FUSETSUKAN!

© 2005-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

---

17 September 1928:
Yokohama. Laid down at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding as a netlayer.

22 March 1929:
Designated a 2nd Class minelayer.

15 April 1929:
Lt Mutaguchi Kakuro is posted as Chief Equipping Officer.

24 April 1929:
Launched and named TSUBAME.

15 July 1929:
Completed and registered in the Sasebo Naval District. Assigned to the Oshima Guard Unit. Lt Mutaguchi is probably the CO.

7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge (The"First China Incident") Incident:
Hun River, Lukuokiao, China. Japanese troops at the bridge fire blank cartridges during night maneuvers. Chinese troops fire back. Later, the Japanese discover a soldier missing. They demand entry to the Peking (Beijing) suburb of Wanping to look for him, but the Chinese refuse. The Japanese shell the city and an undeclared war on China begins.

12 November 1937:
Shanghai is captured.

1938:
TSUBAME is in the 12th Minelayer Squadron of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Oikawa Koshiro's (31) China Area Fleet's Third Fleet.

13 June 1938: The Battle of Wuhan:
Yangtze River. The Japanese make a naval landing at Anqing supported by 100 vessels, including more than 40 destroyers, minesweepers, naval and river gunboats and blockade boats. TSUBAME is in the 12th Minelayer Squadron with sister minelayer KAMONE. The landing force totals about 12,000 men and 80 to 90 guns. The Japanese begin the Battle of Wuhan to annihilate the Chinese Army and force them to surrender. The battle rages over four months and ends in a stalemate.

26 June 1938: The Battle of Madang:
Yangtze River. TSUBAME takes part in the battle with gunboat TOBA, minelayers NATSUSHIMA and NASAMI. They sweep mines, lay buoys and bombard Chinese positions. Chinese troops return fire with light arms, but cause many casualties among exposed crewmen. Japanese Special Naval Landing Force troops land behind the fort and Madang falls.

8 December 1941: Opening of the Pacific War:
Takao, Formosa. TSUBAME is with Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s Third Fleet in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Irifune Naosaburo’s (39)(former CO of MIKUMA) 32nd Special Base Force with sister minelayer KAMOME.

December 1941:
Philippines. Supports the Third Fleet's invasion landings.

3 January 1942:
Philippines. The 32nd Special Base Force is reassigned to Vice Admiral Sugiyama Rokuzo's (38) Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet.

14 January 1942:
At 1700, TSUBAME departs Moji, Japan for Takao with minelayer HIRASHIMA escorting a convoy consisting of TAKAOKA, ADEN, HAVRE, MIYADONO, ASAKA and YAE MARUs.

18 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

February 1942:
Escorts convoys in the Davao-Surabaya area.

3 March 1942:
Bandjarmasin, Borneo. TSUBAME is in port. About 800 survivors from cruiser HMS EXETER and destroyer HMS ENCOUNTER, sunk a few days earlier in the Battle of the Java Sea, are being held in an old tanker. Captured Dutch hospital ship OP TEN NOORT (later renamed HIKAWA MARU No. 2 ) arrives and comes alongside. TSUBAME's sailors help load and guard 970 Allied prisoners-of-war, including EXETER, ENCOUNTER and USS PERCH's (SS-176) survivors, who are transferred to the hospital ship.

30 April 1942:
TSUBAME departs Saigon, Vichy French Indochina for Mako, Pescadores with minelayer KAMOME escorting a convoy consisting of SHINYO, NITTAI, KENZAN, KINJO (KINSEI) and KEIZAN MARUs.

9 May 1942:
Arrives at Mako.

9 May 1942:
At 1200, TSUBAME departs Mako for Sasebo with old destroyer SANAE escorting convoy No. 206 consisting of SHINSEI, TATSUWA, TATSUHARU, SENZAN, NANYO, KEIFUKU, TAISHO, KINUGAWA, MEIYU and WAYO MARUs.

