokosuka escorting convoy
No. 4908 consisting of KENSHIN, HOKO MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 18.
19 September 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
21 September 1943:
At 1300, FUKUE departs Tokyo Bay for Truk with
kaibokan OKI escorting convoy No. 3921 consisting of KIKUKAWA, HAKKAI, HIYOSHI, MATSUYO, HARUNA, KAIKO and TAIAN MARUs and NANKAI MARU No. 2 and MIKAGE MARU No. 18
28 September 1943:
SW of Anatahan Island, Marianas. At 0715, TAIAN
MARU is detached for Saipan escorted by auxiliary minesweeper FUMI MARU No. 2
and auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 10 that steamed out to meet her. At 1422,
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) William S. Post's USS GUDGEON (SS-211) torpedoes and
sinks TAIAN MARU. The two escorts drop 17 depth charges unsuccessfully.
1 October 1943:
Convoy No. 3921 arrives at Truk.
5 October 1943:
FUKUE joins oiler HOYO MARU early that day.
At 1000, FUKUE and HOYO MARU arrive at Truk.
8 October 1943:
FUKUE departs Truk for Yokosuka with auxiliary minelayer CHOAN MARU and auxiliary TOKUNAN MARU escorting convoy No. 4008 consisting of MANJU, TAIAN, SANKO and TATEBE MARUs.
13 October 1943:
The convoy is joined by TSUNESHIMA, MUKU and CHIYO
MARUs from Saipan.
19 October 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
26 October 1943:
FUKUE departs Yokosuka for Truk with auxiliary gunboat CHOAN MARU No. 2 escorting convoy No. 3026 consisting of SOYU, AWA and SANKISAN MARUs.
9 November 1943:
Convoy No. 3026 arrives at Truk.
14 November 1943:
At 1200, FUKUE departs Truk for Yokosuka with destroyer YUZUKI and patrol boat PB-46 escorting convoy No. 4114 consisting of transports HOKKO and UDO MARUs and NIKKO and CHIYO MARUs. HOKKO MARU is towing subchaser CH-10 been damaged in an air attack two months earlier.
15 November 1943:
Reassigned to the General Escort Command’s Second Surface Escort Division.
19 November 1943:
Northern Marianas. In the early morning hours, Cdr (MOH, posthumously) Samuel Dealey's USS HARDER (SS-257) makes radar contact off the port quarter of the convoy. Dealey makes an "end around" then submerges 15,000 yards ahead of the convoy. He waits until YUZUKI passes 800 yards across his stern then fires his six bow torpedoes at two large transports and gets five hits. At 0415, HOKKO MARU sinks at 0415 at 22-27N, 147-15E. Dealey swings HARDER around and fires his four stern tubes. At 0435, UDO MARU is hit and badly damaged.
YUZUKI takes UDO MARU in tow, but at 1040, the transport's hull splits and the aft part of the ship sinks. CHIYO MARU takes up towing subchaser CH-10 and heads for Chichi-Jima with FUKUE. Later, NIKKO MARU is ordered back to assist in the tow of UDO MARU. At 1850, NIKKO MARU arrives back on the scene, but experiences great difficulty trying to tow UDO MARU. Finally, the wreck is abandoned and sinks a few hours later.
The escorts counterattack and drive HARDER deep under a thermocline layer of cold water. Dealey's crew counts 64 depth depth charges dropped over the next five hours during which they reload all tubes. HARDER surfaces early in the afternoon and takes up the chase again. That night, Dealey closes to 1,000 yards of the convoy and fires four Mark 14-3A steam torpedoes at a transport, but they all run deep and pass under the target. Dealey makes another "end around" and submerges 12,000 yards ahead of the convoy. He sets up and at 2355, fires three bow torpedoes and gets one hit in NIKKO MARU's stern.
20 November 1943:
NE of the Marianas. The Japanese get NIKKO MARU's pumps running and efficiently control the flooding. In the early morning hours, HARDER fires three more stern torpedoes at her, but they all miss. Out of torpedoes, a frustrated Sam Dealey departs the area, but NIKKO MARU later loses her battle with the sea and sinks at 23-20N, 147-30E.
