© 2006-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
Revision 6
29 November 1938:
Tamano. Laid down at Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding’s yard as kaibokan No. 9.
13 December 1939:
Launched and named SHIMUSHU.
2 February 1940:
Cdr Shoji Kiichiro is posted as Chief Equipping Officer.
30 June 1940:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Assigned to the 2nd Expeditionary Support Fleet. Cdr Shoji is the Commanding Officer.
Summer 1940:
Based in Mako, Pescadores. Participates in a naval blockade off southern Chinese coast. Intercepts a large Chinese sampan carrying a shipment of weapons and escorts it to Hainan Island. Participates in the capture of Niujiaoshan Island. Shells the coast and lands a platoon of Special Naval Landing Force sailors.
16 July 1940:
Departs Maizuru for Mako.
15 October 1940:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Arimura Fuji (47) assumes command.
22 September 1940:
Vichy France cedes airfields and agrees to admission of Japanese troops into northern Indochina (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam). The United States responds by placing a ban on the export of steel, scrap metal and aviation fuel to Japan.
14-16 January 1941: Operation "S" – Northern French Indochina Incursion.
Japanese troops enter French Indochina.
25 January 1941:
SHIMUSHU and mineweeper W-17 arrive at Haiphong harbor, Indochina, to observe French fleet units stationed there.
1 August 1941:
Reassigned to Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's (37)(former CO of HARUNA) Southern Expeditionary Fleet and based at Camranh Bay.
7 December 1941:
SHIMUSHU is attached to Vice Admiral Kondo Nobutake's (former CO of KONGO) Second Fleet, Southern (Malay) Force.
Gulf of Siam (Thailand). At 0300, departs Vietnamese Phu Quoc Island escorting three unidentified transports. Later that morning, rendezvouses at sea with seven other unidentified transports carrying three battalions of the 55th IJA Infantry Division escorted by the No. 2 Escort Unit's light cruiser KASHII. At 1035, all the units depart for landing sites in Siam.
8 December 1941: Operation "E" - The Invasion of Malaya:
Beginning at 1000, troops are landed at four points on the Kra Isthmus, Siam. SHIMUSHU covers the landings at Nakhon (Surat Thani).
9 December 1941:
SHIMUSHU is reassigned to the No. 1 Escort Unit of the Escort Force with KASHII.
11 December 1941:
Arrives at Camranh.
13 December 1941:
Departs Camranh Bay with light cruiser SENDAI escorting 39 invasion transports of the Second Malaya Convoy
carrying the IJA's 5th and 18th IJA Infantry Divisions.
16 December 1941:
Covers landings at Singora, Patni, Ban Don and Nakhorn. Escorts five transports to Kota Bharu, then patrols off Singora.
26 December 1941:
SHIMUSHU is reassigned back to the No. 2 Escort Unit with KASHII, light cruiser NATORI and destroyers. Departs Camranh Bay.
28 December 1941:
Departs Mako with the No. 2 Escort Unit escorting escorting 43 transports of the Third Malaya Convoy carrying elements of IJA's 15th and 25th Armies to Malaya and Bangkok, Siam.
3 January 1942:
S of Hainan island. SHIMUSHU is escorting the convoy when MYOKO MARU carrying a shipment of munitions blows up. SHIMUSHU rescues 180 survivors, including a number of IJA paratroopers.
Off Cape Camau, the convoy separates. SHIMUSHU, KASHII, DesDiv 11's FUBUKI and DesDiv 19's ISONAMI and AYANAMI escort 12 transports carrying the elements of the 15th Army.
10 January 1942:
Arrives at Bangkok. MYOKO MARU's survivors are disembarked. That same day, SHIMUSHU is reassigned to Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's First Southern Expeditionary Fleet.
January 1942:
SHIMUSHU receives a signal from Ozawa's flagship CHOKAI that orders the kaibokan to locate the wreck of British battleship HMS PRINCE OF WALES sunk off Kuantan, Malaya by IJN aircraft on 10 December.
29 January 1942:
South China Sea, E of Malaya. SHIMUSHU, escorted by minesweepers W-1, W-2, W-3, W-4 and W-5, locates the wreck of British battlecruiser HMS REPULSE and marks it with a buoy.
