© 2006 Anthony P. Tully

Author's Note: Have now added missing Commanding Officer's names; some uncertain ones have alternate readings in parantheses. (Tully).

5 September 1941:
Captain Kikuchi Tomozo (in command since 1/11/1940) relieved by Captain Umetani Karou as Commanding Officer. (Of interest, Karou had been XO of AKAGI, and further was a former HOSHO crewmember). Flag of CarDiv 3 transferred away.

17 September 1941:
Depart Hashirajima; arrive Kure.

20 September 1941:
Photographed alongside the starboard side of battleship YAMATO while the BB is fitting out at Kure.

28 September 1941:
Receives flag of CarDiv 3; transferred off the next day.

7 December 1941:
Tactical assignment: Main Body Air Force.
Midnight: HOSHO and ZUIHO with Main Body of eight BBs (including NAGATO flying the flag of CinC Yamamoto Isoroku), 7 cruisers, and twenty-eight DDs departs the Inland Sea "for the purpose of providing protection for Nagumo unit returning home." (Note 1).

8 December 1941:
0830 With Main Body, pass through Bungo Strait and enter the Pacific for purposes of standing by to meet Kido Butai at sea upon its return and offer any support if needed.

10 December 1941:
Shortly after sunset, an aircraft sights a U.S. submarine stalking the force. HOSHO takes the chance and launches aircraft even though they won't be able to return till after dark. Captain Karou takes a risk and orders HOSHO's flight deck lights turned on to recover his planes. He is successful and receives no attack. However, the decision to launch still proves a misjudgement since to recover her planes HOSHO has to reverse course and steam in the opposite direction far from the fleet. Because of radio silence and fall of darkness, HOSHO and three DDs completely lose contact with Main Body and become detached! With no word from her and enemy subs about, Main Body spends the night in some apprehension for her safety.

11 December 1941:
Morning: Patrol planes (possibly from ZUIHO? - Tully) re-locate the missing HOSHO and her screen a full 500 miles away from the Main Body and already on the eastern side of the Bonin Islands. They converge with Main Body which is proceeding for home.

12 December 1941:
While approaching Okinoshma Lighthouse, HOSHO detects an enemy submarine. Destroyer SANAE launches a counter-attack, and the carrier makes port at Kure without damage.

1 April 1942:
Attached directly to 1st Air Fleet.

20 May 1942:
Assigned to Main Body Air Force, attached to 1st Fleet.

29 May 1942:
0600 Sorties with Combined Fleet from Hashirajima of part of the great "Main Body" of Yamamoto's forces arrayed for the Battle of Midway. The HOSHO takes up position between two battleship columns, in the rear of the formation, off the port quarter of the column formed by YAMATO, NAGATO, and MUTSU.

2 June 1942:
Morning; having found that CL SENDAI and destroyer ISONAMI have gone missing after a night of fog and poor visibility, HOSHO launches a plane to search for them. However, as hours pass, this search finds nothing. Concern increases.
1315 Search plane finds SENDAI and ISONAMI forty-three miles ahead of Main Body. They turn and rejoin the force three hours later.

3 June 1942:
HOSHO with destroyer YUKAZE as close guard separates and with DesRon 2 and DesDiv 1 sets course due east to act as support for the Southern Force.

4 June 1942
Sunrise, cc 0200: Since Combined Fleet is expecting to join up with Nagumo's Mobile Fleet and there is still no sight or word of him at dawn, Admiral Yamamoto orders HOSHO to launch a few of her meager complement of six Type-96 "Jean" aircraft to search for Nagumo.
0420 One of HOSHO's "Jeans" located the smoldering and abandoned wreck of carrier HIRYU in position FU RO RI 43. Pilot reports seeing survivors on board, and takes photographs. As result, one hour later, destroyer TANIKAZE is ordered to search for the wreck, but finds nothing and narrowly escapes destruction by bombing in the afternoon.
1300 Having also been located and given direction by HOSHO's planes, Nagumo's Mobile Fleet rendevouses with Yamamoto and Kondo. All forces then proceed west.

5-6 June 1942:
Though at times it seems as if there may be renewed action with the U.S. Task Force, and carrier ZUIHO even receives orders to prepare to attack the enemy, there is no indication HOSHO made any launches.

14 June 1942:
Returned to Hashirajima.

20 June 1942:
Reattached to 1st Air Fleet. All planes are disembarked and offloaded.

14 July 1942:
Detached from 1st Fleet and attached to 3rd Fleet (unit attached to Mobile Force). Used for aircraft landing exercises thereafter.

1 August 1942:
Captain Umetani relieved by Captain Yamaguchi Bunjiro as Commanding Officer.

14 August 1942:
Tactically assigned to Mobile Force Stand-By Force. In Inland Sea.

20 October 1942:
Assigned to Mobile Force Training Force. (Attached to 3rd Fleet administratively).

15 November 1942:
Captain Yamaguchi relieved by Captain Hattori Katsuji as Commanding Officer.

15 January 1943:
Assigned to Mobile Force Training Force 3rd Force (Air Flotilla 50, 3rd Fleet). Western Inland Sea.

5 July 1943:
Captain Hattori relieved by Captain Kaizuka Takeo as Commanding Officer.

18 December 1943:
Captain Kaizuka relieved by Captain Matsuura Yoshi as Commanding Officer.

1 January 1944:
Assigned to Training Force, 5th Force (administratively to Air Flotilla 51, 12th Air Fleet). Continues to operate in Inland Sea area, shuttling back and forth and spending half her time at Kure, and half in the Western Inland Sea.

