© 2007-2016 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 2
18 November 1942:
Tsurumi, Yokohama. Laid down at Nippon Kokan K. K.’s shipyard.
21 February 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-15.
8 April 1944:
Completed and commissioned in the IJN.
3 May 1944:
Departs Saiki and at 0800 arrives at Sasebo. Undergoes repairs.
10 May 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
13 May 1944:
At 0400, CD-15 departs Moji with kaibokans IKI, MATSUWA and CD-9 escorting fast convoy HI-63 consisting of cargo liners/transports SANUKI, SANYO, AWA, TEIA (ex-French ARAMIS), USSURI and NISSHO MARUs, IJA landing craft depot ships TAMATSU and KIBITSU MARUS, tankers KYOKUHO, RYOEI and OTOWASAN MARUs. SANUKI MARU and other transports, except TAMATSU, KIBITSU and NISSHO MARUs carry troops bound for Burma.
18 May 1944:
At 1800, arrives at Manila. TAMATSU, KIBITSU, SANYO and NISSHO MARUs are detached.
20 May 1944:
At 2000, the remaining eight ships in HI-63 depart Manila with the same escort.
24 May 1944:
220 miles E of Singapore. LtCdr (later Cdr) James W. Davis' (USNA ’30) USS RATON (SS-270) attacks the convoy. In a series of attacks, Davis torpedoes and sinks kaibokan IKI (A total of 160 sailors including IKI’s CO, Cdr Nakao Kushuo are KIA) and lightly damages MATSUWA at 01-17N 107-53E. CD-15 and HI-63 escape unscathed.
25 May 1944:
At 1130 IJN oilers RYOEIand KYOKUHO MARUs arrive at Singapore escorted by kaibokan MATSUWA.
27 May 1944:
At 2000 the remainder of the convoy arrives at Singapore escorted by CD-9 and CD-15.
3 June 1944:
At 1000, CD-15 departs Singapore for Moji with kaibokan CD-1, CD-8 and CD-20 escorting convoy HO-02, a bauxite convoy, consisting of TAMAHOKO, TAINAN, KENNICHI, SHONAN, TEIHOKU, HIYORI (NICHIWA), HONAN (ex British WAR SIRDAR), CELEBES, HOZAN, KOKUSEI, SEISHIN and HIOKI MARUs and KONAN MARU No. 1 and four unidentified ships. TAMAHOKO MARU is carrying 772 Allied POWs from camps at Batavia, Java, including 42 American POWs. HIOKI, KOKUSEI and BIYO MARUs are also carrying POWs.
6 June 1944:
160 miles off Cape St. Jacques, Indochina. LtCdr Davis' USS RATON attacks the convoy. At 2225, Davis torpedoes CD-15. She breaks in two and sinks S of Nishinotorishima Island at 08-57N, 109-17E. 104 crewmen, including Lt Kondo Masaji (64), the current CO, are KIA. CD-8 and CD-20 rescue 34 survivors. The escorts counter attack. USS RATON is damaged by depth charges, but remains on patrol.
5 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Thanks to Mr. Matthew Jones of Ohio for help in identifying COs and to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France for general assistance.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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