© 2008-2018 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 16
13 December 1921:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki Heavy Industries shipyard as a second-class destroyer tentatively named KIKYO (Bellflower).
20 July 1922:
LtCdr (later Capt) Homoto Shigeji (36) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
24 July 1922:
Launched as Destroyer No. 2.
30 September 1922:
Completed and registered in the IJN. LtCdr Homoto is the CO.
1 April 1924:
Designated destroyer No. 2.
1 December 1924:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Kurita Takeo (38)(former CO of OITE) is appointed CO.
1 December 1925:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Fukuda Ichiro (38) is appointed CO.
1 December 1926:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Fujita Ruitaro (38)(former CO of ENOKI) is appointed CO.
20 January 1927:
LtCdr Fujita is appointed CO of DD-8 (later named SAWARABI) as an additional duty.
20 June 1927:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Katsuno Minoru (40) assumes command of DD-2 and DD-8 as an additional duty.
10 August 1927:
LtCdr Katsuno is relieved of command of DD-8.
1 November 1927:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Nishimura Shoji (39)(former CO of KIKU) is appointed CO of DD-2.
1 August 1928:
Renamed WAKATAKE as the namesake of the second-class WAKATAKE-class destroyers.
10 December 1928:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Koyanagi Tomiji (42) is appointed CO.
30 November 1929:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Itakura Tokushi (42)(former CO of SAKURA) is appointed CO.
10 December 1929:
WAKATAKE is put on the Reserve List.
1 November 1930:
Lt (Capt, posthumously) Kuranaga Tsuneki (46) is appointed the Commanding Officer.
15 November 1930:
Lt Kuranaga assumes joint command of KURETAKE.
1 December 1932:
Lt (later Rear Admiral) Mori Kan (48) is appointed CO.
15 November 1934:
Lt Baba Noboru (49) is appointed CO.
31 October 1935:
LtCdr (later Captain) Taniguchi Yasumaro (51) is appointed CO.
1 December 1936:
LtCdr Seo Noboru (51) is appointed CO.
1 December 1938:
WAKATAKE is put on the Reserve List as a 4th class warship.
1938:
WAKATAKE's fore funnel is capped and additional ballast is added to improve stability.
15 October 1940:
Lt (later Cdr) Tanegashima Yoji (55)(former torpedo officer of HAKAZE) is appointed CO.
10 April 1941:
LtCdr Koyo Keiji (57) is appointed CO.
15 September 1941:
LtCdr Yoshida Kengo (58) is appointed CO.
8 December 1941:
Kure Naval District. WAKATAKE is in Cdr Otani’s DesDiv 13 with SANAE and KURETAKE. Patrols in the Inland Sea, Bungo Suido and off Western Kyushu.
20 December 1941:
Departs Kure for Palau, Western Carolines in a convoy consisting of auxiliary transports KUNITSU and RAKUTO MARUs.
21 December 1941:
Off Sata Misaki, auxiliary seaplane tender KAGU MARU and auxiliary gunboat HONG KONG MARU join the convoy.
25 December 1941:
KAGU MARU and probably HONG KONG MARU are detached from the convoy.
28 December 1941:
Arrives at Palau, Western Carolines.
18 March 1942:
At 0345 YASUSHIMA MARU while escorted by WAKATAKE is missed by torpedoes from an unidentified submarine in 30-40N 126-07E.
28 March 1942:
WAKATAKE departs Mutsure escorting an unnamed convoy consisting of GENZAN, CEYLON, TOSHO (1236 grt), TENSHO (4982 grt), YASUSHIMA, TOYO, TOBA, BOSTON and KANSAI MARUs bound for Takao and then Lingayen Gulf, Philippines. The convoy sails at 9.5 knots. The first eschelon consists of 4 ships escorted by CH-13 and departs on 26 March, the second of 5 ships (BOSTON, TOBA, GENZAN and KANSAI MARUs and unidentified) leaves escorted by WAKATAKE.
At 0345 in 30-40N 126-07E YASUSHIMA MARU reports a torpedo attack. No damage is incurred.