27 November 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
28 November 1943:
FUKUE departs Yokosuka for Truk escorting convoy No. 3128 consisting of REIYO, SHOHO, NAGISAN, HARUNA and KENRYU MARUs.
29 November 1943:
S of Hachjo-Jima. At 0905, LtCdr Merrill K. Clementson’s old USS SNAPPER (SS-185) torpedoes and sinks KENRYU MARU.
12 December 1943:
Convoy No. 3128 arrives at Truk.
22 December 1943:
FUKUE Departs Truk for Yokosuka with an unidentified subchaser escorting fleet convoy 4222 consisting of NAGOYA MARU and transports KOKAI and REIYO MARUs. Destroyer IKAZUCHI also joins the escort.
1 January 1944:
Off Aogashima. At 0258, LtCdr Raymond W. Johnson’s HERRING (SS-233) attacks the convoy. Johnson sets up for a visual attack on the surface. He fires three torpedoes at a large transport and gets a hit in NAGOYA MARU's port quarter causing flooding in holds No's 1 and 2. IKAZUCHI unsuccessfully counter-attacks HERRING. NAGOYA MARU’s crew abandons the ship. IKAZUCHI rescues survivors.
2 January 1944:
NAGOYA MARU becomes increasingly unstable, upends and finally sinks at 32-15N, 138-02E.
3 January 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
January 1944:
FUKUE departs Yokosuka for Truk escorting an
unidentified convoy and arrives safely at her destination.
27 January 1944:
FUKUE departs Truk for Yokosuka with minesweeper
W-23 and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 escorting convoy No. 4127
consisting of MATSUE and SHINYO MARUs and YOSHIDA MARU No. 3.
19 February 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1 April 1944:
At 1100, FUKUE departs Tokyo as part of the escort of
26-ship convoy Higashi-Matsu No. 4. The ships and their destinations are: Saipan: SHOUN, TOKO, TAKASAN, AKIKAWA KOKO, SHIRAMINE, TAIKAI, KAKOGAWA and MAKASSAR MARUS. Guam: MIMIASAKA, TOAN, AZUCHISAN and NISSU MARU s and UNYO MARU No. 8 Truk: Fleet supply ship KINESAKI, SHOZUI, TATBEI, SHIMA, SHINYO and HARVRE MARU s. Palau: Fleet supply ship MAMIYA, TENRYUGAWA, TAIAN and TOSEI MARU s and SHINSEI MARU No. 5 Yap: SHINSEI MARU. The convoy commander is Rear Admiral Kiyota Takahiko (42)(former CO of NACHI) in destroyer SAMIDARE. The other escorts include destroyer ASANAGI, torpedo-boat HIYODORI, kaibokans AMAKUSA, MIKURA, OKI, CD-2, CD-3 and subchaser CH-50.
3 April 1944:
5 miles S of Tori-Shima. At about 1457, LtCdr (later
Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen's USS POLLACK torpedoes and sinks TOSEI
MARU at 30-14N, 139-45E. The escorts counterattack POLLACK and drop 55 depth
charges unsuccessfully.
8 April 1944:
N of Saipan. At 0228 (JST), LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Frederick J. Harlfinger's USS TRIGGER (SS-237) fires four torpedoes at the convoy, but fails to get any hits. OKI and SAMIDARE counter-attack with depth-charges and damage TRIGGER.
9 April 1944:
62 miles WNW of Saipan. At 1625, LtCdr (later Captain) Slade D. Cutter's USS SEAHORSE (SS-304) torpedoes and hits MIMASAKA MARU at 15-30N, 145-00E. MIMASAKA MARU is taken in tow by TOAN MARU. The escorts counter-attack SEAHORSE unsuccessfully.
10 April 1944:
At about 0100 (JST), MIMASAKA MARU founders. She is carrying over 1,000 Naval personnel, most of whom are rescued. The convoy arrives at Saipan, then is split into separate groups that continue on to their respective destinations.
27 April 1944:
FUKUE depart Takao with kaibokan CD-2 and gunboat UJI escorting convoy TAMO-18 consisting of TAINAN, TOYOURA MARUs, SHINSEI MARU No. 5 and fleet supply ship MAMIYA and three unidentified ships.
