Japanese Minesweepers

SOKAITEI!

(W-19 Class Minesweeper by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings of Japanese Warships")

IJN Minesweeper W-17: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2005-2009 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 2

1935:
Osaka. Laid down at the Sakurajima Ironworks shipyard.
3 August 1935:
Launched and numbered W-17.
15 January 1936:
Completed and registered in the Kure Naval District.
22 September 1940:
Vichy France cedes airfields and agrees to admission of Japanese troops into northern Indochina (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam). The United States responds by placing a ban on the export of steel, scrap metal and aviation fuel to Japan.
14-16 January 1941: Operation "S" – Northern French Indochina Incursion.
Japanese troops enter French Indochina.
25 January 1941:
W-17 and coast defense vessel SHIMUSHU arrive at Haiphong harbor, Indochina, to observe French fleet units stationed there.
10 June 1941:
Takao, Formosa. Assigned to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto's (former CO of AOBA) 2nd Base Force of Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's (36) (former CO of KIRISHIMA) Third Fleet.
26 November 1941:
Departs Sasebo.
29 November 1941:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores.
7 December 1941:
W-17 is with Rear Admiral Hirose's 2nd Base Force in Cdr Kanaoka Kunizo's MineSweepDiv 30 based at Takao, Formosa. Departs Mako. Escorts a convoy that lands troops on Batan Island, Luzon.
17 December 1941:
Departs Takao. Escorts convoys and sweeps Lingayen Bay.
23 December 1941:
Off Davao, Philippines. USAAF Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" heavy bombers damage W-17.
31 December 1941:
Sweeps the Tarakan invasion area.
7 January 1942: The Invasion of Dutch Borneo:
Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto's (former CO of AOBA) No. 2 Base Force departs Davao escorting the Tarakan invasion convoy consisting of an oiler and 13 transports carrying MajGen Sakaguchi Shizuo’s 56th Mixed Infantry Group and Kure No. 2 Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF). The No. 2 Base Force includes MineSweepDiv’s 30's W-17 and W-18, MineSweepDiv 11’s W-13, W-14, W-15 and W-16, patrol boats P-36, P-37 and P-38, SubChasDiv 31’s CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12 and other auxiliary ships.
Close cover is provided by Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Nishimura Shoji’s DesRon 4’s light cruiser NAKA with DesDiv 2 and DesDiv 24. The 21st Air Flotilla’s tenders SANUKI and SANYO MARUs provide air cover.
11 January 1942:
Rear Admiral Hirose's Force invades Tarakan, Borneo.
21 January 1942: The Invasion of Balikpapan, Borneo.
W-17, W-15, W-16 and W-18 depart Tarakan with the No. 2 Base Force's subchasers CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12 and patrol boats P-36, P-37 and P-38 scorting the Balikpapan Invasion Convoy consisting of 16 transports carrying the Sakaguchi Brigade and the Kure No. 2 SNLF. DesRon 4 provides additional escort. Cover is provided by NAKA with DesDiv 2's YUDACHI, SAMIDARE, HARUSAME, DesDiv 9's ASAGUMO, MURASAME, MINEGUMO, NATSUGUMO and DesDiv 24's KAWAKAZE, YAMAKAZE and UMIKAZE. The 21st Air Flotilla again provides air cover.
Air reconnaissance by the ABDA (American-British-Dutch-Australian) forces is hampered by poor weather, but ABDA Air finally locates the IJN invasion force. The ABDA deploys the submarines USS S-40, PORPOISE (SS-172), PICKEREL (SS-177), STURGEON (SS-187), SAURY (SS-189) and the SPEARFISH (SS-190) and Dutch submarines K-XIV and K-XVIII to intercept the IJN force.
Timor, Kupang Bay. Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) William A. Glassford's Task Force 5's light cruisers USS MARBLEHEAD (CL-12), BOISE (CL-47) and Cdr Paul H. Talbot's DesDiv 59's old flush deck, four stack destroyers PARROTT (DD-218), POPE (DD-225), JOHN D. FORD (DD-228) and PAUL JONES (DD-230) are ordered by the Admiral (later Senator) Thomas C. Hart, ADBAFLOAT Commander, to intercept the convoy before it reaches Balikpapan. Glassford heads north to find the IJN invasion force but BOISE runs aground on an uncharted reef in the Sape Strait. She is forced to retire for repairs. Then MARBLEHEAD develops engine trouble and can make no more than 15 knots. DesDiv 59 is detached and increases speed to 27 knots so as to arrive at Balikpapan at midnight on January 23rd.