10 April 1942:
WAKATAKE is assigned to Cdr Amaya Yoshishige’s (47) DesDiv 32 of Rear Admiral Inoue Yasuo’s (38) 1st Surface Escort Division organized this day as a unit of the Southwest Area Fleet.
19 April 1942:
At 0800 KURETAKE, WAKATAKE, KARUKAYA, FUYO and auxiliary cruiser UKISHIMA MARU depart Kure.
20 April 1942:
At 1730 the ships all arrive at Mutsure.
25 April 1942:
At 1200 WAKATAKE departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 103 consisting of HOKUAN and KINRYU MARUs and four unidentified merchant ships.
30 April 1942:
At 1230 arrives at Mako.
2 May 1942:
At 1200 departs Mako escorting convoy No. 203 consisting of ASAKA and MIE MARUs and five unidentified merchant ships.
6 May 1942:
At 1600 arrives at Mutsure.
15 May 1942:
At 1200 departs Mako.
17 May 1942:
WAKATAKE joins the escort of convoy No. 113 that departed Mutsure on 15 May consisting of HOUN NARU and two unidentified merchant ships.
20 May 1942:
At 0900 arrives at Mako.
22 May 1942:
At 1200 departs Mako escorting convoy No. 213 consisting of eleven unidentified merchant ships.
27 May 1942:
At 0600 arrives at Mutsure.
3 June 1942:
At 1200 WAKATAKE departs Mutsure with destroyer FUYO and torpedo boats SAGI and HAYABUSA escorting the RIKU convoy consisting of AKIURA, KANSAI, KINUKAWA, SAGAMI, SHINANOGAWA, NAKO, HIROKAWA, YAMAZUKI and YAMAZATO MARUs.
8 June 1942:
At 1000 arrives at Manila.
12 June 1942:
At 1200 departs Manila with torpedo boat SAGI escorting the RIKU A convoy (part 1 return leg) consisting of HOKKO and TEKKAI MARUs and five unidentified merchant ships.
15 June 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Mako.
16 June 1942:
At 1200 departs Mako with torpedo boat SAGI escorting convoy No. 223 consisting of HAKONESAN MARU and fourteen unidentified merchant ships.
21 June 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Mutsure.
2 July 1942:
At 1200 departs Mutsure with destroyer SHIRAYUKI escorting convoy No. 132 consisting of AMAGI, HOFUKU, TOFUKU, KOFUKU, JOHORE MARUs and twelve unidentified merchant ships.
7 July 1942:
At 1800 arrives at Mako.
9 July 1942:
At 1200 departs Mako escorting convoy No. 232 consisting of TATSUWA, TEIYO, TEIKO, TEISHUN, TAMAHOKO and SHONAN MARUs and HINO NARU No. 5. At some point TAMAHOKO and SHONAN MARUs are detached and as F Convoy proceed to Shanghai.
13 July 1942:
At 2300 arrives at Mutsure.
23 July 1942
At 1200 departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 141 consisting of MIIKE, YAMAGATA and DELAGOA MARUs, and KASUGA MARU No. 2 GO.
31 July 1942:
At 1300 arrives at Mako.
2 August 1942:
At 1400 departs Mako escorting convoy No. 243 consisting of ATLAS and KISO MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships.
6 August 1942
Arrives at Mutsure.
11 August 1942:
Departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 148 consisting of HOKKO and BAIKAL MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships.
15 August 1942:
At 1900 arrives at Mako.
20 August 1942:
At 1300 departs Mako escorting convoy No. 252 consisting of MANKO, MONTREAL and GIYU MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships.
25 August 1942:
At 1100 arrives at Mutsure.
8 September 1942:
At 1200 departs Moji with destroyer SANAE escorting convoy No. 160 consisting of KISO, TOKYO, NAGARA, KUROSHIO, CHOKO, YURI, BOKO (ex British SAGRES) and NIKKYU MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships. The convoy splits into two parts after departure, the first part containing KISO MARU.