13 May 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.

31 May 1942:
NW of Amami-O-Shima. Convoy No. 216 enroute from Mako to Ujina consisting of SAIHO, HANAN, MIYADONO, SUEZ, KENZAN, IIDA, HOKUSHIN and SANFUKU MARUs and FUKUEI MARU No. 2 escorted by old destroyer SANAE and minelayer TAKASHIMA detects an enemy submarine. TSUBAME arrives on the scene, and she and TAKASHIMA drop depth charges. No submarine attacks develop.

3 June 1942:
Arrives at the port of Ujina, Hiroshima.

30 July 1942:
TSUBAME departs Imari for Shanghai with minelayer KAMOME and auxiliary minelayer KAHOKU MARU escorting a convoy consisting of MITO, SURABAYA, ROKKO and PACIFIC MARUs and an unidentified ship.

1 August 1942:
At 1745, arrives at Woosung. Soon thereafter, enters the Whangpo River to Shanghai.

1943:
TSUBAME undergoes refit for operations as a convoy escort. Her minelaying rails are removed and she is fitted to carry 36 depth charges.

August 1942-March 1943:
Escorts convoys and conducts patrols out of Sasebo.

3 May 1943:
E of Shanghai. At 1600, TSUBAME departs Shushan Islands for Mutsure, Japan escorting a convoy consisting of HAVRE, GYOTEN and NIKKYU MARUs.

6 May 1943:
Arrives at Mutsure.

18 June 1943:
A convoy departs Ujina for Shanghai consisting of WAKAMATSU, UGA, GYOKUREI, MIIKESAN, KOSHIN, WAZAN, TOKIWA and NICHINAN MARUs and probably HONG KONG MARU and an unidentified escort. [1]

E China Sea. At 1830, LtCdr (later Admiral/CINCPAC) John S. McCain, Jr’s USS GUNNEL (SS-253) sights the convoy approaching, smoking heavily and making maximum speed. About every ten minutes, the convoy changes course through forty to sixty degree zigzags. GUNNEL's XO/navigator plots the convoy's base course as 260°(T) towards Shanghai.

19 June 1943:
E China Sea. At 0825, after making an "end-around", McCain torpedoes and sinks TOKIWA MARU at 32-31N, 126-17E. Later, that same day, he torpedoes and sinks HONG KONG MARU in the same area. The remainder of the convoy escapes. At 1410, they anchor off Saishu To (former Quelpart Island, now Cheju-do, Korea).

At about 2140, in bright moonlight, McCain makes a radar-assisted surface attack. His lookouts spot three warships about 3,000 yards astern, They identifiy one as an "old WAKATAKE-class destroyer." All the warships open fire on GUNNEL. McCain fires two stern torpedoes "down the throat" and crash-dives. One torpedo hits and damages TSUBAME at 32-30N, 126-15E. GUNNEL undergoes depth charging, but evades by going to the bottom. [2]

June 1943:
TSUBAME undergoes repairs at an unknown location for an undetermined, but probably lengthly period of time.

10 April 1944:
At 2330, TSUBAME departs Kagoshima, Kyushu for Naha, Okinawa with auxiliary minesweeper CHOUN MARU No. 8 escorting convoy ROKU-004 consisting of NASE, TAICHU, SHINYO and AMOY MARUs and NANSHIN MARU No. 12.

11 April 1944:
NASE and AMOY MARUs are detached.

12 April 1944:
W of Amami-O-Shima. At 0230, Cdr (later Admiral) Ignatius J. Galantin's USS HALIBUT (SS-232) torpedoes and sinks TAICHU MARU at 08-08N, 128-57E. The escorts drop 18 DCs, but HALIBUT escapes undamaged.

14 April 1944:
Arrives at Naha.

19 April 1944:
TSUBAME departs Naha for Kagoshima with auxiliary patrol boats escorting HOKUYO MARU and HOKOKU MARU No. 3 Go escorting convoy OKI-803 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.

26 April 1944:
TSUBAME departs Kagoshima for Koniya with minelayer NIIZAKI and auxiliary patrol boat TAIAN MARU escorting convoy ROKU-508 consisting of eight unidentified merchant ships.

