© 2006-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
2 November 1942:
Osaka. Laid down at Hitachi Zosen Co. Ltd.’s Sakurajima yard as kaibokan No. 318.
25 May 1943:
Named HIRADO.
30 June 1943:
Launched.
28 September 1943:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval
District. Cdr Segawa Iwao is the Commanding Officer.
Assigned to the Yokosuka Guard Unit. Escorts convoys to Muroran, Hokkaido.
1 November 1943:
Reassigned to the Fourth Fleet’s Second Marine Escort Division.
13 November 1943:
At 1100, departs Yokosuka for Truk with destroyer IKAZUCHI escorting convoy No. 3113 consisting of KENSHO, KIMISHIMA, YAMAKUNI, SHOEI and TSUNESHIMA MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 18.
24 November 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
5 December 1943:
At 1105, HIRADO departs Truk with auxiliary submarine chaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 8 escorting convoy 4205B consisting of SOYO and AKIBASAN MARUs.
7 December 1943:
LtCdr Ralph M. Metcalf's USS POGY (SS-266) torpedoes and sinks SOYO MARU and damages AKIBASAN MARU. She is escorted back to Truk by TAKUNAN MARU No. 8. HIRADO searches for the submarine and then joins convoy 4205A consisting of submarine tender YASUKUNI MARU and fleet supply ship IRAKO as added escort with kaibokan MIKURA.
10 December 1943:
The convoy arrives at Saipan.
11 January 1944:
At 0500, HIRADO, destroyer SHIRATSUYU and subchaser CH-29 depart Truk escorting convoy No. 7125 consisting of HAKUSAN, HAKOZAKI, KIMISHIMA and MITAKESAN MARUs.
21 January 1944:
At 1630, arrives at Yokosuka.
25 January 1944:
At 0700, departs Yokosuka for Truk with kaibokan ISHIGAKI and subchaser CH-52 escorting convoy 3125A consisting of REIYO, TAMISHIMA and HANAGAWA MARUs.
30 January 1944:
At 1000, LtCdr Joseph W. Williams' USS SPEARFISH (SS-190) torpedoes TAMISHIMA MARU. At 2205, Williams again torpedoes TAMISHIMA MARU. In this second attack, she sinks instantly at 21-12N, 149-18E. HIRADO drops 46 depth-charges, but SPEARFISH escapes undamaged.
7 February 1944:
Arrives at Truk.
9 February 1944:
HIRADO departs Truk escorting convoy No. 7125 now consisting of REIYO and HANAGAWA MARUs.
12 February 1944:
Arrives at Saipan.
12 March 1944:
At 0400, HIRADO departs Tokyo Bay for Saipan with light cruiser TATSUTA, destroyers NOWAKE, ASAKAZE, YUNAGI, UZUKI, minesweeper W-20 and minelayers SOKUTEN and KYOSAI escorting the Higashi-Matsu ("East Pine") No. 2 troop reinforcement convoy that arrives from Pusan, Korea. The convoy consists of TAKAOKA, HIBI, TAJIMA, MIHO, AWA, DAITEN, RYUKA, TAMAHOKO, KOKUYO, TSUSHIMA and ATLANTIC MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 1.
13 March 1944:
At 0310, LtCdr Malcom E. Garrison’s SANDLANCE (SS-381) fires four stern torpedoes at the convoy. Two hit and sink TATSUTA 40 miles NNE of Hachijo-Jima at 32-52N, 139-12E. Destroyers NOWAKI and UZUKI rescue her survivors. The other two torpedoes hit and sink KOKUYO MARU carrying 1,029 troops. SANDLANCE undergoes an 18-hour attack by the escorts. Garrison takes SANDLANCE to 550-feet and escapes 105 depth-charges set to detonate at 250-feet. HIRADO rescues KOKUYO MARU's survivors and returns to Tokyo Bay while the convoy continues on to Saipan arriving on 19 March.
22 March 1944:
Tokyo Bay. HIRADO departs Tokyo Bay for Saipan and Palau with light cruiser YUBARI, DesDiv 5's HATAKAZE, DesDiv 6's IKAZUCHI and DesDiv 32's TAMANAMI, torpedo boat OTORI, kaibokan NOMI and subchasers CH-48, CH-51 and CH-54 escorting troop reinforcement convoy Higashi-Matsu No. 3 consisting of supply ship HAYASAKI and KOJUN, MEIRYU, TATSUURA, KENAN, TOMITSU, CHOHAKUSAN and NANYO MARUs and HOSHI MARU No. 11 and NISSEI MARU No. 1.
