© 2009 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
8 June 1944:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki Shipbuilding, Ltd.
20 November 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-118.
27 December 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN.
8 March 1945:
CD-118 departs Kagoshima for Naha with CD-44, auxiliary
minesweeper TAIHEI MARU No. 3 and auxiliary netlayer SHINTO MARU No. 2 escorting
convoy KANA-803 consisting of DOKAN, KEIZAN and SANKA MARUs.
9 March 1945:
At about 2345, CD-44 initiates a series of depth charges
attacks on an unknown contact.
10 March 1945:
N of Amami O-Shima. At 0445, LtCdr Edward Ackerman’s USS KETE (SS-369) torpedoes and sinks SANKA MARU at 29-25N, 128-15E. 51 crewmen and 605 troops are KIA.
At 0705, Ackerman torpedoes and sinks DOKAN MARU at 29-48N, 128-02E. 27 crewmen, 23 gunners and 4 passengers are KIA.
At 0710, KETE torpedoes and sinks KEIZAN MARU at 29-25, 127-30E. 43 crewmen and 64 troops are KIA. She was carrying a cargo of 30 “Shinyo” explosive motor boats, 12 aerial torpedoes, 1000-tons of equipment and 500 barrels of gasoline.
After the loss of their charges, CD-118 and the other escorts return to Kagoshima. USS KETE fails to return from this patrol.
17 March 1945:
CD-118 departs Kagoshima for Naha with CD-44, auxiliary
minesweeper TAIAN MARU and auxiliary netlayer SHINTO MARU No. 2 escorting convoy
KATA-504 consisting of EDOGAWA and CHOKAI MARUs, OKINOYAMA MARU No. 5 and an
unidentified ship.
21 March 1945:
The convoy arrives at Naha. CD-118 and CD-44 depart
Naha escorting EDOGAWA MARU.
22 March 1945:
Arrives at Ishigaki-Jima.
24 March 1945:
Arrives at Keelung.
28 March 1945:
CD-118 departs Keelung for Moji with CD-44 and minesweeper W-39 escorting convoy TAMO-51 consisting of DAIJO, EDOGAWA and NISSHIN MARUs and HORAI MARU No. 12.
2 April 1945:
At 0920, LtCdr Ralph C. Styles’ USS SEA DEVIL (SS-400) torpedoes and sinks TAIJO MARU. 39 crewmen and 7 gunners are KIA.
At about the same time, SEA DEVIL (SS-400) also torpedoes and sinks NISSHIN MARU. 38 crewmen, 9 gunners and an unknown number of troops are KIA.
At 0930, Styles torpedoes and sinks EDOGAWA MARU with all 48 hands at 34-02N, 124-00E.
3 April 1945:
At 1653, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message probably from CD-44 that reads: “---Captain of CD-44 confirms the fact that at least two enemy submarines are lurking in the vicinity [34-02 N, 124-00 E]. Furthermore, the three vessels of TAMO-51 Convoy (EDOGAWA MARU, NISSHIN MARU and HORI MARU No. 12) have not been heard from since they broke off from their escorts about 1400 yesterday, the 2nd -----.”
7 April 1945:
At 1908, codebreakers decrypt a message from the CO of CD-44 that reads: “Although we received the cooperation of the Yellow Sea Area Force and have carried out anti-sub sweep and search for the convoy, there is absolutely no clue. All 4 merchant ships seem to be lost. Since time is short, request that we make break off search and return to Sasebo.”
8 April 1945:
At 1154, codebreakers decrypt a message that reads: “Convoy TAMO-51 at 0920, 2 April in position 34-02 N., 124-00 E. proceeding through fog received combined attack by enemy submarine. The first ship, DAIJO MARU was hit and sunk. Next, we heard the sound of two torpedo explosions hitting the second ship, EDOGAWA MARU, at 1030. While carrying out search, next we saw three flashes to the northward. Although searched that afternoon and continued to do so til 7 April, have found no trace of the ships of the convoy.”
7 June 1945:
At 1700, CD-118 departs Sasebo for Shanghai with kaibokan CD-52 in an unknown FUTA-numbered convoy escorting WAKAMIYASAN MARU. That night arrives at Pusan.
13 June 1945:
Arrives at Daito Wan (Taedong Bay).
