© 2009-2014 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
11 September 1944:
Laid down at Niigata Iron Works, Ltd.
5 November 1944:
Numbered CD-221 and tentatively attached to the Sasebo Naval District.
26 December 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-221.
2 April 1945:
Completed and attached to the Sasebo Naval District.
3 April 1945:
At 1000 departs Niigata.
5 April 1945:
Arrives at Maizuru.
21 April 1945:
CD-77, CD-196, CD-198 and CD-221 depart Maizuru en route to Nanao.
10 June 1945:
Following the foray of the "Hydeman's Hellcats" wolfpack into the Sea of Japan, CD-221, CD-74 and the destroyers TACHIBANA and YANAGI are dispatched to that area. CD-221 is tasked with escorting the shipping between Otaru, Hokkaido, and Oga Peninsula, northern Honshu.
18 June 1945:
At 0830 W-24 is escorting TENYU MARU 160 degrees 7 Ri off Hensashi Misaki when an unknown submarine attempts to torpedo TENYU MARU. Kaibokan CD-221 operating in the vicinity arrives on the scene. The escorts counterattack.
20 June 1945:
CD-221 departs Funakawa escorting a convoy consisting of SORACHI MARU and three unidentified merchant ships.
13 July 1945:
Arrives at Kamaishi port, northern Honshu, escorting two merchants en route from Hokkaido to Yokohama.
14 July 1945: The First Naval Bombardment of the Japanese Mainland:
Around 0700, CD-221 receives a flag message from subchaser CH-48, anchored off Kamaishi, reporting a sighting of two enemy battleships, three cruisers and more than 10 destroyers. This is Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) John F. Sharfroth's (USNA ’08) Task Unit 34.8.1 battleships USS SOUTH DAKOTA (BB-57), USS INDIANA (BB-58) and USS MASSACHUSETTS (BB-59), cruisers USS CHICAGO (CA-136) and USS QUINCY (CA-71) and destroyers USS STEMBEL (DD-644), USS ABBOTT (DD-629), USS BULLARD (DD-660), USS CHAUNCEY (DD-667), USS ERBEN (DD-631), USS HALE (DD-642), USS WALKER (DD-511), USS BLACK (DD-666) and USS HEERMANN (DD-532).
After 1210, all three battleships open fire on the Kamaishi Steel Works, the nearby warehouses and oil tanks. The CO of CD-221 orders "weigh anchor". The escort exits the port at flank speed, firing from her 12-cm bow gun at the US battleships, steaming some 20,000 yds away. At 1251, USS CHICAGO engages the attacker with her secondary battery guns, claiming several hits. In reality CD-221 is not hit, but her CO orders to retire to Kamaishi Bay, realizing that his vessel is hopelessly outgunned. The whole engagement lasts less than half an hour. [2]
Once back in port, the escort is again missed by several 16-in shells. At 1426, TU 34.8.1 retires. Two hours later Kamaishi is again attacked by Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) John S. McCain’s (USNA ’06) Task Force 38’s Grumman F6F-5 "Hellcat" fighters from TG 38.1's USS BENNINGTON (CV-20), the current flagship of Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague. CD-221 is strafed repeatedly; six sailors are killed and several wounded. Impressed with CD-221 crew's mettle throughout the attack, the observers of the local Army unit credit that vessel with shooting down or damaging at least 12 American fighters.
Nearby Nippon Iron Works is heavily damaged with over 200 people killed and over 400 injured. In the town, 2,000+ houses collapse during the bombardment and 150 are destroyed by fire. During the bombardment, CD-221 is on the move. She is fired on, but escapes undamaged. Afterwards, CD-221 is attacked by aircraft, but remains unharmed and claims 12 aircraft shot down and one damaged.
15 July 1945:
Task Force 38’s planes damage CD-221 slightly at the eastern entrance of the Tsugaru Strait.
17 July 1945:
CD-221 is ordered by the commander of the North East Area Fleet to proceed to Ominato for repairs. Upon arrival she goes into drydock.
