© 2007-2018 Bob Hackett, Peter Cundall and Sander Kingsepp
Revision 3.
25 May 1944:
Toyama. Laid down at Nipponkai Dock Co as kaibokan No.
2423.
5 October 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-45.
20 November 1944:
Reserve Lt Aramaki Terashi (former CO of CH-28) is
appointed the Chief Equipping Officer (CEO).
23 December 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Attached to
Kure Naval District. Assigned to Kure Guard Unit. Lt Aramaki Terashi is the CO.
5 February 1945:
Attached to Yokosuka Naval District.
6 February 1945:
Reserve LtCdr Iwata Sueji (former CO of CD-35) is
appointed the CO.
6 March 1945:
CD-45, auxiliary minesweeper MISAGO MARU No. 3,
auxiliary minelayer TAKACHIHO MARU and minesweeper W-27 begin escorting a convoy
in Ise Bay area.
8 March 1945:
The escort operation ends.
12 March 1945:
CD-45 escorts a convoy in Ise Bay area.
17-18 March 1945:
CD-45 escorts a convoy in Ise Bay area.
22-23 March 1945:
CD-45 escorts a convoy in Ise Bay area.
26-27 March 1945:
CD-45 escorts a convoy in Ise Bay area.
30 March 1945:
At 0200 departs Shimizu bound for Omaezaki, escorting
KURETAKE MARU.
Spring 1945:
Reassigned to Fourth Special Attack Unit at Toba, Mie
Prefecture. Converted to a tender for "Shinyo" explosive motor boats (EMBs).
28 July 1945:
Owase Bay. At 0604, CD-45, moored at Furusato pier
in a cove on the NE side of the bay is attacked by two flights of F4U
"Corsair" Mk.IIs from FAA No. 1842 Sqn. from HMS FORMIDABLE, dropping eight
500-lb bombs. Sub-Lt Harold K. Quilter (RNVR) scores a near hit while Sub-Lt
Ian Stirling (RNZNVR) hits CD-45's port side below the bridge at 0605. Their
fighters are hit by flak and ditch in Owase Bay. Both pilots are rescued by
USS SCABBARDFISH (SS-397) under LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Frederick A. Gunn
(USNA '34), patrolling off the mouth of the bay.
CD-45's bridge is heavily damaged and her CO heavily wounded; a fire
breaks out. The forward 12-cm AA mount is jammed in train and a 25-mm twin
mount thrown overboard by the bomb explosion. The steering gear, radio and
sonar rooms are heavily damaged. The navigating officer assumes the command.
CD-45 is next attacked by a flight of 7 FG-1D "Corsairs" of VBF-1 and 3
Grumann F6F-5 "Hellcats" of VF-1 from USS BENNINGTON (CV-20), conducting an
anti-shipping strike off the coast of Nagoya area. Lt. John M. Breen, leading
the VF-1 fighters, scores one 5-in HVAR rocket hit; his F6F-5 receives minor
flak damage. The VBF-1 fighters launch 24 rockets and drop one bomb in three
separate attacks; Ens. Edmund Barzyk is credited with two direct rocket hits
amidships the target (identified as a destroyer escort). The burning CD-45 is
run aground in shallow water off Furusato at 34-05E, 136-15E and abandoned by
her crew. A total of 30 sailors are killed and 19 wounded.
Submarine tender KOMAHASHI, subchaser CH-14 and guardboat BANSHU MARU
No. 18 are sunk, auxiliary subchaser SHOWA MARU No. 10, auxiliary
minesweepers KEIJIN MARU Nos. 1 and 2 heavily damaged.
VBF-1 Ens. Oren F. Fisher's (USNR) "Corsair" receives a shell hit
during the attack and crashes into the sea when attempting to land; Fisher
is killed.
30 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
30 April 1948:
Owase. Scrapped.
Authors' Note:
Thanks go to Messrs. Iwasaki Yutaka of Japan, Gilbert
Casse of France and Mr Jeff Donahoo of Iowa, USA. Special thanks go to our
reader John Fuller for providing additional details about the CD-45's loss.
-Bob Hackett, Peter Cundall and Sander Kingsepp.
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