5 May 1944:
TSUBAME departs Naha for Kagoshima with auxiliary subchaser NAGATO MARU and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 1 escorting convoy OKI-603 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.

13 May 1944:
TSUBAME departs Kagoshima for Naha with auxiliary minesweeper HOEI MARU and auxiliary subchaser NAGATO MARU escorting convoy ROKU-307 consisting of seven unidentified merchant ships.

16 May 1944:
TSUBAME departs Naha for Keelung with minelayer NIIZAKI, minesweeper W-15, auxiliary minesweeper HAKATA MARU No. 7 and BANSHU MARU No. 51 escorting convoy NATA-613 consisting of 11 unidentified merchant ships.

23 May 1944:
TSUBAME departs Naha for Kagoshima via Koniya with minelayer NIIZAKI (part way only), minesweeper W-15, auxiliary minesweeper HAKATA MARU No. 6, and auxiliary YUKO MARU escorting convoy NAKA-305 consisting of five unidentified merchant ships.

29 May 1944:
TSUBAME departs Kagoshima for Keelung with minelayer NIIZAKI, minesweeper W-15, auxiliary minesweeper HAKATA MARU No. 6, auxiliary patrol boat RYUSEI MARU escorting convoy KATA-906 consisting of seven unidentified merchant ships.

2 June 1944:
TSUBAME departs Naha for Kagoshima with minesweeper W-15, auxiliary patrol boats HOKOKU MARU No. 3 Go, CHIKUTO and RYUSEI MARUs escorting convoy NAKA-204 consisting of five unidentified merchant ships.

6 June 1944:
TSUBAME departs Kagoshima for Keelung with minesweeper W-15, Auxiliary minesweepers HAKATA MARU No. 6, BANSHU MARU No. 51, TOSHI MARU No. 7, SHIMPO MARU, auxiliary patrol boat CHOUN MARU No. 13 escorting convoy KATA-614 consisting of 15 unidentified merchant ships enroute to Kirun, some direct and some via Naha.

16 June 1944:
TSUBAME departs Keelung via Naha for Kagoshima with minelayer NIIZAKI, auxiliary minesweepers SHONAN MARU No. 16, SHIMPO MARU, TAKUNAN MARU No. 1, TAIHEI MARU No. 3 Go, auxiliary patrol boats CHOUN MARU No. 13 and CHIKUTO MARU escorting convoy TAKA-606 consisting of nine unidentified merchant ships

9 July 1944:
At 1000, TSUBAME departs Kagoshima, Kyushu for Naha, Okinawa with torpedo boat MANAZURU, minelayers NUWAJIMA, SAISHU, and auxiliary minesweepers TAKUNAN MARU No. 1, HOEI, HIMESHIMA and SEKI MARUs escorting convoy KANA-912 consisting of SHIRANESAN, DAII, GYOKU, TAIKEN, NANREI and NISSHIN MARUs and TAMON MARU No. 12, ASAHI MARU No, 2, BANEI MARU No. 6 and three unidentified ships. The convoy is carrying the IJA's 9th Infantry Division for the defense of Okinawa.

11 July 1944:
Arrives at Naha.

19 July 1944:
TSUBAME departs Naha for Kagoshima with torpedo boat MANAZURU, auxiliary minesweeper BANSHU MARU No. 51, auxiliary patrol boats Hokoku MARU No. 3 Go, CHIKUTO, TAIAN and RYUSEI MARUs escorting convoy NAKA-909 consisting of nine unidentified merchant ships escorted by enroute to Kagoshima.

6 August 1944:
At 0900, TSUBAME departs Kagoshima, Kyushu for Keelung, Formosa with torpedo boats TOMOZURU and MANAZURU, minelayers NUWAJIMA, NIIZAKI, auxiliary minesweepers SHONAN MARU No. 16, HAKATA MARU No. 6, TAIAN, HIMESHIMA and SEKI MARUs and subchasers CH-18 and CH-17 escorting convoy KATA-626 consisting of NISSHO, SHINTON, TAIYO, TAIKEN, SEIZAN, ARISAN, NAKAGAWA, TAKUSAN, FUKUURA, TETSUZAN, KENJO, DAITOKU, EJIRI, DAII and DAIIUKU MARUs.