10 September 1942:
Tanker KUROSHIO MARU while in convoy, collides with and sinks ZUIUN MARU (no details- possible 1939 built 242 gross ton unit).
11 September 1942:
At 1500 the first part escorted by WAKATAKE arrives at Takao.
12 September 1942:
AT 1700 the second part escorted by SANAE arrives at Takao.
14 September 1942:
NIKKYU MARU arrives at Kirun having detached at an unknown date.
17 September 1942:
CHOKO MARU from convoy No. 160 arrives at Canton having detached at an unknown date. Meanwhile at 1600 WAKATAKE departs Mako escorting convoy No. 263 consisting of FUKKAI MARU and three unidentified merchant ships .
23 September 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Mutsure. (FUKKAI MARU had detached for Pusan)
26 September 1942:
At 1600 departs Mutsure with torpedo boat HAYABUSA escorting convoy No. 167 consisting of HIROTAMA, TAIAN (5655 gt) and HOUN MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships.
1 October 1942:
At 0600 arrives at Mako.
3 October 1942:
At 1400 departs Mako escorting convoy No. 271 consisting of BOKO (ex British SAGRES) MARU and two unidentified merchant ships.
8 October 1942:
At 1300 arrives at Mutsure. Transfers to Kure and drydocked for maintenance and repairs.
21 October 1942:
Departs Kure and later that day arrives at Mutsure.
22 October 1942:
At 1200 departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 178 consisting of MANJU and AKASHI MARUs and one unidentified merchant ship.
27 October 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
31 October 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 284 consisting of GYOKO MARU and ten unidentified merchant ships.
5 November 1942
At 0800 arrives at Mutsure.
11 November 1942:
At 1445 departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 186 consisting of MILAN and ROKKO MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships.
15 November 1942:
At 1700 arrives at Mako.
20 November 1942:
At 1300 departs Mako in convoy No. 294 consisting of TOSHIN MARU and four unidentified merchant ships.
26 November 1942:
At 0700 arrives at Mutsure.
29 November 1942:
At 1530 departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 195 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships for Kirun.
4 December 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
10 December 1942:
DesDiv 32 is disbanded.
12 December 1942:
At 1230 departs Mako escorting convoy No. 206 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
17 December 1942
At 1100 arrives at Mutsure.
23 December 1942:
At 1400 departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 106 consisting of KOAN, RIKKO, NICHIRAN, NICHIRIN, NICHIREN, TEIKAI (ex German FULDA), KUWAYAMA, YAMAGIKU MARUs and NISSHIN MARU No. 2.
28 December 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
1 January 1943:
At 1100 departs Takao escorting convoy No. 216 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.
7 January 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
8 January 1943:
Arrives at Kure and drydocked. Remains there for the rest of the month.
13 February 1943:
At 1510 departs Moji escorting convoy No. 127 consisting of HAKUROKU (HAKUSHIKA) MARU and six unidentified merchant ships.
17 February 1943:
At 1500 arrives at Mako. HAKUROKU (HAKUSHIKA) MARU has been detached to Kirun.
20 February 1943:
At 0800 departs Mako and at 1515 arrives at Takao.
22 February 1943:
At 1000 departs Takao escorting convoy No. 372 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
28 February 1943
Arrives at St Jacques.
5 March 1943:
At 1400 departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 563 consisting of NANEI, TEIKO (ex French D'ARTAGNAN) and TEIRITSU MARUs (latter ex French LECONTE DE LISLE).
8 March 1943:
At 1554 arrives at Singapore.
11 March 1943:
At 1645 departs Singapore.
12 March 1943:
At 1400 arrives back at Singapore.
13 March 1943:
At 0740 departs Singapore.
15 March 1943:
At 0800 departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 674 consisting of SHINRYU and TEIRITSU (ex French LECONTE DE LISLE) MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships.
18 March 1943 :
At 1400 arrives at St Jacques.
20 March 1943:
At 0800 departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 481 consisting of SHINRYU and KENZAN MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships.
25 March 1943:
At 2130 arrives at Takao.
