Japanese Minelayers

FUSETSUKAN!

(TSUGARU by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings of Japanese Warships")

IJN Minelayer SHIRATAKA: Tabular Record of Movement
© 1998-2005 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 2

24 November 1928:
Tokyo. Laid down at the Ishikawajima Shipyard.
15 January 1929:
Cdr (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Sonoda Shigeru (37) is posted as the Chief Equipping Officer.
25 January 1929:
Launched and named SHIRATAKA.
9 April 1929 :
Completed as the world's first anti-submarine netlayer/minelayer. SHIRATAKA (unlike any other IJN warship) carries not one, but two two chrysanthemum crests due to her unusual bow configuration. As built, she carries three 4.7-inch (120-mm)/45 main guns. Registered (commissioned) in the Kure Naval District. Cdr Sonoda is the Commanding Officer.
5 November 1929:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Motoizumi Takeshi (37) (former XO of TOKIWA) assumes command. Cdr Sonoda is reassigned as an instructor at the Torpedo School.
1 December 1931:
A new, but unknown, Captain assumes command.
1 December 1932:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Kaneko Toyokichi (38) assumes command.
15 November 1933:
A new, but unknown, Captain assumes command. Cdr Kaneko is promoted Captain and assumes command of minelayer ITSUKUSHIMA.
1935:
Kure Navy Yard. Reconstructed. 250-tons of permanent ballast are added and the bridge is lowered. The mainmast and funnel are also lowered.
15 November 1935:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Itagaki Koichi (38) (former XO of NACHI) assumes command.
16 November 1936:
A new, but unknown, Captain assumes command.
7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge (The First "China") Incident:
Lugouqiao, China. Japanese troops are on night maneuvers at the bridge. They fire blank cartridges. Chinese troops fire back, but do not cause injuries. At morning roll call, the Japanese discover a soldier missing and assume the Chinese captured him. The Japanese demand entry to Beijing to look for the soldier. The Chinese refuse. The Japanese then shell the city. An undeclared war on China begins.
11 July 1937:
The IJA and IJN agree to operational jurisdictions in the event of a full-scale war with China. The IJA takes responsibility for northern China and the IJN assumes assumes responsibility for central and southern China.
August 1937:
Shanghai. SHIRATAKA takes up station in Chinese waters.
15 December 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kanemasu Yoshio (40)(former CO of AMAGIRI) assumes command.
15 November 1939:
A new, but unknown, Captain assumes command.
1 November 1940:
Cdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Morikawa Matao (44) assumes command.
November 1940:
Ominato. Completes reconstruction as an escort vessel. Her 120-mm/45 guns are replaced by two 120-mm/45 single-purpose guns. 36 depth charges are added near her aft main guns. She can carry a total of 100 mines as an alternative. The bridge is lowered by one deck and the funnel is lowered about one meter to compensate for the added top weight. Her displacement is increased by about 250-tons. [1]
10 September 1941:
A new, but unknown, Captain assumes command. Cdr Morikawa is reassigned as CO of ITSUKUSHIMA.
1 December 1941:
Takao, Formosa. SHIRATAKA is assigned to Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's (former CO of YAMASHIRO) Third Fleet in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kubo Kyuji's (former CO of KAGA) 1st Base Force with minelayer AOTAKA, Gunboat Division 1 and Minesweeper Division 21.
2 December 1941:
SHIRATAKA receives the signal "Niitakayama nobore (Climb Mt. Niitaka) 1208" from the Combined Fleet. This signifies that X-Day hostilities will commence on 8 December (Japan time).
6 December 1941: Operation "M" - The Attack on the Northern Philippines:
Vice Admiral Takahashi's forces land troops at Appari, Lingayen Gulf, and other points. SHIRATAKA remains in Rear Admiral Kubo's 1st Base Force
18 February 1942: Operation "J" - The Invasion of Java, Netherlands East Indies:
SHIRATAKA is attached to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto's (former CO of AOBA) 2nd Base Force with the 1st Minesweeper Division's W-1, W-2, W-3, W-4 and W-5 in Vice Admiral Takahashi's Third Fleet, Southern Force, Netherlands East Indies Force.
Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo’s Western Java Seizure Force of Takahashi's NEI Force departs Camranh Bay, Indochina in a convoy comprised of 56 troop transports. They carry carry the 2nd Infantry Division for the invasions of Bantam Bay and Merak, Java escorted by light cruisers YURA and NATORI, DesDivs 5, 6, 11, 12 and 22. Seven transports go to Eretan Wetan and 15 go on to Merak, Java. Seaplane tender SANYO MARU provides air cover.
27 February 1942: The Battle of the Sunda Strait:
SHIRATAKA and 32 of the Seizure Force's transports line the western shore of Bantam Bay. Also nearby are seaplane carrier CHITOSE and seaplane tender KAMIKAWA MARU. CruDiv 7's MOGAMI, MIKUMA, KUMANO and SUZUYA provide distant cover.
At about 2215, Captain Albert H. Rooks USS HOUSTON (CA-30) and Australian Captain Hector M. L. Waller’s light cruiser HMAS PERTH, attempting to retire to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), accidentally encounter and then attack the troop transports screened only by DesDiv 5's HARUKAZE, HATAKAZE and DesDiv 11's FUBUKI. The destroyers make smoke to mask the transports. FUBUKI charges and launches nine torpedoes.
At 2300, the Third Escort Force's light cruiser NATORI and her destroyers arrive with heavy cruisers MOGAMI and MIKUMA and destroyer SHIKINAMI. At 2327, in the Sunda Strait, MOGAMI fires six “Long Lance” torpedoes at HOUSTON, but they all miss and pass into Bantam Bay. At 2335, five explosions erupt. IJA transports SAKURA, HORAI and TATSUNO MARUs, landing ship SHINSHU (a.k.a. RYUJO) MARU and minesweeper W-2 are hit by the long lances and sink in shallow water.
1 March 1942:
During the engagement, the Japanese launch about 90 torpedoes. At 0025, IJN destroyers sink PERTH. At 0045, after being hit by torpedoes and gunfire, HOUSTON also sinks.
10 March 1942:
SHIRATAKA is reassigned to the 21st Base Force of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake's (35) (former CO of KONGO) Second Fleet and based at Surabaya, Java.
15 May 1942:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Wada Sumihasa (45) (former XO of NATORI) assumes command.
1 August 1942:
Rabaul. SHIRATAKA is reassigned to Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi's (38) (former CO of KIRISHIMA) Eighth Fleet.
6 November 1942:
At 1400, departs Rabaul in an unnumbered convoy consisting of ARIZONA, TOYO, NAGARA, YAMAZUKI, TEIYO, YUROI, TOYOKUNI, OIGAWA, and SHORTLAND MARUs escorted by SHIRATAKA, torpedo boat HIYODORI and Subchaser No. 16.
8 November 1942:
At 1020, the convoy arrives at the Shortland Islands, Bougainville.
29 December 1942:
Rabaul. SHIRATAKA is reassigned to the 2nd Base Force, Eighth Fleet. The 2nd Base Force, like each theater fleet, naval and guard district and some other base forces, is responsible for commerce escort protection in a specified local area.
18 February 1943:
Departs Wewak, New Guinea for Rabaul with DesDiv 8’s ARASHIO and OSHIO.
20 February 1943:
NW of Manus Island, Bismarck Archipelago. LCdr Richard C. Lake’s USS ALBACORE (SS-218) attacks the SHIRATAKA group. Lake fires five torpedoes in two spreads at a destroyer and SHIRATAKA. One hits OSHIO aft of her No. 2 stack. She goes dead in the water. ARASHIO attempts to tow, but OSHIO sinks at 00-50S, 146-06E. SHIRATAKA detaches and returns to Wewak. ARASHIO rescues OSHIO's survivors and lands them at Rabaul.
