© 2006-2016 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 5
15 September 1943:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' shipyard.
29 December 1943:
Launched and numbered CD-3.
30 January 1944:
Reserve Lt (Cdr, posthumously) Nishina Toshio (former CO of CH-9) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
29 February 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Attached to Kure Naval District. Reserve Lt (promoted LtCdr 1 May) Nishina Toshio is the Commanding Officer.
1 April 1944:
At 1100, CD-3 departs Tokyo Bay as part of the escort of 26-ship convoy "Higashi-Matsu" No. 4. The ships and their destinations are: Saipan: SHOUN, TOKO, TAKASAN, AKIKAWA, KOKO, SHIRAMINE, TAIKAI, KAKOGAWA and MACASSAR MARUs; Guam: MIMASAKA, TOAN, AZUCHISAN and NISSHU MARUs and UNYO MARU No. 8; Truk: fleet supply ship KINESAKI, SHOZUI, KEMBU (TATEBE), SHIMA, SHINYO and HAVRE MARUs; Palau: Fleet supply ship MAMIYA, TENRYUGAWA, TAIAN and TOSEI
MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 5; Yap: SHINSEI MARU.
CD-3 and her crew undergo their workup and training while escorting this large, important convoy. The convoy commander is Rear Admiral Kiyota Takahiko (42) (former CO of NACHI) in destroyer SAMIDARE. The other escorts include destroyer ASANAGI, torpedo boat HIYODORI, kaibokan AMAKUSA, MIKURA, FUKUE, OKI,
CD-2 and subchaser CH-50.
3 April 1944:
5 miles S of Torishima. At about 1457, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen's (USNA '31) USS POLLACK torpedoes and sinks TOSEI MARU, carrying ammunition and rations, at 30-14N, 139-45E. One passenger is KIA. The escorts counter-attack USS POLLACK and drop 55 depth-charges unsuccessfully.
8 April 1944:
N of Saipan. At 0228 (JST), LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Frederick J. Harlfinger's (USNA ,37) USS TRIGGER (SS-237) fires four torpedoes at the convoy, but fails to get any hits. While the troopships are diverted to
the west, OKI and SAMIDARE counter-attack with depth-charges. Harlfinger runs at 300 feet or more for 17 hours as six escorts dog his trail and rain down numerous depth charges. Six DCs explode extremely close by and damage USS TRIGGER.
9 April 1944:
62 miles WNW of Saipan. At 1625, LtCdr (later Captain) Slade D. Cutter's (USNA ,35) USS SEAHORSE (SS-304) torpedoes and hits MIMASAKA MARU at 15-30N, 145-00E. MIMASAKA MARU is taken in tow by TOAN MARU. The escorts counterattack USS SEAHORSE unsuccessfully. Later that day, the convoy arrives at Saipan where it is split into four echelons bound for Truk, Guam, Yap and Palau.
10 April 1944:
At about 0100 (JST), MIMASAKA MARU founders. She is carrying over 1,000 Naval personnel, most of whom are rescued. The convoy arrives at Saipan, then is split into separate groups that continue on to their respective destinations.
3 June 1944:
Kaibokan CD-3 and subchasers CH-41 and CH-46 depart Manila, escorting convoy H-28, consisting of GENKAI, ATSUTA, HINODE, TSUKUBASAN, KANKYO, YUKI and PACIFIC MARUs.
5 June 1944:
At 0900 off Cebu, W-28 meets up with the convoy.
13 June 1944:
At 1200 arrives at Kau.
16 June 1944:
At 0600 kaibokan CD-3, submarine chasers CH-41 and CH-46 and minesweeper W-5 depart Kau for Manila escorting joint convoy M-23 and M-24, consisting of GENKAI, ATSUTA, HINODE, TSUKUBASAN, BELGIUM, TEIYU (ex-Italian
CARIGNANO), MURORAN, KANKYO, YUKI and PACIFIC MARUs.
17 June 1944:
Arrives at Menado, where W-5 and the M-23 section of three ships (including YUKI MARU) are detached.
21 June 1944:
At 0700 minesweeper W-28 departs Manila to meet up with M-23 and M-24 convoy which it escorts part way.
