© 1998, 2009 Allyn D. Nevitt

IJN Uzuki: Tabular Record of Movement


Name Translation: “Low Moon,” “Fourth Month of Lunar Calendar” (April)

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Lieutenant Commander Nishimura Masao [54] (prev. C.O. KIJI). Assigned to Desdiv 23 (KIKUZUKI, YUZUKI, UZUKI), Cardiv 2, First Air Fleet.

23-27 November 1941:
Desdiv 23 escorted troop convoys from Sakaide to Haha-jima.

4-8 December:
Departed Haha-jima, Desdiv 23 with Guam invasion force; then antisubmarine patrolling in that area.

10-12 January 1942:
Desdiv 23 steamed from Saipan to Truk.

23 January:
Desdiv 23 with Kavieng invasion force; then Rabaul-area patrol/escort duties.

9 February:
Desdiv 23 with Gasmata (New Britain) invasion force.

20-23 February:
Desdiv 23 steamed from Kavieng to Truk.

2 March-10 April:
Desdiv 23 escorted Admiral Goto's cover force out of Truk in support of Lae/Salamua, Northern Solomons, and Admiralty Islands invasions.

10 April:
Desdiv 23 reassigned to Desron 6, Fourth Fleet.

5-7 May: Battle of the Coral Sea
Escorted tanker HOYO MARU in the Shortlands-area.

13-15 May:
With Ocean-Nauru occupation force; operation suspended due to detection of U.S. carrier force in the area.

21-28 May:
Steamed from Truk via Saipan to Sasebo.

25 May:
Desdiv 23 deactivated; reassigned to Desdiv 30 (MUTSUKI, YAYOI, MOCHIZUKI), Desron 6, Fourth Fleet. On same date Lieutenant Commander Nishimura (to C.O. ISONAMI) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Takeuchi Hitoshi [58].

28 May-19 June:
At Sasebo for maintenance.

19-25 June:
Steamed from Sasebo via Saipan to Truk.

29 June-6 July:
Escorted convoy carrying airfield construction crews from Truk via Bougainville to Guadalcanal; then Rabaul-area patrol/escort duties.

21-22 July:
With Buna invasion force. Minor damage: in air attacks due to strafing: 16 casualties.

6-7 August:
Departed Rabaul, escorting troop convoy to Buna, aborted due to Guadalcanal landings.

11 August:
Out of Rabaul to rescue KAKO survivors.

12-15 August:
Escorted troop convoy from Rabaul to Buna and back.

24-25 August:
Transport run from Rabaul to Guadalcanal: landed food and ammunition at Kokumbona, later rescued ditched RYUJO airmen. Minor damage: in air attack by U.S. Army B-17s due to near-misses.

31 August-3 September:
Escorted convoy from Rabaul to Truk.

6-14 September:
Steamed from Truk via Saipan to Sasebo, then docked for refitting.

14 September-3 December:
At Sasebo for maintenance and refitting as destroyer-transport: stern pared-down toward waterline to facilitate launching and recovery of landing barges. (Only unit of class so altered.)

1 December:
Desdiv 30 deactivated; reassigned directly to Eighth Fleet.

12-18 December:
Escorted CHUYO from Yokosuka to Truk.

19-21 December:
Troop transport run from Truk to Rabaul.

25 December:
Departed Rabaul, escorting transport NANKAI MARU to Munda. Heavy damage: in collision with torpedoed NANKAI MARU: dead in the water; NAGANAMI, URAKAZE, TANIKAZE and ARIAKE out from Rabaul to assist; towed by ARIAKE, then URAKAZE, to Rabaul on 26 December for emergency repairs.

5 January 1943:
Minor damage: in air raid on Rabaul due to near-miss.

16-21 January:
Towed by SUZUKAZE from Rabaul to Truk, then docked for repairs.

26 January-20 June:
At Truk for repairs.

31 March:
Assigned to reactivated Desdiv 30 (MIKAZUKI, MOCHIZUKI, UZUKI), Desron 3, Eighth Fleet.

25 May:
Lieutenant Commander Takeuchi relieved by Lieutenant (s.g.) Watanabe Yoshiro [61].

20 June-3 July:
Steamed from Truk to Saipan, then with SAZANAMI escorted auxiliary minelayer SHINKO MARU towing AKIZUKI to Nagasaki; then docked at Sasebo for more repairs.

3 July-9 October:
At Sasebo for maintenance and refitting: included removal of aft torpedo mount and Nos. 2 and 4 main guns in favor of added 13mm and 25mm machine-guns and replacement of single 7.7mm machine-guns abreast bridge by dual 25mm; improved underwater sound detection equipment installed.

12-18 October:
Steamed from Sasebo via Saipan to Truk.

19-21 October:
Escorted troop convoy (1st section of Operation T4: TAMA and KISO, lifting units of 17th Division from Shanghai) from Truk to Rabaul.

23-24 October:
With MOCHIZUKI, transport run to Jacquinot Bay (New Britain); rescued MOCHIZUKI survivors.

29-30 October:
With FUMIZUKI, transport run to Garove Island and Iboki.

