© 2006 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
10 August 1943:
Tsurumi. Laid down at Nihon Kokan K. K.’s shipyard as kaibokan No. 326.
3 December 1943:
Launched and named NOMI.
28 February 1944:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District. LtCdr Hera Genzaburo is the Commanding Officer. Assigned to the Yokusuka Guard Unit.
15 March 1944:
Assigned to the General Escort Command's Second Surface Escort Division.
22 March 1944:
Tokyo Bay. NOMI departs Tokyo Bay for Palau with light cruiser YUBARI, DesDiv 5's HATAKAZE, DesDiv 6's IKAZUCHI and DesDiv 32's TAMANAMI, torpedo boat OTORI, kaibokan HIRADO and subchasers CH-48, CH-51 and CH-54 escorting troop reinforcement convoy Higashi-Matsu "East Pine" 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.
28 March 1944:
The convoy is diverted to Saipan after an American Task Force is reported E of Palau.
30 March 1944:
Arrives at Saipan.
28 April 1944:
At 0600, NOMI departs Tokyo with kaibokans CD-12, CD-18, CD-22 and submarine chasers CH-16 and CH-18 escorting "Higashi Matsu" Convoy No.7 (outbound) consisting of TATSUHARU, MITAKESAN, ASAHISAN, OKINAWA, YAMATAMA, BINGO, MEIRYU, MOJI and MIHO MARUs bound for Saipan; ASAKA MARU and landing ships T.128 and T.150 for Palau; KOSHIN and BOKUYO MARUs for Yap and TAITO MARU for Chichi-Jima. The convoy arrives safely at these destinations.
20 May 1944:
At 1800, NOMI departs Saipan with kaibokan OKI and
subchaser CH-30 escorting convoy Higashi-Matsu No. 8 consisting of MANJU, TOSAN
and NOTO MARUs,
26 May 1944:
Arrives at Tokyo.
6 June 1944:
NOMI departs Yokosuka for Saipan with kaibokan AMAKUSA and OKI, destroyer MATSUKAZE and subchasers CH-16 and CH-18 escorting convoy No. 3606 consisting of SUGIYAMA, SHINROKU, KANSEISHI, KAIKO and HAKUYO MARUs. Soon after leaving, SUGIYAMA MARU is attacked and damaged by LtCdr (later Captain) James B. Grady's USS WHALE (SS-239) at 31-06N, 142-24E, but the ship is taken in tow.
9 June 1944:
NE of Chichi-Jima. LtCdr Edmund K. Montross' USS SWORDFISH (SS-193) torpedoes and sinks MATSUKAZE at 26-59N, 143-13E. The convoy steams to Chichi-Jima arriving later that day. It is decided to unload the convoy and return to Yokosuka.
18 July 1944:
Reassigned to the Ominato Naval Guard District.
30 July 1944:
At 0300, NOMI departs Oha, NE Karafuto (Sakhalin) Island escorting a convoy consisting of HAKUEI and MITSU MARUs.
1 August 1944:
35 nms N of Kita-Shiretoko-Misaki Light. At about 0400, HAKUEI MARU runs aground and opens her No. 1 and No. 2 tanks to the sea causing the loss of about 3,000 tons of crude oil. About 2,000 tons of crude remain in her other tanks. NOMI’s CO, LtCdr Hera, is appointed commander of the salvage operation by the CO of the Soya Defense Force who sends out KANATSU MARU, tug MAGANE MARU, towing oil barge YUSEN GO No. 2 and salvage vessel NASU MARU to assist in the salvage of HAKUEI MARU. MITSU MARU continues on her way.
5 August 1944:
The first vessel arrives on the scene. Thereafter, KANATSU MARU and YUSEN GO No. 2 recover about 980 tons and 400 tons of crude oil respectively from HAKUEI MARU.
10 August 1944:
Transfer of the crude is completed and salvage work begins, but proves very difficult. Nevertheless, HAKUEI MARU is refloated successfully. She is towed to Wakkanai, N Hokkaido for further emergency repairs.
23 August 1944:
Departs Wakkanai via Otaru for Hakodate, Hokkaido. At noon, arrives at Hakodate Dockyard. HAKUEI MARU enters into full-scale repairs.
