© 2006 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
1 June 1943:
Tsurumi. Laid down at Nippon Kokan K. K's shipyard.
30 August 1943:
Named KURAHASHI.
15 October 1943:
Launched.
19 February 1944:
LtCdr Nikki Izaburo is appointed CO.
10 March 1944:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District. Assigned to the Grand Escort Fleet's First Surface Escort Division.
23 March 1944:
KURAHASHI departs Moji with subchaser CH-26 escorting convoy MOTA-13 consisting of cargo ships HIGANE, YULIN, BIZEN, SHOKA, PACIFIC and KOZAN (ex-HENG SHAN) MARUs, TOYO MARU No. 2 and tankers MATSUMOTO, SHINEI, CHIHAYA and YOKO MARUs and YAMAMIZU MARU No. 2.
30 March 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
2 April 1944:
At 1200, KURAHASHI departs Takao as the sole escort for convoy TAMO-15 consisting of cargo ships TAIKOKU, TAISEI, CHILE and YULIN MARU and tankers YOKO and ZUIYO MARUs.
9 April 1944:
At 1200, arrives at Moji.
20 April 1944:
At 0600, KURAHASHI departs Moji with kaibokan CD-10, CD-11 and CD
20 escorting convoy HI-59 consisting of tankers OKIKAWA, NIPPO, EIHO, NIYO, MANEI and OTORISAN MARUs and four unidentified ships. [1]
21 April 1944:
KURAHASHI and CD-20 are detached from convoy HI-59 and dash to intercept the "Take" convoy assembling at Shanghai (Tungchiaoshan). That same day, KURAHASHI departs the Shanghai Sea area for New Guinea via Manila with destroyers ASAKAZE, SHIRATSUYU and FUJINAMI, kaibokan CD-20, CD-22, minelayer SHIRATAKA (F), minesweeper W-22, subchasers CH-37, CH-38, gunboats UJI, ATAKA and auxiliary minesweeper TAMA MARU No. 7 escorting the Take convoy carrying troops of the IJA's 32nd and 35th divisions from China. The convoy consists of KAZUURA, MITSUKI, BRAZIL, TENSHINZAN, TAJIMA, ADEN, YOZAN, MANSHU, FUKUYO, KANAN, TEIKAI, TEIKAI, UNKAI and TEIKO MARUs, YOSHIDA MARU No. 1 and an unidentified ship.
26 April 1944:
At about 0600, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Thomas M. Dykers' USS JACK (SS-259) makes a radar-assisted surface attack on the convoy. Dykers torpedoes and sinks YOSHIDA MARU No. 1 at 18-06N, 119-40E. She takes down 2,586 troops of the IJA's 210th Infantry Regiment, two gunners and 61 sailors. The kaibokan rescue about 800 sailors and soldiers.
E 28 April 1944:
Arrives at Manila and disembarks survivors. KURAHASHI and CD-20 are detached from the Take convoy and proceed to Takao.
3 May 1944:
A 0445, KURAHASHI departs Moji for Singapore with destroyers ASAGAO, HIBIKI, INAZUMA, kaibokans SADO, CD-5, CD-7, CD-13 and escort carrier TAIYO escorting convoy HI-61 consisting of TATEKAWA, NICHIEI, AZUSA, JINEI, EIYO, AKANE, OTORIYAMA, SARAWAK, ASANAGI and MIZUHO MARUs and fleet oiler HAYASUI.
7 May 1944:
JINEI MARU develops engine troubles and detaches for Takao. LtCdr Victor B. McCrea's USS HOE (SS-258) torpedoes and slightly damages AKANE MARU. The escorts counter-attack and drop 58 depth charges unsuccessfully. The convoy reverses course and makes for Takao.
9 May 1944:
At 2055, arrives at Manila. TATEKAWA, NICHIEI and AZUSA MARUs are detached.
12 May 1944:
HI-61 departs Manila.
17 May 1944:
At 2100, the convoy arrives at Singapore.
23 May 1944:
A 0700, KURAHASHI departs Singapore for Moji with kaibokan SADO, CD-5, CD-7, CD-13 and escort carrier TAIYO escorting convoy HI-62 consisting of transports KINUGASA, NOSHIRO, NISSHO, TAMATSU and TEIRITSU (ex-French LeCONTE de LISLE) MARUs and tankers OTORISAN, SARAWAK and NICHINAN MARUs.
