SOKAITEI!

© 2005-2009 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

---

6 October 1941:
Tokyo. Laid down at Ishikawajima Shipbuilding.

28 April 1942:
Launched and numbered W-22.

31 July 1942:
Completed and commissioned in the IJN. Lt Fujimori Saburo is the Commanding Officer.

7 August 1942: American Operation "Watchtower" - The Invasion of Guadalcanal, Solomons:
Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond K. Turner's (former CO of ASTORIA, CA-34) Amphibious Task Force 62, covered by Vice Admiral (MOH '14/later Admiral) Frank J. Fletcher's (former CO of VERMONT, BB-20) Task Force 61 and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's (former CO of RANGER, CV-4) Task Force 63's land-based aircraft, lands Maj Gen (later General/MOH/Commandant) Alexander A. Vandegrift's 1st Marine Division on Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo and Guadalcanal opening the campaign to take the islands.

1 October 1942:
At 1522, W-22 departs Shortland Islands, Bougainville for Rabaul escorting a convoy consisting of OSAKA, SENKAI, SHINUBARI and NISSHUN MARUs.

2 October 1942:
At 0750, an unidentified enemy submarine is detected. W-22 drops depth charges, but without effect.

3 October 1942:
At 0508, arrives at Rabaul.

6 October 1942:
At 0505, W-22 departs Rabaul for the Shortlands escorting a convoy consisting of BUSHO and TAIHEI MARUs.

7 October 1942:
Arrives at the Shortlands.

24 October 1942:
At 1355, W-22 departs Shortland for Rabaul escorting a convoy consisting of KISARAGI and CHIYO MARUs.

25 October 1942:
At 0500, CHIYO MARU is detached for Ponape. Later that day, the others arrive at Rabaul.

27 February 1943:
NE of Vella Lavella, Solomons. USN SBD "Dauntless" dive-bombers and F4U "Corsair"fighter-bombers, escorted by USAAF P-38 "Lightning" and P-40 "Warhawk" fighters, attack a convoy and heavily damage transport KIRIKAWA MARU. Either W-22 or subchaser CH-26 scuttles the burning ship. That same day, off Kolombangara, Solomons, LtCdr (later KIA) John R Craig’s USS GRAMPUS (SS-207) attacks and possibly damages W-22. [1]

18 July 1943:
Buin, Bougainville, Solomons. USN VB-11 and USMC VMSB-132 "Dauntless" SBD dive-bombers and USN VT-11 and VT-21 "Avenger" TBF torpedo-bombers escorted by USMC VMF 122, VMF 211 and VMF 221 F4U "Corsair" fighters and USAAF B-24 "Liberator" heavy bombers escorted by USAAF P-39 "Airacobra" and P-40 "Warhawk" fighters and RNZAF P-40s attack shipping in the Buin-Kahili area. They sink destroyer HATSUYUKI and damage destroyers HATSUKAZE and YUNAGI and W-15 in the attack. Later, W-22 tows W-15 to upper Rabaul.

8 August 1943:
W-22 departs Wewak for Rabaul, escorting small freighter JUTOKU MARU.

11 August 1943:
NE of Lorengau, Manus Island. A lone USAAF B-24 attacks and bombs the convoy. JUTOKU MARU is hit and sunk at 01-11S, 148-08E, but W-22 is not damaged.

28 August 1943:
Rabaul. In the evening, W-22 and subchasers CH-38 and CH-39 depart escorting convoy O-605 consisting of ASAKAZE, YAMAGIRI, NICHIRYO, TAISHO and TACOMA MARUs. At 2255, LtCdr Bernard F. McMahon's USS DRUM (SS-228) torpedoes and badly damages YAMAGIRI MARU at 01-31S, 148-41E. YAMAGIRI MARU returns to Rabaul. The rest of the convoy proceeds towards Palau.

2 September 1943:
Arrives at Palau.

21 November 1943:
W-22, auxiliary minesweepers TAMA MARU No. 6 and TAISEI MARU, and torpedo boat SAGI depart Saeki for Palau escorting convoy No. O-107 consisting of MEXICO, TATSUKIKU, TATSUMATSU, KAITO, CEYLON, KAIHO and SHOUN MARUs. The minesweepers are detached at latitude 28N and W-22 at latitude 20N.

10 December 1943:
W-22, W-21 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-48 depart Truk for Rabaul escorting convoy No. 1103 consisting of NIKKO and KIMISHIMA MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 18. NIKKO MARU is towing a Type A midget submarine and KIMISHIMA MARU is towing a Type A submarine converted to an underwater cargo carrier.

15 December 1943:
At 0810, SHINSEI MARU No. 18, W-22 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-48 are detached and head for Kavieng, New Ireland. The remainder of the convoy arrives at Rabaul the next day.

25 December 1943:
Kavieng, New Ireland. Carrier aircraft from Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Frederick C. Sherman’s (former CO of LEXINGTON, CV-2) TG 50.2's BUNKER HILL (CV-17) and MONTEREY (CVL-26) attack and sink transport TENRYU MARU and damage ex-AMC KIYOSUMI MARU and W-22 and W-21.

