© 2009 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
26 December 1944:
Tokyo. Laid down at Uraga Dock Company’s shipyard as
warship number 5258.
8 January 1945:
Named IKARA.
19 February 1945:
LtCdr Matsumura Soichiro is posted Chief Equipping
Officer.
22 February 1945:
Launched.
30 April 1945:
Completed and registered in the IJN. LtCdr Matsumura is
the Commanding Officer.
May 1945:
Attached to the Kure Guard Unit and undergoes training in
Nanao Bay.
5 May 1945:
After completion of training, IKARA is attached to to the
Maizuru Naval District in the newly formed 51st Division.
23 July 1945:
Attached to Vice Admiral Tayui Minoru’s 1st Escort Fleet
in Rear Admiral Matsuyama Mitsuharu’s 105th Escort Squadron.
Late July 1945:
USAAF 20th Air Force B-29s mine Nanao Bay. On or about
1 August, while entering port IKARA hits a mine near the pilot house and becomes
unnavigable. One crewman is KIA.
15 August 1945:
Japan accepts the Allies “Potsdam Declaration” (of
unconditional surrender) and hostilities cease. Soon thereafter, IKARA floods
and is beached.
30 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Spring 1946:
Sunk as a breakwater at an unknown northeast fishing
port.
Authors' Notes:
Thanks go to Matthew Jones for help in identifying COs.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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