© 2006-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 2
20 June 1942:
Tsurumi. Laid down at Nippon Kokan K. K.’s shipyard.
20 March 1943:
Launched and named TSUSHIMA.
28 July 1943:
Completed and registered in the Kure Naval District. LtCdr Suzuki Jo is the Commanding Officer.
August 1943:
Kure. Undergoes training.
17 August 1943:
TSUSHIMA departs Moji escorting convoy MA-01 consisting of 2 unidentified merchant ships.
20 August 1943:
Arrives at Keelung.
22 August 1943:
TSUSHIMA departs Takao escorting convoy MA-02 consisting of 2 unidentified merchant ships.
26 August 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
1 September 1943:
TSUSHIMA departs Moji escorting convoy MA-03 consisting of 2 unidentified merchant ships escorted by kaibokan Tsushima.
4 September 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
9 September 1943:
TSUSHIMA departs Takao with two unidentified warships escorting convoys No. 201 and No. 204 combined consisting of nine unidentified merchant ships (No. 201) and three unidentified merchant ships (No. 204).
12 September 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
25 September 1943:
TSUSHIMA departs Moji escorting convoy MA-05 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
29 September 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
12 October 1943:
At 1600, TSUSHIMA departs Moji with destroyer ASAKAZE
escorting convoy HI-13 consisting of transport/cargo ships SANUKI, NANKAI,
MIZUHO, AOBASAN, FUSO and MANILA MARUs and tankers KYOKUEI and AMATSU MARUs.
16 October 1943:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa.
18 October 1943:
Departs Takao.
21 October 1943:
Arrives at Samah, Hainan Island.
24 October 1943:
Departs Samah.
30 October 1943:
At 1546, arrives at Singapore.
3 November 1943:
At 1210, TSUSHIMA departs Singapore escorting fast
convoy HI-14 consisting of transports AWA, KAGU, HOKUROKU and AKI MARUs and
oilers AMATSU and KYOKUEI MARUs.
8 November 1943:
Near Dangerous Ground, Palawan, Philippines. At 0505,
LtCdr George E. Porter's USS BLUEFISH (SS-222) attacks the convoy on the
surface. Porter fires all ten of his tubes; one torpedo prematures just after
leaving the tube. BLUEFISH reloads and Porter makes three more attacks sinking
KYOKUEI MARU with two torpedoes. TSUSHIMA detaches to rescue survivors, but is
unable to relocate the convoy. HI-14 is forced to proceed unescorted.
10 November 1943:
Convoy HI-14 arrives at Takao at 1100. Kaibokan
WAKAMIYA replaces TSUSHIMA as escort.
15 November 1943:
Assigned to the General Escort Command's First Surface Escort Division.
17 November 1943:
TSUSHIMA departs Takao escorting the Toku convoy consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.
23 November 1943:
Arrives at Davao.
30 November 1943:
Manila Bay. At 1000, eight miles and 220 degrees off Corregidor, TSUSHIMA takes over as escort duties for special convoy "G" from Singapore consisting of tankers OKIGAWA and MITI MARUs and transport ASAMA MARU and five unidentified ships. Destroyer URANAMI is detached.
E 2 December 1943:
The convoy arrives at Takao.
11 December 1943:
At 1400, TSUSHIMA departs Moji escorting fast convoy HI-25 consisting
of transports KAGU, NISHI (ex-KALGAN), SHOZUI and JUYO MARUs and oilers ZUIHO and AMATSU MARUs.
15 December 1943:
At 0830, the convoy is unsuccessfully attacked by LtCdr Henry C. Stevenson's USS ASPRO (SS-309). Stevenson fires four torpedoes, but all miss or are evaded. At 1500, the convoy arrives at Takao.
16 December 1943:
At 1530, departs Takao. NISHI MARU is detached from
the convoy for Manila soon thereafter. Soon after departure, TSUSHIMA is summoned to assist
MATSUWA carry out an unsuccessful anti-submarine hunt for LtCdr Robert D. Risser's USS
FLYING FISH (SS-229) that attacked convoy No. 447 earlier that day and sank GINYO MARU. Later, TSUSHIMA rejoins the convoy.
21 December 1943:
Arrives at Singapore at 1320.
26 December 1943:
At 1000, TSUSHIMA departs Singapore escorting convoy
HI-26 consisting of oilers TATEKAWA, ITSUKUSHIMA, OMUROSAN. AMATSU MARUs and probably ICHIYO MARU and cargo liners NANKAI and AKASHISAN MARUs.
1 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
3 January 1944:
TSUSHIMA depart Takao with kaibokan MIYAKE escorting convoy No. 232 consisting of 13 unidentified ships.
10 January 1944:
At 1830, arrives at Moji.
11 February 1944:
At 1600, TSUSHIMA departs Moji escorting convoy HI-43 consisting of cargo ship TOKUSHIMA MARU and five unidentified merchant ships.
16 February 1944:
At 1100, arrives at Kirun, Formosa.
