© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt

IJN Arare: Tabular Record of Movement

ASASHIO-class (10 ships) (Ships of the World)


Name Translation: "Hail"

5 March 1937:
Laid down at Maizuru Navy Yard.

16 November 1937:
Launched and named ARARE ("Hail")

15 March 1938:
LtCdr (later Captain) Ohara Toshimichi (49) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.

26 March 1938:
Lt (Captain posthumously) Ara Teisaburo (56) (former Torpedo Officer, IKAZUCHI) is appointed an Equipping Officer.

25 April 1938:
Equipping Officer Lt Ara is appointed Torpedo Officer of KITAKAMI and leaves the ship. A successor is not immediately appointed.

20 September 1938:
Lt (later Cdr) Asai Akio (56) (former Gunnery Officer, AKATSUKI) is appointed an Equipping Officer.

5 October 1938:
Chief Equipping Officer LtCdr Ohara is appointed CO of SHIKINAMI as an additional duty.

15 November 1938:
Chief Equipping Officer LtCdr Ohara is promoted Cdr.

5 December 1938:
Cdr Ohara is appointed Chief Equipping Officer of W-9 as a further additional duty.

15 December 1938:
Chief Equipping Officer Cdr Ohara ceases additional duty as CO of SHIKINAMI.

5 January 1939:
Chief Equipping Officer Cdr Ohara resumes full-time duty aboard.

20 January 1939:
Lt (later Cdr) Iki Mitsu (55) (former Navigator, YUBARI) is appointed an Equipping Officer.

1 March 1939:
LtCdr (Eng.) (Captain posthumously) Honda Kentaro (Eng. 33) (former Chief Engineer, SHIKINAMI) is appointed an Equipping Officer.

1 April 1939:
Lt (LtCdr posthumously) Iwamoto Shigenori (59) (former Gunnery Officer, HARUSAME) relieves Lt Asai as an Equipping Officer. Lt Asai is appointed an Equipping Officer of KAGERO.

15 April 1939:
Completed and placed in commission.
Initial Command Structure:

Commanding Officer: Cdr Ohara Toshimichi (49)
Torpedo Officer: Vacant
Gunnery Officer: Lt Iwamoto Shigenori (59)
Navigator: Lt Iki Mitsu (55)
Chief Engineer: LtCdr (Eng.) Honda Kentaro (Eng. 33)

15 May 1939:
Lt (later LtCdr) Shiga Hiroo (60) (former Gunnery Officer, NAGATSUKI) is appointed Gunnery Officer. Lt Iwamoto is reassigned.

20 October 1939:
Gunnery Officer Lt Shiga is reassigned and leaves the ship. A successor is not immediately appointed.

15 November 1939:
Lt (j.g.) (later VAdm, JMSDF) Ishizuka Sakae (63) is appointed Gunnery Officer. Lt (Cdr posthumously) Wada Mutsuo (61) (former Navigator, I-73) is appointed Navigator. Lt Iki is promoted LtCdr and reassigned.

1 December 1939:
Lt (later LtCdr) Tanaka Tomoo (57) (former Torpedo Officer, KINUGASA) is appointed Torpedo Officer.

15 October 1940:
Lt (Eng.) (later Cdr) Ise Teiichi (Eng. 38) (former Division Officer, NATORI) is appointed Chief Engineer. LtCdr (Eng.) Honda is appointed Chief Engineer of 1st Specially Established Gunboat Division.

15 November 1940:
Gunnery Officer Lt (j.g.) Ishizuka is promoted Lt. Reserve Lt (later LtCdr) Tsuda Takehiko (former Navigator, HARUSAME) is appointed Navigator. Lt Wada is appointed Torpedo Officer of ARASHIO.

10 March 1941:
Lt (Eng.) (later Cdr) Mizuta Shintaro (Eng. 41) is appointed Chief Engineer. Lt (Eng.) Ise is reassigned.

15 April 1941:
Lt (j.g.) (Cdr posthumously) Okayama Noboru (64) (former Torpedo Officer, INAZUMA) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Tanaka is appointed Torpedo Officer of FURUTAKA.

15 May 1941:
Torpedo Officer Lt (j.g.) Okayama is promoted Lt.

25 August 1941:
Lt (j.g.) (LtCdr posthumously) Nakayama Yasushi (65) (former Torpedo Officer, AKEBONO) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Okayama is appointed an Equipping Officer of I-26.

1 September 1941:
Assigned to Cdr (later Captain) Miyasaka Yoshito's (47) (former ComDesDiv 30) DesDiv 18 (SHIRANUHI, KAGERO, KASUMI, ARARE), DesRon 2, Second Fleet.

10 September 1941:
Gunnery Officer Lt Ishizuka is appointed Torpedo Officer of MURASAME and leaves the ship. A successor is not immediately appointed.
Lt (Eng.) (LtCdr (Eng.) posthumously) Matsushita Katsunori (Eng. 45) is appointed Chief Engineer. Lt (Eng.) Mizuta is reassigned.

20 September 1941:
Cdr (later Captain) Ogata Tomoe (50) (former CO of ISONAMI) is appointed CO. Cdr Ohara is reassigned.

18-22 November 1941:
Desdiv 18 steamed with Desron 1 from Saeki to Etorofu (Kuriles).

7 December:

Escorted Admiral Nagumo's carrier striking force for the attack on Pearl Harbor; detached to guard 2nd Supply Force tankers prior to the attack, rejoined fleet after; arrived in Kure 24 December.

8-14 January 1942:

Desdiv 18 escorted carrier force from Japan to Truk.

20 January:

Desdiv 18 escorted carrier force in air strikes on Rabaul.

23 January:

Escorted AKAGI and KAGA covering Rabaul/Kavieng landings, then returned to Truk 27 January.

1-8 February:

Escorted carrier force in pursuit of U.S. carriers, then to Palau.

9-13 February:

With AKIGUMO, escorted ZUIKAKU from Palau to Yokosuka, then training and defensive patrols in home waters.

17-24 March:

With KAGERO and AKIGUMO, escorted SHOKAKU and ZUIKAKU from Yokosuka to Staring Bay (Celebes).

27 March:

Desdiv 18 departed Staring Bay, escorting carrier force in Indian Ocean raids.

5 April:

Air strikes on Colombo.

9 April:

Air strikes on Trincomalee.

23 April:

Arrived in Kure from Southern operations, then docked for repairs.

21-25 May:

Desdiv 18 steamed with Desron 2 from Kure to Saipan.

3-6 June: Battle of Midway

Desron 2 escorted Midway troop convoy.

17-23 June:

Desdiv 18 escorted KUMANO, SUZUYA and NICHIEI MARU from Truk to Kure.

28 June-4 July:

With KASUMI and SHIRANUHI, escorted CHIYODA on transport mission from Yokosuka to Kiska.

5 July:

Sunk: by USS GROWLER (SS-215) seven miles east of Kiska Harbor (52 N, 177-40 E); struck amidships by torpedo, blew up and sank; 104 dead; 42 survivors, including Commander Ogata (to ComSCDiv 56, later X.O. KISO, C.O. AKIZUKI), rescued by boats from crippled SHIRANUHI.

31 July 1942:

Removed from Navy List.


[1] Editorial Note - The torpedo struck the port side at 0255, and Arare immediately jacknifed and began to sink. Apparently her torpedoes did not explode, for her wreck was located in June 2007 revealing the point of break to be under No.1 TT in front of No.2 stack, but the tubes were intact. - (Tully)


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