KOSAKUKAN!

© 1998-2010 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp

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18 January 1937:
Saesbo Navy Yard. Laid down.

29 June 1938:
Launched as the AKASHI.

31 July 1939:
Completed and placed on the Reserve List.

1 November 1939:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Miyazato Shutoku (40) (former CO of NAKA) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.

15 November 1939:
AKASHI is assigned directly to the Combined Fleet.

November 1939-March 1940:
A 23-ton crane, two 10-ton cranes and two 5-ton cranes are installed fore and aft to transfer repair parts and for handling replenishment stores. AKASHI is fitted with a tool room, blueprint room, electric repair shop and a machine shop equipped with 114 various machine tools as well as an assembly plant and facilities for casting, forging, welding, copper working and woodworking.

AKASHI is the only specifically-designed repair ship completed by Japan.

10 March 1940:
AKASHI is commissioned in the IJN as a fleet repair ship. Captain Miyazato assumes command.

15 July 1940:
Captain Miyazato is relieved by an unknown Captain. Captain Miyazato later becomes CEO and first CO of battleship YAMATO.

22 September 1940:
Vichy France cedes airfields and agrees to admission of Japanese troops into northern Indochina (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam). The United States responds by placing a ban on the export of steel, scrap metal and aviation fuel to Japan.

11 October 1940: Imperial Naval Review:
Yokohama. AKASHI and 97 warships are spread across Tokyo Bay. Vice Admiral (later Admiral of the Fleet, posthunously) Yamamoto Isoroku (former CO of AKAGI), Commander-in-Chief, Combined Fleet, accompanies Emperor Hirohito (Showa) aboard battleship HIEI for the Emperor's annual review of the fleet. 527 aircraft also participate. HIEI, escorted by cruisers TAKAO, KAKO and FURUTAKA, then passes among the fleet's ships.

23 July 1941: South Indochina (Cochinchina) Occupation Operation:
Japanese and Vichy French authorities arrive at an "understanding" regarding the use of air facilities and harbors in southern Indochina. The Japanese allow the Vichy French colonial government to continue to administer the country. From the next day on, Japanese forces occupy southern Indochina. AKASHI participates in the operation with cruiser ASHIGARA.

25 September 1941:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Fukuzawa Tsunekichi (41) assumes command.

1 December 1941:
Departs Kure.

6 December 1941:
Arrives at Palau.

2 January 1942:
Departs Palau.

4 January 1942:
Arrives at Davao.

20 January 1942:
Davao, Philippines. Provides emergency repairs for destroyer INAZUMA after a collision with storeship SENDAI MARU.

29 January 1942:
Davao, Philippines. Provides emergency repairs for destroyer HATSUHARU after a collision with light cruiser NAGARA on 25 Jan '42 near Kendari, Celebes

February 1942:
Davao. Undertakes engine repairs on auxiliary water carrier KOAN MARU.

15 February 1942:
Departs Davao.

18 February 1942:
Arrives at Staring (Teluk) Bay, near Kendari.

27 March 1942:
Departs Staring Bay.

28 March 1942-10 April 1942:
Arrives at Ambon. Provides repairs for unidentified battle-damaged warships.

23 April 1942:
Departs Ambon.

30 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure.

20 May 1942:
Kure. Drydocked.

24 May 1942:
Undocked.

28 May 1942: Operation "MI" - The Battle of Midway:
Departs Kure in Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake's (former CO of KONGO) Second Fleet, Midway Invasion Force with Captain Murao Jiro's Supply Group’s oilers SATA, TSURUMI, GENYO MARU and KENYO MARU.

4 June 1942:
Arrives at Truk.

14 June-14 July 1942:
Truk. Provides temporary repairs for cruiser MOGAMI damaged on 5 Jun '42 by a collision with cruiser MIKUMA and damaged on 6 Jun '42 by bombs from SBD's in the Battle of Midway.