23 January 1942:
Storms protect the invasion force until it is almost to Balikpapan, Borneo. At 1525, nine Dutch Martin B-10 bombers from Samarinda attack and hit two of the transports, TATSUGAMI MARU and NANA MARU that has to be abandoned and later sinks. TATSUGAMI MARU continues on to Balikpapan. At 2130, the transports begin disembarking their troops.
24 January 1942:
Dutch Navy LtCdr C. A. J. van Well Groeneveld's (former CO of K-XIV) submarine K-XVIII, operating on the surface due to the weather, fires four bow torpedoes at NAKA, but they all miss. At 0045, Groeneveld attacks and sinks transport TSURAGA MARU at 00-10N, 118-0E. Nishimura moves his covering force eastwards to carry out antisubmarine sweeps.Talbot's DesDiv 59 arrives from the south. Since Nishimura's covering forces are now to the east searching for submarines, the four destroyers are virtually unopposed.
At about 0245, PARROTT fires eight torpedoes at W-15 that she mistakes for a destroyer or cruiser. FORD also fires a torpedo at W-15 again. All miss or fail to explode. At 0316, they begin their first attack firing their 4-inch guns and launching ten torpedoes at the anchored transports, but all the torpedoes miss. Cdr Talbot orders another attack. At 0330, POPE hits and sinks transport SUMANOURA MARU. At 0335, PARROTT and PAUL JONES sink already damaged transport TATSUGAMI MARU with torpedoes. At 0345, FORD sinks transport KURETAKE MARU with gunfire and torpedoes. Two other transports suffer damage from gunfire and torpedoes but remain afloat. POPE and PARROTT sink the 2nd Base Force's patrol boat P-37 with torpedoes and gunfire. At 0350, their torpedoes gone, DesDiv 59 departs southward. At 0300, the Japanese begin landing troops at Balikpapan and, by dawn, they occupy the airfield. That same day, troops invade Kendari, Celebes.

8 February 1942:
Supports the capture of Makassar, Celebes. Sweeps the invasion area.
13 February 1942:
Supports the seizure of Surabaya, Java.
10 March 1942:
Assigned to Vice Admiral Takahashi's Southwest Area Fleet's newly formed Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet in Special Base Force 31.
27 March 1942:
Conducts patrols from Subic Bay, Philippines.
1 June 1942:
Reassigned to the Yokosuka Naval District.
10 June 1942 :
Arrives at Yokosuka. Conducts anti-submarine patrols off Tokyo Bay.
28 August 1942:
At 1300, W-17 departs Yokosuka escorting a convoy consisting of KENRYU MARU and oiler KYOKUYO MARU.
30 August 1942:
W-17 detaches from the convoy and returns to Japan. The two merchant ships proceed indepentently to Palau and then together to Rabaul.
15 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka. Escorts convoys between Yokosuka and Muroran.
16 January 1943:
At 0730, W-17 and W-21 depart Rabaul escorting a convoy consisting of BRAZIL, INDIA, CLYDE, DELAGOA, UCHIDE, CHIFUKU, FUKOKO and FUKUYO MARUS.
At 0900, LtCdr (MOH, posthumously) Howard W. Gilmore's USS GROWLER (SS-215) torpedoes and sinks CHIFUKU MARU at 04-03N, 151-55E.
22 January 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
19 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Undergoes repairs.
1 April 1943 :
Repairs are completed. Reassigned to the Kure Guard Unit.
11 April 1943:
Departs Kure. Escorts convoys.
14 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
4 May 1943:
Departs Saeki. Escorts convoys between Saeki and Palau.
9 June 1943:
At 0900, W-17 and W-18 depart Saeki escorting convoy O-905 consisting of DAKAR, TOHO, CHINZEI, BUNZAN ans KINSEN MARUs.
E 11 June 1943:
W-18 detaches at latitude 29N and returns to Japan.