1 February 1942:
SHIMUSHU reports locating the wreck of PRINCE OF WALES at a depth of 60 meters. The site is marked with a buoy and the IJN ships are recalled.
16 February 1942:
Sumatra. SHIMUSHU embarks the entire staff of the IJA's 38th Infantry Division from GINYO MARU and proceeds up the Palembang River, landing its passengers at 1435. Enroute, a total of 28 Dutch mines are located and swept up.
9 February 1942: Operation "L" - The Invasion of Palembang:
SHIMUSHU departs Camranh Bay for Palembang with MineSweepDiv 1's W-1, W-2, W-3, W-4 and W-5 and SubChasDiv 11's CH-7 and CH-8 escorting eight transports. Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hashimoto Shintaro's DesRon 3's light cruiser SENDAI with DesDiv 11's FUBUKI, HATSUYUKI and SHIRAYUKI, DesDiv 20's ASAGIRI provides close cover.
16 February 1942:
The transports land troops near Palembang.
9 March 1942:
SHIMUSHU departs Singapore with MineSweepDiv 41’s REISUI and TAKAO MARUs escorting troop transports HEITO and TATSUMIYA MARUs.
12 March 1942:
Idi, Northern Sumatra. At 0540, unopposed landings are made. Soon thereafter, the invasion force secures the oilfields at Langsa and Pangkalanbrandan.
E 15 March 1942:
Arrives back at Singapore.
19 March 1942:
SHIMUSHU departs Singapore for Rangoon, Burma with the No. 2 Escort Unit comprised of light cruiser KASHII (F), minelayer HATSUTAKA, DesRon 3 and 5 destroyers, MineSweepDiv 1's W-1, W-3 and W-4, SubChasDiv 91's CHOKO MARU and SHONAN MARU No. 5 and No. 7 and the 9th Base Force's gunboat EIKO MARU escorting 32 transports carrying the IJA's 56th Infantry Division.
25 March 1942: Operation “U” – The Seizure of Rangoon, Burma:
The transports begin landing troops at Rangoon.
April 1942:
Based at Seletar Naval Base, Singapore.
10 April 1942:
Reassigned to Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's (36)(former CO of KIRISHIMA) Southwestern Area Fleet's First Southern Expeditionary Support Fleet.
16 April 1942:
At 1215, SHIMUSHU departs Singapore with torpedo boats OTORI and HIYODORI, auxiliary gunboat TAIGEN MARU No. 7 and patrol boat PB-35 escorting a convoy transporting the 3rd Tank Corps to Darien, Manchuria. The convoy consists of MYOKO, ATLAS, SHINZAN, MOTOYAMA, INDOCHINA, HEIAN, RYUNAN, GLASGOW, TOKIWA, HARVRE and SANKO MARUs. The escorts protect the convoy up to latitude 16N, from where the convoy is escorted by units of the IJN's North China Area Fleet.
28 April 1942:
Arrives at Rangoon.
1 July 1942:
The kaibokan class of warships is abolished. As a result, the already mounted Imperial crest on the bow is
removed.
20 August 1942:
Drydocked at Seletar Naval Base, Singapore.
22 August 1942:
Cdr Teranishi assumes command.
17 September 1942:
Undocked.
20 December 1942:
Reassigned to the General Escort Command's First Surface Escort Division.
4 September 1943:
Departs Sabang escorting TATSUHARU MARU and an unidentified ship.
7 September 1943:
Near Singapore. Later, steams to Car Nicobar Ilands, Indian Ocean.
28 September 1943:
Port of Singapore. In the immediate aftermath of the successful "Krait" raid by Australian/British Special Operations Executive (SOE) commando forces, SHIMUSHU is ordered to undertake mobile guard duties between bouys 1 through 19.
28 October 1943:
Lt Smimamura Kazuchyo assumes command. Cdr Teranishi is reassigned.
20 December 1943:
Reassigned to the First Surface Escort Division.
21 December 1943:
Escorts convoys from Singapore.
13 January 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo.
E 7 January 1944:
Departs Takao, Formosa for Moji escorting convoy No. 233 consisting of eight unidentified ships.
23 January 1944:
Departs Sasebo for Moji.
26 January 1944:
At 1300, departs Moji for Singapore escorting convoy HI-39 consisting of six unidentified merchant ships.