30 December 1943:
W-22 and destroyer YUKAZE depart Kavieng escorting KIYOSUMI MARU being towed by salvage tug NAGAURA. Auxiliary subchaser CHa-34 also provides close escort.

31 December 1943:
Truk. W-22 is posted to the guard list with destroyer TACHIKAZE, subchaser CH-28, SHONAN MARU No. 11 and GENYO MARU.

17 January 1944:
W-22 departs Yokosuka for Saipan escorting convoy No. 3017 consisting of HIRO and KUDAMATSU MARUs.

24 January 1944:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.

27 January 1944:
Departs Chichi-Jima.

31 January 1944:
LtCdr (later KIA) Charles F. Brindupke’s USS TULLIBEE (SS-284) torpedoes and sinks HIRO MARU at 15-21N, 145-31E. Brindupke fires a torpedo at W-22, but it misses. Later that day, the remainder of the convoy arrives at Saipan.

13 April 1944:
At 2355, W-22, kaibokan No.20 and destroyer ASAKAZE depart Moji escorting convoy MOTA-17 consisting of MANSHU, KANAN, FUKUYO, TEIKAI and TEIKO MARUs.

14 April 1944:
At 1748, arrives at Chinkai, Chosen.(Korea).

21 April 1944:
W-22, destroyers ASAKAZE, SHIRATSUYU and FUJINAMI, kaibokan KURAHASHI, CD-20, CD-22, minelayer SHIRATAKA, subchasers CH-37, CH-38, gunboats UJI, ATAKA and auxiliary minesweeper TAMA MARU No. 7 depart the Shanghai Sea area for New Guinea via Manila escorting the "Take" convoy consisting of KAZUURA, MITSUKI, BRAZIL, TENSHINZAN, TAJIMA, ADEN, YOZAN, MANSHU, FUKUYO, KANAN, TEIKAI, TEIKAI, UNKAI and TEIKO MARUs, YOSHIDA MARU No. 1 and an unidentified ship.

26 April 1944:
At about 0600, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Thomas M. Dykers' USS JACK (SS-259) makes a radar-assisted surface attack on the convoy. Dykers torpedoes and sinks YOSHIDA MARU No. 1 at 18-06N, 119-40E. She takes down about 2,700 troops of the IJA's 210th Infantry Regiment.

April 1944:
Arrives at Manila.

5 May 1944:
At 1425, departs Manila escorting AOBASAN MARU.

7 May 1944:
Cdr Thomas W. Hogan's USS BONEFISH (SS-223) torpedoes and badly damages AOBASAN MARU at 07-07N, 121-50E. At 2245, AOBASAN MARU arrives at Lemitan, Basilan Island. Later, salvage vessels MIHO and MATSU MARUs and an auxiliary subchaser arrive. It and W-22 maintain a depth charge barrage that keeps BONEFISH submerged.

8 May 1944:
At 1043, arrives at Zamboanga.

4 June 1944:
At 0225, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from W-22 that reads: “At 0400 [CNO suggests 0040] on 4 June was bombed by one enemy plane in position 04-00N, 129-45E. Received no hits. While -- lost sight of Special Transport No. 128 because of a squall and although we searched the vicinity did not find her. We are now --.”

At 0745, codebreakers decrypt another message from W-22 that reads: “Tried to establish communication with Special Transport No. 128 but got no answer. Taking all circumstances into consideration believe she went ahead ----.” [2]

26 June 1944:
At 0430, W-22 and destroyer HOKAZE depart Kau, Halmahera escorting a convoy consisting of KURAMASAN (possibly IKOMASAN) MARU, JUZAN and SHOEI MARUSs and SHINSEI MARU No. 17.

29 June 1944:
At 0805, auxiliary submarine chaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 5 joins the escort. The convoy then calls at Buli Bay, Gebe Island, Kofiao Island, Sawao and Boano Islands over the next 2 days.

1 July 1944:
Arrives at Ambon.

August 1944:
Lt Yasuda Hiroshi assumes command.

11 November 1944:
Palau. W-22 hits a mine, probably dropped by aircraft, and sinks off Babelthuap, Peleliu. [3]

10 January 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

---

Authors’ Notes:
[1] No confirmation of damage to W-22 is possible since GRAMPUS herself was lost on this patrol. On 5 March 1943 in Blackett Strait, Solomons, two IJN destroyers conducted an ASW attack. The following day, a heavy oil slick was sighted indicating that GRAMPUS may have been lost there.

[2] CNO analysts say Special Transport No. 128 was sunk 4 Jun '44.

[3] Reports of W-22’s loss conflict. Some say she was sunk on this date by air attack off Palau; another report says she was sunk on 22 August 1944 off Palau by USS BATFISH (SS-310).

Thanks go to Matthew Jones of Ohio for information on COs. Thanks also go to John Whitman of the USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages.

---

-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

---

Back to Minesweeper Page