17 June 1943:
At 1500, the convoy arrives at Palau.
19 June 1943:
At 0545, W-17 and patrol boat No. 46 depart Palau escorting convoy To-906 consisting of DELAGOA, DAINICHI, KAZAN, MAKASSAR and SAN FRANCISCO MARUs and EIKO MARU No. 2.
E 20 June 1943:
W-17 detaches from the convoy at latitude 10N and returns to Palau.
24 June 1943:
W-17 departs Palau escorting convoy FU-405 consisting of SEIZAN, MOJI, SHICHISEI, CHINZEI and KENRYU MARUs.
E 1 July 1943:
The escort is reinforced by auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 8, minelayer NUWAJIMA, light cruiser YASOJIMA and auxiliary minesweeper TAMA MARU No. 6.
2 July 1943:
Arrives at Saeki.
4 July 1943:
At 0700, W-17 and W-18 depart Saeki escorting convoy O-404 consisting of TAIKO, MEXICO, KAYO and HOZUGAWA MARUs carrying troops and equipment of the 51st Army Division.
11 July 1943:
At 0758, LtCdr Charles H. Andrews' USS GURNARD (SS-254) torpedoes and sinks TAIKO MARU at 12-45N, 131-50E.
13 July 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
17 July 1943:
Departs Palau. W-17 likely escorts the convoy a short leg of the journey to Rabaul before returning to Palau. The convoy arrived safely at Rabaul on the 24th.
20 July 1943:
At 1200, W-17 and patrol boat PB-46 depart Palau escorting convoy FU-006 consisting of ERIE, NISSHU, KINKASAN, KENZAN, KAMO and INARI MARUs.
E 21 July 1943:
W-17 detaches from the convoy at latitude 10 N and returns to Palau.
18 August 1943:
At 0700, W-17, minelayer YURISHIMA and auxiliary minesweepers TAMA MARU No. 6 and TAMA MARU No. 7 depart Palau escorting convoy FU-806 consisting of TAIFUKU , HOZUGAWA, MEXICO, TOYOKAWA, TOUN and KAYO MARUs.
22 August 1943:
In the late afternoon, LtCdr Louis D. McGregor's old USS PIKE (SS-173) torpedoes and hit TOUN MARU with a dud torpedo at 21-50N, 137-52E.
23 August 1943:
At 1805, McGregor again attacks TOUN MARU, but she avoids PIKE's torpedoes.
26 August 1943:
At 0530, LtCdr Albert C. Burrows' USS WHALE (SS-239) attacks the convoy. Burrows torpedoes, but misses MEXICO MARU.
27 August 1943:
At 0258, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen's old POLLACK (SS-180) makes a visual surface attack on convoy FU-806 en route from Palau to Ujina. Lewellen torpedoes IJA cargo ship TAIFUKU MARU. W-17 opens fire on POLLACK, but Lewellen evades and escapes. In the morning, TAIFUKU MARU sinks at 32-28N, 132-23E.
At 0730, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from W-17 that reads: "Discovered surfaced enemy submarine, 1 kilometer from scene of the sinking of TAIFUKU MARU fired on same (1 hit in vicinity of conning tower) depth charged, etc. 192 men of the 205 on board the stricken ship were picked up by this vessel.”
28 August 1943:
At 0700. arrives at Ujina.
31 October 1943:
At 0600, W-17, W-18, auxiliary subchasers TAKUNAN MARU No. 8, CHIYO MARU No. 8 and auxiliary minesweepers TAKUNAN MARU No. 3, TOKUHO MARU No. 10 and AOI MARU depart Saeki for Palau escorting convoy O-112 consisting of DELAGOA, EHIME, YAWATA, KANJO, UME, CHIHAYA, TENCHO, UMEKAWA, YAMAGATA, NICHIAI, MOJI and HOZUGAWA MARUs.
That night, the convoy is attacked by LtCdr (later Captain) Robert E. Dornin's USS TRIGGER (SS-237). Dornin claims two sinkings, but, in fact, scores no hits. The escorts counterattack, but are also unsuccessful.
2 November 1943:
At 0048, LtCdr (later Captain) Slade D. Cutter's USS SEAHORSE (SS-304) torpedoes and sinks YAWATA MARU at 28-20N, 135-20E.