27 September 1944:
Kuriles. At about 0300, LtCdr Melvin H. Dry's USS SEARAVEN (SS-197) undertakes a gun attack on what Dry takes to be a small patrol boat at 45-44N, 148-41E. SEARAVEN scores a number of hits before recognising the ship as a much larger vessel. Dry crash divies and fires three torpedoes at NOMI that all miss. NOMI suffers medium damage.
October 1944:
Undergoes repairs. Reassigned to the First Surface Escort Division of the Ominato Naval District.
26 October 1944:
NOMI departs Moji with light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan UKURU and minelayer NIIZAKI escorting convoy HI-79 consisting of TENEI, MATSUSHIMA, KAGU, MELBOURNE and ARIMASAN MARUs and fleet supply ship MAMIYA.
27 October 1944:
Kaibokan CD-17 joins the escort.
28 October 1944:
Minesweeper W-21 joins the escort.
29 October 1944:
MELBOURNE MARU is detached for Keelung escorted by kaibokan UKURU
and CD-17.
30 October 1944:
HI-79 arrives at Takao. MAMIYA, KAGU MARU and minesweeper W-21 are detached.
1 November 1944:
NOMI is reassigned to the General Escort Command's First Surface Escort Division.
9 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
17 November 1944:
NOMI departs Singapore with light cruiser KASHII (F), kaibokan MANJU, UKURU, KASADO, MIYAKE, CD-17, CD-23 and CD-51 and minelayer NIIZAKE escorting convoy HI-80 consisting of TENEI, MATSUSHIMA, RYOEI, MUNAKATA, ARIMASASN, KUROSHIO, NICHINAN and KAIHO MARUs.
27 November 1944:
At 0930, RYOEI and ARIMASASN MARUs escorted by
NIIZAKE are detached for Takao.
4 December 1944:
HI-80 arrives at Sasebo.
10 December 1944:
Reassigned to the First Escort Fleet.
25 December 1944:
NOMI departs Takao with kaibokan MIYAKE and CD-138 escorting convoy TAMA 38 consisting of HYUGA, KIBITSU, AOBASAN and SHINSHU MARUs.
26 December 1944:
At daybreak, the convoy anchors near Oluanpi, southern Formosa.
29 December 1944:
At 1900, arrives North San Fernando.
30 December 1944:
At 0700, B-24 "Liberator" heavy bombers attack the port and convoy. Kaibokan CD-138 is hit by a bomb. AOBASAN MARU is bombed and a fire breaks out. The ship then breaks in two and sinks. The convoy is dissolved.
1 January 1945:
At 0345, NOMI departs North San Fernando with kaibokan KANJU, MIYAKE, CD-112 and two unidentified warships escorting convoy MATA-40 consisting of IJA landing ship SHINSHU MARU and IJA landing craft carriers KIBITSU and HYUGA MARUs.
3 January 1945:
Off Takao. At 1105 (JST), 50 carrier aircraft attack the ships. SHINSHU MARU is hit by several bombs and explodes. Later that night, SHINSHU MARU's burning wreck is torpedoed and sunk by LtCdr Henry C. Stevenson's USS ASPRO (SS-309). KIBITSU MARU is heavily damaged and HYUGA MARU suffers medium damage. MIYAKE and CD-112 both suffer light damage. The surviving ships put into Takao for repairs.
10 January 1945:
NOMI departs Takao for Mako with kaibokan YASHIRO, MIYAKE, KANJU, KURAHASHI, SHINNAN, CD-13, CD-60, CD-205, and destroyer SHIGURE escorting convoy HI-87 consisting of fleet tanker KAMOI and tankers SARAWAK, TENEI, HASHIDATE, MATSUSHIMA and MITSUSHIMA MARUs. At 1830, MITSUSHIMA MARU suffers an engine breakdown and returns to Takao.
12 January 1945:
At 0600, TENEI MARU's steering breaks down and the ship is escorted by CD-60 to Hong Kong. Soon after the rest of the convoy, advised of a pending airraid on Mako turns about and heads for Hong Kong.
13 January 1945:
At 1100, enters Hong Kong port.
15 January 1945:
At 0915, an air raid warning is sounded and carrier aircraft begin attacks. Bomb and machine-gun attacks harry the ships all day, but they escape major damage.