29 May 1944:
HI-62 arrives at Manila.
1 June 1944:
At 0400, HI-62 departs Manila.
8 June 1944:
Arrives at Mutsure anchorage, then proceeds to Moji arriving at 0230.
20 June 1944:
At 1930, KURAHASHI departs Moji for Singapore with destroyers ASAGAO and KURETAKE, minelayer SHIRATAKA, kaibokan HIRADO, CD-2, CD-5, CD-13 and subchaser 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 W. 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.
30 June 1944:
The main convoy arrives at Manila.
3 July 1944:
At 0600, HI-67 departs Manila, less SARAWAK and MIRI MARUs.
9 July 1944:
At 1640, arrives at Singapore.
14 July 1944:
At 0730, KURAHASHI, departs Singapore for Moji via Manila with minelayer SHIRATAKA and kaibokan HIRADO, 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. Later that day, KURAHASHI is detached to go to the aid of light cruiser OI torpedoed and sunk the previous day by Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Rueben T. Whitaker’s USS FLASHER (SS-249) at 13-12N, 114-52E.
21 July 1944:
Destroyer SHIKINAMI rescued 369 survivors of OI, so KURAHASHI returns to Manila.
24 July 1944:
At 0600, KURAHASHI,departs Manila for Moji with escort carrier KAIYO, kaibokan HIRADO (F), ISHIGAKI, 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 the wolfpack's attacks.
27 July 1944:
At 1100, arrives at Takao.
28 July 1944:
At 1800, departs at Takao.
3 August 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
10 August 1944:
KURAHASHI departs Imari Bay (Moji) for Singapore with
Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi's (former CO of
KISO) 6th Escort Convoy’s destroyers FUJINAMI and YUNAGI, kaibokan HIRADO,
MIKURA, SHONAN and CD-11 and escort carrier TAIYO escorting convoy HI-71
comprised 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, HI-71 sorties from Mako for Manila.
To strengthen HI-71's escort forces, old destroyer ASAKAZE and kaibokans SADO,
MATSUWA and HIBURI arrive from Takao and kaibokan ETOROFU arrives from Saei, on
orders of the First Surface Escort Division.
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 the rear of the
convoy. At 2310, RASHER, still on the surface, hits transport TEIA MARU with
three torpedoes using radar bearings. The ex-French liner is set afire and sinks.
19 August 1944:
The convoy splits into two groups. Just past midnight,
RASHER, still running on the surface, closes on an eastbound group of three
large ships and one escort. At 0033, LtCdr Munson puts two radar-directed
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, KURAHASHI departs Manila for Singapore with
destroyer FUJINAMI, kaibokans HIRADO, MIKURA, CD-11 and SubChaser CH-28
escorting convoy HI-71 consisting of AZUSA, KYOKUTO, HOKKAI, ZUIHO, KYOKUHO and
AWA MARUs escorted by. At 1845, KYOKUHO MARU develops engine trouble and drops
behind escorted by FUJINAMI . Later, they catch up with the convoy.
1 September 1944:
At 1356, arrives at Singapore.
6 September 1944:
At 0630, KURAHASHI departs Singapore for Moji with Rear Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi's (victor of Wake Island and former CO of KISO) 6th Escort Convoy Command’s kaibokan HIRADO (F), destroyer SHIKANAMI, MIKURA, CD-11 and CD-19 escorting fleet convoy HI-72 consisting of ex-armed merchant cruiser ASAKA MARU, ex-seaplane tender KIMIKAWA MARU, and NANKAI, RAKUYO, ZUIHO, KIBITSU, SHINCHO and KACHIDOKI MARUs (ex-PRESIDENT HARRISON).
11 September 1944:
S China Sea. 100 miles NE of the Paracel Islands. At 0910, convoy HI-72 is joined by convoy MA-MO-03 consisting of armed merchant cruiser GOKOKU, transport KIBITSU and ex-seaplane tender KAGU MARUs escorted by minesweeper W-21 and kaibokan CD-10 and CD-20.