At 0220, Dornin's TRIGGER attacks the convoy again, this time sinking DELAGOA MARU. At 0321, Dornin torpedoes and sinks UME MARU at 28-40N, 135, 25E.
At 0418, Cutter's SEAHORSE attacks again, This time Cutter sinks CHIHAYA MARU (ex-Dutch TJISAROEA) at 29-31N, 134, 50E.
Finally, at 0845, Cdr (later Admiral) I. J. Galantin's USS HALIBUT (SS-232) torpedoes and sinks EHIME MARU at 28-20N, 134-48E.
6 November 1943:
W17 and auxiliary submarine chaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 8.departs Saeki escorting convoy O-607 consisting of HOKKO, RYUKO, KANKYO, HOZAN, KANTO, SORACHI and TASMANIA MARUIs. Soon after departure the convoy is reinforced by auxiliary minesweepers YACHIYO MARU, TOKUHO MARU No. 10 and AOI MARU who remain until latitude 27N.
7 November 1943:
An aircraft reports five submarines ahead. At 1253, the convoy reverses course. At 1605, the convoy resumes course again.
17 November 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
28 November 1943:
W-17 and W-18 depart Palau for Saeki escorting convoy FU-009 consisting of TAIJIMA, TOYOOKA, NISSHIN, KOSEI, TOSHO, TENCHO, RYUWA, SAN FRANCISCO and KIZUGAWA MARUs. Enroute, NISSHIN MARU detaches due to engine trouble and returns to Palau.
7 December 1943:
Arrives at Saeki.
13 December 1943:
At 0100, W-17 and auxiliary minesweepers TAMA MARU No. 6 and TAMA MARU No. 7 depart Saeki escorting TOTAI and SHOWA MARUs to Palau.
At 2311, LtCdr Robert E. Ward's USS SAILFISH (SS-192) torpedoes and sinks TOTAI MARU at 30-25N, 132-320E.
E 22 December 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
28 December 1943:
W-17, auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU and minelayer YURISHIMA depart Palau for Saeki escorting convoy FU-805 consisting of CLYDE, TASMANIA, UCHIDE and SAIHO MARUs and SHINTO MARU No. 1.
30 December 1943:
Tokyo Bay. At 1400, W-17 joins convoy HOKKO-82 consisting of HOKUJU, HANASAKI and KISHUN MARUs.. The ships sail together with convoy HOKKO-80 consisting of UGO, YUZAN, UGA, SHOEI and KAIKO MARUs and SHINYO MARU No. 8 escorted by auxiliary gunboat DELHI MARU.
4 January 1944:
At 2315, both convoys, less certain ships that were detached prior, arrive at Muroran.
6 January 1944:
Arrives at Saeki, then proceeds to Ujina.
15 March 1944:
At 1200, W-17, destroyers SHIGURE and NOKAZE and subchasers CH- 37 and CH-38 depart Takao escorting convoy TAMO-11 consisting of TAITO, MUTSU, HINODE, MANILA, MANKO, ASAHI, BELGIUM, KOTO, SORACHI, KOHO, TARUYASU, KENWA, KENZUI, BRAZIL and KENNICHI MARUS and UNKAI MARU No. 12 and oilers TACHIBANA, NITTESTSU MARUs and OGURA MARU No. 1, SAN DIEGO and SANKO MARUs.
16 March 1944:
At 1600, TOYO and TEIKO MARUs join the convoy.
21 March 1944:
At 0430, MANKO, ASAHI, and TOYO MARUs are detached from the convoy.
22 March 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
10 April 1944:
Reassigned to the 1st Marine Escort Division.
20 April 1944:
Departs Moji. Escorts convoys between Japan and Singapore.
28 April 1944:
At 1300, W-17, destroyer HARUKAZE and auxiliary gunboat CHOJUSAN MARU depart Takao for Manila escorting convoy TAMA-17 consisting of NITTATSU, TAKEGAWA, WALES, SAN LUIS, BELGIUM, PEKING, SHIROGANESAN, YAMAHAGI, YASHIMA, SHIRAKAWA, TSUSHIMA and NISSAN MARUs.