2 May 1944:
At 1500, FUKUE departs Keelung, Formosa for Moji with CD-2 escorting convoy TAMO-18 consisting of TOYOURA MARU, MAMIYA and six unidentified ships.
6 May 1944:
E China Sea. At 0325, LtCdr Josepth W. Williams' USS SPEARFISH (SS-190) torpedoes and sinks TOYOURA MARU and damages MAMIYA at 32-16N, 127-08E. Later that day, Williams attempts unsuccessfully to finish off MAMIYA. The escorts counter-attack SPEARFISH and inflict minor damage. UJI probably tows MAMIYA.
E 9 May 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
18 July 1944:
Reassigned to the Ominato Naval Guard District.
25 July 1944:
FUKUE departs Oha, NE Karafuto (Sakhalin) Island escorting MANJU MARU.
28 July 1944:
Arrives at Wakkanai, N Hokkaido.
10 August 1944:
At 1804, FUKUE departs Wakkanai for Oha with minesweeper W-24 escorting convoy KIRA-003 consisting of MANJU, KOSHO and MAYACHI MARUs.
12 August 1944:
At about 2300, LtCdr (later Captain) Stephen H. Gimber‘s USS POMPON
(SS-267) torpedoes and sinks MAYACHI MARU at 50-35N, 144-02E.
14 August 1944:
Convoy KIRA-003 arrives at Oha.
14 August 1944:
Departs Oha at 2315.
22 August 1944:
Convoy No. KIRA-003 arrives at Wakkanai.
September 1944:
LtCdr Watanuki Yuji assumes command.
19 September 1944:
At 0800, FUKUE departs Otaru, W Hokkaido for Kashiwabara, Paramushiro Island with destroyer KAMIKAZE and fleet supply ship SHIRASAKI escorting convoy KIRA-803 consisting of RIZAN MARU and two unidentified ships.
21 September 1944:
At about 2200, in poor weather, LtCdr (later Captain) Melvin H.
Dry’s USS SEARAVEN (SS-196) torpedoes and sinks RIZAN MARU at 49-36N, 145-30E.
29 September 1944:
Convoy No. KIRA-803 arrives back at Otaru.
23 October 1944:
At 1600, FUKUE departs Kataoka Bay, Shimushu Island, Kuriles for Otaru, Hokkaido with destroyer KAMIKAZE escorting convoy WO-303 consisting of HOKOKU, HAKUYO and UMEGAWA MARU. Shimushu and Paramushiro Islands are being closed for the winter and the personnel of the naval base and a fishery company are embarked aboard the ships.
25 October 1944:
At 0745, USS SEAL (SS-183) torpedoes HAKUYO MARU at 50-21N, 150-20E. HAKUYO MARU was carrying 1,320 passengers and 150 crewmen and a cargo that included drummed gasoline. HAKUYO MARU sinks in about one minute. About 1,450 people die in the explosion, fire or freezing water. SEAL evades depth charging by the escorts. The convoy proceeds to Otaru.
31 January 1945:
At Sasebo.
1 March 1945:
Off Ishigaki Jima, Okinawa area. Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher’s Task Force 58 planes attack installations, airfields and shipping and damage FUKUE and auxiliary minesweeper NUWAJIMA at 24-23N, 124-12E.
26 February 1945:
FUKUE departs Tomie, Goto Retto with minelayers NUWAJIMA and TSUBAME, subchaser CH-49 and auxiliary submarine chaser SANKYO MARU escorting convoy SA-11 consisting of DAIKEN, NICHIRIN, TOYOSAKA and EDOGAWA MARUs .
1 March 1945:
Off Miyako Jima. Aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher’s Task Force 58 sink DAIKEN, TOYOSAKA and damage EDOGAWA MARU. NICHIRIN MARU escapes south but is sunk the following day.
Off Ishigaki Shima. Task Force 58 aircraft damage FUKUE and mineslayer NUWAJIMA and sink minelayer TSUBAME at 24-23N, 124-12E.
March-April 1945:
Arrives at Sasebo and undergoes battle damage repairs.
7 May 1945:
At 1452, FUKUE departs Otaru, Hokkaido for the Kuriles with kaibokans KASADO and ETOROFU escorting convoy KI-704 consisting of KOKAI, SHOKA, KOJO and EIHO MARUs.