12 September 1944:
S China Sea. E of Hainan, China. About 0200, HIRADO is torpedoed by Cdr Thomas B. Oakey’s USS GROWLER (SS-215), breaks in two and sinks at 17-54N, 114-59E. Rear Admiral Kajioka goes down with the ship. He is promoted Vice Admiral, posthumously.
At 0500, LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Eli T. Reich’s USS SEALION (SS-315) torpedoes RAKUYO MARU, but she stays afloat for another 13 hours, sinking at 1820 that evening. She is carrying 1,318 Allied POWs, of whom 1,051 are lost. Reich also sinks NANKAI MARU.
At 0700, SHIKANAMI is torpedoed by GROWLER and sinks at 18-16 N, 114-40 E. At 2300, LtCdr Paul E. Summers' USS PAMPANITO (SS-383) torpedoes and sinks KACHIDOKI MARU with 950 Allied POWs aboard of whom 431 are lost. PAMPANITO also sinks ZUIHO MARU. The Japanese rescue a few POWs from the two prison ships. The survivors are transferred to KIBITSU MARU and taken to Japan.
13 September 1944:
Arrives at Samah, Hainan Island.
15 September 1944:
Arrives at Yulin, Hainan. The convoy is reorganized and KURAHASHI is detached.
18 September 1944:
At 1040, KURAHASHI joins the escort of convoy HI-75 consisting of oilers NICHIEI, RYOEI, TOHO (1944 built), SERIA and MANEI MARUs, FUJISAN MARU (1944), KUROSHIO and TAIHO MARUs and passenger liner ASAMA MARU, that departed Takao, formosa for Singapore on 14 September escorted by kaibokan KANJU, MANJU, MIYAKE and CD-28, torpedo boat HIYODORI and escort carrier SHINYO.
19 September 1944:
At 1500, AMATO MARU joins the convoy.
20 September 1944:
During the day, NICHIEI, KUROSHIO, TAIHO and FUJISAN MARUs and carrier SHINYO all suffer engine or rudder problems, but the convoy remains intact.
22 September 1944:
At 1300, HI-75 arrives at Singapore.
2 October 1944:
At 1700, KURAHASHI departs Singapore for Moji with escort carrier SHINYO and kaibokan MANJU, KANJU, DAITO, MIYAKE, CD- 9,CD-28 and torpedo boat HIYODORI escorting convoy HI-76 consisting of oilers NICHIEI, NICHINAN, RYOEI, FUJISAN, KUROSHIO, TARAKAN and TOHO MARUs, ex-seaplane tender KIMIKAWA MARU and cargo ship TEIHOKU MARU.
8 October 1944:
South China Sea. At 0100, LtCdr Henry D. Sturr’s USS BECUNA (SS-319) attacks the convoy at 14-12N, 115-53E. Sturr fires four torpedoes and claims two hits on KIMIKAWA MARU. She is detached from the convoy and heads for Manila escorted by HIYODORI and CD-28.
13 October 1944:
At 0400, arrives Manila.
E 16 October 1944:
Samah, Hainan Island. Convoy TAMA-28 joins convoy HI-76A. The new convoy consists of oilers NICHIEI, NICHINAN, RYOEI, FUJISAN (1944), KUROSHIO, TARAKAN and TOHO (1944) MARUs and cargo ship TEIHOKU MARU escorted by KURAHASHI, escort carrier SHINYO, kaibokan DAITO, KANJU, MANJU, MIYAKE, CD-28 and torpedo boat HIYODORI. At 0745, the convoy, delayed because of an enemy task force near Formosa, departs port.
17 October 1944:
Early in the morning, MANJU and MIYAKE are ordered to
detach with RYOEI MARU and head for Mako.
20 October 1944:
NICHIEI MARU is detached from the convoy and heads for Coron Bay escorted by KURAHASHI and CD-25.
18 November 1944:
At 0645, KURAHASHI departs Singapore for Manila with kaibokan CD-31, CD-32 and subchaser CH-56 escorting convoy SHIMA-05 consisting of MANILA, SHINSEI, TASMANIA MARU and tanker AYANAMI MARU.
24 November 1944:
The convoy arrives at Miri, Borneo and departs at 1710.
