YUSOSEN!
(Oiler by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings
of Japanese Warships")
IJN SHIRETOKO: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2006-2007 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 1
16 February 1920:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki's Shipyard.
17 July 1920:
Launched and named SHIRETOKO.
1 August 1920:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Nakajima Susumu (29) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
20 September 1920:
Kobe. Completed and registered in the Sasebo Naval District. Cdr Nakajima is CO.
1 December 1920:
Cdr Nakajima is promoted Captain.
30 May 1921:
An unknown officer assumes command.
10 November 1922:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Hashimoto Saisuke (30) assumes command.
20 August 1927:
An unknown officer assumes command.
20 August 1927:
Captain Tsuda Takehiko (33) assumes command.
10 June 1932:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Katahara Tsunejiro ( 37) assumes command.
1 November 1932:
An unknown officer assumes command.
15 November 1934:
Reassigned to the Yokosuka Naval District. That same day, Captain (later Rear Admiral) Tomonari Saichiro (38) assumes command.
25 October 1935:
Cdr (later Vice Admiral) Hara Teizo (41) assumes command.
15 November 1935:
Cdr Hara is promoted Captain.
2 November 1936:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Ishikawa Shingo (42) assumes command.
1 December 1937:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Torigoe Shinichi (43) assumes command.
10 March 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Yagi Hidetsuna Yagi assumes command.
25 May 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Watanabe Seishichi (42) assumes command.
15 December 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kiyama Tatsuo (42) assumes command.
20 April 1939:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Kimura Masatomi (41) assumes command.
5 December 1939:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sone Akira (44) assumes command.
16 August 1941:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sugimoto Michio (41) assumes command.
14 October 1941:
Reassigned to the 4th Fleet.
1 November 1941:
Captain Fujita Genjo assumes command.
8 November 1941:
Transfers to Yokosuka.
21 November 1941:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
14 December 1941:
Departs Kwajalein.
24 December 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka after completing her fuel replenishment mission.
30 December 1941:
Cdr Mizohata Joichi assumes command,
7 January 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
18 January 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
26 January 1942:
Departs Truk.
30 January 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
1 February 1942: American Air Raid on Kwajalein:
Vice Admiral (later Fleet Admiral) William F. Halsey Jr’s Task Force 8 (USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) raids Kwajalein and Wotje in the Marshall Islands. ENTERPRISE’s Douglas “Dauntless” SBDs of VB-6 and VS-6 and TBD “Devastators” of VT-6 sink a transport and damage light cruiser KATORI, flagship of the Sixth Fleet’s (Submarines) Commander, Vice Admiral Shimizu Mitsumi (former CO of ISE). Submarine I-23, submarine depot ship YASUKUNI MARU and several other important ships are also damaged in the raid. [1]
10 February 1942:
Departs Kwajalein
21 February 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
9 March 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
21 March 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
13 April 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
17 April 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
21 April 1942:
Departs Truk.
23 April 1942:
Arrives at Guam.
27 April 1942:
Departs Guam.
3 May 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
5 June 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
24 June 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
5 July 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
16 July 1942:
Arrives at Wake Island. Departs the same day.
25 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
5 August 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama. Drydocked.
10 August 1942:
Undocked.
20 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
9 September 1942:
Arrive at Jaluit.
1 September 1942:
Cdr Arimura Fuji Arimura assumes command.
1 November 1942:
Cdr Arimura is promoted Captain.
23 September 1942:
Departs Jaluit.
30 September 1942:
Arrives at Wake Island. Departs the same day.
9 October 1942:
Near Yokosuka. Runs aground off No. 2 Coastal Battery and is damaged.
10 October 1942:
Refloated and later arrives at Yokohama.
11 October 1942:
Drydocked.
14 October 1942:
Undocked.
26 October 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
29 October 1942:
Arrives at Nippon University, Ominato.
2 November 1942:
Departs Ominato.
5 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
9 November 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
20 November 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
28 November 1942:
Departs Truk.
4 December 1942:
Arrives at Jaluit.
10 December 1942:
Departs Jaluit.
23 December 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
4 January 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
15 January 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
24 January 1943:
Departs Truk.
25/26 January 1943:
Alerted by an Ultra signal, LtCdr John B. Azel's USS WHALE (SS-239) intercepts SHIRETOKO. At about midnight, in an underwater attack, Azel sets up and fires three torpedoes. One hits SHIRETOKO and she loses all power, but quickly regains it.
30 January 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit.
4 February 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
5 February 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
10 February 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
21 February 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
5 March 1943:
Arrives at Harima for repairs.
30 June 1943:
Repairs are completed. Departs Harima.
1 July 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
10 July 1943:
Departs Kure.