29 June 1942:
Truk. Completes emergency repairs for destroyer ASASHIO damaged at Midway.

15 July 1942:
Truk. Completes repairs for destroyer ARASHIO damaged by a bomb on 6 Jun '42 at Midway.

5 August 1942:
Departs Truk with cruiser MOGAMI and destroyers TOKITSUKAZE and YUKIKAZE.

11 August 1942:
Arrives at Kure.

17 August 1942:
Departs Kure for Truk, probably with the fleet.

23 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk.

24 August-8 September 1942:
Truk. Provides emergency repairs for destroyer HAGIKAZE hit by a B-17's bomb on her No. 3 turret on 19 Aug '42 off Guadalcanal.

28 August- 4 September 1942:
Truk. Seaplane tender CHITOSE arrives under tow by destroyer MINEGUMO. AKASHI probably provides repairs for damage CHITOSE suffered on 24 Aug ’42 from near-misses by bombs dropped by SBDs from SARATOGA (CV-2) during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons.

28 August-2 October 1942:
Truk. Provides repairs for light cruiser JINTSU hit by a bomb from a USMC SDB on 24 Aug '42 during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons.

1 September-2 October 1942:
Truk. Provides emergency repairs for destroyer YUGIRI damaged on 28 Aug '43 by SBD's off Guadalcanal.

9-30 September 1942:
Truk. Destroyer SHIRAKUMO arrives from Shortland under tow by oiler TOA MARU. AKASHI carries out repairs on SHIRAKUMO hit by a bomb from an SDB in the Solomons on 28 Aug '42.

12 September 1942:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Eguchi Matsuro (40) (former CO of KUMA) assumes command. Captain Fukuzawa is reassigned to the Yokosuka Naval District.

22 September 1942:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer KAGERO that suffered flooding and light damage at her waterline from strafing aircraft in the Solomons on 21 Sep '42.

26 September 1942:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer URAKAZE that suffered damage on 24 Sep '42 from near-miss bombs in the Solomons.

29 September- 4 October 1942:
Truk. Provides emergency repairs for escort carrier TAIYO hit in the stern by one torpedo from LtCdr (later Vice Admiral/MOH) Lawson P. Ramage's USS TROUT (SS-202) on 29 Sep '43 off Truk.

10-16 October 1942:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer MINEGUMO that suffered damage on 5 Oct '42 from near-miss bombs in the Solomons.

28 October-2 November 1942:
Truk. Provides emergency repairs for fleet carrier SHOKAKU hit by four to six 1,000-lb. bombs dropped by an SBD-3 from HORNET (CV-8) on 26 Oct '42 in the Battle of Santa Cruz. Also provides temporary repairs for light carrier ZUIHO hit by two 500-lb. bombs dropped by an SBD from ENTERPRISE (CV-6) in the same battle.

29 October 1942:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer TERUZUKI slightly damaged by a near-miss bomb dropped by a PBY "Catalina" at Santa Cruz.

29 October-1 November 1942:
Truk. Provides temporary repairs for cruiser CHIKUMA hit by four 1,000-lb. bombs dropped by an SBD from HORNET on 26 Oct '42 at Santa Cruz.

30 October-15 November 1942:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer KUROSHIO that suffered damage from a near-miss bomb in the Solomons.

31 October-November 1942:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer SAMIDARE that suffered minor damage 14 Oct '42 from a near-miss bomb in the Solomons.

9-28 November 1942:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer ARIAKE.

17-22 November 1942:
Truk. Provides temporary repairs for destroyer IKAZUCHI damaged by gunfire on 12-13 Nov '43 during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

18-29 November 1942:
Truk. Provides repairs for the destroyer MURASAME damaged by gunfire during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

18 November-15 December 1942:
Truk. Provides temporary repairs for destroyer AMATSUKAZE also damaged by gunfire during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

18 November-26 December 1942:
Truk. Provides temporary repairs for destroyer ASAGUMO also damaged during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

20 November-8 December 1942:
Truk. Provides temporary repairs for light cruiser ISUZU that arrives from Rabaul after sustaining two near misses by Marine SBDs on 14 Nov '42 S of Rendova.