16 January 1945:
Hong Kong. At 0820, aircraft of Vice Admiral John S. McCain's Task Force 38 begin to attack shipping at Hong Kong. At 1124, KAMOI is near-missed. At 1240, KAMOI and TENEI MARU both suffer direct hits. At 1540, MATSUSHIMA MARU suffers a direct hit and is set on fire.
At 1644, NOMI is returning from San Fernando, Philippines when she is attacked and suffers several near-misses. Her aft 120-mm AA gun is disabled and seven sailors are KIA. At 1830, the battle ends. The Japanese claim 22 aircraft shot down, but acknowledge heavy damage to three tankers and light damage to three escorts including NOMI.
22 January 1945:
At 0700, NOMI, kaibokan CD-60, subchaser CH-20 and patrol boat P-104 depart Singapore escorting convoy HI-88-B consisting of DAIETSU, ENKI and TATSUTAMA MARUs.
27 January 1945:
At 2230 arrives at St Jacques, Indochina. TATSUTAMA
MARU is detached.
28 January 1945:
At 2110, departs St Jacques.
29 January 1945:
At 2230, arrives Van Phong, Indochina.
30 January 1945:
At 0700, departs Van Phong.
31 January 1945:
After two submarine sightings, at 0551, DAIETSU MARU and one minute later, ENKI MARU are both torpedoed and sunk by Cdr Royce L. Gross' USS BOARFISH (SS-327) at 14-56N, 109-00E. NOMI rescues many of ENKI MARU's survivors. DAIETSU MARU is run aground on the coast. Later, the wreck is bombed.
11 February 1945:
At 0510, NOMI and kaibokan CD-60 depart Singapore for Moji escorting convoy HI-88-F consisting of SAKAE and FUKEI MARUs. At about 0615, NOMI strikes a mine at 01-27N, 104-30E, but is able to continue.
18 February 1945:
Arrives at Quinhon, Indochina.
19 February 1945:
Arrives at Shirane, Indochina.
E 22 February 1945:
Arrives at Hong Kong. NOMI undergoes repairs to her mine damaged area.
24 February 1945:
Four miles S of Wanshan Island. NOMI is damaged by aircraft.
26 February 1945:
Repairs are completed. At 0200, departs Hong Kong.
8 March 1945:
Arrives at Moji.
11 April 1945:
At 0700, NOMI, now flagship of Captain Ikeda Akira's (former CO of ETOROFU), First Surface Escort Division, with kaibokan MIYAKE, CD-31 and CD-213 depart Moji for Shanghai, China escorting convoy MOSHI-02 consisting of JUZAN MARU.
13 April 1945:
At 1400, arrives at Saishu Island and anchors, planning to depart at daybreak the next day.
14 April 1945:
Hiyo islet on NW coast of Saishu Island. At 0407, in murky weather, Cdr
(later Captain/MOH) George L. Street III’s USS TIRANTE (SS-420) closes the bay on the surface, noses into Saishu harbor and fires six torpedoes at the anchored convoy. Street sinks JUZAN MARU at 33-25N, 126-15E, but TIRANTE is sighted by NOMI's lookouts.
Captain Ikeda orders an attack. TIRANTE fires two torpedoes at the charging kaibokan. Both hit NOMI under the bridge detonating her shell magazine. She jack-knifes, breaks in two and sinks at 0430. 134 sailors are lost, including CO, LtCdr Hera and Captain Ikeda.
CD-31 spots the submarine and attacks, but is hit by a stern torpedo from TIRANTE. The torpedo is a dud, but causes a fire to break out in the kaibokan's aft magazine. Later, CD-31 capsizes and sinks. After 0900, the islanders rescue NOMI and CD-31's survivors. [2]
Captain Ikeda is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.
25 May 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
[1] Saishu (Japanese) Island, now Jeju-do (Korean) was also known as Quelpart Island, one of its former "European” names.
[2] For this and other daring exploits, Cdr Street is awarded the Medal of Honor and his XO, LtCdr
(later Captain) Edward L. Beach, (later an author) is awarded a Navy Cross.
Thanks for assistance go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan. Thanks for assistance in identifying kaibokan COs goes to Mr. Aki of Japan and Matthew Jones of Ohio.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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