© 2007-2016 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 3
1 May 1944:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding's yard.
20 August 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-51.
21 September 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Attached to Yokosuka Naval District. Assigned to Sasebo Guard Force.
31 October 1944:
At 1730 departs Sasebo.
1 November 1944:
At 1130 arrives at Moji.
3 November 1944:
At 1000, CD-51 departs Moji for Miri, Borneo with kaibokan CD-23, CD-33, CD-52 and CD-130 escorting convoy MI-25 consisting of
KACHOSAN, ATAGO, NIKKO, DAIRETSU, DAIA, DAITO, RYUSHO, GYOSHIN, AKAGISAN, OTSUSAN, NICHIYO, KENSEI, HINAGA, YAMAMURA, TATSUTAMA, DAISHU, DAIEI, OJIKASAN, KINSEN and SHOEI 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 Paderan, 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-51 is assigned to the General Escort Command’s 101st Escort Squadron with light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan DAITO, UKURU and CD-23.
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:
Light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan MANJU, UKURU, NOMI, KASADO, MIYAKE and CD-17 and minelayer NIIZAKI depart 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.
22 November 1944:
NICHINAN MARU is detached from convoy and escorted by CD-51 and MANJU.
24 November 1944:
At 1000 the ships arrive at Van Phong. NICHINAN MARU is left behind in care of MANJU and later minesweeper W-20 and CD-51 steams back to rejoin the convoy.
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-51 departs Moji with light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan DAITO, UKURU, CD-23 and CD-27 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 and Army transport AOBASAN MARU. The convoy hugs the littoral coast on the way south.
25 December 1944:
At 1440, enters Takao port.
27 December 1944:
CD-51 departs Takao for Singapore with light cruiser KASHII and kaibokan DAITO, UKURU, TSUSHIMA, CD-23 and CD-27 and escorting convoy HI-85 consisting of TEIHOKU (ex-French PERSEE), DAINAN, ENKEI, YAMAZAWA, ENGEN, ENCHO, DAIGYO, OESAN, FUEI, OEI, SHINGI, SERIA MARUs and cargo ship SHINYU MARU.
28 December 1944:
TSUSHIMA and TEIHOKU MARU (ex-French PERSEE) are detached from the convoy and make 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 ordered dissolved.
9 January 1945:
At 1200, CD-51 departs Cape St. Jacques for Moji with light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan DAITO, UKURU, CD-23, CD-27 and 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.
Around 1400, the planes sink CD-51. She blows up and her depth-charges detonate in the water. She sinks at 14-15N, 109-10E. 159 sailors are KIA.
The planes also sink training cruiser KASHII (621 sailors, Captain (Rear Admiral posthumously) Matsumura Midori (48) and Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral posthumously) Shibuya Shiro (44) KIA), CD-23 and YOSHU MARU (45 crewmen and five gunners lost) and EIMAN MARU (with bauxite and raw rubber. 19 crewmen and 13 gunners KIA) and damage fleet tanker SAN LUIS MARU and kaibokan DAITO, UKURU 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.
Thanks to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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