18 December 1942-16 February 1943:
Truk. Destroyer NOWAKI arrives from Shortland under tow by destroyer MAIKAZE. AKASHI carries out repairs for damage the NOWAKI suffered from a near-miss in the Solomons.

22 December 1942-16 February 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer SHIRATSUYU damaged by a bomb dropped by a B-17 off Buna, New Guinea.

28 December 1942-3 January 1943:
Truk. Provides refit for light cruiser SENDAI.

(E) December 1942-March 1943:
Truk. Destroyer MICHISHIO is towed from Rabaul. AKASHI probably attempts to repair the destroyer's engines damaged by near-misses in 14 Nov '42 air attacks off Guadalcanal.

14 January-March 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer NAGANAMI that suffer engine breakdown.

17 January-February 1943:
Truk. Seaplane tender SANYO MARU arrives under tow. AKASHI carries out repairs of damage received at Rekata Bay, Solomons from a near-miss by bomb from a B-26 on 1 Jan '43.

17-31 January 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer KAGERO damaged by near-misses of bombs on 16 Dec '42 in the Solomons.

17 January-1 February 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer OYASHIO damaged by near-misses of bombs in the Solomons.

18-26 January 1943:
Truk. Provides modifications and refit for light cruiser AGANO.

19-31 January 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer ARASHI damaged by near-misses of bombs on 15 Jan '42 in the Solomons.

21 January-20 June 1943:
Truk. Destroyer UZUKI arrives under tow by destroyer SUZUKAZE. On 25 Dec '42, UZUKI collided with transport NANKAI MARU that she was escorting. On 5 Jan '43, while undergoing emergency repairs at Rabaul, UZUKI was further damaged by bombs. At Truk, AKASHI carries out lenghthy repairs.

21-31 January 1943:
Truk. Provides additional repairs for destroyer SUZUKAZE damaged by near-misses of bombs on 1-2 Jan '43 in the Solomons.

25-31 January 1943:
Probably provides repairs for light cruiser NAGARA's superstructure damaged by an accidental explosion of a shell during gunnery exercises on 24 Jan '43.

1 February 1943:
Repairs on NANKAI MARU begin.

2 February 1943:
Repairs on SANYO MARU completed.

2 February-11 March 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer AKIZUKI torpedoed by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) William H. Brockman's USS NAUTILUS (SS-168).

2 February-8 April 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer HATSUKAZE torpedoed by a PT-boat on 10 Jan '43 in the Solomons.

12 February-6 March 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer MAIKAZE damaged in an air attack on 4 Feb '43 in the Solomons.

15 February 1943-3 March 1943 Undertakes more permanent repairs on NANKAI MARU undertaken.

19 February-6 March 1943:
Truk. Provides additional repairs for destroyer HAMAKAZE hit by a bomb in the Solomons on 8 Feb '43.

23 February-20 May 1943:
Truk. Destroyer HARUSAME, torpedoed on 24 Jan '43 by LtCdr Dudley W. Morton's USS WAHOO (SS-238), arrives from Wewak, New Guinea under tow by destroyers AMATSUKAZE and URAKAZE assisted by tug OJIMA. AKASHI carries out emergency repairs and fitting of a false bow to HARUSAME.

2-21 March 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer ISOKAZE hit aft by a bomb in the Solomons on 8 Feb '43.

6-21 March 1943:
Truk. Destroyer KAWAKAZE arrives after undergoing emergency repairs at Rabaul due to a collision with the cargo-ship TOUN MARU on 10 Feb '43. AKASHI provides additional repairs.

11 March 1943 Truk. Undertakes more permanent repairs on auxiliary aircraft transport KEIYO MARU damaged by earlier sub attack.

