Dai 1 Go-gata Yusokan
IJN No. 1 Class Fast Transport
(No. 1 Class Fast Transport T.5 by T. Yuki)
IJN Transport T.1:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 1014-2015 Bob Hackett
Revision 2
5 November 1943:
Kure Navy Yard. Laid down as Ship No. 2901, a 1,500-ton
No. 1 class landing ship.
5 February 1944:
Numbered T.1.
8 February 1944:
Launched.
24 April 1944:
LtCdr (Cdr, posthumously) Shinbori Masao (61)(former
navigating officer of SHIKINAMI) is appointed the ad hoc Chief Equipping
Officer.
10 May 1944:
Completed. LtCdr Shinbori is the Commanding Officer.
Attached to the Yokosuka Guard Force.
29 May 1944:
At dawn, T.1 departs Tokyo with T.1 torpedo boat OTORI
and subchasers CH-17, CH-33 and CH-50 escorting convoy No. 3530, consisting of
transports HAVRE, KASIMASAN, KATORI, KATSUKAWA, SHINROKU, SUGIYAMA, TAKAOKA and
TAMAHIME MARUs and an unidentified ship. The convoy is carrying troops of the
IJA 43rd Infantry Division and the 115th Airfield Battalion, trucks, provisions,
lumber and fuel. That same day, the convoy arrives at Tateyama Fuel Depot for
refueling.
31 May 1944:
The convoy departs Tateyama for Saipan.
1 June 1944:
Conducts an anti-submarine sweep.
2 June 1944:
Conducts an anti-submarine sweep.
3 June 1944:
Conducts an anti-submarine sweep.
4 June 1944:
Conducts an anti-submarine sweep, but at 1530, LtCdr
(later KIA) Edward N. Blakely's (USNA '34) USS SHARK (SS-314) (later lost on
patrol) torpedoes and sinks KATSUKAWA MARU at 19-45N, 138-15E. The transport is
carrying 2,884 soldiers of the IJA's 43rd Infantry Division. About half of them
are KIA.
5 June 1944:
Conducts an anti-submarine sweep, but at 1645, Blakely
torpedoes and sinks TAKAOKA MARU at 18-40N, 140-35E. Immediately afterwards,
Blakely torpedoes and sinks TAMAHIME MARU in the same position.
6 June 1944:
200 nms NW of Saipan. Conducts an anti-submarine sweep,
but at 1010, LtCdr (later Admiral, CINCPACFLT) Bernard A. Clary's (USNA '34) USS
PINTADO (USS-387) fires six torpedoes at overlapping targets and gets three hits
that sink KASIMASAN MARU carrying a cargo of gasoline and landing craft at
16-28N, 142-16E. 43 crewmen are KIA.
PINTADO's other three torpedoes hit and sink HAVRE MARU in the same
position. Seven troops and 91 crewmen are KIA, but the remaining crew members
and troops survive. They are picked up and landed at Saipan that same day.
11 June 1944:
Arrives at Saipan.
12 June 1944: American Operation "Forager" – The Invasion of Saipan::
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond K. Turner's (USNA '08) Task Force 52 lands
Marine LtGen Holland M. Smith's V Amphibious Corps and the invasion of Saipan
begins. Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's (USNA '10) Task Force 58
launches aircraft from 15 carriers to attack airfields, defenses and shipping in
the Marianas.
13 June 1944:
SW of the Marianas between Ulithi and Guam. Grumman F6F
"Hellcat" fighter-bombers of Task Force 58 attack the convoy and severely
damage T.1 at 11-43N, 140-42E. She loses power and becomes unnavigable.
18 June 1944:
AKISHIMA MARU tows T.1 to Palau.
18 July 1944:
Palau. N shoe of Ngargol Island, north anchorage. T.1 is
deployed as a floating AA battery. She is camoflagued with branches and trees to
blend in with the shoreline.
26 July 1944: USN Operation "Snapshot" - Photo Reconnaissance and Attack
on Palau:
Off Palau, near Malakal Harbor entrance. Six Curtiss SB2C
"Helldiver" dive-bombers of Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Alfred E.
Montgomery's (USNA '12) TG 58.3's USS LEXINGTON (CV-16) attack T.1. They claim
one bomb hit and five near-misses.
27 July 1944:
SB2C dive-bombers and Grumman TBF "Avenger" torpedo
bombers from LEXINGTON and dive and torpedo bombers from USS BUNKER HILL (CV-17)
attack T.1. Hit or near-missed by at least four 2,000-lb bombs, she breaks in
two and sinks at 07-30N, 134-30E. [1]
10 September 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.
Author's Note:
[1] Some sources erroneously say 29 June 1944. Thanks go to
Sander Kingsepp of Estonia and John Whitman of Virginia.
-Bob Hackett
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