9 February 1944:
At 1100, the convoy arrives at Singapore.
13 February 1944:
At 1600, departs Singapore for Moji escorting convoy
HI-40 consisting of tankers NANEI, KOKUEI, ICHIYO, NICHIRIN, NAMPO and ASAMA
MARUs.
19 February 1944:
South China Sea, 300 miles W of Luzon. Captain (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Thomas M. Dykers’ USS JACK (SS-259) attacks HI-40 and sinks KOKUEI and NANEI MARUs at 14-34N, 114-11E, NICHIRIN MARU at 15-40N, 115-48E and ICHIYO MARU at 15-46N, 115-57E. [1]
24 February 1944:
20 miles E of Formosa. At 0336, LtCdr John A. Moore’s USS GRAYBACK (SS-208) torpedoes and sinks oiler NAMPO MARU at 24-20N, 122-25E and damages transport ASAMA MARU at 24-15N, 122-19E. SHIMUSHU counterattacks unsuccessfully. [1] [2]
25 February 1944:
SHIMUSHU and ASAMA MARU arrive at Takao, Convoy HI-40 is dissolved.
29 February 1944:
At 2100, departs Takao for Singapore with kaibokan SADO escorting convoy
HI-49 probably consisting of tanker EIHO MARU and four unidentified merchant ships.
5 March 1944:
At 1100, arrives at Singapore.
11 March 1944:
At 0730, departs Singapore with kaibokans MIYAKE, IKI and ETOROFU escorting convoy HI-48 consisting of transport/cargo liners SANUKI, TEIA, HOKURIKU and AWA MARUs and tankers OMUROSAN, OTOWASAN, TATEKAWA, ITSUKUSHIMA, SEIYO, NICHIEI and KUROSHIO MARU and two unidentified ships.
14 March 1944:
Gulf of Thailand. SANUKI MARU is damaged by a mine or
torpedo that causes her to drop out of the convoy on the Indochina coast. At 1700, convoy HI-48 arrives at Van Phong Bay, French Indochina.
15 March 1944:
At 1100, HI-48 departs Van Phong Bay.
18 March 1944:
At 0114, HOKURIKU MARU is hit by four torpedoes fired
by LtCdr Lowell T. Stone's USS LAPON (SS-260) and sinks at 19-24N, 116-50E.
Later that day, KASHII MARU joins the convoy.
19 March 1944:
At 0600, SHIMUSHU runs aground, but later that day she
is refloated. At 1600, the convoy arrives at Takao.
20 March 1944:
At 1300, departs Takao.
25 March 1944:
At 0500, arrives at Moji.
1 April 1944:
Departs Moji with escort carrier KAIYO, kaibokans
ETOFORU, IKI, CD-8, CD-9 and torpedo boat SAGI escorting convoy HI-57 consisting
of oilers ITSUKUSHIMA, OTOWASAN, RYOEI and OMUROSAN MARUs, troop transports
SHINSHU and MAYASAN MARUs and three unidentified ships.
2 April 1944:
The convoy encounters extremely severe weather and
returns to Moji.
3 April 1944:
At 0600, the unchanged convoy departs Moji.
7 April 1944:
At 1450, arrives at Takao.
8 April 1944:
At 1000, departs Takao.
12 April 1944:
At 1930 arrives at Camranh Bay.
13 April 1944:
At 1200, departs Camranh Bay.
16 April 1944:
At 1240, arrives at Singapore.
21 April 1944:
At 0700, departs Singapore with escort carrier KAIYO,
kaibokans ETOFORU, IKI, CD-8 and CD-9 escorting convoy HI-58 consisting of
oilers ITSUKUSHIMA, RYOEI, OMUROSAN and OTOWASAN MARUs, troop transport SHINSHU
MARU, and probably ZUIHO and MAYASAN MARUs.
That same day, one of KAIYO's attack planes sights LtCdr Manning M. Kimmel's (son of former CINCPAC, ADM H. E. Kimmel) USS ROBALO (SS-273) on the surface about 15 miles behind the convoy. The plane drops two bombs on ROBALO and calls for assistance. IKI and CD-9 arrive. They depth charge and damage ROBALO, but she escapes.