16 March-26 April 1943:
Truk. Provides temporary repairs for transport (ex-AMC) NOSHIRO MARU damaged by a bomb at Rabaul and later torpedoed by LtCdr Edward C. Stephan's USS GRAYBACK (SS-208).

29 March 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for seaplane tender KAMIKAWA MARU damaged by bombs at Shortland.

12-21 April 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer AMAGIRI that suffered minor damage when strafed by a B-17 on 7 Apr '43.

25 April-25 July 1943:
Truk. Cruiser AOBA arrives under tow by light cruiser SENDAI. AKASHI provides temporary repairs for AOBA hit on 3 Apr '43 by a 500-lb. bomb and set afire by skip-bombing B-17 heavy bombers.

30 June-July 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer KAWAKAZE that suffers minor damage on a reef while departing Truk.

11 July 1943:
Truk. Probably provides temporary repairs for armed merchant cruiser AIKOKU MARU torpedoed the previous day by LtCdr Phillip H. Ross' USS HALIBUT (SS-232).

31 July-28 August 1943:
Truk. Provides emergency repairs for cruiser KUMANO damaged on 18 Jul '43 by a near-miss of a 2,000-lb bomb off Kolombangara by a Guadalcanal-based USMC TBM Avenger.

2 September 1943:
Truk. Cable layer OSEI MARU comes alongside for repairs.

16 September 1943:
Undertakes further repairs on OSEI MARU.

20 September 1943-February 1944:
Truk. Probably provides repairs for the oiler (ex-seaplane tender) NOTORO torpedoed and damaged W of Truk by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Roy M. Davenport’s USS HADDOCK (SS-231).

21 October 1943:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Kameyama Minegoro (44) (former XO of HIEI) assumes command. Captain Eguchi is reassigned to the Sasebo Naval District.

26 October 1943:
Submarine I-180, damaged in air attack at Rabaul on 12 Oct '43, arrives at Truk and receives temporary repairs by AKASHI before she departs for Sasebo that same day.

6 November 1943:
LtCdr Davenport's HADDOCK torpedoes fleet tanker HOYO MARU. She is towed to Truk where, most probably, AKASHI provides emergency repairs. [1]

November 1943:
Provides repairs for transport HOKUYO MARU damaged by a bomb dropped in a USAAF raid on Rabaul.

14-28 November 1943:
Truk. Provides temporary repairs for cruiser MAYA damaged by a bomb dropped by an SBD dive-bomber in a carrier raid on Rabaul.

14 November-13 December 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer SAMIDARE damaged in a collision with destroyer SHIRATSUYU and hit by two shells on 2 Nov '43 during the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay.

14-20 November 1943:
Truk. Provides emergency repairs for destroyer FUMIZUKI damaged by strafing in the 2 Nov '43 raid on Rabaul.

15 November-25 December 1943:
Truk. Provides temporary repairs for light cruiser AGANO torpedoed by a Navy TBF Avenger at Rabaul and later by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Walter G. Ebert's USS SCAMP (SS-277) off New Hanover.

12 December 1943-15 January 1944:
Truk. Provides emergency repairs for light cruiser NAGARA damaged on 5 Dec '43 by near-misses by SBD's from ENTERPRISE (CV-6) and ESSEX (CV-9) near Kwajalein.

15-20 December 1943:
Truk. Provides repairs for destroyer AMAGIRI that suffered minor damage to her bow on 7 Dec '43 near Kavieng, New Ireland when she collided with destroyer AKIKAZE.

25 December 1943-10 January 1944:
Truk. Provides emergency repairs for battleship YAMATO torpedoed by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Eugene B. McKinney's USS SKATE (SS-305). AKASHI's technicans also prepare a damage assessment report to forward to Kure Navy Yard in preparation for YAMATO's arrival there for permanent repairs.

8 January 1944:
Light cruiser NAKA and destroyer TANIKAZE arrive at Truk with ex-armed merchant cruiser KIYOSUMI MARU under tow. AKASHI probably begins temporary repairs on KIYOSUMI MARU.