15 August 1945:
Japan accepts the Allies “Potsdam Declaration” (of unconditional surrender) and hostilities cease.
31 October 1945:
Departs Sasebo on her first repatriation voyage.
3 November 1945:
Arrives at Ishigakijima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
5 November 1945:
Departs Ishigakijima.
8 November 1945:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
25 November 1945:
Departs Hakata.
28 November 1945:
Arrives at Ishigakijima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
30 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
1 December 1945:
Officially assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service. [1]
2 December 1945:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
4 December 1945:
Arrives at Wakamatsu for repair.
15 January 1946:
Repairs are completed.
25 January 1946:
Departs Ujina.
26 January 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
28 January 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai . Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
30 January 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
2 February 1946:
Departs Hakata.
3 February 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
5 February 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
6 February 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
8 February 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
13 February 1946:
Departs Hakata.
15 February 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
17 February 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
21 February 1946:
Departs Hakata.
22 February 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
24 February 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
26 February 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
28 February 1946:
Departs Hakata.
1 March 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
3 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
6 March 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
9 March 1946:
Departs Hakata.
12 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that same day.
14 March 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
16 March 1946:
Departs Hakata.
17 March 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
20 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
21 March 1946:
Arrives at at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
27 March 1946:
Enters dockyard at Uraga for repairs.
21 April 1946:
Repairs are completed.
29 April 1946:
Departs Hakata.
1 May 1946:
Arrives at Korojima near Tsientsin. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
13 May 1946:
Departs Korojima.
16 May 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
22 May 1946:
Departs Hakata.
24 May 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
26 May 1946:
Departs Korojima.
29 May 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
7 June 1946:
Enters dockyard at Sasebo for repairs.
20 June 1946:
Repairs are completed.
5 July 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
8 July 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
10 July 1946:
Departs Korojima.
13 July 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
18 July 1946:
Departs Hakata.
19 July 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
22 July 1946:
Departs Korojima.
26 July 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
7 August 1946:
Departs Hakata.
10 August 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
13 August 1946:
Departs Korojima.
16 August 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
5 September 1946:
Departs Hakata.
8 September 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
13 September 1946:
Departs Korojima.
16 September 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
23 September 1946:
Enters dockyard at Sasebo for repairs.
16 October 1946:
Repairs are completed.
21 October 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
23 October 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers and departs later that same day.
25 October 1946:
Arrives at Naha, Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that same day.
27 October 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
31 October 1946:
Enters dockyard at Sasebo for repairs.
10 November 1946:
Repairs are completed.
30 November 1946:
Departs Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
1 December 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
3 December 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
4 December 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
18 June 1947:
Dai-ichi Building, Tokyo. Japanese warships are to be divided into four roughly equal lots among the "Big Four" victorious nations (i.e. U.S., U.K., USSR, China). Vice Admiral Robert M. Griffin, commander of U.S. Naval Forces, Far East, conducts the first drawing of lots that includes a total of 24 destroyers and 68 kaibokan. The Soviet Union is allotted 34 former IJN warships, including 7 destroyers and 17 escort vessels.
26 August 1947:
Nakhodka Bay, Siberia, Maritime Province. CH-221 is ceded to the Soviet Navy as a war reparation. She is tentatively designated as patrol vessel EK-40.
Late October 1947:
Transferred to Vladivostok.
5 July 1948:
Stricken from the Navy list, redesignated as target vessel TsL-40.
17 June 1949:
Redesignated as rescue vessel ZHIGULI.
23 April 1953:
Reassigned to the Soviet Pacific Fleet.
11 March 1958:
Stricken from the Navy list,
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.
[2] One heavily exaggerated post-war account of that action suggests that CD-221 was targeted by the U.S. battleships while covering the escape of three merchants caught in Kamaishi port. This anecdote is not confirmed by the wartime reports from either side.
Thanks go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan and Mr. Gilbert Casse of France. Thanks also go to Sander Kingsepp and J-air reader Bill Somerville of the USA for photo via ONI and info on CD-221 at Kamaishi Bay.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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