© 1997 Allyn D. Nevitt

IJN Kuroshio: Tabular Record of Movement


Name Translation: "Black Tide"

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Commander Ugaki Tamaki [50] (prev. C.O. ASAGIRI). Assigned to Desdiv 15 (NATSUSHIO, OYASHIO, HAYASHIO, KUROSHIO), Desron 2, Second Fleet.

26 November-1 December 1941:
Desdiv 15 steamed with Desron 2 from Terashima Strait to Palau.

6-8 December:
Desdiv 15 departed Palau with Southern Philippine attack forces, initially escorting RYUJO in attack on Davao.

10-11 December:

With OYASHIO, escorted ITSUKUSHIMA laying mines in San Bernardino Strait.

12 December:

Desdiv 15 with Legaspi invasion force.

20 December:

Desdiv 15 with Davao invasion force. Bandasan SNLF composed of crew members from JINTSU and KUROSHIO took part in invasion.

23 December:

Minor damage: by strafing B-17; four casualties.

25 December:

Desdiv 15 with Jolo invasion force.

11 January 1942:

Desdiv 15 with Menado invasion force.

14 January:

Desdiv 15 with Kendari invasion force.

31 January:

Desdiv 15 with Ambon invasion force.

8 February:

Desdiv 15 with Makassar invasion force. Assisted torpedoed NATSUSHIO and removed survivors.

20 February:

With Timor invasion force.

26 February:

Departed Kupang (Timor) escorting supply group supporting operations south of Java.

5 March:

Assisted OYASHIO in sinking a vessel identified as a British minelayer; then to Staring Bay (Celebes) by 11 March.

15-22 March:

Escorted KAGA from Staring Bay to Sasebo.

17-28 April:

Departed Kure in pursuit of Doolittle task force, then steamed via Formosa to Panay.

1-9 May:

Assisted in occupation of Cagayan Islands, then to Manila.

10-17 May:

Departed Manila, then escorted damaged SHOKAKU to Kure.

21-25 May:

Steamed with Desron 2 from Kure to Saipan.

3-6 June: Battle of Midway

Escorted Midway troop convoy.

16-30 July:

Escorted KUMANO and SUZUYA from Kure via Singapore to Mergui (Burma) for Indian Ocean raiding operations, aborted due to Guadalcanal.

8-21 August:

Escorted KUMANO and SUZUYA from Mergui via Balikpapan to join fleet north of the Solomons.

24 August: Battle of the Eastern Solomons

Escorted Admiral Kondo's Advance Force.

September:

Escorted fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomons.

29 September-1 October:

Departed Truk, then escorted NISSHIN from Kavieng to Shortlands.

3 October:

Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

6 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

9 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

10-14 October:

Departed Shortlands, then escorted KONGO and HARUNA in bombardment of Henderson Field.

26 October: Battle of Santa Cruz

Escorted JUNYO.

30 October-15 November:

Repairs at Truk, then steamed to the Shortlands.

10 November:
Commander Ugaki (to Instructor, Torpedo School) relieved by Commander Takeuchi Hajime [52] (prev. C.O. INAZUMA).

20 November:

Escorted transport KAMO MARU to Munda.

27 November:

Escorted convoy to Munda.

30 November: Battle of Tassafaronga

Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal. Engaged U.S. cruiser-destroyer group. Possibly torpedoed USS PENSACOLA (CA-24).

3 December:

Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal.

7 December:

Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal, aborted due to PT-boat attack.

11 December:

Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal.

16 December:

Troop transport run from Rabaul to Munda.

24 December:

Troop transport run to Munda.

1 January 1943:

Arrived Shortlands from Rabaul.

2 January:

Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal.

10 January:

Led supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal (cover) as flagship of Comdesron 2 (Rear Admiral Koyanagi Tomiji [42]).

14 January:

Troop transport run to Guadalcanal (cover).

22 January:

Escorted TSUGARU and HIYODORI on troop transport run to Rekata.

24 January:

Troop transport run to Rekata.

28 January:

Troop transport run to Russell Islands (cover).

1 February:

Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal (cover).

4 February:

Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal (cover). Minor damage: in air attack on 4 February; near-misses.

7 February:

Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal (cover).

10-15 February:
Steamed from Shortlands via Rabaul to Truk.

16-21 February:

Escorted JUNYO from Truk to Kure, then docked for repairs.

23 February:
Commander Takeuchi (later Deputy, Chief-of-Staff) relieved by Commander Sugitani Nagahide [51] (prev. C.O. UMIKAZE).

4-10 April:

With KUROSHIO, HIBIKI and SAZANAMI, escorted CHOKAI, CHUYO and TAIYO from Japan to Truk.

24-29 April:

Steamed from Truk via Rabaul to Shortlands, then troop transport run to Kolombangara.

3 May:

Troop transport run to Kolombangara.

7-8 May:

Troop transport run to Kolombangara. Sunk: by mines when leaving Vila (Kolombangara); blew up and sank with 83 dead, southwest of Rendova (08-08 S, 156-55 E). Survivors included Commander Sugitani (later C.O. SUZUTSUKI). For details see The Destruction of DesDiv 15

20 June 1943:

Removed from Navy List.


[1] Editorial Note - The wreck of a shattered Japanese destroyer was located on May 19, 2002 in Blackett Strait by the team of Robert Ballard during their successful search for PT 109. On the basis of unknown criteria, it was identifed as the Kuroshio. See Shipwrecks of the IJN for details.- (Tully).


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