29 April 1944:
Old destroyer ASAKAZE joins the escort. At 2155, LtCdr Anton R. Gallaher's USS BANG (SS-385) torpedoes and sinks TAKEGAWA MARU at 19-20N, 118-50E.
30 April 1944:
At 0430, Gallaher torpedoes and sinks NITTATSU MARU at 19-22N, 118-450.
2 May 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
3 June 1944:
W-17, torpedo boat SAGI and patrol boat No. 38 and four other unidentified escorts depart Imari Bay for Miri, Borneo escorting convoy MI-05 consisting of KENEI, HINAGA, NIPPO, FUYOKAWA, SURAKARUTA, TATSUJU and SHOEI MARU and tankers TACHIBANA, NITTETSU, TOA, CERAM, SANKO (YAMAKO), AYAKIRI, AYANAMI, OEI, TOKUWA, TAKETSU (BUTSU), MARIFU and YAMAMIZU MARU No.2 and fleet oiler NOTORO plus thirteen other unidentified ships.
23 June 1944:
At 1257, arrives at Miri.
25 June 1944:
At 1915, W-17, torpedo boat SAGI, kaibokan CD-18, subchaser CH-21 and auxiliary minesweepers CHOUN MARU No. 6 and TOSHI MARU No. 2 depart Miri for Singapore escorting convoy MISHI-03 consisting of fleet oiler NOTORO and SAN DIEGO, NICHIYO, HIDA, FUYUKAWA, AYANAMI, KYOEI No. 8, BAIEI, NIPPO (ex-Swedish NINGPO), DAIZEN, TEIFU (ex-BOUGAINVILLE), SEIWA, SURAKARTA, HINAGA, MANILA, ARIMASAN, ROKKO, TATSUTAMA (ex-American SS ADMIRAL Y. S. WILLIAMS), TOA, KENZUI and JINEI MARUs.
28 June 1944:
South China Sea. Off Singapore. At 2100, Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Rueben T. Whitaker’s USS FLASHER's (SS-249) radar picks up a convoy consisting of 13 merchants and several escorts. Whitaker, operating in relatively shallow water (150 feet), decides to wait until after the moon sets to make a surface attack.
29 June 1944:
At 0117, two or three torpedoes hit NIPPO MARU and two or three torpedoes hit NOTORO. NIPPO MARU breaks in two and sinks by the bow. 87 of her 628 passengers are killed. NOTORO remains afloat, but goes dead in the water. The escorts begin blindly dropping depth charges. Whitaker, still on the surface, leaves the area on four engines.
30 June 1944:
At 1437, arrives at Singapore.
4 July 1944:
W-17, W-18 and torpedo boat SAGI depart Singapore escorting convoy SHIMI-05 consisting of MEXICO, ASAKA, OLYMPIA, Hofuku Maru, Rashin Maru, HAKUROKU (HAKAKUSHIKA),TATSUBATO, KUROGANE MARUs and tankers SAN DIEGO MARU and KYOEI MARU No. 6.
8 July 1944:
Arrives at Miri.
10 July 1944:
At 1550, W-18, W-17 and SAGI depart Miri for Moji escorting convoy MI-08 consisting of MEXICO, ASAKA, OLYMPIA, RASHIN, HAKUROKU, TATSUBATO, KUROGANE MARUs and tankers SAN DIEGO, SAN LUIS, NITTETSU, OEI, TAKETSU (BUTSU), CHIHAYA, RYUSHO and SANKO (YAMAKO) MARUs and KYOEI MARU No. 6.
11 July 1944:
At 1830, the convoy anchors in Kimanisu Bay, SW of Kota Kinabalu, Borneo.
12 July 1944:
At 1300, the convoy departs Kimanisu Bay. At 1015, TAKETSU MARU detaches and begins a return journey to Miri.
16 July 1944:
From 0820 until 1400, the convoy is accompanied by torpedo-boat HIYODORI and coast defense ship MIKURA. At 2035, the convoy arrives safely at Manila.