14 May 1945:
At 1815, arrives at Paramushiro, Kuriles.
19 May 1945:
At 0130, FUKUE departs Paramushiro for Otaru with kaibokan KASADO and ETOROFU escorting convoy O-904 consisting of KOKAI, SHOKA, KOJO MARUs and tanker EIHO MARU.
24 May 1945:
At 2145, arrives at Otaru.
July 1945:
LtCdr Tanihara Junzo assumes command.
15 July 1945:
Yato, Hachinoe harbor, Honshu. Aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain Sr.’s Task Force 38 damage FUKUE, kaibokan IO and auxiliary submarine chasers CHa-81 and YARYU MARU.
15 August 1945:
At Ominato when the notice of the termination of the war is received.
5 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
12 October 1945:
Departs Uraga.
19 October 1945:
Arrives at Palau and departs later that day.
29 October 1945:
Arrives at Uraga.
4 November 1945-15 December 1945:
Under repair at Maizuru.
1 December 1945:
Appointed a special cargo ship in the Allied Repatriation Service.
31 December 1945:
Departs Uraga.
4 January 1946:
Arrives at Guam.
6 January 1946:
Departs Guam.
8 January 1946:
Arrives at Truk.
12 January 1946:
Departs Truk.
18 January 1946:
Arrives at Uraga.
25 January-3 February 1946:
Under repair at Tamano.
10 February 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
15 February 1946:
Arrives at Guam.
17 February 1946:
Departs Guam.
18 February 1946:
Arrives at Tinian.
21 February 1946:
Departs Tinian.
23 February 1946:
Arrives Okinawa and departs later that day.
26 February 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
1 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
3 March 1946:
Arrives Keelung and departs later that day.
5 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
7 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
9 March 1946:
Arrives at Keelung and departs later that day.
13 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
15 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
18 March 1946:
Arrives at Tokunoshima and departs later that day.
21 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
23 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
27 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai.
30 March 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
1 April 1946:
Arrives at Kwaren (Hua Lien).
3 April 1946:
Departs Kwaren .
5 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
7 April-30 April 1946:
Under repair at Miho.
6 May 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
7 May 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai.
13 May 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
15 May 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
19 May 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
23 May 1946:
Arrives at Saigon and departs later that day.
27 May 1946:
Arrives at Bangkok and departs later that day.
6 June 1946:
Arrives at Uraga.
15 June-20 June 1946:
Under repair at Uraga.
21 June 1946:
Departs Uraga.
25 June 1946:
Arrives at Korojima (near Tientsin)
26 June 1946:
Departs Korojima.
30 June 1946:
Arrives at Hakata.
4 July 1946:
Departs Hakata.
7 July 1946:
Arrives at Korojima.
8 July 1946:
Departs Korojima.
11 July 1946:
Arrives at Hakata.
17 July-31 July 1946:
Under repairs at Tamano.
12 August 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
15 August 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa.
16 August 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
17 August 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
20 August 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
21 August 1946:
Arrives at Tokunoshima and departs later the same day.
23 August 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima and departs later the same day.
24 August 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa.
25 August 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
26 August 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
5 September 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
7 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa.
8 September 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
9 September 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
12 September 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
13 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa and departs later that day.
15 September 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
17 September 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
18 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa and departs later that day.
20 September 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
21 September 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
23 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa and departs later that day.
24 September 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
26 September 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
30 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa and departs later that day.
1 October 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
4 October 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
5 October 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa.
6 October 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
7 October 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
10 October-21 October 1946:
Under repair at Kure.
24 October 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
26 October 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa and departs later that day.
27 October 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
31 October 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
2 November 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa.
3 November 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
4 November 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
7 November 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
8 November 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa.
9 November 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
11 November 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
15 November 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
16 November 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa.
17 Novemberc 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
18 November 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
21 November 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
23 November 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa and departs later that day.
26 November 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
15 December 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
16 December 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa and departs later that day. In late evening arrives back at Kagoshima.
16 July 1947:
Ceded to the United Kingdom as a war reparation. Later, scrapped.
Authors' Note:
Thanks for assistance go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan. Thanks also go to Mr. Aki of Japan and Matthew Jones of Ohio for help in identifying kaibokan COs.
- Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
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