9 August 1944:
At 1830, arrives at Naha. NUWAJIMA and the subchasers return to Kagoshima.

11 August 1944:
At 1400, KATA-626 departs Naha for Keelung. TSUBAME is detached and returns to Kagoshima.

17 August 1944:
TSUBAME departs Kirun with torpedo boat MANAZURU, minelayer NIIZAKI, subchasers CH-17, CH-18 and CH-49, auxiliary minesweepers SEKI MARU, SHONAN MARU No. 16, TOSHI MARU No. 7, TAKUNAN MARU No. 1, HIMESHIMA MARU, CHOUN MARU No. 8, auxiliary patrol boats CHOUN MARU No. 13, TAISEI MARU No. 5 and TAIAN MARU escorting convoy TAKA-708 consisting of 23 unidentified merchant ships enroute to Koniya or Kagoshima, some direct and some via Naha.

6 September 1944:
TSUBAME departs Kagoshima for Naha with minelayer NUWAJIMA, minesweeper W-15, kaibokan CD-30, auxiliary minesweepers KAIYO MARU No. 1 Go, TAKUNAN MARU No. 3, CHITOSE MARU, auxiliary patrol boat HOKOKU MARU No. 3 Go escorting convoy KANA-602 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.

14 September 1944:
TSUBAME departs Kagoshima for Naha with minelayer NUWAJIMA, auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No.1 and auxiliary subchaser NAGATO MARU escorting convoy KANA-402 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.

23 September 1944:
TSUBAME departs Miyako Shima for Koniya via Naha with auxiliary patrol boat CHOUN MARU No. 13 and auxiliary minesweeper HAKATA MARU No. 6 escorting convoy TANA-304 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships. escorted by auxiliary patrol boat CHOUN MARU No. 13 and auxiliary minesweeper HAKATA MARU No. 6.

16 October 1944:
TSUBAME departs Kagoshima for Naha escorting convoy KANA-605 consisting of 4 unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 3 and auxiliary patrol boat TAIAN MARU.

26 October 1944:
TSUBAME departs Naha for Kagoshima with auxiliary minesweepers SEKI MARU, TAKUNAN MARU No. 3, auxiliary patrol boat TAIAN MARU escorting convoy NAKA-603 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.

1 February 1945:
Redesignated a minelayer and reassigned to the Sasebo Guard Unit.

26 February 1945:
TSUBAME departs Tomie, Goto Retto with minelayer NUWAJIMA, subchaser CH-49, kaibokan FUKUE and auxiliary submarine chaser SANKYO MARU escorting convoy SAI-1 consisting of DAIKEN, NICHIRIN, TOYOSAKA and EDOGAWA MARUs .

1 March 1945:
Off Miyako Jima. Aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher’s Task Force 58 sink DAIKEN, TOYOSAKA and damage EDOGAWA MARU. NICHIRIN MARU escapes south but is sunk the following day. Off Ishigaki Shima. Task Force 58 aircraft sink TSUBAME and damage kaibokan FUKUE and minelayer NUWAJIMA at 24-23N, 124-12E.

3 March 1945:
At 1318, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message that reads: “Tsubame (depth of water 50 meters) sank from a torpedo hit ….”

10 May 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

---

Authors' Notes:
[1] Some sources do not list HONG KONG MARU as a member of the convoy or TSUBAME as an escort; however, Alden shows TOKIWA and HONG KONG MARUs as both sunk in the same place on the same day. According to COMSUBPAC's SORG, GUNNEL was the only submarine in the area at the time.

[2] It is possible that TSUBAME and two other warships were dispatched from Quelpart Island, or even Sasebo, to assist the convoy and rescue survivors.

Thanks go to Mattew Jones for assistance with COs. Thanks also go to John Whitman for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

---

Back to Minelayer Page