© 2007-2017 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 5
15 May 1944:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Ltd.
7 August 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-52.
1 September 1944:
Reserve LtCdr Ikeda Torao (former navigating officer of TSURUMI) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
25 September 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Reserve LtCdr Ikeda Torao is the Commanding Officer.
1 November 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
3 November 1944:
At 1000, CD-52 departs Moji for Miri, Borneo with kaibokan CD-23, CD-33, CD-51 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 (2764 gt) 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.
16 November 1944:
Arrives at Cap St. Jacques. CD-52, CD-33, ATAGO and GYOSHIN MARUs are detached. CD-23 and CD-51 remain behind.
21 November 1944:
At 1700 CD-33, CD-130 and CD-52 depart St Jacques but return at 2330.
22 November 1944:
At 1700, CD-52 departs St. Jacques with CD-33 and CD-130 escorting ATAGO and GYOSHIN MARUs.
26 November 1944:
At 1330, convoy MI-25 arrives at Miri. Later that day at 1827 CD-33 and CD-52 depart Miri to assist in lifesaving operations for tanker YUHO MARU sinking.
27 November 1944:
At 0735 the ships arrive back at Miri.
29 November 1944:
At 1900 CD-52 departs Miri with CD-33 and CD-130 escorting MI-26 convoy consisting of GYOSHIN MARU and two other tankers.
5 December 1944:
Arrives at St. Jacques. GYOSHIN MARU is detached.
8 December 1944:
Departs St Jacques in convoy MI-26 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships escorted by kaibokan CD-33, CD-8, CD-52 and CD-61 and auxiliary gunboat HUASHAN (KAZAN) MARU.
9 December 1944:
At 1922 arrives at Camranh Bay.
11 December 1944:
At 0803 departs Camranh Bay and at 1754 arrives at Ban Lon.
12 December 1944:
At 0605 departs Ban Long and at 1820 arrives at Qui Sande Bay.
13 December 1944:
At 0830 departs Qui Sande Bay.
15 December 1944:
At 2332, arrives at Yulin.
18 December 1944:
At 1737, departs Yulin.
23 December 1944:
At 1708, arrives at Saei, Formosa.
24 December 1944:
At 0151, the convoy departs Saei.
28 December 1944:
At 0921, arrives at Ssu Chiao Shan, Chusan Islands and at 1815 departed from there. CD-33 is probably detached at this point.
1 January 1945:
At 0800 arrives at Moji. At 1800 arrives at Futaoi Jima near Moji.
2 January 1945:
Departs Futaoi Jima.
3 January 1945:
CD-52 enters drydocked at Sasebo for upkeep. Later that day, convoy MI-26 arrives at Moji.
5 January 1945:
Reassigned to 22nd Coast Defense Group activated on that day.
10 January 1945:
At 0900 departs Moji with CD-52 and CD-61 escorting MOTA-31. At 1800 arrives at Karatsu Wan.
11 January 1945:
At 0600 departs Karatsu Wan but soon after the convoy is stopped and at 1700 the three escorts arrive at Sasebo. Undergoes repairs.
22 January 1945:
Departs Sasebo.
23 January 1945:
The CO of the 22nd Coast Defense Group, Capt Abe Tokuma (50)(former CO of SAMIDARE) hoists his flag in CD-52. That same day arrives at Moji.
24 January 1945:
At 0700, CD-52 departs Moji for Singapore with kaibokan CD-8, CD-32 escorting convoy HI-89 consisting of fleet oiler HARIO, NICHINAN MARU, and TATEKAWA MARU No. 2.
25 January 1945:
At 0100, the convoy anchors in Gako Bay, southern Korea.
26 January 1945:
At 0700, the convoy departs Gako Bay.
28 January 1945:
At 0800, arrives at Nayo, China coast and departs at midnight.
30 January 1945:
At about 0050, the convoy is attacked by a large bomber, but it does no damage to the convoy. During the evening the convoy arrives at Hunghai Bay (NE of Hong Kong).
31 January 1945:
At 0300, departs Hunghai Bay.
1 February 1945:
At 1900, the convoy arrives at Yulin, Hainan Island.
2 February 1945:
At 1700, departs Yulin.
3 February 1945:
Arrives Quinhon Bay.
4 February 1945:
Departs Quinhon Bay.
7 February 1945:
At 2000, HARIO develops engine trouble. HARIO and CD-8 are detached.
8 February 1945:
At 1530, the convoy arrives at Singapore.
15 February 1945:
At 1100, CD-52 departs Singapore for Moji with kaibokan CD-8 and CD-32 escorting convoy HI-90 consisting of EIYO and NICHINAN MARUs.
19 February 1945:
At 2200, the convoy anchors at Ca Na, southern
Indochina.
20 February 1945:
At 0800, departs Ca Na. At 0902, LtCdr Ralph H. Lockwood's (USNA ‘38) USS GUAVINA (SS-362) torpedoes EIYO MARU. Three torpedoes hit the starboard side in the vicinity of her engine room. She floods and starts to sink by the stern. At about 0930, fires break out forward as crude oil loosed into the sea catches on fire. At 1300, EIYO MARU sinks engulfed in flames at 11-55N, 109-20E, 12 miles NE of Cape Paderan light house. 27 passengers, 20 Military escorts and 33 crewmen are KIA. During the next seven hours, USS GUAVINA lays on the bottom at only 130 feet (40 m) while the convoy's escorts and planes drop 98 depth-charges and bombs. USS GUAVINA incurs some damage, but makes the Fiji Islands for refit.
