FUSETSUKAN!

(TOKIWA - digitally colorized by Irotooko, Jr)

Minelayer IJN TOKIWA:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2007-2020 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp:
Revision 3


6 January 1897:
Newcastle upon Tyne, Elswick, England. Laid down as armored cruiser No. 4 at Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd's shipyard.

18 October 1897:
Named TOKIWA.

21 October 1898:
Provisionally attached to Kure Naval District.

5 April 1898:
Captain (later Admiral) Dewa Shigeto (5)(former section chief at the Naval Affairs Bureau of the Navy Ministry) is appointed the Chief Equipping/Transfer Officer and travels to Great Britain.

6 July 1898:
Launched.

3 October 1898:
Captain Dewa is appointed the CO.

18 May 1899:
Completed and attached to Kure Naval District. Captain Dewa Shigeto is the CO.

19 May 1899:
Departs Great Britain for Yokosuka, Japan.

16 July 1899:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

25 July 1899:
Placed in first reserve.

20 May 1900:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Nakayama Nagaaki (5)(former CO of TAKASAGO) is appointed the CO.

11 August 1900:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Tanji Hiroo (5)(former CO of the ironclad corvette HIEI) is appointed the CO.

23 January 1901:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Nashiba Tokioki (former CO of TAKASAGO) is appointed the CO.

5 July 1901:
Captain Otsuka Akio (former CO of FUSO) is appointed the CO.

1 October 1901:
Captain Yajima Isao (5)(former CO of KASAGI) is appointed the CO.

6 October 1902:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Nomoto Tsunaakira (7)(former CO of NANIWA) is appointed the CO.

19 January 1904:
Captain (later Admiral) Yoshimatsu Motaro (7)(former sailor corps instructor) is appointed the CO.

8 February 1904: The Russo-Japanese War:
Japan opens hostilities with a surprise attack on the main Russian fleet base at Port Arthur (Lushun), Manchuria.

14 August 1904:
TOKIWA participates in the Battle off Ulsan with Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kamimura Hikonojo's (4) Second Fleet, receiving slight damage. Three sailors are wounded.

27-28 May 1905:
TOKIWA participates in the Battle of Tsushima. Receives slight damage; one sailor is killed.

14 June 1905:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Imai Kanemasa (7)(former CO of the ironclad CHINEN/ex-ZHENYUAN) is appointed the CO.

12 December 1905:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Wada Kensuke (8)(former CO of MISHIMA/ex-ADMIRAL SENYAVIN) is appointed the CO.

22 November 1906:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Fujimoto Hideshiro (11)(former chief of the torpedo warfare section at Kure Arsenal) is appointed the CO.

28 August 1908:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Yamagata Bunzo (11)(former CO of KASUGA) is appointed the CO.

1 October 1909:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Yoda Mitsuji (12)(former inspector at Kure Navy Yard) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1909-9 April 1910:
No COs are appointed.

1910:
Refitted with coal-fired Belleville boilers.

9 April 1910:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Tsukiyama Kiyotomo (11)(former CO of AZUMA) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1910:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Mizumachi Hajime (14)(former ComDesDiv 7) is appointed the CO.

16 January 1911:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Takagi Shichitaro (15)(former CoS, Second Fleet) is appointed the CO.

30 April 1912:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Ogasawara Naganari (14)(former NGS staff officer) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1912:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Shima Takeshi (15)(former CO of KASAGI) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1913:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kataoka Eitaro (15)(former CoS of Mako Guard District) is appointed the CO.

17 August-31 October 1914:
TOKIWA, assigned to the Second Fleet's 4th Squadron, participates in the blockade of the German port of Tsingtao (Qingdao).

9 November 1914:
Reassigned to the First Fleet. Conducts patrols against the German Navy under the Anglo-Japanese Alliance.

1 December 1914:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Yoshida Takeshi (18)(former CO of YAMATO) is appointed the CO.

1 February 1915:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sakamoto Noritoshi (20)(former CO of CHIKUMA) is appointed the CO.

3 August 1915:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Shiraishi Naosuke (17)(former CO of IWAMI/ex-ORYOL) is appointed the CO.

15 July 1916:
Captain (later Admiral) Taniguchi Naomi (19)(former CO of IKOMA) is appointed the CO.

5 April 1917:
TOKIWA and YAKUMO depart Yokosuka for North America, Hawaii and the Mandate islands on a training cruise with the cadets of the 44th class of Etajima.

17 August 1917:
Returns to Yokosuka.

10 October 1917:
Captain (later Admiral) Morimoto Yoshihiro (22)(former CO of KURAMA) is appointed the CO.

10 September 1918:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Komatsu Naomoto (25)(former CO of IBUKI) is appointed the CO.