E 18 July 1944:
CD-3 departs Miri with destroyer ASAKAZE, minelayer MAESHIMA, kaibokan YASHIRO and auxiliary gunboats PEKING and KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARUs, escorting convoy MI-10, consisting of DAIZEN, HIDA, HINAGA and FUYUKAWA MARUs KENZUI, TEIFU (ex-French BOUGAINVILLE), MARUs, WAKO GO and tankers HAKUBASAN, SHUNTEN, TAKETSU (BUTSU), CHIYODA, SHIMOTSU, KOSHIN, KOTOKU, NICHINAN (1945 gt) and SHIMOTSU MARUs plus 11 unidentified ships. [1]
E 23 July 1944:
Arrives at Manila where convoy MI-10 is joined by tankers OEI MARU and KYOEI MARU No. 6 and KAKOGAWA, TSUKUBASAN, ROKKO, RASHIN, FRANCE, MYOGI MARUs and UNYO MARU No.7.
27 July 1944:
At 1100, the reconstituted convoy MI-10 departs Manila.
28 July 1944:
At 1040, HAKUBASAN MARU carrying 7,351-tons of oil and 710-tons of rubber, is torpedoed by LtCdr Francis D. Walker's (USNA '35) USS CREVALLE (SS-291) and sinks at 1305 at 16-28N, 119-38E, taking down three of her
crew.
E 30 July 1944:
CD-20 joins the escort, having departed Takao two days before.
2 August 1944:
At 1000 arrives at Takao, Formosa. MATSUMOTO MARU, ASAKAZE and YASHIRO are detached. FRANCE and RASHIN MARUs are probably also detached. SEIGA and HAKOZAKI MARUs join.
4 August 1944:
At 1300 departs Takao. Destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-17, minelayer MAESHIMA and auxiliary gunboat CHOJUSAN MARU have joined as additional escorts.
10 August 1944:
At 1130 arrives at Moji.
11 August 1944:
Departs Moji and later that day arrives at Kure.
21 August 1944:
At 0600 departs Kure and at 1600 arrives at Moji.
25 August 1943:
At 0800 CD-3 departs Moji for Singapore with escort carrier UNYO, light cruiser KASHII and kaibokan CHIBURI, CD-19, CD-21 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.
27 August 1944:
At 0800 arrives at Sasebo.
26 August 1944:
Cdr Hirano Yasuji is appointed CO.
30 August 1944:
CD-1, CD-3 and CD-5 depart Sasebo and arrives in the Terashima Strait, NW Kyushu.
31 August 1944:
At 0400, CD-3 departs Terashima Strait with CD-1 and CD-5, escorting convoy MOTA-25, consisting of MIZUHO, KOKURYU and ARABIA MARUs.
3 September 1944:
At 1630, the convoy arrives at Keelung, Formosa. At 1847, CD-3 departs Keelung for Takao. CD-1 has left a few minutes before and CD-5 departs at 1930.
4 September 1944:
At 1341, CD-1, CD-3 and CD-5 arrive at Takao.
5 September 1944:
At 1755, CD-3 departs Takao for Manila (with rest of convoy departing at 1700) with destroyers HATSUHARU and HIBIKI, kaibokan CD-1, CD-7, CD-5, torpedo-boat HIYODORI, subchaser CH-63 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-67, escorting convoy TAMA-25, consisting of KOGYO, EIJI, MANSHU, EIMAN, ATSUTA, EKKAI, NANREI, ROZAN, TERUKUNI, TOYOOKA and HOKUSEN MARUs. Previously known as MOTA-23, this convoy was en route to Takao before being diverted to
Keelung. The convoy is carrying reinforcements, equipment and ammunition for the defense of the Philippine Islands.
6 September 1944:
At 0230, KOGYO MARU develops engine troubles and turns back. At about 0423, EIJI MARU carrying units of the Kwantung Army's 8th Infantry Division and 2nd Tank Division, strikes a mine at 22-19N, 120-30E. HIBIKI comes alongside to assist, but also strikes a mine that severely damages her bow. She returns to Takao. At about 0500, EIJI MARU is ordered abandoned. At 0800, there is another explosion and EIJI MARU sinks, taking down 580 soldiers
and an unknown number of her crew. The convoy withdraws to nearby Tungchiang, arriving at 1738. EIMAN MARU suffers engine troubles and also returns to Takao, probably escorted by CH-63.
7 September 1944:
At 2150 departs Tungchiang. The convoy reforms and adopts a zig-zag course.
