© 2008-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 3
13 December 1921:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki Heavy Industries shipyard as a second-class destroyer named KIKYO.
20 July 1922:
LtCdr Homoto Shigeji (36) is posted Chief Equipping Officer.
24 July 1922:
Launched.
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) assumes command.
1 December 1925:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Fukuda Rivozo (38) assumes command.
1 December 1926:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Fujita Ruitaro (38)(former CO of ENOKI) assumes command.
20 January 1927:
LtCdr Fujita assumes command 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) assumes command 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) assumes command.
30 November 1929:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Itakura Tokushi (42)(former CO of SAKURA) assumes command.
10 December 1929:
WAKATAKE is put on the Reserve List.
1 December 1930:
Lt Kuranaga Kouki (46) assumes command.
1 December 1932:
Lt (later Rear Admiral) Mori Kan (48) assumes command.
15 November 1934:
Lt Baba Noboru assumes command.
31 October 1935:
LtCdr (later Captain) Taniguchi Yasumaro (51) assumes command.
1 December 1936:
LtCdr Seo Noboru (51) assumes command.
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 Tanegashima Yogi (55) assumes command.
10 April 1941:
LtCdr Koyo Keiji (57) assumes command.
15 September 1941:
LtCdr Yoshida Kengo (58) assumes command.
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.
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.
25 April 1942:
WAKATAKE departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 103 consisting of five unidentified merchant ships.
30 April 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
2 May 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 203 consisting of seven unidentified merchant ships.
6 May 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure.
12 May 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 208 consisting of six unidentified merchant ships.
17 May 1942:
WAKATAKE joins the escort of convoy No. 113 that departed Mutsure on 15 May consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.
20 May 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
22 May 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 213 consisting of 11 unidentified merchant ships.
27 May 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure.
3 June 1942:
WAKATAKE departs Mutsure with destroyer FUYO and torpedo boats SAGI and HAYABUSA escorting the RIKU convoy consisting of nine unidentified merchant ships.
8 June 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
12 June 1942:
Departs Manila with torpedo boat SAGI escorting the RIKU convoy (part 1 return leg) consisting of seven unidentified merchant ships.
15 June 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
16 June 1942:
Departs Mako with torpedo boat SAGI escorting convoy No. 223 consisting of 15 unidentified merchant ships.
21 June 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure.
2 July 1942:
Departs Mutsure with destroyer SHIRAYUKI escorting convoy No. 132 consisting of 17 unidentified merchant ships.
7 July 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
9 July 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 232 consisting of seven unidentified merchant ships.
14 July 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure.
23 July 1942
Departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 141 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
28 July 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
2 August 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 242 consisting of five unidentified merchant ships.
6 August 1942
Arrives at Mutsure.
11 August 1942:
Departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 148 consisting of five unidentified merchant ships .
15 August 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
20 August 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 252 consisting of six unidentified merchant ships.
25 August 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure.
8 September 1942:
Departs Moji with destroyer SANAE escorting convoy No. 160 consisting of KISO MARU and nine unidentified merchant ships. The convoy splits into two parts after departure, the first part containing KISO MARU.
11 September 1942:
The first part arrives Takao.
12 September 1942:
The second part arrives Takao.
17 September 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 263 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships .
23 September 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure.
26 September 1942:
Departs Mutsure with torpedo boat HAYABUSA escorting convoy No. 167 consisting of five unidentified merchant ships.
1 October 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
3 October 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 271 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.
8 October 1942
Arrives at Mutsure.
22 October 1942:
Departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 178 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.
27 October 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
31 October 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 284 consisting of 11 unidentified merchant ships.
E 5 November 1942
Arrives at Mutsure.
11 November 1942:
Departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 186 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
16 November 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
20 November 1942:
Departs Mako in convoy No. 294 consisting of five unidentified merchant ships.
26 November 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure.
10 December 1942:
DesDiv 32 is disbanded.
12 December 1942:
Departs Mako escorting convoy No. 206 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
17 December 1942
Arrives at Mutsure.