1 March 1919:
TOKIWA and AZUMA depart Yokosuka for South Asia and Australia on a training cruise with the 46th class.

26 July 1919:
Returns to Yokosuka.

8 August 1919:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Matsumura Kikuo (23)(former member of the Japanese delegation at the Versailles Peace Conference) is appointed the CO.

24 November 1919:
TOKIWA and AZUMA depart Yokosuka for Southeast Asia, Suez and the Mediterranean on a training cruise with the 47th class.

20 May 1920:
Returns to Yokosuka.

12 August 1920:
Captain Nakagiri Keita (26)(former inspector at Maizuru Naval Arsenal) is appointed the CO.

20 November 1920:
Captain Shibauchi Gokichi (26)(former CO of the Ad Hoc/Qingdao Defense Unit) is appointed the CO.

1 April 1921:
Placed in first reserve.

30 September 1921:
Rerated a first-class coast defense ship.

20 November 1921:
Captain Uchikura Rikichi (27)(former CO of Chinkai Defense Unit) is appointed the CO.

30 September 1922-31 March 1923:
Attached to Sasebo Naval District for a conversion to a minelayer carrying up to 500 No. 5 mines. Her rear turret, six secondary guns and all torpedo tubes are landed to make room for mine storage. Mine launching tracks are fitted to her upper deck.

20 November 1922:
Captain Soejima Keiichi (28)(former CO of NATORI) is appointed the CO.

1 March 1923:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Shiraishi Nobunari (28)(former CO of ASAMA) is appointed the CO of TOKIWA and IZUMO (until 1 May) as additional duty.

1 April 1923:
Placed in first reserve.

1 December 1923:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Wada Kenkichi (29)(former NGS staff officer) is appointed the CO.

1 November 1924:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ikeda Tanin (30)(former CoS of the Maizuru Naval District) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1925:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Tokuda Inosuke (30)(former CO of ABUKUMA) is appointed the CO.

20 May 1926:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ichikizaki Keiichi (31)(former NGS staff officer) is appointed the CO.

1 November-1 December 1926:
Captain Ichikizaki is appointed the CO of NATORI as additional duty.

1 August 1927:
Saeki Bay, Kyushu. At 0939, during deactivation of No. 5 mines, one accidently explodes, triggering the explosion of others and causes substantial damage to TOKIWA's stern. Thirty-five crewmen are killed and 65 are severely injured. Battleship NAGATO, anchored nearby, and several other vessels send over their firefighting teams to quell the raging fires. TOKIWA is placed on the Reserve List.

1 September 1927:
Placed in third reserve. Undergoes repairs, probably at Sasebo.

1 December 1927:
Captain Tachikawa Shichiro (32)(former chief of the torpedo testing section at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal) is appointed the CO.

10 December 1928:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kitaoka Haruo (34)(former staff officer of the Sasebo Naval District) is appointed the CO.

1 November 1929:
Captain Hattori Toyohiko (33)(former naval attaché to Germany) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1930:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Miki Taichi (35)(former CO of SENDAI) is appointed the CO of TOKIWA and NATORI as additional duty.

16 December 1930:
Captain Nanba Tsunesaburo (35)(former CO of MANSHU/ex-MANCHURIA) is appointed the CO.

1 June 1931:
Rerated a coast defense ship.

18 January 1932-17 May 1933:
In response to the First Shanghai Incident, TOKIWA departs Japan with the First Fleet and engages in a protracted "security mission" to North China.

1 December 1932:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Takasu Sanjiro (37)(former ComSubDiv 8) is appointed the CO.

15 November 1933:
Captain Wakagi Genji (36)(former ComDesDiv 8) is appointed the CO.

15 November 1934:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Katahara Tsunejiro (37)(former CO of Mako Defense Unit) is appointed the CO.

2 March 1936:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Aoyagi Muneshige (37)(former CO of MAMIYA) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1936:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Kubo Kyuji (38)(former CO of Mako Defense Unit) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1937:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sugimoto Michio (41)(former XO of Yokosuka Defense Unit) is appointed the CO.

21 February-15 April 1938:
Captain Sugimoto is appointed the CO IRO as additional duty.

1 September 1938-1 March 1940:
No COs are appointed.

15 November 1939:
The Fourth Fleet is established. TOKIWA is assigned to the 18th Squadron of the Fourth Fleet.

1 March 1940:
Captain Inagaki Yoshiaki (40)(former CO of HATSUTAKA) is appointed the CO.

15 November 1940:
Captain Tomizawa Fujihiko (41)(former CO of Yokosuka Defense Unit) is appointed the CO. TOKIWA is in the Fourth Fleet with Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Shima Kiyohide's (39)(former CO of OI) Mine Division 19 with minelayer OKINOSHIMA.