26 March 1943:
At 0500 departs from off Takao and later that day arrives at Mako.
29 March 1943:
At 0900 departs Mako and at 1500 arrives at Takao.
2 April 1943:
At 1100 departs Takao escorting convoy No.744 consisting of NANREI, TEIBI (ex French BERNARDIN DE ST PIERRE) TEIKON (ex German WINNETOU) and AWAJI MARUs.
5 April 1943:
At 1300 arrives at Manila.
7 April 1943:
At 1500 departs Manila alone.
12 April 1943:
At 1750 arrives at Davao.
13 April 1943:
At 0945 departs Davao.
15 April 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Palau.
16 April 1943:
At 1600 departs Palau escorting convoy No. 3204 consisting of NISSHU, TAIYU, TSUYAMA, NISHIYAMA, ASAKA and TENSHO MARUs.
23 April 1943:
At 1000 arrives at Manila.
26 April 1943:
At 0800 departs Manila with auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU escorting convoy No. 844 consisting of KOSEI MARU (3551 gt) and two unidentified ships.
28 April 1943:
At 1600 arrives at Takao.
5 May 1943:
At 1800 departs Takao.
8 May 1943:
At 0900 arrives at Manila.
12 May 1943:
At 1500 departs Manila in convoy No. 3105 consisting of DENMARK MARU and one unidentified ship.
17 May 1943:
At 1700 arrives at Palau.
20 May 1943:
At 0800 departs Palau escorting convoy No. 3208 consisting of KASHU, NANKO, TEIKAI (ex German FULDA) and SATSUMA MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships.
25 May 1943:
At 0900 arrives at Manila.
29 May 1943:
At 1600 departs Manila.
2 June 1943:
At 1430 arrives at Palau.
6 June 1943:
At 0600 departs Palau escorting convoy No. 3210 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
10 June 1943:
Lt Takahashi Tatsuhiko (61) assumes command.
11 June 1943:
At 0950 arrives at Manila.
15 June 1943:
At 0730, WAKATAKE departs Manila for Takao escorting convoy No. 853 consisting of ROKKOSAN, KYOEI, FUSEI MARU (ex British FAUSANG) and FUJISAN MARUs.
18 June 1943:
At 0730, arrives at Takao.
21 June 1943:
At 0900 departs Takao escorting the "Z" convoy consisting of tankers KUROSHIO MARU, ASHIZURI and SUNOSAKI. The convoy sails at 17.5 knots.
25 June 1943:
At 1200 arrives at St Jacques.
26 June 1943:
At 0900 departs St Jacques escorting the "Z" convoy consisting of tankers KUROSHIO MARU, ASHIZURI and SUNOSAKI.
28 June 1943
At 1600 arrives at Singapore.
4 July 1943:
At 1000 departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 602 consisting of FUKUYO, TEIBI (Ex-Vichy French liner BERNARDIN DE SAINT PIERRE), HITORA (ex Panamanian RAMONA), ENJU MARUs and six unidentified merchant ships. The convoy separates into two parts shortly after sailing (FUKUYO, TEIBI, HITORA MARUs all are part of the second contingent).
6 July 1943:
At 1400 the first section, including WAKATAKE, arrives at St Jacques.
7 July 1943:
At 1300, the second section arrives at St Jacques.
8 July 1943:
At 1200 departs St Jacques escorting the "J" convoy consisting of tankers OMUROSAN, KIRISHIMA and KUROSHIO MARUs and transports KINUGASA, KACHIDOKI, AKI, TEIKO (ex French D'ARTAGNAN) and MIIKE MARUs.
E 10 July 1943:
TEIKO MARU is detached for Manila (arrives 11 July)
11 July 1943:
At 2300 the convoy arrives at Mako. WAKATAKE is detached.
14 July 1943:
At 1300 departs Mako in convoy No. 760 consisting of KOSHIN and HAKUBASAN MARUs and an unidentified merchant ship.
17 July 1943:
At 1400 arrives at Manila.