23 December 1942:
Departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 106 consisting of nine unidentified merchant ships.
28 December 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
1 January 1943:
Departs Takao escorting convoy No. 216 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.
7 January 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
13 February 1943:
Departs Moji escorting convoy No. 127 consisting of seven unidentified merchant ships.
17 February 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
22 February 1943:
Departs Mako Mako escorting convoy No. 372 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
28 February 1943
Arrives at St Jacques.
5 March 1943:
Departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 563 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.
8 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
15 March 1943:
Departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 674 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
18 March 1943 :
Arrives at St Jacques.
20 March 1943:
Departs St Jacques escorting convoy No.481 consisting of five unidentified merchant ships.
25 March 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
2 April 1943:
Departs Mako Takao escorting convoy No.744 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
5 April 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
16 April 1943:
Departs Palau escorting convoy No. 3204 consisting of NISSHU, TAIYU, TSUYAMA, NISHIYAMA, ASAKA and TENSHO MARUs.
23 April 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
26 April 1943:
Departs Manila with auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU escorting convoy No. 844 consisting of three unidentified ships.
29 April 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
12 May 1943:
Departs Manila in convoy No. 3105 consisting of two unidentified ships.
17 May 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
20 May 1943:
Departs Palau escorting convoy No. 3208 consisting of KASHU, NANKO and SATSUMA MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships.
25 May 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
6 June 1943:
Departs Palau escorting convoy No. 3210 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
10 June 1943:
Lt Takahashi Tatsuhiko (61) assumes command.
11 June 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
15 June 1943:
At 0730, WAKATAKE departs Manila for Takao escorting convoy No. 853 consisting of ROKKOSAN, KYOEI and FUJISAN MARUs.
18 June 1943:
At 0730, arrives at Takao.
21 June 1943:
Departs Takao escorting the "Z" convoy consisting of three unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer Wakatake.
25 June 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.
26 June 1943:
Departs St Jacques escorting the "Z" convoy consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.
28 June 1943
Arrives at Singapore.
4 July 1943:
Departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 602 consisting of FUKUYO, TEIBI, HITORA MARUs and seven 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:
The first section arrives at St Jacques.
7 July 1943:
At 1300, the second section arrives at St Jacques.
8 July 1943:
Departs St Jacques escorting the "J" convoy consisting of tanker OMUROSAN MARU and six unidentified merchant ships.
12 July 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
14 July 1943:
Departs Takao in convoy No. 760 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships .
17 July 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
22 July 1943:
Departs Takao escorting the "P" convoy consisting of 11 unidentified merchant ships.
29 July 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.
10 August 1943:
Departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 9102 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.
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.
17 September 1943:
Departs Moji escorting convoy No. 198 consisting of ASAKA MARU and nine unidentified merchant ships.
25 September 1943
Arrives at Takao.
28 September 1943:
Departs Takao escorting convoy No. 771 consisting of ASAKA MARU and five unidentified merchant ships.
2 October 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
6 October 1943:
Departs Manila escorting convoy No. 919 consisting of an unidentified merchant ship.
12 October 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
18 October 1943:
Convoy No. 2609 departs Balikpapan consisting of naval oiler TSURUMI and KENZAN and DAI MARUs, OGURA MARU No. 2 (unconfirmed) and three other unidentified ships.
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.
20 October 1943:
WAKATAKE, subchaser CH-4 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-41 escort convoy No. 2609 consisting of nine unidentified ships from Makassar, Celebes to Palau.
25 October 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
31 October 1943:
Departs Palau escorting convoy No. 2512 consisting of an unidentified merchant ship.
5 November 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
14 November 1943:
Departs Balikpapan with auxiliary subchaser CHa-37 escorting convoy No. 2611 consisting of seven unidentified ships.
15 November 1943:
WAKATAKE's 1st Surface Escort Division is reassigned from the Southwest Area Fleet to the General Escort Command.
20 November 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
24 November 1943:
Departs Palau in convoy No. 2514 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.