13 April 1943:
Captain Miki Takahide (46) assumes command.
5 July 1943:
At 1300, troop convoy Wewak No. 6 departs Palau. The convoy consists of BENGAL, MAYA, TOHO MARUs, YOSHIDA MARU No. 3 and SHINSEI MARU No. 1 escorted by SHIRATAKA and destroyers AMATSUKAZE and URAKAZE.
10 July 1943:
Arrives at Wewak. At 2300, the convoy departs except for the MAYA and TOHO MARUs and AMATSUKAZE. Later, they catch up with the convoy. At 2250, TOHO MARU experiences engine difficulty and drops behind. URAKAZE takes her under tow.
16 July 1943:
Arrives at Palau at 1620. URAKAZE and TOHO MARU arrive the next day.
20 July 1943:
At 0800, convoy Hansa No. 5 departs Palau consisting of ADEN, YUBAE, HANKOW, DENMARK, NAGANO MARUs and SHINTO MARU No. 1 escorted by SHIRATAKA and Subchaser No. 34.
25 July 1943:
Arrives at Hansa Bay, New Guinea at 0125. At 1750, SHIRATAKA departs with three of the ships.
27 July 1943:
The remaining three ships and subchaser CH-34 join up with others.
31 July 1943:
Arrives at Palau at 1151.
2 August 1943:
At 1300, convoy Hansa No. 6 departs Palau. The convoy consists of SHINSEI MARU No. 1, BENGAL, TAIFUKU and MAYA MARUs and YOSHIDA MARU No. 3 escorted by SHIRATAKA and CH-34.
8 August 1943:
Arrives at Hansa Bay at 0800.
9 August 1943:
SHIRATAKA and three marus depart at 1300.
12 August 1943:
At 0625, the other two Marus and CH-34 rejoin the convoy.
14 August 1943:
Arrives at Palau at 1400.
24 September 1943:
Departs Palau with convoy Wewak No. 10 consisting of the MAYA, BENGAL and YAMAGATA MARUs escorted by SHIRATAKA and CH-34.
27 September 1943:
SHIRATAKA and CH-34 intercept convoy Wewak No. 9 convoy that is returning to Palau. Convoy Wewak No. 9 consists of the ADEN and YASUKUNI MARUs escorted by Subchasers Nos. 26 and 32. SHIRATAKA and CH-34 escort convoy Wewak No. 9 back to Palau. Subchasers CH-26 and CH-32 take over the escort of Wewak No. 10 convoy.
E 29 September 1943:*
Arrives at Palau.
1 November 1943:
Departs Palau with convoy Hollandia No. 2 consisting of ASO, RYUWA, FUKOKU and KIZUGAWA MARUs with SHINSEI MARU No. 5 escorted by SHIRATAKA and Subchasers No's 26 and 35.
E 3 November 1943:*
SHIRATAKA detaches from convoy and returns alone to Palau.
15 November 1943:
SHIRATAKA is reassigned to Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) Endo Yoshikazu's (38) (former CO of KINU) Ninth Fleet.
24 November 1943:
Departs Palau with Wewak No. 14 convoy consisting of KANKYO, KANTO, FUKKAI, UMEKAWA and HOZAN MARUs escorted by SHIRATAKA and CH-35.
27 November 1943:
KANKYO MARU detaches from the convoy for Hollandia.
29 November 1943:
Arrives at Wewak.
30 November 1943:
Departs Wewak.
4 December 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
17 December 1943:
Departs Palau with "Wewak No. 15" convoy consisting of KAYO, SAMARANG, UMEGAWA and YAMAGIKU MARUs escorted by SHIRATAKA and subchaser CH-32 and auxiliary subchaser No. 3.
21 December 1943:
Arrives at Wewak.
22 December 1943:
Departs Wewak with convoy Wewak No. 15 and narrowly avoids a large air raid that takes place shortly after the ships sail.