11 August 1941:
Truk. TOKIWA is in Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Inoue Shigeyoshi's (37) Fourth Fleet in Rear Admiral Shima's Mine Division 19 with transport MOGAMIGAWA MARU, minelayer OKINOSHIMA and auxiliary minelayers TENYO MARU and TOKIWA.

29 November 1941: Operation "GI":
Departs Truk at 1300 with the Gilbert Islands Invasion Force that includes minelayers OKINOSHIMA (F), TSUGARU and TENYO MARU, carrying the 51st Guards Unit escorted by DesDiv 29/Section 1's ASANAGI and YUNAGI. The CHITOSE Naval Air Group provides air cover.

2 December 1941:
TOKIWA receives the signal "Niitakayama nobore (Climb Mt. Niitaka) 1208" from the Combined Fleet. This signifies that X-Day hostilities will commence on 8 December (Japan time).

26 December 1941:
TOKIWA is assigned to Vice Admiral Inoue Shigeyoshi's Fourth Fleet in Rear Admiral Shima's Mine Division 19 with minelayers OKINOSHIMA and MOGAMIGAWA MARU and auxiliary minelayers TENYO MARU.

20 January 1942: Operation "R" - The Invasions of Rabaul, New Britain and Kavieng, New Ireland:
TOKIWA and Mine Division 19's TSUGARU and OKINOSHIMA and auxiliary minelayers MOGAMIGAWA and TENYO MARUs participate in the invasion of Rabaul with DesRon 6's YUBARI, DesDiv 30's MUTSUKI, MOCHIZUKI, YAYOI, DesDiv 29's OITE, ASANAGI, and YUNAGI and auxiliary seaplane tender KIYOKAWA MARU.

23 January 1942:
The invasion forces swiftly overcome light Australian opposition and occupy both Rabaul and Kavieng.

1 February 1942:
Kwajalein. SBDs (VB-6 and VS-6) and TBDs (VT-6) from ENTERPRISE damage light cruiser KATORI, submarine depot ship YASUKUNI MARU, oiler TOA MARU and several other ships. TOKIWA is damged by near misses; eight sailors are killed, 15 injured.

3-7 March 1942:
Truk. Repair ship URAKAMI MARU provides additional repairs for TOKIWA.

24 March 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.

31 March-10 April 1942:
Dry-docked at Sasebo Navy Yard.

1 April 1942:
Captain Taniguchi Gosuke (41)(former CO of CHOHAKUSAN MARU) is appointed the CO of TOKIWA with additional duty as the CO of the 52nd Gunboat Division.

14 July 1942:
Reassigned to Vice Admiral Inoue Shigeyoshi's Fourth Fleet based at Truk.

16 August 1942:
Two companies of the Marines' 2nd Raider Battalion under Lt Col (later Brigadier General-Ret) Evans F. Carlson, USMC are transported on USS NAUTILUS (SS-168) and ARGONAUT (SS-166) from Pearl Harbor to raid Makin Atoll, Gilbert Islands as a diversion for the recent invasion of Guadalcanal. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's son, Maj James Roosevelt, USMCR, is Carlson's XO.

17 August 1942:
By 0500, 211 Marines land by 19 rubber boats. Fighting soon breaks out, but the Marines succeed in advancing. NAUTILUS' 6-in guns open fire on Japanese positions ashore and also sink a small transport and a patrol boat. By noon, Japanese aircraft arrive and force the subs to submerge. The planes bomb and strafe the Marines. Two Kawanishi H6K Mavis flying boats land in the lagoon and discharge reinforcements. By 1900, about 100 of Carlson's men withdraw back to the submarines.

18 August 1942:
In the morning, Major Roosevelt leads four boats out to the submarines. After dark, four more rubber boats follow. Thirty Marines do not make it back and are assumed KIA. The two submarines depart for Pearl Harbor.

19 August 1942:
TOKIWA departs Truk for Makin carrying troops with three subchasers and DAIDO MARU.

21 August 1942:
At 1015, arrives at Makin Island, Gilberts. The Japanese landing force captures nine Marines left behind for dead. Later, the Marines are transferred to Kwajalein, Marshall Islands where Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Abe Koso (40), CO of the 6th Base Force, orders all the POWs beheaded. [1]

1 May 1943:
Reassigned to the 52nd Base Force, Ominato Naval District.

26 May 1943:
At 1700, TOKIWA departs Truk by the north channel for Yokosuka in convoy No. 4526, consisting of fleet oiler NOTORO and repair ship HAKKAI MARU, escorted by kaibokan OKI and initially minesweeper W-8. En route, the ships are joined by the aircraft transport MOGAMIGAWA MARU.