3 May 1944:
HI-58 arrives at Moji.
12 July 1944:
At 1500, SHIMUSHU departs Moji with destroyer SHIOKAZE, minesweepers W-28 and W-39, subchaser CH-55 and auxiliary gunboat KAZAN MARU escorting convoy MI-11 consisting of EIKYU, YOSHINO, MIHO, ENOSHIMA, MANKO, HACHIJIN, DAKAR, FUSO, TEIRITSU and FUKUJU MARUs, BANSHU MARU No. 16 and tankers KOEI, TAKETOYO, AYAYUKI, SHICHIYO, AYAGUMO and HARIMA MARUs and OGURA Maru No. 1.
21 July 1944:
The convoy arrives at Takao.
29 July 1944:
At 0500, SHIMUSHU departs Takao, Formosa for Miri, Borneo with SHIOKAZE, W-28, W-39, subchaser CH-55 and auxiliary gunboat KAZAN MARU escorting reorganized convoy MI-11 now consisting of EIKYU, YOSHINO, KOEI, TAKETOYO, MIHO, MANKO, ENOSHIMA, HACHIJIN, DAKAR, FUSO, SHICHIYO, HARIMA, AYAYUKI, AYAKUMO, TEIRITSU and FUKUJU MARUs and OGURA MARU No. 1 [1]
31 July 1944:
Luzon Strait. A wolfpack patrols the Strait under Captain (later Rear Admiral) Lewis S. Parks. It consists of LtCdr (later Vice Admiral/MOH/COMSUBLANT) Lawson P. Ramage's USS PARCHE (SS-384)(F), LtCdr (later Captain) David L. Whelchel's STEELHEAD (SS-280) and LtCdr John C. Martin's
HAMMERHEAD (SS-364). [2]
280 miles NNW of Cape Mayraira, Luzon. At 0332, LtCdr Ramage's PARCHE torpedoes and sinks KOEI MARU. About the same time, oiler OGURA MARU No. 1 is hit by a torpedo, but does not sink. At 0340, Ramage torpedoes and sinks transport (ex-hospital ship) YOSHINO MARU. She carries down 2,442 soldiers, 18 naval gunners and 35 sailors and a cargo of ammunition. At 0420, Whelchel's STEELHEAD torpedoes DAKAR MARU, but she does not sink. At 0455, Whelchel torpedoes and sinks transport (ex-hospital ship) FUSO MARU. She takes down 1,384 troops and crewmen and a cargo of 36 railway carriages and 1,120-tons of other military supplies. At 0514, Ramage's PARCHE torpedoes and sinks MANKO MARU. She carries down several hundred naval personnel and crewmen and a cargo of ammunition.
3 August 1944:
At 1730, the remainder of MI-11 arrives at Manila where it is reorganized.
August 1944:
An unknown Cdr assumes command.
7 August 1944:
At 1900, SHIMUSHU departs Manila for Miri, Borneo with kaibokans CD-26, minesweeper W-28 and subchaser CH-55 escorting reconstituted convoy MI-11 that now consists of TAKETOYO, MIHO, ENOSHIMA, HACHIJIN, SHICHIYO, AYAYUKI, AYAKUMO and TEIRITSU MARUs joined by MISAKI MARU.
12 August 1944:
Arrives at Miri.
16 August 1944:
At 0700, SHIMUSHU departs Miri for Manila with kaibokans CD-16, CD-28, subchaser CH-30, CH-33 and CH-41 escorting convoy MI-12 consisting of TAKETOYO, SEISHIN, NORFOLK, UGA, KINRYU, KAITO, OYO, JUNGEN GO, NANSEI, TAIEI and GYOSAN MARUs and unidentified KAITO MARU.
18 August 1944:
At 1352, LtCdr William T. Kinsella's USS RAY (SS-271) torpedoes and sinks NANSEI MARU at 08-39N, 116-39E. The convoy is ordered to seek shelter.
20 August 1944:
At 1930, arrives at Paluan Bay, NW Mindoro.