8 September 1944:
At 0200 submarine chaser CH-41 meets up with convoy TAMA-25. At 0300 CD-28 joins. At 1100 W-20 meets up with TAMA-25.
9 September 1944:
43 miles NW of Calayan Island. At about 0315, TOYOOKA MARU is torpedoed by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles E. Loughlin's (USNA '33) USS QUEENFISH (SS-393). She sinks five minutes later at 19-45N, 120-55E. 1,036 soldiers and nine crewmen are killed. At 0319, MANSHU MARU is hit by a torpedo from USS QUEENFISH and sinks by the stern. She was carrying 1,492 men of the 42nd Infantry Regiment, plus her crew. 900 are killed. At 2120, the convoy seeks temporary shelter at Aparri. At 2250, the convoy departs, hugging the coast.
10 September 1944:
At 1714 the convoy arrives at San Fernando. Meanwhile CD-28 proceeds to Lapoc Bay and is detached.
11 September 1944:
At 0553 departs San Fernando. Meanwhile at 0500 CH-41 has been detached. At 0654 W-20 is detached.
12 September 1944:
At 1930, convoy TAMA-25 anchors at Santa Cruz.
13 September 1944:
At 0640 the convoy departs Santa Cruz and at 1940, arrives in Subic Bay. It is learned the Americans have been attacking the Visayas in the Central Philippine Islands since 12 September.
14 September 1944:
At 0325, because of the danger of attacks in Manila, the convoy raises anchors and heads back north. At 1500, it arrives back at Santa Cruz. For the next two days the convoy remains on standby.
17 September 1944:
At 0655, the convoy departs. At 1850, it arrives again at Subic Bay.
18 September 1944:
At 0610, the convoy departs and arrives at Manila at 1610.
19 September 1944:
At 0800, CD-3 departs Manila for Cebu, Philippines with kaibokan SADO, CD-1, CD-5 and CD-7 and minelayer ENOSHIMA escorting convoy MATA-27, consisting of SURAKARUTA, YUKI, HOFUKU, SHICHIYO and NANSEI MARUs and OGURA MARU No. 1. That evening, the convoy arrives and anchors at Subic Bay.
21 September 1944:
Departs Subic Bay. At 1028, N of the Masinloc Sea, about 40 carrier-based aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's (USNA '10) Task Force 38 attack the convoy and sink HOFUKU MARU. 11 crewmen and 150 passengers are KIA. At 1056, a second raid begins. OGURA MARU No. 1 is bombed about 1130 and later abandoned. Five crewmen are KIA.
At 1515, a third raid by 40 aircraft begins. YUKI MARU with 42 crewmen KIA, SHICHIYO MARU with 12 crewmen KIA and NANSEI MARU with 17 crewmen and 12 gunners KIA, are bombed and set afire and later sink. At 1634, a fourth raid begins. SURAKARUTA MARU is bombed and sunk. Only one crewman is KIA. At 1650, CD-5 is bombed and set afire and later explodes and sinks at 15-30N, 119-50E.
At 1900 the surviving escort ships arrive at Santa Cruz.
22 September 1944:
At 0700 departs Santa Cruz. At 1900 arrives at San Fernando.
23 September 1944:
At 0700 departs San Fernando. At 1900 arrives at Lapoc Bay.
24 September 1944:
At 0700 departs Lapoc Bay and at 1900 arrives at Bangui.
25 September 1944:
At 1310, CD-3 arrives at Takao.
27 September 1944:
At 1700, CD-3 departs Takao for Moji with kaibokan CD-1, CD-7, target ship HAKACHI, auxiliary gunboat CHOHAKUSAN MARU and auxiliary patrol boat OSEI MARU escorting convoy TAMO-26 that consists of NIKKO, SEISHIN, CLYDE, HAKUSAN, MATSUURA, TAIJO, GASSAN, YOKO and BIYO MARUs and landing ship (Kidotei) SS No. 6. CD-1 departs Saei at 1749 and joins the convoy.
28 September 1944:
Off Kirun (Keelung), CD-3 attacks an underwater contact, dropping 3 depth charges. At 1200, arrives at Kirun (Keelung). Auxiliary patrol boat OSEI MARU is detached.
1 October 1944:
At 0730, departs Keelung. At 0900 kaibokan CD-1 joins the convoy escort. Auxiliary gunboat CHOHAKASAN MARU detaches and heads towards Kirun to repair damage to her main cooling water pipe.