10 January-15 February 1944:
Continues temporary repairs for light cruiser AGANO and probably tanker HOYO MARU.

17 February 1944: American Operation "Hailstone" - The Attack on Truk:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's (former CO of HORNET, CV-8) Task Force 58's five fleet carriers and four light carriers, supported by six battleships, ten cruisers and 28 destroyers launch air attacks on airfields, shore installations and ships in the lagoon.

AKASHI is anchored in Truk's Repair Anchorage located W of Dublon and N of Fefan Islands. At the time of Task Force 58's raids, the destroyer FUMIZUKI and KIYOSUMI, YAMAGIRI, HOYO and KENSHO MARUs and TONAN MARU NO. 3 are in this anchorage waiting or undergoing repairs. Prior to the raids, AKASHI probably performed repairs on most, or all, of these ships.

18 February 1944:
During the two days of the raid, TF 58 sinks 31 transports and 10 naval vessels (two cruisers, four destroyers and four auxiliary vessels), destroys nearly 200 aircraft and damages severely about 100 more. Truk is eliminated as a major fleet anchorage for the IJN.

20 February 1944: The Evacuation of Truk:
At 0400, departs Truk for Palau with destroyers AKIKAZE and FUJINAMI in the Combined Fleet's redeployment. AKASHI's speed is reduced to 12 knots by damage sustained in the raids.

24 February 1944:
At 1030, arrives at Palau. Performs self-repairs.

E 10 March 1944:
Palau. BICHU MARU, torpedoed on 29 Dec '43 near Palau by LtCdr John S. Coye's USS SILVERSIDES (SS-236), arrives alongside AKASHI for more permanent repairs.

11 March 1944 Palau. Provisioned by auxiliary storeship KITAKAMI MARU. 14 March 1944:
Palau. Divers from AKASHI inspect damage to PB-102 (ex-USS STEWART, DD-224), hit by a dud torpedo on 9 Mar '44.

28 March 1944:
Completes repairs on BICHU MARU.

30-31 March 1944: American Operation “Desecrate One”:
Palau. The anchorage is attacked by F6F "Hellcats", SBD "Dauntless", TBF "Avenger" and SB2C "Helldiver" carrier aircraft of Task Group 58. 1's USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) and COWPENS (CVL-25), TG 58. 2's BUNKER HILL (CV-17), HORNET (CV-12), MONTEREY (CV-26) and CABOT (CVL-28) and TG 58. 3's YORKTOWN (CV-10), LEXINGTON (CV-16), PRINCETON (CVL-23) and LANGLEY (CVL-27).

Palau Harbor. TF 58's planes find AKASHI anchored in shallow water in a cove off the northern part of Urukthapel Island. She sustains numerous direct hits and near misses by bombs and rockets. AKASHI suffers at least seven hits on her stern, two on her port bow, one on her superstructure forward of the well deck, two amidships and another aft of her stack that causes a fierce fire.

AKASHI sinks by the bow in the shallow water. Her bridge, crane tops and masts remain above water. Captain Kameyama and an unknown number of crewmen survive. Thirty-five other ships are sunk in the raid.

1954:
The Fujita Salvage Company, under the authority of the Palau Government, salvages numerous wrecks for scrap including the hulk of AKASHI.

10 May 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors' Notes:
General Note. The TROM lists numerous ships for which AKASHI provided various degrees of repair. She was the most fully equipped repair ship in the IJN. While many ships that underwent repairs are listed by name in source documents, others are not, but their repairs most probably were carried out in whole or part by AKASHI. The Japanese estimated that she alone could carry out 40 percent of the repairs needed by the Combined Fleet. Other, smaller, repair ships also carried out repairs at Truk, but AKASHI probably participated to some degree in most of those efforts as well.

[1] Some sources erroneously credit USS SCORPION (SS-278) with torpedoing of HOYO MARU.

- Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.

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