21 August 1944:
At 0556. departs Paluan Bay. Soon after CD-28 attacks an enemy submarine contact. At 0720, a wolfpack consisting of USS GUITARRO (SS- 363), HADDO (SS-255), HARDER, RAY and MUSKALLUNGE make the first of a series of successful attacks. Kinsella's RAY torpedoes and sinks TAKETOYO MARU, carrying a cargo of drummed oil and gasoline at 0652 at 13-21N, 120-19E. At 0730, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Chester W. Nimitz, Jr's HADDO (SS-255) torpedoes and sinks NORFOLK MARU. At 0800, Nimitz also torpedoes and sinks KINRYU MARU carrying a cargo of bauxite. At 0825, LtCdr (later Captain) Enrique D. Haskin's GUITARRO (SS- 363) torpedoes and sinks UGA MARU at 13-27N, 120-17E.
22 August 1944:
At 2200, MI-12 arrives at Manila.
27 August 1944:
At 0900, SHIMUSHU departs Manila with kaibokan ETOROFU, SHONAN, CD-7 and CD-28 and subchaser CH-41 and patrol boat P-102 escorting convoy MAMO-02 consisting of KASHII, MAYASAN, NISSHO and NOTO MARUs. At 1548, anchors in Subic Bay.
28 August 1944:
At 0600, departs Subic Bay.
30 August 1944:
Arrives at Takao. Destroyers WAKABA and HATSUSHIMO join the escort and subchaser CH-41, patrol boat P-102, CD-7 and CD-28 are detached.
31 August 1944:
Departs Takao. Later that day ORYOKU MARU joins the convoy
4 September 1944:
At 0500, arrives Takao.
12 October 1944:
At noon, Rear Admiral Matsuyama Mitsuharu’s 7th Convoy Escort Group's SHIMUSHU (F) departs Shanghai, China with kaibokan OKINAWA, CD-11 and CD-13 escorting convoy MOMA-04 consisting of transports NOTO, KINKA, KASHII and TAKATSU MARUs carrying the IJA’s 1st Division's main body of about 10,000 men plus equipment.
26 October 1944:
At 2315, the convoy arrives at Manila.
31 October 1944: Operation TA No. 2:
Rear Admiral Kimura Masatomi's SHIMUSHU (F) departs Manila with kaibokans OKINAWA, CD-11 and CD-13 escorting transports NOTO, KINKA, KASHII and TAKATSU MARU.
2 November 1944:
Early in the morning the convoy is attacked by P-38 "Lightning" fighter-bombers. OKINAWA claims shooting down one. During the attack all kaibokan stream kites loaded with explosives as an AA measure, the first time this weapon is used in action. In the afternoon, the convoy is attacked by two dozen B-24 "Liberator" heavy bombers. NOTO MARU, mostly unloaded, suffers a near miss by a 500-lb bomb that causes her to flood and sink.
4 November 1944:
The convoy arrives back in Manila.
8 November 1944:
At 1030, TAKATSU MARU, KINKA MARU and KASHII MARU, carrying 10,000 men of the 26th Infantry Division and 3,500 tons of munitions, depart Manila into typhoon seas escorted by Rear Admiral Matsuyama's kaibokan OKINAWA and Admiral Kimura's destroyer screen of KASUMI (F), USHIO, AKISHIMO, ASASHIMO, NAGANAMI and WAKATSUKI. All proceed under the cover of the storm to Ormoc Bay, Luzon.
9 November 1944:
In the evening, the convoy arrives Ormoc Bay.
10 November 1944:
SHIMUSHU and DesDiv 31's ASASHIMO and NAGANAMI stand by as KINKA MARU unloads material. About 1000, 30 B-25s hit and sink TAKATSU MARU with all hands. KASHII MARU is hit several times and explodes after survivors abandon ship. CD-11 is set afire and beached. CD-13 is damaged by near-misses. SHIMUSHU claims a B-25
N of Cebu. That same day, the convoy is attacked by P-38 fighter-bombers. AKISHIMO’s bow is blown off.
Sibuyan Sea. That same day, transport CELEBES MARU runs hard aground on a reef. Subchaser CH-46 is detached to guard CELEBES MARU. Admiral Kimura directs Admiral Matsuyama to carry CELEBES MARU's troops to Ormoc in SHIMUSHU and CD-13.
12 November 1944:
SHIMUSHU and CD-13 reach the location of CELEBES MARU at 1630.