25 November 1944:
At 0535, LtCdr John R. Madison's USS MINGO (SS-261) torpedoes MANILA MARU and gets three hits. Loaded with ammunition and gasoline, MANILA MARU explodes and sinks in four minutes at 05-42N, 113-15E. KURAHASHI counter-attacks MINGO unsuccessfully.
29 November 1944:
The remainder of SHIMA-05 arrives at Manila.
10 December 1944:
Reassigned to the Grand Escort Fleet's First Escort Fleet.
31 December 1944:
At 0820, KURAHASHI departs Moji for Singapore with kaibokan MIKURA and CD-13 and destroyers SHIGURE, HATAKAZE and DesDiv17’s HAMAKAZE and ISOKAZE escorting convoy HI-87 consisting of oilers KAMOI, TENEI, KAIHO, KUROSHIO, MATSUSHIMA, MITSUSHIMA, MIRI, MUNAKATA and SARAWAK MARUs and passenger-cargoman TATSUWA MARU. Light carrier RYUHO provides air cover.
7 January 1945:
East China Sea. The convoy is sighted by "Loughlin's Loopers" submarine wolf pack consisting of Cdr (later Rear Admiral/MOH) Eugene R. Fluckey's USS BARB (SS-220) and LtCdr Evan T. Shepard's PICUDA (SS-382), later joined by Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles E. Loughlin's QUEENFISH (SS-393).
At 0905, in high seas, Shepard's PICUDA heavily damages MUNAKATA MARU in the bow. She is assisted by KURAHASHI then proceeds separately to Kirun (Keelung). The convoy anchors at Shinchiku roadstead, Formosa.
At 1300, the convoy is sighted by the wolfpack and tracked. RYUHO and SHIGURE are detached from the convoy and proceed to Kirun.
At 1830, in dense fog, the convoy anchors temporarily on the W Formosan coast. The ships then split up and enter Takao’s port at different times.
9 January 1945:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's (former CO of RANGER, CV-4) Task Force 38 aircraft attack shipping off Takao At 1200, 17 Grumman TBM "Avengers" and F6F "Hellcats" attack and sink KAIHO, heavily damage the KUROSHIO MARU and damage escorts YASHIRO, MIYAKE and kaibokan CD-13.
10 January 1945:
At 1700, the reformed convoy departs Takao for Mako. It now consists of KAMOI, SARAWAK, MATSUSHIMA, MITSUSHIMA and HASHIDATE MARUs escorted by KURAHASHI with kaibokan KANJU, NOMI, SHINNAN, YASHIRO, MIYAKE, CD-13, CD-60 and CD-205 and destroyer SHIGURE that rejoins from Kirun. RYUHO and DesDiv 17’s HAMAKAZE and ISOKAZE detach from HI-87 and depart for Japan.
12 January 1945:
The convoy receives a radio report that Kirun is under air attack and the ships are ordered to head for Hong Kong, not Mako.
13 January 1945:
At 1100, convoy HI-87 enters Hong Kong.
15 January 1945:
Vice Admiral John S. McCain's Task Force 38 launches air strikes at shipping and installations at Hong Kong. Over the next two days, all of HI-87's merchants except SARAWAK MARU suffer varying degrees of battle damage.
16 January 1945:
Off Hong Kong. Attacked by TF 38 aircraft until 1740. Receives seven near-misses that kill two sailors and wound 14 others. KURAHASHI’s hull is damaged by splinters and her rangefinder and searchlights are knocked out.
21 January 1945:
KURAHASHI and kaibokan SHINNAN ground temporarily when negotiating the Kainan Strait.
5 February 1945:
Reassigned to the First Coast Defense Group.
15 August 1945: Cessation of Hostilities:
Surrendered to the Allies.
30 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
December 1945:
Assigned to minesweeping duties with the Allied Occupation Forces.
14 September 1947:
KURAHASHI is ceded to the United Kingdom as a war
reparation.
15 January 1948:
Nagoya. Completes scrapping.
Authors' Note:
[1] The unidentified ships may have been NOSHIRO, KINUGASA and TEIRITSU MARUs and
tanker NICHINAN MARU No. 2.
Thanks for assistance go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro and Mr. Motoyuki Iwashige of Japan.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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