Tokusetsu-Yusokan
IJN T.101 Class Landing Ship Tank
(T.101 Class Landing Ship Tank by T. Yuki)
IJN LST T.144:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2017-2018 Bob Hackett
Revision 3
5 February 1944:
Numbered T.144
20 August 1944:
Kawanami, Urasaki. Laid down as a 950-ton T. 103-class landing ship tank.
20 October 1944:
Launched.
5 September 1944:
T. 144 is classified a 2nd class Yusokan.
1 November 1944:
Lt Okudaira Rintaro is appointed Chief Equipping Officer (CEO).
1 Deceember 1944:
Completed. Lt Okudaira is appointed Commanding Officer. T-144 is assigned to the Combined Fleet's First Transport Squadron, Sasebo.
5 December 1944:
T-144 departs Urasaki and arrives at Sasebo.
14 December 1944:
Departs Sasebo and arrives at Ushibuka.
15 December 1944:
Departs Ushibuka and arrives at Kagoshima. Docks with LSTs T.114 and T-143.
17 December 1944:
Departs Kagoshima.
18 December 1944:
Arrives at Kasari Bay.
18 December 1944:
Departs Yamakawa and arrives at Kasari Bay.
21 December 1944:
Departs Kasari Bay and arrives at Kojinya.
22 December 1944:
Departs Kojinya and arrives at Naha, Okinawa.
23 December 1944:
Departs Naha and arrives at Kerama.
25 December 1944:
Departs Kerama.
26 December 1944:
Arrives at Kirin, Formosa ( Keelung, Taiwan).
15 February 1945:
Departs Keelung.
16 February 1945:
Arrives off the coast of Oiwayama.
1 April 1945:
T-144 is assigned to the China Area Fleet.
15 August 1945:
Surrendered.
9 September 1945
T. 144, standing out of the Yangtse River, is intercepted by Task Group 73.2. Lt Okudaira states that he received visual orders from Chino-American authorities to proceed to Chusan Achipelago and sweep Japanese mines. T.144 is carrying 16 officers and 193 men.
A U.S. prize crew is placed aboard.
23 September 1945
T. 144 arrives at Shanghai, China. She is selected to serve as a unit in a USN convoy formed to transport 2,000 tons of avgas to Hangkow, China. The avgas is urgently needed by the USAAF in connection with the redeployment of Chinese forces by air.
7 October 1945:
T.144 departs Shanghai towing two Chinese barges in the convoy also consisting of PC-1134, PC-1121, tug UTE towing chinese barges YMS-9, YMS-329, YMS-338, YMS-366.
10 October 1945:
Nanking, China. The USN convoy commander expects to transfer Lt Okudaira ashore for hospitalization at 1100. That same day, an unknown Japanese officer assumes command of T.144.
11 October 1945:
The new CO reports to Task Group 73.11 that there are active U.S. magnetic and acoustic mines between Nanking and Hangkow.
16 October 1945:
At 0800, the convoy arrives at Hangkow.
17 October 1945:
The convoy delivers the avgas and departs.
19 October 1945:
At about 1400, tug UTE strikes a mine. That same day, at a ceremony presided over by Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, CO, U.S. 7th Fleet, T.144 is handed over to the Chinese Government and accepted by Admiral Chen, Chinese Navy.
21 December 1945:
Shanghai. T.144 is driven against the bow of USS SAINT PAUL (CA-73) by the force of the current. The landing craft sustains severe damage, but the cruiser suffers only slight damage to the bow area.
E 1946:
T.144 is probably scrapped in Shanghai.
3 May 1947:
Removed from the IJN List.
Author's Note:
Thanks go to reader Martin Goretzki ("Darius") of Germany for info in Rev 1 about T.144's post war activity and the collison with USS SAINT PAUL.
-Bob Hackett
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