12 November 1944:
SHIMUSHU and CD-13 cannot carry out Admiral Kimura's orders to land the troops at Ormoc and return to Manila.
17 November 1944:
At 0730, SHIMUSHU departs Singapore for Manila with kaibokans OKINAWA and CD-13 escorting convoy No. 4118 consisting of DOWA and GYOSAN MARUs.
20 November 1944:
At 1210, kaibokan OKINAWA is detached.
21 November 1944:
At 1844, in bad weather, LtCdr Richard E. Nichol's USS BASHAW (SS-241) torpedoes GYOSAN MARU, but she does not sink. Later, the flaming wreck drifts ashore in Dangerous Ground where it is torpedoed by LtCdr James E. Steven's FLOUNDER (SS-251) and sinks.
22 November 1944:
At 1947, LtCdr Carl Tiedeman's USS GUAVINA (SS-362) torpedoes and sinks anchored DOWA MARU
at 10-18N, 114-15E. The convoy is dissolved at this point.
25 November 1944:
W of Corregidor. LtCdr Frank C. Lynch’s USS HADDO (SS-255) torpedoes SHIMUSHU and blows off her bow at 14-00N, 119-25E.
10 December 1944:
Reassigned to the General Escort Command's First Escort Fleet.
25 December 1944:
Reassigned to the Kuriles Area Base Force, 12th Air Fleet.
20 January 1945:
Maizuru arsenal. A new bow is installed.
March 1945:
Attached to the Kuriles Area Base Force.
10 April 1945:
Reassigned to the 104th Escort Squadron, Ominato Naval Guard District.
18 May 1945:
Off Shimushu Island, Kuriles. SHIMUSHU and HACHIJO, escorting transport UKISHIMA, are attacked by three B-25 bombers, damaging the HACHIJO. SHIMUSHU downs one of the attackers and takes one of B-25’s gunners aboard. She then tows damaged HACHIJO to Kataoka Bay, Shimushu.
19 May 1945:
Kuriles. SHIMUSHU inspects a Soviet merchant that strayed into Japanese waters. The Soviet skipper warns the Japanese about the presence of the U.S. submarines in the area.
26 May 1945:
At 2000, SHIMUSHU departs Paramushiro, Kuriles for Otaru, Hokkaido with kaibokans HACHIJO and CD-112 and fleet supply ship SHIRASAKI escorting the Chi convoy consisting of KURETAKE, TENRYO and KASUGAYAMA MARUs.
29 May 1945:
At 2055, LtCdr Hugh H. Lewis' USS STERLET (SS-392) torpedoes KURETAKE and TENRYO MARUs. KURETAKE MARU's crew struggles to control flooding, but TENRYO MARU sinks soon after being hit taking down 885 men of the 23rd Air Defense Battalion and 83 crewmen .
30 May 1945:
At 0600, KURETAKE MARU sinks. SHIMUSHU rescues hundreds of survivors.
May 1945:
In May, SHIMUSHU makes a total of three runs from Paramushiro to Otaru.
18 July 1945:
USS BARB (SS-220) attacks ferry SOYA MARU en route from Wakkanai to Sakhalin, but escorting kaibokan CD-112 deliberately intercepts BARB’s torpedo and sinks after being hit. SHIMUSHU arrives on the scene and rescues two of CD-112 sailors.
15 August 1945: Cessation of Hostilities:
At Hokkaido.
5 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
29 October 1945:
Departs Maizuru on her first repatriation voyage.
6 November 1945:
Arrives at Guam. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
9 November 1945:
Arrives at Truk. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
10 November 1945:
Departs Truk.
18 November 1945:
Arrives at Uraga. Disembarks troops and passengers.
21 November 1945:
Undergoes repairs. at Uraga.
1 December 1945:
Officially appointed a special cargo ship in the Allied
Repatriation Service. [3]
6 December 1945:
Repairs are completed.
7 December 1945:
Departs Uraga.
14 December 1945:
Arrives at Guam. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
18 December 1945:
Arrives at Truk. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
19 December 1945:
Departs Truk.
24 December 1945:
Arrives at Uraga. Disembarks troops and passengers.
28 December 1945-25 January 1946:
Under repair at Uraga.
2 February 1946:
Departs Uraga.