31 October:
Solo transport run to Buka.

1 November:
Cape Torokina counter-landing, aborted due to heavy enemy presence off Bougainville.

5 November:
Planned Cape Torokina counter-landing again aborted due to enemy air raid on Rabaul.

6 November:
Cape Torokina counter-landing: troop transport run to Bougainville. [Note 1]

21 November:
Troop transport/evacuation run to Buka. With ONAMI, MAKINAMI, AMAGIRI and YUGIRI, delivered 875 troops and removed 655.

24-25 November: Battle of Cape St. George
Troop transport/evacuation run to Buka. Engaged U.S. destroyers.

27 November:
With AMAGIRI and YUNAGI, transport run to Garove Island.

29 November:
With YUNAGI, transport run to Garove Island.

1 December:
With AMAGIRI, transport run to Garove Island.

3-18 December:
Escorted tankers from Rabaul to Palau and back, then to Truk on 24 December.

26 December 1943-10 January 1944:
Escorted tankers from Truk to Palau and back.

15-25 January:
Escorted NAGARA towing NAGANAMI from Truk to Tokuyama, then docked at Sasebo for maintenance.

25 January-3 March:
At Sasebo for maintenance and refitting: single 25mm machine guns (2) added at stern and possibly amidships.

3-19 March:
Escorted troop convoys from Pusan via Yokosuka to Saipan; on 13 March assisted torpedoed TATSUTA and helped NOWAKI rescue survivors.

20-24 March:
Escorted troop convoy from Saipan to Truk.

25-27 March:
Docked at Truk for repairs to bent propeller.

28 March-10 April:
Escorted convoys from Truk via Saipan to Yokosuka.

15 April-6 May:
Escorted convoys from Yokosuka to Guam, Saipan and Palau.

7-30 May:
Escorted convoys out of Palau to Yap, Saipan and Truk.

19-20 June: Battle of the Philippine Sea
Escorted 2nd Supply Force. On 20 June removed crew of crippled GENYO MARU and scuttled with gunfire.

23 June-2 July:
Arrived Guimarras, then escorted tanker convoy to Kure.

2-16 July:
At Kure for maintenance.

16 July-21 August:
Escorted convoys from Kure via Manila to Singapore and back.

18 July:
Desron 3 reassigned directly to Combined Fleet.

20 August:
Desron 3 deactivated; Desdiv 30 reassigned to Escort Squadron 31, Combined Fleet.

21 August-5 September:
At Kure for maintenance and refitting: Type 13 radar mounted on mainmast; twin 13mm machine guns abaft aft funnel removed; twin 13mm between funnels replaced by single 25mm; four additional single 25mm added from abaft aft funnel to stern.

8-19 September:
Departed Moji, escorting Convoy HI-75 towards Singapore; then detached with AKITSUSHIMA to Manila.

30 September-15 October:
At Sasebo for maintenance.

30 October-10 November:
Escorted JUNYO and KISO from Sasebo via Mako and Brunei to Manila.

11-17 November:
Escorted JUNYO and TONE from Manila via Mako to Kure.

17-23 November:
At Kure for maintenance: adjustments made to Type 13 radar.

20 November:
Escort Squadron 31 reassigned to Fifth Fleet.

23-30 November:
Escorted JUNYO from Kure to Manila.

10-12 December:
Escorted troop convoy TA No. 9 from Manila to Ormoc. Sunk: torpedoed by PT-490 and PT-492, 50 miles northeast of Cebu (11-03 N, 124-23 E). Blew up and sank. 170 crew, including Lieutenant Watanabe, killed in action; 59 survivors. [2] For details see TA Operations to Leyte, Part 3

10 January 1945:
Removed from Navy List.

[Note 1] Cape Torokina Counter-Landing operation of 6 November 1943 O.B.: 1st (Close) Cover Force under Comdesron 10 Rear Admiral Osugi Morikazu [41]:
CL AGANO, DDs WAKATSUKI, KAZAGUMO, URAKAZE; 2nd (Distant/Anti-Ship) Cover Force under Comdesron 2 (Rear Admiral Takama Tamotsu [41]):
CL NOSHIRO, DDs HAYANAMI, NAGANAMI; Transport Group under Comdesdiv 31 (Captain Kagawa Kiyoto [46]) Cover Unit: - DDs ONAMI, MAKINAMI; Landing Unit: DDs AMAGIRI, FUMIZUKI, UZUKI, YUNAGI. Landings unopposed, 475 troops quickly sent ashore in 21 barges. Allied ground forces counterattacked these on 7-8 November, killing over 250 and scattering the rest into the jungles.

[2] Editorial Note - The Uzuki had been ordered to separate from Yuzuki and Kiri to Palompon to land the Ito Naval Unit and take aboard survivors of TA III. Having opportunity to consult action reports of the PTs, it makes it clear that around 0100 they torpedoed Uzuki's port side which was facing the beach, claiming one torpedo hit directly under the bridge, and a second hit amidships just afterward, sending oil and debris hundreds of feet in the air. Almost immediately the target turned on its side and sank. Three minutes later the PTs were jarred by underwater explosions. At no time had the destroyer seemed aware of the PTs. Their attack had apparently achieved complete surprise. Uzuki's own complement that night was 205; a portion of the DesRon 2 staff of TA III purportedly among the lost in the sinking. - (Tully)

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