2 February 1944:
Reattached to Combined Fleet. Assigned to train carrier pilots of the Third Fleet.

20 February to November 1944:
Operating zone as above. Assigned to the Attached Force of Combined Fleet.

1 March 1944:
Captain Matsuura relieved by Captain Koda Kiyoshi (Suzushi?) as Commanding Officer.

July 1944:
Following the disastrous carrier losses at the Battle of the Marianas, four 140 mm guns are removed and the HOSHO's flight deck is lengthened as long as possible in an effort to improve her utility by accomodating newer plane needs.

6 July 1944:
Captain Kiyoshi relieved by Takarada Yujiro as Commanding Officer.

3 January 1945:
At Kure. Assigned with KAIYO, SETTSU and YUKAZE to target and aircraft training duties.

20 January 1945:
HOSHO engaged in torpedo attack training with Air Group 453 and submarine HA-106.

1 February 1945:
Arrive at Tokuyama. After refueling morning of 2nd, ordered to act as target vessel in Inland Sea.

26 February 1945:
Exercises with Air Group 762 cancelled due to U.S. Task Force approach to Tokyo.

5 March 1945:
Captain Murota relieved by Captain Osuga Hidekazu (alternate Hideichi Shuichi? Class of 51) as Commanding Officer.

9 March 1945:
HOSHO engaged in torpedo practice, including five live torpedoes.

11 March 1945:
Depart Oita with destroyer YUKAZE and target-ship SETTSU for target ship duty for Air Group 252.

19 March 1945:
Air raid by TF 58 on Inladn Sea and Kure. Early this morning, while apparently operating near YAMATO in Hiroshima Bay area south of Inazuma, the HOSHO was attacked by seven aircraft at 0532. She received three hits on after flight deck area, but the bombs or detonations are all small, not more than 50 kg, and damage light. However, six crew are killed and four small holes punched the flight deck. The damage is easily repaired, as the largest hole is no bigger than a meter round. (See Note 2).

23 March 1945:
HOSHO and RYUHO assigned to CinC 2nd Fleet. HOSHO assigned to act as radio-guard for damaged RYUHO.

18 May 1945:
Captain Hidekazu relieved by Captain Furutani Keiji (alternate: Furuya Hirotsugu?) as Commanding Officer.

28 May 1945:
Sighted camouflaged and moored alongside east shore of Nishinomi-shima, in a cove south of the RYUHO's position.

1 June 1945:
Designated as Fourth Grade Reserve vessel. Attached to Kure harbor defense unit. The crew is reduced by 50 percent.

5 July 1945:
Still moored and extensively camouflaged alongside east shore of Nishinomi-shima, in a cove south of the RYUHO's position. {See Note 3}.

14 July 1945:
HOSHO ordered to prepare to transit Shimonoseki Strait for Moji as soon as mine-sweeping preparations in the Strait are complete. (This is postponed several times, apparently due to repeated B-29 mining and difficulty of sweeping).

23 July 1945:
HOSHO preparing to depart Kure to transit to Moji. Destroyer YUKAZE, which normally escorts her, is to remain in Inland Sea.

24 July 1945:
Air raid on Kure: though not certain, it seems HOSHO had not yet left her moorings at Nishinomi shima south of the RYUHO. Reportedly she took one hit between 0930-1030, but damage slight.

26 July 1945:
HOSHO departs Kure for Moji.

20 September 1945:
Captain Furutani relieved by Captain Kaneoka Kunizo as Commanding Officer.

5 October 1945:
Removed from IJN list, but remains in Allied service. HOSHO departs Kure with cruiser KASHIMA to Wotje, Eniwetok, and Jaluit on mission to repatriate Japanese troops overseas. At this time HOSHO's crew comprised of 25 officers, 10 special duty officers, 6 warrant officers, and 369 petty officers and men.

16 October 1945:
HOSHO arrives at Wotje, takes on 700 passengers, then departs for Eniwetok.{See Note 4}.

3 November 1945:
Arrives at Uraga with 700 passengers from Wotje and 311 from Jaluit, takes on supplies.

5 December 1945:
HOSHO to enter drydock at Hidachi Innoshima shipyard for repairs and removal of forward portion of flight deck that covered the forecastle to clear visibility from the bridge.

5 January 1946:
HOSHO departs Kure for Wewak via Saeki.

16 August 1946:
Withdrawn from Repatriation List.

31 August 1946:
HOSHO transferred to Home Ministery. Subsequently removed from service and broken up till 1 May 1947 at Hitachi Zosen, Sakurajima.

Note 2: While in the Kure vicinity there is some ambiguity about the status/location of HOSHO on 19 March 1945. Although attacked that morning with other ships, the photos of the attack on Kure do not reveal her, and it is known that planes of TF 58 reported a CVL in Hiroshima Bay during the same flights that discovered YAMATO there. The best evidence is she was not in Kure harbor at the time and possibly involved in pilot training.

Note 3: Often reported present and damaged at the attack on Kure on 24 July 1945, unlike 19 March, there is no record of damage to HOSHO today. However intel recon had located her off the shore of Nishinomi-shima since 28 May and she had not moved by 5/6 July. Since on 14 July she was scheduled to sortie for Moji , it is possible she was no longer camouflaged, or had even left harbor just prior. Often "one hit" is reported, but it may have even referred to a rocket, not a bomb, as no repairs seem required soon.

Note 4: Photographs supposedly taken of HOSHO at Kure after the surrender that are often published are sometimes dated to 16 October 1945. However, this is impossible. Either the date or the location of the pictures is in error--- HOSHO was arriving at Wotje to repatriate Japanese on this date. After investigation, it appears these photos were actually taken on 3 October. All that is certain is that it is before the 5 December removal of the forward part of the flight deck.

Acknowledgements:

Special thanks identifying most of the captains go to Matthew Jones, Alexander Forster, and Sanders Kingsepp.