14 June 1945:
At 0400, departs Daito Wan and heads across the Yellow Sea. At 1445, LtCdr Charles F. McGivern's USS SEA DEVIL (SS-400) torpedoes and sinks WAKAMIYASAN MARU at 37-35N, 123-30E. 15 crewmen, 18 guards and 109 passengers are KIA.
15 August 1945:
Japan accepts the Allies “Potsdam Declaration” (of unconditional surrender) and hostilities cease.
5 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
15 October 1945:
Departs Sasebo on her first repatriation voyage.
21 October 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
25 October 1945:
Departs Manila.
31 October 1945:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
12 November 1945:
Enters dockyard at Mukojima for repairs.
17 November 1945:
Repairs are completed.
19 November 1945:
Departs Mukojima.
28 November 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
30 November 1945:
Departs Manila.
1 December 1945:
Officially assigned to the Allied Repatriation
Service. [1]
6 December 1945:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.
20 December 1945:
Departs Kure.
27 December 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
31 December 1945:
Departs Manila.
2 January 1946:
Arrives at Takao. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
4 January 1946:
Departs Takao.
8 January 1946:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.
18 January 1946:
Departs Saiki.
23 January 1946:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
24 January 1946:
Departs Manila.
30 January 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
2 February 1946:
Departs Pusan.
3 February 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
10 February 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
12 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun (Keelung). Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
13 February 1946:
Departs Kirun.
16 February 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
17 February 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
19 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
20 February 1946:
Departs Kirun.
23 February 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
25 February 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
27 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
28 February 1946:
Departs Kirun.
3 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
8 March 1946:
Docked at Sasebo Navy Yard for repairs.
21 March 1946:
Repairs are completed.
3 April 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
7 April 1946:
Arrives at Kwaren (Hua Lien). Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
8 April 1946:
Departs Kwaren.
11 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
14 April 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
15 April 1946:
Arrives at Kwaren. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
17 April 1946:
Departs Kwaren.
26 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
1 May 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
4 May 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
8 May 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
10 May 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
15 May 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
17 May 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
18 May 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
20 May 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
24 May 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
26 May 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
28 May 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
31 May 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
4 June 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
6 June 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
7 June 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
9 June 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
17 June 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Mukojima dockyard.
12 July 1946:
Repairs are completed.
22 August 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
23 August 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
24 August 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
25 August 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
22 September 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
24 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
28 September 1943:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
30 September 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
12 October 1946:
Departs Uraga.
17 October 1946:
Arrives at Mako. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
24 October 1946:
Departs Mako.
28 October 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
31 October 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
3 November 1946:
Enters dockyard at Sasebo for repairs.
6 December 1946:
Repairs completed.
24 December 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
25 December 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day, arriving back at Sasebo that night. Disembarks troops and passengers.
28 December 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
29 December 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day, arriving back at Sasebo that night.
31 July 1947:
Shanghai. Ceded to the Nationalist Republic of China as a war reparation. Renamed CHIEH 12.
1949:
Taken over by the Communist People’s Republic of China (PRC). Renamed CH’ ANG SHA.
Authors' Note:
[1] Allied occupation forces were responsible for the return of six million Japanese military personnel and civilians from Japan's defunct far-flung Empire. In addition, there were over a million Korean and about 40,000 Chinese prisoners and conscript laborers and approximately 7,000 Formosans and 15,000 Ryukyu Islanders to be repatriated.
Some Allied and many former IJN warships, from aircraft carriers to kaibokan, were used to facilitate the enormous repatriation effort. Japanese vessels and crews were used to the fullest extent possible to conserve Allied manpower and accelerate demobilization. Each ex-IJN ship first had to be demilitarized; guns removed or, in the case of large warships, barrels severed, ammunition landed, and radar and catapults removed, if fitted. Repatriation of the Chinese on Japanese ships began early in October from Hakata, but U.S. guard detachments had to be placed on many ships to prevent disorder because the Japanese crews could not control the returnees.
Japanese-run repatriation centers were established at Kagoshima, Hario near Sasebo, and Hakata near Fukuoka. Other reception centers were established and operated at Maizuru, Shimonoseki, Sasebo, Senzaki, Kure, Uraga, Yokohama, Moji and Hakodate. Allied line and medical personnel supervised the centers. Incoming Japanese were sprayed with DDT, examined and inoculated for typhus and smallpox, provided with food, and transported to his final destination in Japan.
Thanks go to John Whitman of the USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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