25 December 1943:
SHIRATAKA intercepts convoy Wewak No. 16 consisting of the ASO, SHOHO, CHINZEI and KURAMASAN MARUs. KURAMASAN MARU detaches from convoy Wewak No. 16. SHIRATAKA detaches from convoy Wewak No. 15 convoy and escorts KURAMASAN MARU towards Hollandia.
27 December 1943:
Arrives at Hollandia.
29 December 1943:
Departs Hollandia with KURAMASAN MARU.
2 January 1944:
Arrives at Palau.
23 January 1944:
At 0730, departs Palau in convoy Wewak No. 18 consisting of KAYO, KOFUKU and MEXICO MARUs escorted by SHIRATAKA, destoyer SHIRANUHI and subchaser CH-3. SHIRATAKA carries the Yoshitoshi Takasago Unit, an Army group.
28 January 1944:
Arrives at Wewak. Immediately prior to arrival, SHIRATAKA detaches and steams to nearby Kairiru Island to unload the troops. At Kairiru Island, she embarks 700 sick and wounded soldiers and 1100 empty drums.
29 January 1944:
The convoy departs Wewak. SHIRATAKA follows shortly thereafter catching up with the convoy and SHIRANUHI and CH-3 that had diverted to Hollandia.[2]
3 February 1944:
Arrives at Palau.
5 April 1944:
SHIRATAKA is reassigned to the First Escort Unit of Admiral Oikawa Koshiro's (31) (former CO of TAMA) Grand Escort Fleet.
21 April 1944:
Flagship SHIRATAKA carrying Rear Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi (former CO of KISO), CO of the newly formed 6th Escort Convoy Command, departs Tungchiaoshan (Tangjiqiozshan) near Shanghai. The SHIRATAKA is escorting the Take (Bamboo) No. 1 slow-speed troop convoy. The convoy is carrying the IJA's 32nd and 35th divisions (about 30,000 troops) to reinforce Biak and Hollandia, New Guinea.
The convoy consists of 15 Army transports including ADEN, TAJIMA, YOZAN and YOSHIDA MARU No. 1 destined for Manokwari, New Guinea carrying the 35th Division's troops. Seven ships are destined for Manila only. They are MANSHU, FUKUYO, TEIKAI, KANAN, TEIKO MARUs, UNKAI MARU (No. unknown) and an unknown maru. The KAZUURA, MITSUKI, BRAZIL and TENSHINZAN (AMATSUSAN) MARUs are bound only for Mindanao, Philippines carrying the 32nd Division.
The escorts include the SHIRATAKA, destroyers ASAKAZE, SHIRATSUYU and FUJINAMI, frigates KURAHASI, kaibokans CD-20 and CD-22, minesweeper W-2, subchasers CH-37 and CH-38 with gunboats UJI, ATAKA and TAMA MARU No. 7.
26 April 1944:
Off NW Luzon, Philippines. LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Thomas M. Dykers’ USS JACK (SS-259) intercepts the convoy. Dykers makes three separate attacks and fires 18 torpedoes at the convoy. At about 0600, from two to four torpedoes hit YOSHIDA MARU No. 1 portside. She breaks in two and sinks quickly taking down an IJA regiment of 3,189 men including its commander.
Tokyo. Prime Minister and Army General Tojo Hideki learns of the losses inflicted upon convoy Take No. 1. Fearing further attacks by American skip-bombers, like those suffered earlier in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, Tojo orders the convoy diverted from Manokwari, New Guinea to Halmahera, Moluccas.
28 April 1944:
Convoy Take No. 1 puts into Manila. The FUJINAMI and the Manila bound ships are detached except for TEIKAI MARU that takes the place of the sunken YOSHIDA MARU No. 1.
1 May 1944:
The convoy departs Manila. It now consists of eight transports escorted by SHIRATAKA, destroyers ASAKAZE and SHIRATSUYU, minesweeper W-22 and subchasers CH-37 and CH-38. As ordered, the 32nd and 35th Divisions' ships proceed southward towards Halmahera.
