© 2007-2016 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 3
1 December 1943:
Laid down at Nihonkai Dock Co.'s shipyard as kaibokan No.
2411.
15 March 1944:
Renumbered CD-21
and provisionally attached to Sasebo Naval District.
31 March 1944:
Launched.
10 June 1944:
Reserve LtCdr (Cdr, posthumously) Hatakeyama Shigenori
(former navigating officer of IZUMO) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
18 July 1944:
CD-21 is commissioned and registered in the IJN. Reserve
LtCdr Hatakeyama Shigenori is the CO.
22 August 1944:
At 0500 departs Sasebo and at 1530 arrives at Moji.
25 August 1944:
At 0630 CD-21 departs Moji for Singapore with escort
carrier UNYO, light cruiser KASHII and kaibokan CHIBURI, CD-3, CD-19 and CD-27
escorting convoy HI-73, consisting of IJA landing craft depot ship KIBITSU MARU,
ex-armed merchant cruiser GOKOKU MARU, ex-seaplane tenders KAGU and SANUKI
MARUs, tankers TOHO, OMUROSAN, OTOWASAN, TAIHO, FUJISAN, HAKKO, AMATO, TOA and
KUROSHIO MARUs and fleet storeship IRAKO. Later that day, the convoy is joined
briefly by transports MIZUHO, ARABIA and KOKURYU MARUs and tanker MANEI MARU
that all depart the following day.
26 August 1944:
CD-1 and CD-13 joins the convoy. MANEI MARU remains at
Kyushu because of engine problems. CD-1 and CD-3 are detached and head for
Sasebo. At 0900, MIZUHO, ARABIA and KOKURYU MARUs are ordered away because of
excessive smoke.
29 August 1944:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa. Departs that same day and
arrives at Tsoying (near Takao).
1 September 1944:
Off Saei. The convoy splits. KIBITSU, GOKOKU and
KAGU MARUs (and probably IRAKO) head for Manila. The remaining ships head for
Singapore.
3 September 1944:
TOA MARU strikes a mine S of Saigon and is lightly
damaged, but able to continue.
5 September 1944:
At 0954, arrives at Seletar, Singapore.
11 September 1944:
CD-21 departs Seletar for Moji with Rear Admiral
Yoshitomi Setsuzo's (39) (former CO of KAGA and ComSubRon 7) 5th Guard Fleet's
escort carrier UNYO, light cruiser KASHII (F) and kaibokan CHIBURI, CD-13, CD-19
and CD-27 escorting convoy HI-74, consisting of tankers AZUSA, OTOWASAN, HARIMA,
OMUROSAN and HAKKO MARUs.
16 September 1944:
At 2231, OMUROSAN MARU is hit by a torpedo fired by
Cdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Charles E. Loughlin's (USNA '33) USS QUEENFISH
(SS-393). KASHII fires a red flare signalling a submarine attack, but at 2334,
11,177-ton oiler AZUSA MARU is hit starboard side by two of a salvo of six bow
torpedoes fired by Cdr (later Rear Admiral/MOH) Eugene B. Fluckey's (USNA '35)
USS BARB (SS-220) at the overlapping targets. AZUSA MARU blows up and sinks
with all hands (100 crewmen and passengers). UNYO is hit to starboard side by
the other three torpedoes in Fluckey's salvo; one in the stern in the steering
compartment, the other in the engine room. UNYO settles aft.
17 September 1944:
By 0730, UNYO is listing heavily to starboard, and
the order is given to abandon ship. At 0755, UNYO sinks by the stern at 19-10N,
116-35E. More than 900 crewmen and passengers are lost as are 48 aircraft,
including a cargo of 36 Imperial Army planes UNYO was carrying back to Japan
for overhaul and repairs. CHIBURI and CD-27 rescue 55 officers and 706 men.
18 September 1944:
At 1800 arrives at Takao.
19 September 1944:
At 1200 departs Takao.
21 September 1944:
CD-21 is detached and goes to the assistance of
tanker SHINCHO MARU, of convoy HI-72, that had been bombed and damaged. CD-21
tows SHINCHO MARU into Takao, then rejoins convoy HI-74.
23 September 1944:
At 1700, arrives at Moji. At 2100 departs Moji.
24 September 1944:
At 1200 arrives at Sasebo.
28 September 1944:
At 1700 departs Sasebo.
29 September 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
1 October 1944:
At 0800, CD-21 departs Moji with kaibokan CHIBURI,
CD-19 and CD-27 escorting convoy HI-77, consisting of transports MANJU
(ex-SANTOS), KINUGASA, ORYOKU MARUs, oilers OMUROSAN, OTOWASAN, ARITA,
ITSUKUSHIMA, AKANE, TAIHO and KAIHO MARUs, German U-boat supply ship QUITO and
two unidentified ships. Arrives at Arikawa Bay that same day.
2 October 1944:
At 0700 departs Arikawa Bay for Singapore.
5 October 1944:
ORYOKU MARU is detached for Kirun. The rest of HI-77
arrives at Takao. Before departing later that day, kaibokan ETOROFU and SHONAN
join the escort.
6 October 1944:
South China Sea. About 1410, LtCdr (later Captain)
James B. Grady's (USNA '33) USS WHALE (SS-239) fires five torpedoes at AKANE
MARU. They all hit and the 10,000-ton oiler capsizes and sinks. 765 passengers
and crew are killed. CD-21 rescues her survivors and searches for the attacking
submarine.
At 1547, Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles W. Wilkins' (USNA '24) USS
SEAHORSE (SS-304) dives and begins an approach on CD-21 from 16,900 yards. At
1757, Wilkins, now at 700 yards, fires a full bow spread of six torpedoes. One
hits CD-21. She breaks in half and both parts quickly sink at 19-45N, 118-22E.
As the stern part sinks, the kaibokan's depth charges go off, killing any
survivors in the water. Her entire complement of 170 men is lost.
10 January 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Thanks to Mr Matt Jones of Ohio, USA and especially Mr. Gilbert Casse of
France.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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