25 March 1944:
The convoy is attacked by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen's old USS POLLACK (SS-180). Lewellen torpedoes and sinks subchaser CH-54 and claims damage to several transports.
30 March 1944:
Arrives at Saipan.
28 May 1944:
HIRADO departs Manila for Yulin with minelayer SHIRATAKA and auxiliary gunboat HUASHAN (KAZAN) MARU escorting convoy MAYU-02 consisting of six merchant ships.
1 June 1944:
Arrives at Yulin.
3 June 1944:
HIRADO departs Yulin with minelayer SHIRATAKA and auxiliary gunboat HUASHAN (KAZAN) MARU and three unidentified warships escorting convoy TE-06A consisting of 10 unidentified merchant ships.
13 June 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
June 1944:
At Sasebo, probably for repairs and maintenance.
20 June 1944:
At 1930, HIRADO departs Moji for Singapore with destroyers ASAGAO and KURETAKE and kaibokan KURAHASHI and CD-2, CD-5 and CD-13, minelayer SHIRATAKA and submarine chaser CH-61 escorting convoy HI-67 consisting of transports MANJU, NANKAI, KINUGASA, ASAKA, ASAHISAN, GOKOKU and HAKOZAKI MARUs and oilers MIRI, OTORISAN, NICHINAN No. 2, SARAWAK and SHINEI MARUs.
29 June 1944:
LtCdr Anton R. Gallaher's USS BANG (SS-385) torpedoes and damages MIRI and SARAWAK MARUs. Both tankers are hit in the bow, but each manages to proceed to Manila
E2 July 1944:
The main convoy arrives at Manila.
3 July 1944:
At 0600, HI-67 departs Manila, less GOKOKU, ASAHISAN, SARAWAK and MIRI MARUs.
9 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore at 1640.
14 July 1944:
At 0730, HIRADO departs Singapore for Moji via Manila with minelayer SHIRATAKA and kaibokan KURAHASHI, CD-13, CD-20 and CD-28 escorting convoy HI-68 consisting of transports KIYOKAWA and MANILA MARUs and tankers TOA, SHIMPO, NICHINAN No. 2, TOHO and OTORISAN MARUs.
20 July 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Manila.
24 July 1944:
At 0600, HIRADO (F) departs Manila for Moji with escort carrier KAIYO, kaibokan KURAHASHI, ISHIGAKI, KUSAGAKI, MIKURA, CD-11, CD-20 and torpedo boat HIYODORI escorting convoy HI-68. The convoy sails in three columns consisting of landing ship MAYASAN MARU, oilers OTORISAN MARU and NICHINAN MARU No. 2 and escort carrier TAIYO in column No. 1; landing ship KOZU MARU (a.k.a. TAKATSU MARU) and transports TOSAN, KASHII, NISSHO and AKI MARUs in column No. 2 and KIYOKAWA MARU and oilers ITSUKUSHIMA, TOA, TOHO and SHIMPO MARUs in column No. 3.
The ships steam at 11.5 knots, the average speed for "HI" series convoys. A three-submarine wolf pack of Cdr Whitaker’s FLASHER, LtCdr Franklin Hess’s ANGLER (SS-240) and LtCdr Francis D. Walker’s CREVALLE (SS-291) tracks the convoy.
26 July 1944:
Off Luzon. TOSAN MARU, AKI MARU and OTORISAN MARUs are
sunk and KIYOKAWA MARU is damaged in attacks by the wolfpack.
27 July 1944:
At 1100, arrives at Takao.
28 July 1944:
At 1800, departs Takao.
3 August 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
10 August 1944:
HIRADO departs Imari Bay for Singapore as flagship of 6th Escort Convoy’s Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi (former CO of KISO) with destroyers FUJINAMI and YUNAGI, kaibokans KURAHASHI, MIKURA, SHONAN and CD-11 and escort carrier TAIYO escorting convoy HI-71 consisting of oilers AZUSA, TEIYO, EIYO, ZUIHO, AMATSU, KYOKUTO and NIYO MARUs and HAKKO MARU No. 2, fleet oiler HAYASUI, food-supply ship IRAKO, transports TEIA, AWA, NOTO, HOKKAI, TAMATSU, NOSHIRO and MAYASAN MARUs and cargo ships KASHII, NISSHO and ORYOKU MARUs.