3 June 1943:
In the late afternoon, LtCdr Nicholas J. Nicholas' (USNA '32) USS SALMON (SS-182) attacks the convoy. He fires seven torpedoes and claims hits on HAKKAI and MOGAMIGAWA MARUs, but in reality his attacks are unsuccessful.

5 June 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

1 November 1943:
Captain (Reserve) Chiba Naruo (36)(former torpedo officer of ASO) is appointed the CO.

15 January 1944:
Captain Kasai Torazo (42)(former CO of Ominato Defense Unit) is appointed the CO.

20 January 1944:
Reassigned to the 18th Escort Squadron, Seventh Fleet.

19-20 June 1944:
Off Okinawa. The 18th Escort Squadron consisting of TOKIWA (F), armed merchant cruiser SAIGON MARU, small minelayer TAKASHIMA, auxiliary minelayers KOEI and SHINKO MARUs lays 1,650 mines. Torpedo boat TOMOZURU, subchaser CH-58 and patrol boat KAII provide escort.

27 February 1945:
S of Yaku Shima, Japan. TOKIWA and auxiliary minelayer KOEI MARU lay about 1,000 mines. Kaibokan CD-22, CD-29 and CD-68 provide escort. [2]

5 April 1945:
Reassigned directly to the Seventh Fleet.

10 April 1945:
Reassigned to the General Escort Command.

14 April 1945:
At 1245, en route from Saeki to the area W of Tsushima Islands in company of KOEI MARU, TOKIWA strikes a mine 7.8 miles SE of Hesaki lighthouse. The steering compartment and the mine storage are partially flooded, but the damage is minor.

17 April 1945:
Arrives at Sasebo Navy Yard. Dry-docked for repairs and AA upgrade until 2 May.

13 May 1945:
Lays a minefiled to Tsushima Strait.

3 June 1945:
At 0839 when entering Maizuru harbor, escorted by CD-22, TOKIWA strikes a mine NW of Cape Bakuchi Misaki. The damage is minor. Arrives at Maizuru, conducts makeshift repairs.

5 June 1945:
The 18th Escort Squadron is deactivated. TOKIWA is directly assigned to Seventh Fleet. Attached to Sasebo Naval District.

2 July 1945:
Departs Maizuru for Ominato.

4 July 1945:
Arrives at Ominato.

7 July 1945:
Departs Ominato for Wakkanai.

8 July 1945:
Arrives at Wakkanai.

21 July 1945:
Departs Wakkanai for Ominato.

23 July 1945:
Arrives at Ominato. Moored in the outer harbor.

9 August 1945:
Around 1335 the Ominato Naval Base is attacked by carrier aircraft from RANDOLPH (CV-15) and ESSEX (CV-9). TOKIWA is first attacked by eight Curtiss SB2C-4 "Helldivers" from VB-16, scoring several near misses. Lt(jg) Ernest G. Porupsky's dive-bomber is shot down.

Six Vought F4U-1D "Corsairs" from VBF-83 attack next, claiming two 1000-lb GP bomb hits on TOKIWA's bow. Eleven SB2C-4Es from VB-83 claim seven hits with 500-lb and 250-lb GP bombs aft of the bridge and amidships. A violent explosion and black smoke are observed amidships. Intense and accurate AA fire is encountered during that attack. Ens Paul Bacci's dive-bomber is shot down.

TOKIWA receives four direct hits (one to starboard bow, two portside amidships and one to the officers wardroom at the stern) as well as four near misses, causing gradual flooding. The steering room and No. 4 mine storage compartment are flooded; power is lost. 109 sailors are KIA and 82 wounded. The flooding is initially contained by pumps, but finally the crippled minelayer is towed to shallow water E of Capt Ashizaki and beached at 41-20N, 141-60E.

(TOKIWA beached at Ominato, 1945)

15 August 1945:The End of Hostilities:
Placed in fourth reserve at Ominato. Most of the crew abandons the ship.

30 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

April-May 1947:
Ominato. The wreck of TOKIWA is refloated and towed to Hakodate Dock Co. branch at Ominato.

August-October 1947:
Scrapped.


Authors' Notes:
[1] Postwar, Abe was tried as a war criminal, convicted and hanged. In 1999, the remains of the 21 Marines KIA in the Makin Raid are discovered, identified, and recovered for proper military burials.

[2] USS KETE (SS-369) was lost about 20 March 1945 in the approximate area of the minefield laid by TOKIWA and KOEI MARU.

Thanks go to Fontessa-san of Japan for additional CO info in Revs 1 & 2.

- Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.


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