13 July 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
14 July 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
25 July 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
12 August 1943:
Departs Truk.
18 August 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein, Marshall Islands.
11 September 1943:
SHIRETOKO departs Kwajalein in convoy No. 6113 consisting of cargo ships CHIHAYA, KATORI and FUJIKAWA MARUs and possibly others with an unknown patrol boat as escort.
12 September 1943:
Alerted by an Ultra signal LtCdr Bennett's USS PERMIT (SS-178) intercepts the convoy. Bennett
sets up and fires six torpedoes at three ships in submerged night attacks. He claims several hits including two on SHIRETOKO.
13 September 1943:
In the morning, Bennett continues his attack on the convoy. He fires three torpedoes at SHIRETOKO and claims three hits. Bennett last sees her low in the water. Later, she is taken in tow by KATORI MARU.
16 September 1943:
Arrives at Roi under tow. Begins emergency repairs.
1 November 1943:
SHIRETOKO departs Roi under tow by MOMOGAWA MARU in a convoy consistuing of small cargo ships TAKUNAN and CAROLINE MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HIYODORI, subchaser CH-31 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-6.
13 November 1943:
W of Marianas Islands. While still under tow by MOMOGAWA MARU, SHIRETOKO is attacked by LtCdr Maximilian G. Schmidt 's USS SCORPION (SS-278). At about 0800, in a submerged attack, Schmidt fires four torpedoes at SHIRETOKO making six knots. He gets one hit. SHIRETOKO goes dead in the water and down by the stern, but does not sink.
23 November 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo towed by MOMOGAWA MARU. Drydocked for repairs.
10 December 1943:
Captain Shimizu Shoshin (43) assumes command.
5 March 1944:
Undocked.
14 March 1944:
Arrives at Nagasaki for repairs.
28 March 1944:
Captain Ishizaka Takeo assumes command.
29 May 1944:
At 0600, departs Moji in convoy HI-65 consisting of SHIRETOKO, oilers ITSUKUSHIMA, OMUROSAN, ZUIHO and TOHO MARUs, cargo liners ARIMASAN, MANILA, KASHII and TATSUWA MARUs and troop transport SHINSHU MARU escorted by light cruiser KASHII, escort carriers SHINYO and KAIYO, kaibokan AWAJI, CHIBURI and CD-19, minelayer TSUBAME and subchaser CH-60.
2 June 1944:
Formosa Straits. AWAJI is torpedoed by LtCdr Albert L. Raborn's USS PICUDA (SS-382) and sinks near Yasho Island at 22-48N, 121-24E. Raborn fires two torpedoes at ARIMASAN MARU that cause her to collide with SHINSHU MARU's stern. This causes a depth charge explosion that kills about 70 men and causes rudder damage. KASHII takes SHINSHU MARU in tow. ARIMASAN MARU is lightly damaged in the attack and heads for Kirun with KASHII and SHINSHU MARU. [2]
2 June 1944:
E of Formosa. The convoy is attacked by LtCdr (later Captain) Enrique D. Haskins' new USS GUITARRO (SS-363) enroute from Pearl to Fremantle. At 0519 and 0527, Haskins makes a moonlight periscope approach and fires six torpedoes at an oiler. One of the torpedoes makes a circular run and GUITARRO is forced deep. Later, GUITARRO avoids depth charge and aircraft attacks and escapes to Australia. Haskins claims four hits and sinking an oiler, but postwar his claims cannot be substantiated.
4 June 1944:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa. KAIYO rejoins the convoy after brief stop at Saei. Oiler JINEI MARU joins the convoy at sea.
12 June 1944:
At 1350, arrives at Singapore.
6 July 1944:
Assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet.
7 October 1944:
NW of Manila. At 0334, LtCdr James A. Adkins' USS COD (SS-224) attacks SHIRETOKO by SJ radar. He fires four torpedoes on radar bearings and range and gets two hits at 13-30N, 119-20E.
3 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore for repairs.
1 February 1945:
Seletar Naval Base, Singapore. The base is raided by over a hundred B-29 “Superfortress” heavy bombers from the USAAF Twentieth Air Force's base at Tinian, Marianas. Most of the raid's bombs are directed at the former Admiralty IX Floating Drydock. SHIRETOKO, berthed therein, is hit by bombs and sinks. The drydock is put out of commission for several months.
1 April 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
29 November 1946:
Refloated and dismantled.
5 March 1947:
Scrapped.
Authors' Note:
[1] It is unknown, but probable that SHIRETOKO is damaged in the raid.
[2] Somes sources credit AWAJI's sinking to Haskins' GUITARRO (SS-363).
Thanks go to Matthew Jones of Ohio for providing some additional COs for this revision.- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
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