15 August 1944:
HI-71 arrives at Mako, Pescadores. NIYO, HAKKO and ORYOKU MARUs and IRAKO are detached.
17 August 1944: Operation "SHO-1-GO" (Victory) - The Defense of the Philippines:
At 0800, in typhoon weather, convoy HI-71 sorties from Mako for Manila. Old destroyer ASAKAZE and kaibokan SADO, MATSUWA and HIBURI arrive from Takao and ETOROFU from Saei, on the orders of 1st Surface Escort Division to strengthen HI-71's escort forces.
18 August 1944:
At 0524, LtCdr Louis D. McGregor's USS REDFISH (SS-395) torpedoes and damages EIYO MARU. ASAKAZE and YUNAGI are detached to escort her back to Takao.
Off Cape Bolinao, Luzon. At 2210, LtCdr (later Captain) Henry G. Munson's USS RASHER (SS-269) torpedoes and sinks oiler TEIYO MARU in a surface radar attack. At 2222, Munson torpedoes and sinks carrier TAIYO. At 2310, Munson torpedoes and sinks ex-French liner TEIA MARU.
19 August 1944:
The convoy splits into two groups. At 0033, LtCdr Munson’s RASHER puts two torpedoes into the port sides of AWA and NOSHIRO MARUs. Both ships beach themselves near Port Currimao. LtCdr Charles M. Henderson's USS BLUEFISH (SS-222) and LtCdr (later Captain) Gordon W. Underwood's SPADEFISH (SS-411) join in the attack on HI-71. At 0320, BLUEFISH hits and sinks HAYASUI. SPADEFISH hits TAMATSU MARU with two torpedoes and the big landing craft depot ship rolls over and takes down 4,755 men. HI-71 makes for San Fernando.
E 23 August 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
25 August 1944:
At 1650, HIRADO (F) departs Manila for Singapore with destroyer FUJINAMI, kaibokans KURAHASHI, MIKURA, CD-11 and subchaser CH-28 escorting convoy HI-71 consisting of AZUSA, KYOKUTO, HOKKAI, ZUIHO, KYOKUHO and AWA MARUs. At 1845, KYOKUHO MARU develops engine trouble and drops behind escorted by FUJINAMI. Later, they rejoin the convoy.
1 September 1944:
At 1356, arrives at Singapore.
6 September 1944:
At 0630, HIRADO (F) departs Singapore for Moji with destroyer SHIKINAMI and kaibokan MIKURA, KURAHASHI, CD-11 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-19 escorting convoy HI-72 consisting of ASAKA, NANKAI, KIMIKAWA, RAKUYO, ZUIHO, KIBITSU and KACHIDOKI MARU (ex-PRESIDENT HARRISON). RAKUYO MARU carries 1,317 POWs and KACHIDOKI MARU carries 900 POWs.
12 September 1944:
At 0200, LtCdr Thomas B. Oakey’s GROWLER (SS-215), torpedoes HIRADO. She blows up and sinks at 17-54N, 114-49E. Cdr Segawa and 106 sailors are KIA. Rear Admiral Kajioka, victor of Wake Island, is also KIA. He is promoted Vice Admiral, posthumously.
At 0531, LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Eli Reich’s USS SEALION II (SS-315) torpedoes RAKUYO MARU. At 1830, she goes down with 1,159 POWs. At about 0700, SHIKINAMI is torpedoed by GROWLER and sinks 240 miles S of Hong Kong at 18-16 N, 114-40 E. At 2254, KACHIDOKI MARU is hit by LtCdr Paul E. Summers’ USS PAMPANITO (SS-383) at 19-25N, 112-23E. At 2337, she founders and 12 sailors and 476 passengers (including the POWs) are lost with her.
The Japanese rescue a few POWs who are transferred to KIBITSU MARU and taken to Japan. American submarines later return to the scene and rescue 159 survivors of whom seven die enroute to Saipan. In all, 92 Australian and 60 British ex-POWs survive.
At 0840, USN codebreakers intercept a message from unknown Japanese station that says, “Have rescued survivors of HIRADO (survivors include the staff and 26 men plus 74 crew members. Captain of HIRADO killed in action ---.”
10 November 1944:
Removed from the Navy List .
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.
Thanks also go to John Whitman for info on USN intercepts of IJN messages.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
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