18 February 1944:
At 1000, departs Kirun.
23 February 1944:
At 1730, arrives at Camranh Bay, Indochina.
29 February 1944:
At 0900, departs Camranh Bay.
3 March 1944:
At 1700 arrives at Singapore.
22 October 1944:
TSUSHIMA joins the escort of convoy HI-78 that
departed Singapore for Moji on 20 October consisting of tankers TOHO,
OTOWASAN and ARITA MARUs escorted by kaibokan ETOROFU and SHONAN.
9 November 1944:
HI-78 arrives at Moji
14 November 1944:
TSUSHIMA departs Imari Bay for Singapore with escort
carrier SHINYO, destroyer KASHI, Rear Admiral Sato Tsutomu's (former CO of FUSO)
Eighth Escort Convoy’s Eighth Escort Convoy’s flagship ETOROFU and kaibokan
DAITO, KUME, SHONAN, CD-9 and CD-61 escorting convoy HI-81 consisting of
SHINSHU, KIBITSU, AKITSU, MIRI, ARITA, HASHIDATE, KIMIKAWA, MAYASAN, OTOWASAN
and TOA MARUs. HI-81 makes an overnight stop off Goto Island.
15 November 1944:
Departs Goto Island. At 1156, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles E. Loughlin's USS QUEENFISH (SS-393) torpedoes and sinks AKITSU MARU at 33-17N, 32-00E with the loss of over 2,000 men aboard.
That same day, TSUSHIMA is assigned to the General Escort Command's 101st Escort Squadron.
16 November 1944:
Convoy HI-81 anchors off Korea, near Strange Island.
17 November 1944:
At 0800, HI-81 departs Strange Island for the
Shushan Islands near Shanghai. At 1815, LtCdr Evan T. Shepard's USS PICUDA
(SS-382) torpedoes and sinks MAYASAN MARU with the loss of over 3,000 men
aboard. At 2303, LtCdr Underwood's USS SPADEFISH (SS-411) torpedoes and sinks
SHINYO at 32-59N, 123-38E. Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Ishii
Shizue (former CO of CHUYO) and more than 700 men are lost. Destroyer KASHI
counter-attacks, but with uncertain results.
18 November 1944:
At 0220, CD-61 is ordered to locate and assist
SHINYO. At 0315, TSUSHIMA drops 15 depth-charges on an enemy submarine, which on
the basis of fuel oil and other debris, is claimed sunk in a report at 0426. At
0800, Rear Admiral Sato aboard ETOROFU orders TSUSHIMA to proceed to the scene
and take SHINYO’s survivors aboard. At 1600, HI-81 arrives off Raffles Island E
of Shanghai and awaits the rescue escorts to rejoin.
21 November 1944:
HI-81 departs for Mako.
23 November 1944:
The convoy splits into two sections, one heads for
Singapore via Mako and the other for Luzon via Takao.
26 November 1944:
TSUSHIMA and kaibokan DAITO arrive at Takao with the Luzon
contingent of HI-81. Some ships proceed to Luzon the next day.
30 November 1944:
At 2104, TSUSHIMA, DAITO, CD-14, CD-16, CD-46,
CD-134, and minesweeper W-101 depart Takao for Manila escorting convoy
TAMA-33 consisting of SHINSHU and KIBITSU MARUs.
Eight miles off Corregidor. At 1200, TSUSHIMA is detached from convoy TAMA-33 and takes over the escort of special convoy "G" consisting of passenger liner ASAMA MARU, tankers OKIKAWA and MIRI MARUs and two unidentified ships. TSUSHIMA escorts these ships to Manila.
10 December 1944:
TSUSHIMA is reassigned to the First Escort Fleet.
27 December 1944:
TSUSHIMA departs Takao for Singapore with light cruiser KASHII and kaibokans DAITO, UKURU,
CD-23, CD-27 and CD-51 escorting convoy HI-85 consisting of TEIHOKU, DAINAN, ENKYO, YAMAZAWA, ENGEN, ENCHO, DAIGYO, OTSUSAN, FUEI, OEI, SERIA and SHINYU MARUs.
28 December 1944:
TSUSHIMA is detached from the convoy and makes for Yulin, Hainan Island.
29 December 1944:
South China Sea. At 1725, minesweeper W-101 joins HI-85’s escort.
30-31 December 1944:
On both days, sporadic attacks by B-24 "Liberator" heavy bombers are beaten off without loss.
1 January 1945:
At 1720, convoy arrives Qui Nhon Bay.
2 January 1945:
Departs Qui Nhon Bay. That evening, the convoy anchors at Nha Trang Bay, Indochina.
3 January 1945:
At 0730, convoy HI-85 departs Nha Trang. While proceeding south, near the east entrance of Hainan Straits, the convoy is attacked by a lone B-24 which approaches from astern in a glide with its motors cut. One bomb hits TEIHOKU MARU, the last ship in the west column. TEIHOKU MARU and escort TSUSHIMA are detached to Yulin, Hainan Island for repairs. While en route to Yulin, they are bombed again and TSUSHIMA is damaged by a near miss.
