© 2007-2016 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 4
10 February 1944:
Laid down at Nihonkai Dock Co.’s shipyard.
20 May 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-23.
15 September 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Attached to Sasebo Naval District. Assigned to Sasebo Guard Force
27 September 1944:
At 2000 departs Odomari and undertakes a patrol.
27 October 1944:
At 0740, USN codebreakers intercept a message that says “The No. 23 Coast Defense Ship which left Takao to pick up survivors at Camiguin Island took aboard 395 men and returned to Takao on the 26th at 1500." (This is almost certainly in error as to identification)
31 October 1944:
At 1710 departs Sasebo.
1 November 1944:
At 0920 arrives at Moji.
3 November 1944:
At 1000, CD-23 departs Moji for Miri, Borneo with kaibokan CD-33, CD-51, CD-52 and CD-130 and auxiliary gunboat CHOHAKUSAN MARU escorting convoy MI-25 consisting of KACHOSAN, NIKKO, DAIRETSU, DAIA, DAITO, RYUSHO, GYOSHIN, AKAGISAN, NICHIYO, KENSEI, HINAGA, YAMAMURA, SHINKYU, SHOEI, ATAGO, OTSUSAN, DAIEI, OJIKASAN, KINSEN and DAISHU MARUs and YUZAN MARU No. 2 and one unidentified merchant ship.
8 November 1944:
KACHOSAN, KINSEN and NIKKO MARUs and the one unidentified ship are detached for Kirun, AKAGISAN and NICHIYO MARUs are detached for Takao.
15 November 1944:
10 miles SW of Cape Padaran, Indochina. At about 0100, LtCdr Albert S. Fuhrman's (USNA ’37) USS JACK (SS-259) torpedoes and sinks HINAGA MARU at 1-16N, 108-54E. 34 troops on board and one crewman are killed. Fuhrman also torpedoes and damages YUZAN MARU No. 2.
That same day, CD-23 is detached to St Jacques.
In Tokyo, that same day, CD-23 is reassigned to the General Escort Command’s 101st Escort Squadron with light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan DAITO, UKURU and CD-51.
16 November 1944:
At 0800 arrives at Cap St. Jacques. ATAGO and GYOSHIN MARUs and CD-33, CD-52 and CD-130 are detached. The rest of the convoy proceeds to Singapore. CD-23 and CD-51 remain behind at St Jacques.
17 November 1944:
At noon, YUZAN MARU No. 2 breaks in two and sinks. Seven crewmen are lost in the torpedo attack and sinking. That same day, light cruiser KASHII (F), kaibokan MANJU, UKURU, NOMI, KASADO, MIYAKE, CD-17 and CD-51 and minelayer NIIZAKI departs Singapore escorting convoy HI-80 consisting of TENEI, MATSUSHIMA, RYOEI, MUNAKATA, ARIMASAN, KUROSHIO, NICHINAN and KAIHO MARUs.
20 November 1944:
At 0600 CD-23 and CD-51 join the convoy from St Jacques. At 1240, CD-17 is detached for Saigon.
27 November 1944:
At 0930, RYOEI and ARIMASAN MARUs escorted by NIIZAKI are detached for Takao.
4 December 1944:
HI-80 arrives at Sasebo.
19 December 1944:
At 1330, CD-23 departs Moji with light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan DAITO, UKURU, CD-27, CD-51 and CD 112 escorting convoy HI-85 consisting of tankers SERIA and SHINYU MARUs and convoy MOTA-38 consisting of Army landing craft depot ships HYUGA, KIBITSU, SHINSHU MARUs and Army transport AOBASAN MARU. The convoys hugs the littoral coast on the way south.
25 December 1944:
At 1440, enters Takao port.
27 December 1944:
CD-23 departs Takao for Singapore with light cruiser KASHII and kaibokan DAITO, TSUSHIMA, UKURU, CD-27 and CD-51 escorting convoy HI-85 consisting of cargo ship TEIHOKU MARU (ex French PERSEE) and tankers DAINAN, ENKEI, YAMAZAWA, ENGEN, ENCHO, DAIGYO, OTSUSAN, FUEI, OEI, SERIA, SHINGI, SHINYU MARUs. Shortly
after departure, DAINAN MARU breaks down and returns to Takao.
28 December 1944:
TSUSHIMA is detached from the convoy and makes for Yulin, Hainan Island.
29 December 1944:
South China Sea. At 1725, minesweeper W-101 joins HI-85’s escort.
30-31 December 1944:
On both days, sporadic attacks by B-24s are beaten off without loss.
1 January 1945:
At 1720, convoy arrives Qui Nhon Bay.
2 January 1945:
Departs Qui Nhon Bay. That evening, the convoy anchors at Nha Trang Bay, Indochina.
3 January 1945:
At 0730, the convoy departs Nha Trang. While proceeding south, near the east entrance of Hainan Straits, the convoy is attacked by one PB4Y (B-24) which approaches from astern in a glide with its motor cut. One bomb hits TEIHOKU MARU (ex French PERSEE), the last ship in the west column. TEIHOKU MARU and escort TSUSHIMA are detached to Yulin for repairs. While enroute to
Yulin, they are bombed again and TSUSHIMA is damaged by a near miss.
4 January 1945:
At 1030, convoy HI-85 arrives at Cape St. Jacques where it is dissolved.
9 January 1945:
CD-23 departs Cape St. Jacques for Moji with Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral posthumously) Shibuya Shiro (44) (former CO of NACHI) of the 101st Escort Group’s light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan DAITO, UKURU, CD-27 and CD-51 escorting convoy HI-86 consisting of fleet tanker SAN LUIS MARU and TATSUBATO, OTSUSAN, SHOEI, KYOKUUN, EIMAN, TATEBE, YOSHU and YUSEI MARUs and BANSHU MARU No. 63.
12 January 1945: Operation "Gratitude"- Task Force 38's Strikes on Indochina:
Convoy HI-86 departs Qui Nhon. From 1100 to 1700, Curtiss SB2C "Helldiver" dive-bombers and Grumann TBF "Avenger" torpedo-bombers from Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Frederick T. Sherman's (USNA ’10)(former CO of USS LEXINGTON, CV-2) Task Group 38.3's USS ESSEX (CV-9), USS TICONDEROGA (CV-14), USS LANGLEY (CVL-27) and USS SAN JACINTO (CVL-30) attack the convoy.
Sherman's planes sink CD-23, trailing the convoy, north of Qui Nhon at 14-15N, 109-10E. A total of 155 officers and sailors are lost.
They also sink light training cruiser KASHII (621 sailors, Captain (Rear Admiral posthumously) Matsumura Midori (48) and Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral posthumously) Shibuya Shiro (44) KIA), CD-51 (159 sailors KIA), YOSHU (45 crewmen and five gunners lost) and EIMAN (with bauxite and raw rubber. 19 crewmen and 13 gunners KIA) MARUs and damage fleet tanker SAN LUIS MARU, UKURU and kaibokan DAITO and CD-27. OTSUSAN, TATEBE, KYOKUUN, YUSEI and TATSUBATO MARUs and BANSHU MARU No. 63 are so damaged by bombs and fires they have to be beached and become constructive total losses.
Only three escorts survive the air attacks.
10 March 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Note:
Thanks go to John Whitman of the USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages. Thanks for general assistance go to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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