23 July 1944:
Manila. The convoy is reorganized. At 1545, W-17, torpedo-boat SAGI, subchaser CH-61, coast defense ships CD-1, CD-18, CD-28, and minelayer ENOSHIMA depart Manila for Moji escorting convoy MI-08 now consisting of TANSUI, MANILA, ARABIA, TATSUBATO, RYUSHO, HAKUROKU and MIRI MARUs and tankers SAN DIEGO, SAN LUIS, NITTETSU, TAKETSU (BUTSU), CHIHAYA, RYUSHO and SANKO (YAMAKO) MARUs and KYOEI MARU No. 6. The convoy speed is 8 knots.
27 July 1944:
At 0920, auxiliary subchaser CHa-74 and auxiliary transport OYO MARU joined the escort. At 1605, the convoy arrives at Takao and is again reorganized.
30 July 1944:
At 1800, The convoy departs Takao now now consisting of ZUIHO, CHIHAYA, SAN DIEGO, SAN LUIS, BOKO, MANILA, SANKO, TSUYAMA, ARABIA, RYUSHO, MIRI, TATSUBATO, NITTETSU, YAGI, TOUN and EIHO MARUs escorted by W-17, torpedo-boat SAGI, CD-1, CD-18 and auxiliary netlayer KISHIN MARU. The convoy speed is 7 knots.
1 August 1944:
At 1400, the convoy arrives at Keelung after it is suspected that enemy submarines had gained contact.
4 August 1944:
At 1600, the convoy departs Keelung and heads up the Ryukyu Islands bound for the Kyushu.
9 August 1944:
N of Okinoshima. LtCdr Robert A. Keating's BARBEL (SS-316) torpedoes and sinks IJA cargo ship YAGI MARU and merchant cargo ship BOKO MARU (ex-British SAGRES) at 27-56N, 128-47E. W-17 and CD-1 carry out an antisubmarine sweep and drop 21 depth-charges that cause some damage to BARBEL. Afterwards, the convoy heads out of the area at full speed making evasive movements. At 1200. the convoy arrives at Koniya, Amami-O-Shima.
11 August 1944:
At 0400, the convoy departs Amami-O-Shima.
13 August 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
27 August 1944:
At 0800, W-17, destroyers SHIOKAZE and KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-18 and minelayer YURISHIMA depart Moji for Miri, Borneo escorting 15-ship convoy MI-17 consisting of tankers NITTETSU and SHIMOTSU MARUs and cargo ships BAIKAL, AMAHI, DAITEN, NORWAY, ARAOSAN, NICHIZUI, HOKUREI, SORACHI MARUs and SHINYO MARU No. 8 and four unidentified ships.
1 September 1944:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores. SORACHI MARU and two unidentified ships detach. An unidentified ship joins the convoy. W-20 and subchaser CH-41 join the escort.
4 September 1944:
Departs Mako.
6 September 1944:
At 1500, arrives at Aparri, Luzon. W-17, W-20 and CH-41 are detached.
18 September 1944:
At 0630, W-17, W-20 and subchaser CH-41 and CH-63 depart Takao, Formosa for Manila escorting convoy TAMA-26 consisting of MIZUHO, SHIRANESAN, EIMAN, ARABIA, TEMPI, HOTEN, AWAJI and NICHINAN MARUs and TOYO MARU No. 3.
21 September 1944:
At 0705, Cdr (later Vice Admiral) Glynn R. Donaho's USS PICUDA (SS-382) torpedoes and sinks AWAJI MARU at 18-43N, 120-53E. NICHINAN MARU rescues survivors.
At 0835, Cdr Louis D. McGregor's USS REDFISH (SS-395) torpedoes and sinks MIZUHO MARU at 18-37N, 120-41E. 1,313 passengers and crew of the 5,415 persons she was carrying are lost with her.
1 October 1944:
At 2056, arrives at Manila.
29 October 1944:
At 1957, W-17, W-18 and torpedo boat SAGI depart Manila for Takao escorting convoy MAMO-04 consisting of passenger liner ASAMA MARU.
1 November 1944:
At 0435, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral/COMSUBPAC) John H. Maurer's USS ATULE (SS-403) torpedoes and sinks troop ship ASAMA MARU at 20-17N, 117-O8E. 474 men are lost.
11 November 1944:
At 1957, W-17, W-18 and W-20 depart Manila for Yulin, Hainan escorting convoy MAYU-10 consisting of MISAKI and SUGIYAMA MARUs.