22 July 1943:
At 1300 departs Manila escorting the "P" convoy consisting of KYOKUYO MARU and ten unidentified merchant ships.
29 July 1943:
At 1700 arrives at St Jacques.
10 August 1943:
Departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 9102 consisting of KAIHO MARU (ex British KAIPING) and one unidentified merchant ship.
19 August 1943:
Arrives at an unknown bay on the Korean coast.
23 August 1943:
Departs unknown bay on Korean coast. Later that day arrives at Moji. Later docked at Kure.
15 September 1943:
At 0800 departs Kure alone.
16 September 1943:
At 0700 arrives at Moji.
17 September 1943:
At 1400 departs Moji escorting convoy No. 198 consisting of ASAKA, RAIZAN, PANAMA, ROKKO, HOFUKU and YASUKUNI (5794 tons)and REIYO MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships. Minelayer TAKASHIMA and auxiliary patrol boat CHIKUTO MARU initially accompanies the convoy.
25 September 1943
At 0940 arrives at Takao.
28 September 1943:
At 1800, departs Takao escorting convoy No. 771 consisting of ASAKA, DELAGOA, PANAMA, HOFUKU and ROKKO MARUs and one unidentified merchant ship.
2 October 1943:
At 1000 arrives at Manila.
6 October 1943:
At 0800, departs Manila escorting convoy No. 919 consisting of an unidentified merchant.
12 October 1943:
At 1300, arrives at Tarakan.
14 October 1943:
At 0800, still in convoy, departs Tarakan.
15 October 1943:
At 1730, arrives at Balikpapan.
18 October 1943:
At 0800, WAKATAKE departs Balikpapan with subchaser CH-4 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-41 escorting convoy No. 2609 consisting of transports EIKO, DAI, KENZAN, MACASSAR, HIMALAYA, SENKO and DAIGEN MARU No. 3 and naval oiler TSURUMI and tanker OGURA MARU No. 3.
20 October 1943:
DAI MARU breaks down and is assisted by CHa-41.
21 October 1943:
At 1000, KENZAN and DAI MARUs and CHa-41 are detached for Menado. At 1100 EIKO MARU suffers a breakdown and WAKATAKE stands by ship until both rejoin the convoy at 1230.
22 October 1943:
At 0800, SENKO MARU is detached. Soon after MACASSAR MARU suffers a breakdown and CH-4 remains in attendance for 10 minutes until the vessel is able to rejoin. At an unknown date and time CH-4 is detached.
25 October 1943:
At 2120, arrives at Palau.
29 October 1943:
At 1200, departs Palau on an anti submarine sweep.
30 October 1943:
At 0730, arrives back at Palau.
31 October 1943:
At 1000, departs Palau escorting convoy No. 2512 consisting of an unidentified merchant ship.
5 November 1943:
At 0800, arrives at Balikpapan.
8 November 1943:
At 1600, departs Balikpapan escorting tanker AKEBONO MARU.
10 November 1943:
At 1800, breaks off escort and begins an anti submarine sweep.
12 November 1943:
At 1110, arrives back at Balikpapan.
14 November 1943:
At 0800, departs Balikpapan with auxiliary subchaser CHa-37 escorting convoy No. 2611 consisting of tankers SHINSHU, SHINKOKU, NIPPON, TOA and NAMPO MARUs, transportc COLUMBIA and KOYU MARUs.
15 November 1943:
WAKATAKE's 1st Surface Escort Division is reassigned from the Southwest Area Fleet to the General Escort Command.
16 November 1943:
At 2100, WAKATAKE breaks off escort to hunt a enemy submarine.
17 November 1943:
At 0700, WAKATAKE rejoins the convoy.
20 November 1943:
At 1200, arrives at Palau.
22 November 1943:
At 1230, departs Palau on an anti submarine sweep.
23 November 1943:
At 0900, arrives back at Palau.
24 November 1943:
At 1000, departs Palau in convoy No. 2514 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.
30 November 1943:
At 1000, arrives at Balikpapan.
4 December 1943:
At 1800, departs Balikpapan.