3 October 1944:
Kaibokan CD-1 detaches and heads towards Nagasaki.
6 October 1944:
At 1151 arives at Moji.
7 October 1944:
At 0755 departs Moji for Sasebo. Arrives at 1806.
8 October 1944:
At 1150 drydocked at Sasebo No. 6 dry-dock.
13 October 1944:
At 1100 undocked.
17 October 1944:
At 0843 departs Sasebo on trials and returns at 1755.
18 October 1944:
At 1601 departs Sasebo for Moji with CD-1 and CD-7.
19 October 1944:
At 0118 arrives at Moji.
22 October 1944:
At 1220, CD-3 departs Moji for Manila with kaibokan CD-1 and CD-7 escorting convoy MOMA-06 that consists of GASSAN, ATLAS, DAITOKU, SHINSHO, KAKOGAWA, SEKIHO, TAIKEN, SEIWA, SHINFUKU and MIKAGE MARUs and an
unidentified ship.
23 October 1944:
At about 0400, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) John E. Lee's (USNA '30) USS CROAKER (SS-246) torpedoes and damages GASSAN MARU. Later, she is towed to Saishu Island by SHINFUKU MARU where 3,500 troops are put ashore.
24 October 1944:
At about 0400, USS CROAKER torpedoes and sinks MIKAGE MARU.
27 October 1944:
At 1600, arrives at Keelung. TAIKEN MARU is detached.
30 October 1944:
At 0600, departs Keelung.
31 October 1944:
At 0952, arrives at Takao. The convoy is reorganized. Some ships from convoy MOTA-27 join MOMA-06. The reconstitued convoy consists of HAMBURG, SHIMOTSU, ASOKAWA, TOTTORI, EIWA, ATLAS, DAITOKU, SHINSHO, KAKOGAWA, SEKIHO and SEIWA MARUs escorted by old destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokans CD-1, CD-3 and CD-7, mineweeper W-27, subchaser CH-41 and fleet supply ship KURASAKI.
1 November 1944:
At 1800, the convoy departs Takao for Manila.
2 November 1944:
At 2305, LtCdr John B. Hess's (USNA '37) USS POMFRET (SS-391) torpedoes and damages ATLAS MARU.
3 November 1944:
At 0435, Hess attacks ATLAS MARU again, but misses. At 0500, USS POMFRET also torpedoes and damages HAMBURG MARU. At 1850, one of the escorts scuttles her. At 2000 the convoy anchors at Sabtang Is.
4 November 1944:
About 1330, ATLAS MARU finally goes aground. Torpedo boat SAGI arrives from Takao and joins the escort.
6 November 1944:
At 0253 departs Sabtang Island with minesweepers W-17 and W-18 as additional escorts.
8 November 1944:
Off Cape Bolinao, Luzon. LtCdr Guy E. O'Neil, Jr's (USNA '37) USS GUNNEL (SS-253) torpedoes and sinks SAGI. 86 sailors and 31 passengers are rescued by minesweeper W-18.
The convoy later arrives at Santa Cruz, Philippines at 1730.
9 November 1944:
Warned of a typhoon in the area, the convoy departs the same day at 0630 and arrives at Manila Bay at 2238.
10 November 1944:
At 0925, convoy MOMA-06 arrives at Manila harbor.
12 November 1944:
At 1800, CD-3 departs Manila for Takao with destroyer KURETAKE and kaibokan CD-1, and CD-7 escorting convoy MATA-32 that consists of NANKING MARU, UNKAI MARU No. 5 and fleet supply ship KURASAKI.
14 November 1944:
Off Cape Bolinao, Philippines. At 2218, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) William T. Kinsella's USS RAY (SS-271) torpedoes and sinks CD-7 with heavy loss of life at 17-46N, 117-57E. At 2225, LtCdr Maurice W. Shea's (USNA '37) USS RATON (SS-270) torpedoes and sinks UNKAI MARU No. 5. 43 crewmen are KIA.
15 November 1944:
At 0025, Shea's USS RATON torpedoes and sinks KURASAKI at 17-27N, 117-43E. Casualties if any are unknown.
17 November 1944:
At 1200, the remainder of the convoy arrives at Takao.
19 November 1944:
At 2030 KURETAKE, CD-1, CD-3 departs Takao, escorting TAMA-32, the details of which are unknown but probably the same as TAMA-32A. Soon after departure the convoy is recalled.
