© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt

IJN Isonami: Tabular Record of Movement


Name Translation: "Waves on the Beach"

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Commander Sugama Ryokichi [50] (prev. C.O. TACHIKAZE). Assigned to Desdiv 19 (URANAMI, SHIKINAMI, AYANAMI, ISONAMI), Desron 3, First Fleet.

20-26 November:

Desdiv 19 steamed with Desron 3 from Kure to Samah (Hainan).

4 December 1941-11 January 1942:

Escorted troop convoys out of Samah, Camranh Bay and Mako (Pescadores) in Malaya invasion operations.

January-February:

Escorted KUMANO, SUZUYA, MOGAMI and MIKUMA in support of Malaya, Anambas Islands and Bangka-Palembang invasion forces.

27 February:

With Western Java invasion force.

12 March:

With Northern Sumatra invasion force.

23 March:

With Andaman Islands invasion force; then patrol/escort duties out of Port Blair during Japanese raids into Indian Ocean.

13-22 April:

Steamed from Singapore via Camranh Bay to Kure, then docked for maintenance.

4-5 June: Battle of Midway:

Desdiv 19 escorted Admiral Yamamoto's Main Body.

9 June:
Medium damage:
during return from Midway, in collision with URANAMI: best speed 11 knots.

17 June-23 July:

Docked at Yokosuka for repairs.

22 June:
Commander Sugama (to C.O. YUKIKAZE) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Nishimura Masao [54] (prev. C.O. UZUKI).

August-September:

Training with JUNYO and HIYO in Inland Sea.

4-9 October:

Escorted JUNYO and HIYO from Saeki to Truk, then joined fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomons.

22-26 October:

Escorted disabled HIYO into Truk.

9-17 November:

Escorted NISSHIN on base-construction materials transport run from Truk to Woleai and Shortlands and back.

20-22 November:

Steamed from Truk to Rabaul.

23-24 November:

Transport run to Lae/Salamua, aborted due to air attack.

1 December:

Troop transport run to Buna. Minor damage: in air attacks due to near-misses.

8 December:

Troop transport run to Buna, aborted due to air attack. Minor damage: in air attacks due to near-misses.

11-14 December:
Troop transport run to Buna, via the Admiralties to avoid air attack.

16-20 December:

With TENRYU, ARASHIO, SUZUKAZE, and INAZUMA, escorted Madang attack force (auxiliary cruisers AIKOKU MARU and GOKOKU MARU carrying two battalions of 5th Division from Ambon) from Rabaul to Madang and back; on 18 December removed Rear Admiral Matsuyama Mitsuharu [40] (Comcrudiv 18) and other survivors from torpedoed TENRYU.

26-27 December:

Troop transport run from Rabaul via the Shortlands to New Georgia.

2 January 1943:

Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal.

5-7 January:

Steamed from Rabaul to Truk.

7-12 January:

With INAZUMA, ARIAKE, YUGURE and ASASHIO, escorted ZUIKAKU, MUTSU and SUZUYA from Truk to Kure, then docked for repairs.

13-31 January:
While at Kure, twin 13mm machine guns added on bandstand forward of bridge. Details of any further modifications unknown.

7-14 February:

Escorted troop convoy (3rd section of HEI No. 3: KIYOKAWA MARU and YASUKUNI MARU, lifting elements of 41st Division) from Tsingtao to Palau.

21 February-2 March:

With AKIGUMO and NAGATSUKI, continued escort of same convoy from Palau to Wewak and back.

25 February:

Desdiv 19 reassigned to 1st Surface Escort Division, Southwest Area Fleet.

3 March:

Departed Palau for Surabaya.

10-21 March:

Escorted convoys from Surabaya to Singapore and back.

23-31 March:

Escorted convoys from Surabaya to Ambon and back.

26 March:
Lieutenant Commander Nishimura relieved by Lieutenant Commander Araki Masami [50].

5-9 April:

Departed Surabaya, escorting convoy towards Ambon. Sunk: torpedoed by USS TAUTOG (SS-199) while rescuing survivors of torpedoed PENANG MARU, 35 miles southeast of Wangiwangi Island (05-26 S, 123-04 E). Seven killed, nine injured; Lieutenant Commander Araki (to C.O. NOWAKI) among the survivors.

1 August 1943:

Removed from Navy List.


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