6 December 1943:
At 1230, arrives back at Balikpapan.
13 December 1943:
At 0230, departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 2613 consisting of LYONS MARU.
18 December 1943:
At 0705, arives at Palau.
23 December 1943:
At 0800, WAKATAKE departs Palau with destroyer HAYANAMI escorting convoy No. 2516 consisting of fast oilers KENYO and NIPPON MARUs and Naval oiler IRO.
25 December 1943:
At dawn, HAYANAMI is detached.
29 December 1943:
At 1716 arrives at Balikpapan, Borneo.
31 December 1943:
At 1300 departs Balikpapan alone.
1 January 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Tawi Tawi, and departs there at 1500 escorting SHOZUI MARU.
2 January 1944:
At 1230, arrives at Tarakan. At 1600, WAKATAKE departs Tarakan for Balikpapan, Borneo in Toku convoy escorting oilers KENYO MARU and IRO and cargo ship TOSHO MARU.
4 January 1944:
At 1900, arrives at Balikpapan.
5 January 1944:
Departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 2602 (Rinji) consisting of FUSHIMI MARU No. 3 and OGURA MARU No. 2.
7 January 1944:
At 2350 in position 09-35N 117-26E FUSHIMI MARU No. 3 is torpedoed and sunk by USS KINGFISH. CH-46 which is in the vicinity is called to assist.
10 January 1944:
At 0700, WAKATAKE is detached and proceeds alone.
11 January 1944:
At 1015, arrives at Manila.
13 January 1944:
At 1500, departs Manila escorting convoy 3102 consisting of tankers KOSHIN, SEINAN, NITTATSU, TAKETOYO and RONSAN MARUs, and cargo ships TEIRYU (ex German AUGSBURG) and NITTAI MARUs.
20 January 1944:
At 1500, arrives at Miri.
21 January 1944:
At 1200, WAKATAKE departs Miri escorting convoy 3202 consisting of tankers KOSHIN, SEINAN, RONSAN and NITTATSU MARUs.
22 January 1944:
At 1736, LtCdr Donald F. Weiss' (USNA ’29) USS TINOSA (SS-283) attacks the convoy. Weiss torpedoes and sinks KOSHIN MARU at 07-27N, 115-07E with 22 crewmen dead, and SEINAN MARU at 07-19N, 116-52E with 16 Armed Guards and 29 of the crewmen KIA. WAKATAKE drops 17 depth charges, but USS TINOSA escapes.
E 23 January 1944:
The remainder of the convoy shelters at Labuan.
26 January 1944:
Off Labuan. The convoy joins convoy 3203 that sailed from Miri, Borneo on 26 January. The combined convoy consists of NITTATSU MARU, tankers ATAGO, TAKETOYO, RONSAN and SAN PEDRO MARU and three unidentified merchant ships escorted by WAKATAKE and torpedo boat MANAZURU.
31 January 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Manila.
2 February 1944:
At 0800, departs Manila escorting convoy MATA-01 consisting of tanker SAN PEDRO MARU and two unidentified ships (likely IJA Landing Craft Depot Ships KIBITSU and MAYASAN MARUs).
4 February 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Takao.
5 February 1944:
At 0616, departs Takao on a anti submarine sweep.
6 February 1944:
At 1800, arrives back at Takao.
7 February 1944:
At 1200, departs Takao on an anti submarine sweep.
8 February 1944:
At 0400, arrives at Mako.
9 February 1944:
At 0800, departs Mako escorting convoy TAMO-02 consisting of ATAGO, NITTATSU and TOYOKUNI MARUs and six unidentified merchant ships escorted by the torpedo boat MANAZURU.
12 February 1944:
RONSAN MARU from this convoy is torpedoed and sunk by USS TAMBOR in 27-44N 128-42E.
13 February 1944:
At 1900, the convoy arrives at Satsukawa Wan.
14 February 1944:
At 1500, departs Satsukawa Wan.
17 February 1944:
At 1030, arrives at Moji. WAKATAKE continues on through the Shimonoseki Straits and at 1700 arrives at Kure.
