Densenfusetsusen!
(HASHIMA at completion on 25 Oct
‘40)
IJN Cable-Minelayer HASHIMA:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2011 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
15 October 1939:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki Shipbuilding as a 1564-ton
(standard) cable-layer.
1940:
Originally, the ship's intended name was HATSUSHIMA, but it is
changed and she is launched as HASHIMA
25 October 1940:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval
District.
1 January 1941:
Attached to the Yokosuka Guard Force. Engages in mine
laying.
January 1943:
Transferred to the Carolines area.
April 1943:
Transferred to the Aleutians area.
1943-1944:
At an unknown date and place, HASHIMA is converted to a
minelayer. Two Type 2 depth charge throwers are fitted and her mine storage
capacity is increased from 12 to 120 Type 93 mines. Her armament is increased by
the addition of six Type 96 25-mm AA guns.
August 1943:
Commences escorting convoys on the route between
Yokosuka and Rabaul.
November 1943:
Transferred to Tokyo Bay.
January 1944:
Reattached to the Sasebo Naval District.
1 January 1944:
HASHIMA departs Truk for Yokosuka with destroyer
ASAKAZE, kaibokan MANJU and minesweeper W-24 escorting convoy No. 4102
consisting of repair ship YAMABIKO MARU and cargo ships KEIYO and YAMAKUNI
MARUs.
10 January 1944:
185 miles NW of Torishima, Ogasawara (Bonin Islands).
At about 0600, in typhoon weather conditions, LtCdr David L. Whelchel's USS
STEELHEAD (SS-280) fires four torpedoes in a night surface radar attack and hits
YAMABIKO MARU in the engine room. YAMAKUNI MARU takes YAMABIKO MARU in tow.
14 January 1944:
NW of Hachijo-Jima. At about 0040, Captain (later
Rear Admiral) Karl G. Hensel's USS SWORDFISH (SS-280) torpedoes and sinks
YAMAKUNI MARU. Shortly thereafter, YAMABIKO MARU also sinks. The escorts drop 24
depth charges and damage SWORDFISH, but Hensel manages to escape.
E 17 January 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
28 April 1945:
Off Kii Suido, SSE of Mikizaki, Honshu. At about 0732,
LtCdr George E. Porter’s USS SENNET (SS-408) fires two Mark-18 electric
torpedoes and gets two hits that blow HASHIMA’s bow off, but she does not sink.
At 0747, Porter fires a Mark-23 steam torpedo to finish her her, but it misses.
At 0750, two small patrol boats appear on the scene. Porter fires two more steam
torpedoes, but again misses, but HASHIMA is seen settling by the stern. At 0830,
she stands on end and sinks by the stern at 33-55N, 136-18E. The patrol boats
conduct an ineffective counterattack and SENNET slips away.
10 July 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Author’s Note:
Photo credit goes to Ships of the World (SOTW), volume 522, page 44 via J. Ed Low.
-Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
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