6 May 1944:
N Celebes Sea. About 0800, lookouts aboard LtCdr Charles H. Andrews’ USS GURNARD (SS-254) spot SHIRATAKA's coal-burning smoke at 19 miles. By 1300, Andrews completes an "end-around" and gains an attack position on convoy Take No. 1. He sets up carefully and fires two three-torpedo salvos at the transports. TAIJIMA and ADEN MARUs are hit and go down quickly.
The escorts launch a heavy counterattack against GURNARD. Andrews evades 98 depth charges, after which the escorts break off their attack. GURNARD surfaces and finds one of the transports burning, but still afloat. About midnight, GURNARD shells the transport with her four-inch deck gun, but she still does not sink. Andrews then fires another torpedo that finally sinks TENSHINZAN MARU.
9 May 1944:
The remnants of convoy Take No. 1 arrive at Wasile Bay, Halmahera, Moluccas.
13 May 1944:
At 0355, the convoy's survivors, consisting of TEIKAI, MITSUKI, KAZUURA, BRAZIL MARUs, newly joined ATLAS MARU (and possibly YOZAN MARU) escorted by SHIRATAKA, auxiliary netlayer KOREI MARU, subchaser CH-38 and patrol boat No. 104, depart Wasile Bay.
14 May 1944:
Arrives at Lembeh anchorage, Celebes.
20 May 1944:
The convoy arrives back at Manila at 2105.
20 June 1944:
At 1930, SHIRATAKA departs Moji for Singapore 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. The convoy is also escorted by subchaser CH-61, destroyers ASAGAO and KURETAKE, kaibokans HIRADO, KURAHASHI, CD-2, CD-5 and CD-13.
29 June 1944:
At about 1500, LtCdr Anton W. Gallaher's USS BANG (SS-385) torpedoes and damages the SARAWAK and MIRI MARUs. Both tankers are hit in the bow, but each manages to proceed to Manila.
E 2 July 1944:*
The main convoy arrives at Manila.
3 July 1944:
At 0600, HI-67 departs Manila, less SARAWAK and MIRI MARUs.
9 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore at 1640.
14 July 1944:
At 0730, SHIRATAKA departs Singapore for Moji via Manila escorting convoy HI-68. The convoy initially consists of transports KIYOKAWA and MANILA MARUs and oilers TOA, SHIMPO, NICHINAN No. 2, TOHO and OTORISAN MARUs escorted by SHIRATAKA and kaibokans KURAHASHI, HIRADO and CD-13, CD-20 and CD-28.
20 July 1944:
At 1300, HI-68 arrives at Manila. Later that day, KURAHASHI is detached to aid light cruiser OI torpedoed the previous day by Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Rueben T. Whitaker’s USS FLASHER (SS-249).
24 July 1944:
At 0600, HI-68 departs Manila for Moji. The convoy has been expanded to 14 ships to include some ships previously in the Manila leg of convoys HI-69 and MOMA-01. The convoy sails in three columns consisting of landing ship MAYASAN MARU, oilers OTORISAN and NICHINAN MARU No. 2 and escort carrier TAIYO in column No. 1; landing ship TAMATSU MARU and transports TOSAN, KASHII, NISSHO and AKI MARUs in column No. 2 and KIYOKAWA MARU and oilers TOA, TOHO, SHIMPO and ITSUKUSHIMA MARU in column No. 3.
The escorts include escort carrier KAIYO, kaibokans HIRADO (F), KURAHASHI, ISHIGAKI, KUSAGAKI, MIKURA, CD-11 and CD-20 and the torpedo boat HIYODORI. 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) attacks the convoy.