20 November 1944:
At 1530 arrives back at Takao.
23 November 1944:
At 1530, CD-3 departs Takao for Manila with destroyer KURETAKE and kaibokans CD-1, CD-8, CD-28 and CD-54 and subchasers CH-17, CH-18, CH-37 and CH-38 escorting convoy TAMA-32A that consists of AKAGISAN, HAGIKAWA, SORACHI, JINYO, NICHIYO, SHOEI, WAYO, MINO, SHIROUMA (HAKUBA) and SHONAN MARUs and BANSHU MARU No. 63 and SS No. 6 (Kidotei). Anchors along the coast off Fangliao soon after leaving.
24 November 1944:
At 0400, departs Fangliao, southern Formosan coast.
25 November 1944:
At 2200, arrives at Musa Bay, Fuga Island.
27 November 1944:
At 0400, departs Musa Bay. At 1645, arrives at Lapoc
Bay.
28 November 1944:
At 0600, departs Lapoc Bay. At 1800, arrives at N San Fernando.
29 November 1944:
At 0600, departs N San Fernando.
30 November 1944:
At 0500, the convoy arrives at Manila.
5 December 1944:
At 1157, CD-1, departs Takao with kaibokan DAITO, CD-34 and CD-134 escorting convoy TAMA-35, consisting of NISSHO, ORYOKU, ARIMASAN and KAZUURA MARUs. Later that day anchors at Chechung.
6 December 1944:
At 0058, departs Chechung. At 1815, anchors at Port San Pio Quinto, Camiguin Island.
8 December 1944:
At 0502, departs Port San Pio Quinto. At 1411, anchors at Calayan Island.
9 December 1944:
At 0817, departs Calayan Island.
11 December 1944:
At 2000, arrives Manila.
19 December 1944:
At 0802 departs St Jacques in convoy SAMA-14, consisting of SHINNO, RYUSHO, BINGO MARUs and at least 3 other unidentified merchant ships escorted by Minesweeper W 21 and kaibokan CD-1, CD-3, CD-130 and
CD-134.
20 December 1944:
At 1644, arrives at Cap Padaran, Indochina. Departs from there at 2003.
21 December 1944:
At 1905, arrives at Nha Trang, Indochina.
23 December 1944:
At 0807, departs Nha Trang but SHINNO MARU broke down and at 0915 convoy returned to port. At 1814 departs Nha Trang again.
24 December 1944:
At 0516, arrives at Qui Sande Bay, Indochina. At 0910 departs. At 2050, the No. 6 ship in the convoy runs aground.
25 December 1944:
At 0900, the No. 6 ship is towed off and the convoy resumes its voyage. At 2126 arrives at Qui Nhon, Indochina.
26 December 1944:
At 1006, departs Qui Nhon.
27 December 1944:
At 1558, arrives at Yulin and departs at 1901.
30 December 1944:
Between 1104 and 1124, the convoy is attacked by a B-24, but without sustaining any damage.
1 January 1945:
At 1437 arrives at Saei (Tsoying), Formosa. Because of pending air raids, the convoy is ordered out of port.
3 January 1945:
At 1135, anchors outside Takao but leaves at 1255. CD-41, CD-60 and CD-205 have joined at this point or earlier.
4 January 1945:
At 1700 anchors at Nanao Tao.
6 January 1945:
At 0930 departs Nanao Tao having detached from the convoy.
7 January 1945:
At 0830 CD-3 arrives at Takao.
9 January 1945:
At 1900 departs Takao. Meanwhile Vice Admiral (Admiral posthumously) John S. McCain’s (USNA ’06) Task Force 38 launches attacks on Formosa, Ryukyus, and the Pescadores Islands in support of the invasion landings at Lingayen Gulf, Philippines. N of Keelung, Formosa, TF 38's aircraft attack and sink CD-3 at 27-10N, 121-45E. A total of 173 officers and sailors are lost, including her CO, Reserve LtCdr Nishina Toshio.
10 March 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Note:
[1] Although unconfirmed, the unidentified ships probably included KYOKUZAN MARU from Miri and KAKOGAWA, TSUKUBASAN, ROKKO, RASHIN, KUROGANE, FRANCE and MYOGI MARUs and UNYO MARU No. 7 and tankers OEI MARU and
KYOEI MARU No. 6 from Manila.
Thanks for assistance go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan and Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Back to
Escort Page