6 February 1946:
Arrives at Guam. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
8 February 1946:
Departs Guam.
12 February 1946:
Arrives at Palau. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
14 February 1946:
Arrives at Truk. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
18 February 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
20 February 1946:
Departs Sasebo
21 February 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
26 February 1946:
Arrives at Guam. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
28 February 1946:
Arrives at Tinian. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
4 March 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
8 March 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
10 March 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
15 March 1946-20 April 1946:
Under repairs at Maizuru.
28 April 1946:
Departs Maizuru.
29 April 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
1 May 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
4 May 1946:
Departs Maizuru.
6 May 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
13 May 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
15 May 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
19 May 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
27 May 1946:
Arrives at St Jacques. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
28 May 1946:
Departs St Jacques.
29 May 1946:
Arrives at Saigon. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
1 June 1946:
Arrives at Bangkok. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
3 June 1946:
Departs Bangkok.
14 June 1946:
Arrives at Uraga. Disembarks troops and passengers.
25 June 1946-3 July 1946:
Under repair at Uraga.
5 August 1946:
Departs Uraga.
10 August 1946:
Arrives at Korojima near Tientsin. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
13 August 1946:
Departs Korojima.
16 August 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
1 Septemer 1946-18 September 1946:
Under repairs at Maizuru.
27 September 1946:
Departs Ninoshima (small island S of Hiroshima)
29 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
1 October 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
7 October 1946:
Departs Kure.
9 October 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
12 October 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
15 October 1946:
Departs Ujina.
17 October 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
20 October 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
23 October 1946:
Departs Otake.
25 October 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
and departs later that day.
27 October 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
2 November 1946:
Undergoes repairs.
18 November 1946:
Repairs are completed.
27 November 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
28 November 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
29 November 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
30 November 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
20 December 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
22 December 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
23 December 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
25 December 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
18 June 1947:
Dai-ichi Building, Tokyo. Japanese warships are to be divided into four roughly equal lots among the "Big Four" victorious nations. Vice Admiral Robert M. Griffin, commander of U.S. Naval Forces, Far East, conducts the first drawing of lots that includes a total of 24 destroyers and 68 kaibokan. The Soviet Union is allotted 34 former IJN warships, including 7 destroyers and 17 escort vessels.
28 August 1947:
20 miles E of Vladivostok. Nakhodka Bay, Siberia, Maritime Province. SHIMUSHU is ceded to the Soviet Navy as a war reparation.
Late October 1947:
Transferred to Vladivostok.
Authors' Notes:
[1] After HI-40 was annilhilated by JACK and GRAYBACK, the Naval General Staff discontinued
assigning only one escort vessel to protect small convoys and began organizing larger convoys with more escorts.
[2] USS GRAYBACK was lost with all 80 hands in East China Sea on 27 Feb '44.
[3] Allied occupation forces were responsible for the return of six million Japanese military personnel and civilians from Japan's defunct far-flung Empire. In addition, there were over a million Korean and about 40,000 Chinese prisoners and conscript laborers and approximately 7,000 Formosans and 15,000 Ryukyu Islanders to be repatriated.
Some Allied and many former IJN warships, from aircraft carriers to kaibokan, were used to facilitate the enormous repatriation effort. Japanese vessels and crews were used to the fullest extent possible to conserve Allied manpower and accelerate demobilization. Each ex-IJN ship first had to be demilitarized; guns removed or, in the case of large warships, barrels severed, and ammunition landed. Repatriation of the Chinese on Japanese shipping began early in October from Hakata, but U.S. guard detachments had to be placed on many ships to prevent disorder because the Japanese crews could not control the returnees.
Japanese-run repatriation centers were established at Kagoshima, Hario near Sasebo, and Hakata near Fukuoka. Other reception centers were established and operated at Maizuru, Shimonoseki, Sasebo, Senzaki, Kure, Uraga, Yokohama, Moji and Hakodate. Allied line and medical personnel supervised the centers. Incoming Japanese were sprayed with DDT, examined and inoculated for typhus and smallpox, provided with food, and transported to his final destination in Japan.
Thanks for assistance go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan. Thanks also go to Jeff Donahoo of Iowa, Matthew Jones of Ohio and Aki-san of Japan for help in identifying kaibokan COs.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
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