At 2315, LtCdr Robert A. Keating's USS BARBEL (SS-316) torpedoes MISAKI MARU at 15-10N, 112-40E. She sinks about two hours later.
12 November 1944:
E of Nha Thrang, Indochina. At 0110, LtCdr Keating's BARBEL torpedoes and sinks SUGIYAMA MARU at 15-15N, 112-10E.
20 November 1944:
At 1205, W-17, W-18, W-20 and submarine chaser CH-41 departs St Jacques escorting convoy SATA-02 consisting of HIDA MARU.
21 November 1944:
At 2030, arrives at Camranh Bay.
22 November 1944:
At 0725, departs Camranh Bay. At 1820, arrives Van Phong Bay.
23 November 1944:
At 0720, departs Van Phong Bay. At 1345, CH-41 detaches from the convoy. At 1945, arrives at Baia de Xuan Bay.
24 November 1944:
At 0746, departs Baia de Xuan Bay.
25 November 1944:
At 0800, W-20 detaches.
26 November 1944:
South China Sea, S of Hainan Island, China. At 0037, 14th Air Force B-24s, on a night reconnaissance flight, bomb and strafe HIDA MARU and damage W-17 and W-18 at 16-44N, 108-24E. HIDA MARU takes crippled W-18 in tow.
27 November 1944:
W-18 sinks. That same day, at 1000, the others arrive at Yulin.
10 December 1944:
Attached to the General Escort Command's First Escort Fleet. That same day, departs Yulin escorting an unidentified convoy to Formosa.
2 January 1945:
At 0100, W-17, destroyer KIRI, kaibokans CD-9, CD-14, CD-16, CD-32, CD-46 and subchaser CH-37 depart Keelung, Formosa escorting convoy TAMO-34 consisting of OJIKASAN MARU, oilers YAMAMURA, DAITO, DAIRETSU and DAIEI MARUs and an unidentified ship.
4 January 1945:
Ojikasan Maru is lightly damaged by strafing.
8 January 1945:
at 2250 arrives Fukuoka Wan.
9 January 1945:
At 0700, departs Fukuoka Wan. At 1200 that same day, arrives at Moji.
1 March 1945:
At 0800, W-17, kaibokans IKUNA, CD-26, CD-41 and subchaser CH-19 depart Mutsure for Keelung escorting convoy MOTA-40 consisting of IKOMASAN, AIZAN, DAIKI, TOYOGAWA, KITAKATA, ANKO and DOSHI MARUs.
9 March 1945:
Arrives at Keelung.
16 March 1945:
At 0100, W-17, kaibokans IKUNA and CD-41 depart Keelung escorting convoy TAMO-49 for Moji consisting of IKOMASAN, AIZAN, KITAKATA and NANKING MARUs. A USN PB4Y (B-24) attacks TAMO-49 and damages KITAKATA MARU at 29-09N, 122-07E.
17 March 1945:
Off Fuchow, China. Convoy TAMO-49 heads westward for the China coast in heavy weather. A fire breaks out aboard IKOMASAN MARU. She anchors off Matsu Island in the storm to effect repairs, but about 0100, she is torpedoed by Cdr (later Rear Admiral) William S. Post's USS SPOT (SS-413). 962 passengers are put ashore while the crew attempts repairs. Days later, IKOMASAN MARU is bombed by USAAF B-25 “Mitchells” and abandoned.
At 0335, in stormy weather, Cdr Post torpedoes and sinks NANKING MARU at 25-33N, 120-10E. She takes down over 500 passengers and crewmen.
18 March 1945:
Off Mutsure Jima, Ryukyu Islands. At about 0600, Cdr Post engages W-17 with SPOT's 5-inch deck gun and may have damaged her at 25-44N, 120-13E. [1]
31 March 1945:
At 1400, arrives at Moji.
2 August 1945:
S of Chinhae, Korea. W-17 is damaged at 36-06N, 128-40E by aerial mines dropped by 20th Air Force Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" heavy bombers based at Tinian, Marianas.
20 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
1 April 1948:
Sasebo. Scrapped.

Authors' Notes:
[1] Data are unclear as to whether W-17 was, in fact, damaged by gunfire.
Thanks go to John Whitman of the USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages.

-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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