30 November 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
12 December 1943:
Departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 2613 consisting of an unidentified merchant ship.
18 December 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
23 December 1943:
WAKATAKE departs Palau with destroyer HAYANAMI escorting convoy No. 2516 consisting of fast oilers KENYO and NIPPON MARUs.
25 December 1943:
At dawn, HAYANAMI is detached.
28 December 1943:
Arrives at Tarakan, Borneo. Loads a cargo of refined oil.
2 January 1944:
At 1600, WAKATAKE departs Tarakan for Balikpapan, Borneo escorting oilers KENYO MARU and IRO and cargo ship TOSHO MARU.
4 January 1944:
At 1900, arrives at Balikpapan.
13 January 1944:
At 1500 departs Manila escorting convoy 3102 consisting of tankers KOSHIN, SEINAN, NITTATSU, TAKETOYO and RONSAN MARUs, and cargo ships TEIRYU 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 and NITTATSU MARUs and and one unidentified ship.
22 January 1944:
At 1736, LtCdr Donald F. Weiss' USS TINOSA (SS-283) attacks the convoy. Weiss torpedoes and sinks KOSHIN MARU at 07-27N, 115-07E and SEINAN MARU at 07-19N, 116-52E. WAKATAKE drops 17 depth charges, but TINOSA escapes.
E 23 January 1944:
The remainder of the convoy shelters at Labuan.
E 27 January 1944:
Off Labuan. The convoy joins convoy 3203 that sailed from Miri, Borneo on 26 January. The combined convoy consists of NITTATSU MARU and seven unidentified merchant ships escorted by WAKATAKE and torpedo boat MANAZURU.
31 January 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Manila.
2 February 1944:
Departs Manila escorting convoy MATA-01 consisting of three unidentified ships.
4 February 1944
Arrives at Takao.
9 February 1944:
Departs Takao with torpedo boat MANAZURU escorting convoy TAMO-02 consisting of tanker RONSAN MARU and nine unidentified merchant ships.
12 February 1944:
At 2055, LtCdr Russell Kefauver's USS TAMBOR (S-198) torpedoes and sinks RONSAN MARU at 27-44N, 128-42E. The convoy seeks shelter in a nearby anchorage.
15 February 1944:
Resumes voyage.
17 February 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
9 March 1944:
WAKATAKE departs Tomie, Goto Retto for Takao escorting convoy MOTA-09 consisting of liner TEIRITSU MARU and cargo ships MATSUE, DAIZEN, TAKETOYO, HAMBURG, KYOKUZAN, MURORAN, BATOPAHAT, CHUYO, BUNZAN, TAIYU, SHOEI MARUs, HINO MARU No. 1 and tankers OGURA MARU No. 2 and SAN LUIS MARU.
10 March 1944:
Lt Tanaka Shigeru (64) assumes command.
E 10 March 1944:
Patrol boat PB-38 joins the escort of MOTA-09.
11 March 1944:
CHUYO MARU develops engine trouble. At 0950, PB-38 is detached to find her, but is unsuccessful and later rejoins the convoy.
13 March 1944:
At 1844, an enemy submarine is detected at 25-58N, 121-34E. The escorts drop 50 depth charges and drive it off.
14 March 1944:
PB-38 detects another enemy submarine and drives it away by dropping three depth charges.
15 March 1944:
At 1845, arrives at Takao.
20 March 1944:
WAKATAKE departs Takao with minelayer MAESHIMA escorting combined convoys NISHI MATSU No.2/TAPA-06 consisting of MATSUE, CHUYO and HAMBURG MARUs.
26 March 1944:
In the afternoon, during a violent rain squall, LtCdr Charles F. Brindupke's 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:
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), BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) and COWPENS (CVL-25), TG 58. 2's BUNKER HILL (CV-17), HORNET (CV-12), MONTEREY (CV-26) and CABOT (CVL-28) and TG 58. 3's YORKTOWN (CV-10), LEXINGTON (CV-16), PRINCETON (CVL-23) and 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 TULLIBEE was sunk by one of her own torpedoes that made a circular run.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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