15 January 1945:
Off Yulin. Between 1100 and 1240, Task Force 38's planes dive-bomb and sink empty tanker HARIMA MARU with eight airplanes on deck and also damage kaibokan DAITO. The escorts are closely grouped for protection along the shore near the mountains and shoot down two F6F "Hellcat" fighters as they pull up from their strafing attacks.
16 January 1945:
About 30 or 40 SB2C "Helldiver" dive-bombers and F6F fighters make another attack, but it is directed at shore targets and no serious damage is done to the escorts or the freighters.
17 January 1945:
Three fighters attack, but do no serious damage.
21 January 1945:
At 0300, TSUSHIMA departs Yulin for Moji with kaibokan DAITO, UKURU and CD-27 escorting convoy YUTA-15 consisting of TEIHOKU, KIBITSU and AKISHIMA MARUs.
23 January 1945:
At 0930, the convoy is attacked at l 21-N, 111-E by a single B-24 with no damage. A message is intercepted from this B-24 reporting the exact position and composition of the convoy in plain language.
23 January 1945:
At 0130, a night attack is made by a four-engine plane on TSUSHIMA, the leading escort at 25-N and 119-E. A bomb drops close by, but no damage is sustained.
10 February 1945:
Arrives at Moji.
April 1945:
LtCdr Shinzawa Masao assumes command from LtCdr Suzuki. TSUSHIMA escorts convoys between Japan and Korea.
2 June 1945:
Arrives at Sasebo. Undergoes repairs.
15 August 1945:
TSUSHIMA's crew is notified of the termination of the war.
5 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
12 October 1945:
Departs Sasebo.
19 October 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
21 October 1945:
Departs Manila.
23 October 1945:
Arrives at Tacloban. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
28 October 1945:
Departs Tacloban.
3 November 1945:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
29 November 1945:
Departs Kure.
1 December 1945:
Officially assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service. [1]
7 December 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
9 December 1945:
Departs Manila.
16 December 1945:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.
29 December 1945:
Departs Kure.
1 January 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo.
7 January 1946:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
16 January 1946:
Departs Manila
22 January 1946:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.
27 January 1946-10 February 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Tamano.
19 February 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
20 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
22 February 1946:
Departs Kirun.
24 February 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers and departs later that day.
26 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun.
28 February 1946:
Departs Kirun.
1 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
4 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
6 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
11 March 1946:
Departs Kirun.
13 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
15 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
17 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
20 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
22 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
24 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
27 March 1946:
Departs Kirun.
30 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
2 April 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
5 April 1946:
Arrives at Kwaren (Hua Lien). Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
8 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
20 April 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Tamano.
11 May 1946:
Repairs are completed.
18 May 1946:
Departs Kure.
22 May 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers and departs later that day.
27 May 1946:
Arrives at St Jacques. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated
28 May 1946:
Departs St Jacques.
30 May 1946:
Arrives at Bangkok. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
9 June 1946:
Arrives at Uraga. Disembarks troops and passengers.
23 June 1946:
Departs Uraga.
26 June 1946:
Arrives at Korojima (near Tientsin). Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
28 June 1946:
Departs Korojima.
1 July 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
6 July 1946:
Departs Hakata.
9 July 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
10 July 1946:
Departs Korojima.
13 July 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
21 July 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Tamano.
10 August 1946:
Repairs are completed.
21 August 1946:
Departs Ujina.
23 August 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
25 August 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
27 August 1946:
Departs Ujina.
28 August 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa and departs later that day.
30 August 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
2 September 1946:
Departs Kure.
5 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
7 September 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
9 September 1946:
Departs Ujina.
11 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
13 September 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
15 September 1946:
Departs Kure.
17 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
19 September 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
21 September 1946:
Departs Ujina.
23 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
25 September 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
27 September 1946:
Departs Kure.
28 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
3 October 1946:
Arrives at Kure and departs later the same day.
4 October 1946:
Arrives at Ujina. Disembarks troops and passengers.
6 October 1946:
Departs Ujina.
7 October 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
9 October 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
13 October 1946:
Departs Kure.
14 October 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
16 October 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
18 October 1946- 30 October 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Tamano.
7 November 1946:
Departs Kure.
9 November 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriate and departs later the same day.
12 November 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
6 December 1946:
Departs Kure.
8 December 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriate and departs later the same day.
10 December 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
31 July 1947:
Ceded to the Nationalist Republic of China as a war reparation. Renamed LIN AN.
1963:
Discarded.
Authors' Note:
[1] 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, ammunition landed, and radar and catapults removed, if fitted. Repatriation of the Chinese on Japanese ships 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 go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan. Thanks for assistance in identifying kaibokan COs goes to Mr. Aki of Japan and Matthew Jones of Ohio.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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