SOKAITEI!

© 2009 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

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5 May 1942:
Tokyo. Laid down at Ishikawajima Zosensho, K. K.

13 January 1943:
Launched and numbered W-23.

31 March 1943:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Lt Nishio Masaki is the Commanding Officer.

24 June 1943:
At 1900, W-23 departs Otaru, Hokkaido for Matsuwa Island, Kuriles escorting a convoy consisting of SHINRYU MARU loaded with gasoline, ammunition and 188 troops.

26 June 1943:
At 1900, arrives at Matsuwa Island, but SHINRYU MARU runs aground while trying to anchor. In the next few days, her crew tries to break free of the grounding. But without success. The bad weather worsens. [1]

29 June 1943:
At 0003, an explosion aboard SHINRYU MARU starts fires and Abandon Ship is ordered. At about 0300, another explosion occurs and SHINRYU MARU sinks.

29 August 1943:
At 1600, departs Niigata escortng KIBI MARU.

31 August 1943:
At 1900, arrives at Otaru.

27 January 1944:
W-23 departs Truk for Yokosuka with kaibokan FUKUE and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 escorting convoy No. 4127 consisting of MATSUE and SHINYO MARUs and YOSHIDA MARU No. 3.

30 January 1944:
At 1100, auxiliary minesweeper FUMI MARU joins the escort.

3 February 1944:
At 0614, arrives at Saipan.

9 February 1944:
At 0522, W-23 departs Saipan with auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 and KYO MARU No. 10 escorting the convoy to Chichi-Jima.

14 February 1944:
At 0338, arrives at Chichi-Jima.

15 February 1944:
At 1139, W-23 departs Chichi-Jima with auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 8 escorting MATSUE, SHINYO and HYAKUFUKU MARUs and TOMI MARU No. 3.

19 February 1944:
At 0934, arrives at Yokosuka.

11 July 1944:
W-23 departs Otaru with destroyer NOKAZE and subchaser CH-15 escorting convoy RA-303 consisting of tankers MANJU, MITSU and HAKUEI MARUs.

13 July 1944:
Arrives at Wakannai , northern Hokkaido and at 2000 departs.

E 17 July 1944:
At latitude 50N, both W-23 and CH-15 are detached while the rest of the ships proceed to Okha.

27 August 1944:
At 0749, W-23 and subchaser CH-15 depart Wakkanai for the Kuriles escorting convoy KI-203 consisting of MISAKI MARU No. 2 and EISHIN and HAKUSHU MARUs and two unidentified Marus.

29 August 1944:
At 1440, the convoy arrives at Tennei, Kuriles.

October 1944:
Lt Sasaki Kiichi is appointed the CO.

15 August 1945:
War ends.

30 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

3 October 1947:
Ceded to the USSR as a war reparation.

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Authors' Note:
[1] It appears that W-23 departed the area before SHINRYU MARU ran into trouble.

-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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