© 2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
28 December 1944:
Harima. Laid down at Harima Ship Building, Ltd.
25 February 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-158.
23 April 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN.
June 1945: American Operation “Barney”:
Tsushima Strait, Japan. Cdr
(later Captain) George E. Pierce’s (USNA ’32) USS TUNNY (SS-282) with LtCdr (later Cdr) Lawrence L. Edge’s (USNA ‘35) BONEFISH
(SS-223) and LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Richard B. Lynch’s (USNA ‘35) SKATE (SS-305) are equipped with FM Sonar to detect mines and enter the Sea of Japan.
15 June 1945:
Kaibokan of the 31st Escort Division commence defensive
anti-submarine sweeps in the Toyama Bay area.
19 June 1945:
Nanao Bay. At 0615, LtCdr Edge’s BONEFISH torpedoes KONZAN MARU at 37-13N, 137-18E. Hit by five torpedoes, the cargo vessel splits in two and sinks. Only one man is KIA. The 31st Escort Division is alerted immediately.
Kaibokan OKINAWA (F), CD-63, and CD-207 arrive at the scene of sinking.
OKINAWA makes sonar contact with a submerged submarine and drops a series of
depth charges set to a depth of 295 to 390 feet. Next, CD-63 and CD-207 attack.
CD-158 and CD-75 are also dispatched to the location. After another attack, sonar
contact is lost. Pieces of cork and oil are sighted at 37-18N, 137-55E. USS
BONEFISH is lost with all 85 hands.
15 August 1945:
Japan accepts the Allies “Potsdam Declaration” (of
unconditional surrender) and hostilities cease.
5 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
1 December 1945:
Formally assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service. [1]
2 October 1945:
Departs Maizuru.
5 October 1945:
Arrives at Sasebo and later that day departs on her first repatriation voyage.
11 October 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
14 October 1945:
Departs Manila.
22 October 1945:
Arrives at Kure.
2 December 1945:
Departs Kure.
9 December 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
14 December 1945:
Departs Manila.
21 December 1945:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.
26 December 1945:
Enters the dockyard at Kure for repairs.
10 January 1946:
Repairs are completed.
12 January 1946:
Departs Kure.
16 January 1946:
Arrives at Takao and departs later that day.
20 January 1946:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
30 January 1946:
Departs Manila.
2 February 1946:
Arrives at Takao and departs later that day.
7 February 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
13 February 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
16 February 1946:
Arrives at Ishigakijima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
17 February 1946:
Departs Ishigakijima.
19 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun (Keelung) and departs later that day.
22 February 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
28 February 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
2 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
3 March 1946:
Departs Kirun.
5 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
9 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
11 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
13 March 1946:
Departs Kirun.
15 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
21 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
23 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
25 March 1946:
Departs Kirun.
27 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
29 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
31 March 1946:
Arrives at Kwaren (Hua Lien). Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
1 April 1946:
Departs Kwaren.
5 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
10 April 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
12 April 1946:
Arrives at Kwaren. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
13 April 1946:
Departs Kwaren.
17 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
22 April 1946:
Enters dockyard at Maizuru for repairs.
13 May 1946:
Repairs completed.
16 May 1946:
Departs Maizuru.
19 May 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
22 May 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
24 May 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
2 June 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
4 June 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
6 June 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
8 June 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
10 June 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
13 June 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
14 June 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
17 June 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
19 June 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
21 June 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
24 June 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
27 June 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
25 July 1947:
Maizuru. Ceded to the USA as a war reparation.
31 December 1947:
Maizuru. Scrapping completed by Iino Shoji..
Authors' Notes:
[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 Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Back to
Escort Page