26 July 1944:
Off Luzon. At 0211, in a night surface radar attack, FLASHER sinks TOSAN, AKI and OTORISAN MARUs. At 0458 (JST), in a visual surface attack, Hess’s ANGLER hits KIYOKAWA MARU's No. 1 hold and blows off her bow. At 0655, she leaves the convoy and heads for Takao, Formosa.
E 30 July 1944:*
SHIRATAKA and convoy HI-68 arrive at Moji.
1 August 1944:
At 1100, convoy MO-05 departs Moji consisting of the KAZUURA, TATSUJU, YAMAHAGI, TSUSHIMA, GYOKU, ETAJIMA and HIROTA MARUs escorted by by the SHIRATAKA, destroyer HIBIKI, minesweeper W-20 and auxiliary minesweeper Wa-2.
5 August 1944:
The convoy arrives at Okinawa.
19 August 1944:
At 0600, convoy MI-15 departs Moji consisting of URATAO, RIKKO, CHIYODA, EKKAI, TAISHO, HOKUSEN, TSINGTAO, TOSHIGAWA and NANSEI MARUs and OKINOYAMA MARU No. 5, escorted by SHIRATAKA, destroyers WAKABA, HIBIKI (and probably HATSUHARU) and minesweeper W-21.
25 August 1944:
Arrives at Takao at 1600.
30 August 1944:
At 1500, departs Takao for Manila. The convoy is reorganized. It now consists of RIKKO, TAISHO, OKUNI (TAIKOKU) Maru, EIKYU, SHINYO, NANSEI, HOSEN and CHIYODA MARUs with UNKAI MARU No. 5, OKINOYAMA MARU No. 5 and KYOEI MARU No. 10 escorted by SHIRATAKA, minesweeper W-21, and kaibokans CD-10 and CD-20.
31 August 1944:
Luzon Strait, S of Formosa. At about 0220, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles E. Loughlin's QUEENFISH (SS-393) hits CHIYODA MARU with four torpedoes and sets her afire. At 0240, as the moon sets, CHIYODA MARU sinks. Loughlin also damages oiler RIKKO MARU steaming in ballast.
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Eli T. Reich's USS SEALION (SS-315), a member of "Ben's Busters" with GROWLER (SS-215) and PAMPANITO, enters the Bashi Strait. SEALION’s SJ radar picks up the convoy and Reich makes a night surface approach. He sets up and fires six torpedoes, but they all run erratically. About 0500, Reich swings SEALION and fires his four stern torpedoes at a large tanker. He claims two hits.
Alerted by code-breaker's "Ultra" signals, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Eugene B. Fluckey's USS BARB (SS-220) intercepts the convoy. At about 0700, Fluckey torpedoes OKUNI MARU. She sinks stern first. Fluckey also sinks the 45th Minesweeper Squadron's No. 20 HINODE MARU that was patrolling in the area.
SEALION evades the convoy's escorts. Still surfaced, LtCdr Reich makes an “end-around” approach and works his way ahead of the convoy. At 0715 (JST), SHIRATAKA's lookouts spot a submarine on the surface at at 21-05N, 121-26E. Reich misidentifies SHIRATAKA as a destroyer. He then begins a submerged approach. At 0730, Reich hits SHIRATAKA with two of three torpedoes he fires.
At 1115, SHIRATAKA sinks at 20-55N, 121-07E. Captain Miki is KIA. He is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.
Japanese planes begin circling the area and surface escorts search for the submarine. Reich takes SEALION deep and later makes port at Saipan to replenish torpedoes and fuel.
10 October 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Notes:
*E = estimated date.
[1] Sometime during the war, the SHIRATAKA's 120-mm guns were landed and new 3-inch (76-mm)/40 3rd Year Type main guns and 25-mm Type 96 AA were fitted. She also received a radar (probably Type 22), sonar and more depth charges.
[2] The use of warships as cargo carriers was indicative of the shortage of suitable ships and the backlog of cargo beginning to be felt across the Empire.
Thanks for assistance go to Jean-Francois Masson of Canada and Allan Alsleben of Oregon.
--Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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