19 February 1944:
Transfers to Innoshima and drydocked for repairs and maintenance.
2 March 1944:
Departs Kure.
3 March 1944:
At 1930, arrives at Mutsure.
8 March 1944:
At 1630, WAKATAKE departs Moji escorting convoy MOTA-09 consisting of TEIRITSU (ex French LECONTE DE LISLE), MATSUE, SAN LUIS, TAKETOYO, HAMBURG, KYOKUZAN, MURORAN, BATOPAHAT, CHUYO, BUNZAN, DAIYU and SHOEI (1986 grt) MARUs, HINO MARU No. 1 and tanker OGURA MARU No. 2 also escorted by patrol boat PB-38.
10 March 1944:
Lt (LtCdr, posthumously) Tanaka Shigeo (64) is apppointed the CO. Patrol boat PB-38 joins the escort of MOTA-09.
11 March 1944:
Early in the day CHUYO MARU develops engine problems and straggles. PB-38 searches unsuccessfully for the missing ship and rejoins the convoy two hours later.
E 12 March 1944:
MAESHIMA meets up with the convoy.
13 March 1944:
Off the China coast at 1844 in 25-58N 121-34E a submarine is detected and attacked by PB-38. The escorts drop 50 depth charges and drive it off.
14 March 1944:
In the Formosa Strait at 1138 PB-38 attacks another submarine contact without result. Later at 1830 the convoy arrives at Mako.
15 March 1944:
At 0600 the convoy departs Mako. At 1845 arrives at Takao.
20 March 1944:
At 1000, WAKATAKE departs Takao with minelayer MAESHIMA and patrol boat PB-31 escorting combined convoys NISHI MATSU No.2/TAPA-06 consisting of MATSUE, CHUYO and HAMBURG MARUs.
26 March 1944:
At 0740, patrol boat PB-36 and submarine chaser CH-6 join the convoy escort. In the afternoon, during a violent rain squall, LtCdr (later Cdr) Charles F. Brindupke's (USNA ’32) USS TULLIBEE (SS-284) attacks the convoy. The escorts attack without success, then sweep the seas with machine gun fire. To their surprise, a large explosion is heard. Later, a single survivor is rescued by WAKATAKE. [1]
27 March 1944:
At 1440 the convoy arrives at Palau.
30-31 March 1944: American Operation “Desecrate One”:
Palau. The anchorage is attacked by F6F "Hellcats", SBD "Dauntless", TBF "Avenger" and SB2C "Helldiver" carrier aircraft of Task Group 58. 1's USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), USS BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) and USS COWPENS (CVL-25), TG 58. 2's USS BUNKER HILL (CV-17), USS HORNET (CV-12), USS MONTEREY (CV-26) and USS CABOT (CVL-28) and TG 58. 3's USS YORKTOWN (CV-10), USS LEXINGTON (CV-16), USS PRINCETON (CVL-23) and USS LANGLEY (CVL-27).
At 0550, the attack is discovered. Convoy PATA-07 which formed up at 0500 and is leaving the atoll anchorages is dissolved. The convoy consists of GOSHU, RAIZAN, KIBI (1941 built), TESHIO, HOKUTAI and RYUKO MARUs and tanker AKEBONO MARU escorted by WAKATAKE, patrol boat PB-31 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-26. All of these merchant ships are sunk over the following two days.
20 miles off Palau. TF 58's planes find and torpedo WAKATAKE. She goes down west of Babelthaup in Karamadoo Bay near the West Passage at 07-30N, 134-30E. Lt Tanaka is lost with an unknown number of crewmen. Tanaka is promoted LtCdr, posthumously. In all, Operation “Desecrate One” accounts for 36 Japanese vessels sunk or damaged.
10 May 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.
Author's Notes:
[1] The Japanese claim a sinking, but the survivor noted that Brindupke fired two Mark 18 torpedoes at 3,000 yards. It is now believed that USS TULLIBEE was sunk by one of her own torpedoes that made a circular run.
Thanks to Gilbert Casse of France.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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