NICHINAN MARU, carrying 7000 tons of aviation gasoline, quickly turns about and heads back to the Ca Na anchorage. A short while later, she sets out again. At 1324, LtCdr (later Cdr) William H. Hazzard's (USNA ‘35) USS BLENNY (SS-324) fires six torpedoes without getting any hits. CD-52, CD-8 and CD-32 counter-attack and drop 41 depth-charges that damage USS BLENNY. At 1920, the convoy anchors in Van
Phong Bay, Indochina.
21 February 1945:
At 0950, departs Van Phong Bay. At 1900, arrives at Quinhon Bay.
22 February 1945:
At 0715, departs Quinhon Bay.
23 February 1945:
Gulf of Tonkin. At about 1950. there is a B-24 "Liberator" heavy-bomber raid, but no damage is incurred. At 2340, the convoy arrives at a Hainan Island anchorage.
24 February 1945:
At 2330, the convoy arrives at a deep anchorage at Hainan Island.
25 February 1945:
At 0730, departs Hainan.
28 February 1945:
At 0900, the convoy arrives at the Ssu Chiao Shan (part of Shushan (Chusan) Island Group) Island anchorage.
1 March 1945:
At 2100, departs Ssu Chiao Shan Island.
3 March 1945:
At 1734, arrives at Kyosai (now Geoje) Island.
4 March 1945:
At 0400, departs Kyosai Island and arrives safely at Moji at 1430.
5 March 1945:
At 0800 CD-8, CD-32 and CD-52 depart Moji and at 1800 arrives at Sasebo. Undergoes repairs.
19 March 1945:
At 0800 CD-8, CD-32 and CD-52 depart Sasebo.
20 March 1945:
At 1630 the escorts arrive at Moji.
21 March 1945:
At 0640 departs Moji and soon after arrives at Imari Wan. At 1500 CD-8 departs Imari Wan with kaibokan CD-32 and CD-52 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-27 in the Hosho Maru convoy consisting of tanker HOSHO MARU.
22 March 1945:
At 0800 arrives at Katoku Suido. CD-8, CD-32 and CD-52 detach at this point and kaibokan UKURU and DAITO take over.
24 March 1945:
At 0100 CD-8, CD-32 and CD-52 depart Katoku Suido escorting convoy SHIMO-01 consisting of TATSUWA, YUKIKAWA and UMEGAWA MARUs which leave nearby Chinkai at this time.
25 March 1945:
At 1550, arrives at Moji.
5 April 1945:
Hong Kong. Far East Air Force B-24s bomb and damage fleet oiler KAMOI, CD-52, CD-1 and subchasers CH-9 and CH-20 at 22-45N, 116-10E.
14 April 1945: Operation "AS-3" - Anti-submarine sweeps in Tsushima Strait and Yellow Sea:
Off Chusan Archipelago. Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) equipped Aichi E13A1 "Jake” and Kyushu Q1W1 "Lorna” patrol planes from the Chusan Detachment of the 951st NAG detect an Allied submarine and attack it with depth-charges. CD-52 and kaibokan OKINAWA, CD-8 and CD-32 are dispatched to the area and conduct several attacks between 1530 and 1558. OKINAWA makes a sonar contact with the damaged submarine and chases it for the next two hours until the contact is lost. A widening oil slick is sighted. It is possible that Cdr John F. Walling's (USNA ’35) USS SNOOK (SS-279) is lost in these attacks. [1]
25 April 1945:
At 1430, CD-52 departs Shishiyosan, E of Shanghai, for Moji with kaibokan CD-8 and CD-32 escorting convoy SHIMO-02 consisting of KINSEN and KIYOKAWA MARUs.
E 28 April 1945:
Tsushima Strait. CD-34 joins the escort of convoy SHIMO-02.
29 April 1945:
At 0720, CD-32 is detached from the convoy. At 1430, the convoy arrives at Moji.
7 June 1945:
At 1700, departs Sasebo for Shanghai with kaibokan CD-118 in an unknown FUTA-numbered convoy escorting WAKAMIYASAN MARU. That night arrives at Pusan.
13 June 1945:
Arrives Daito Wan (Taedong Bay).
14 June 1945:
At 0400, departs Daito Wan and heads across the Yellow Sea. At 1445, LtCdr Charles F. McGivern's (USNA ’38) USS SEA DEVIL (SS-400) torpedoes and sinks WAKAMIYASAN MARU at 37-35N, 123-30E. The ship is carrying 200 passengers and 330 tons of weapons, ammunition and aircraft materials. 109 passengers, 18 guards and 15 crewmen are killed.
5 July 1945:
At 1710 part of the 22nd Coast Defence Group consisting of DAITO, CHIKUBU, CD-8 and CD-52 led by training cruiser KASHIMA arrive at Maizuru.
31 July 1945:
Departs Ominato.
15 August 1945:
In Otaru. The end of hostilities.
5 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
1 December 1945:
Officially assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service. [2]
12 October 1945:
Departs Sasebo on her first repatriation voyage.
19 October 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
28 October 1945:
Arrives at Kure, probably after a breakdown. Disembarks troops and passengers.
12 November 1945:
LtCdr Araki Asakichi (64)(former CO of I-157) is appointed CO.
16 November 1945:
Arrives at Urasaki for repairs.
8 December 1945:
Repairs are partially completed.
12 December 1945:
Enters Nagasaki dockyard for further repairs
23 December 1945:
Repairs completed.
25 December 1945:
Departs Sasebo.
30 December 1945:
Arrives at Miyakojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
31 December 1945:
Departs Miyakojima.
2 January 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
6 January 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
10 January 1946:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
24 January 1946:
Departs Manila.
26 January 1946:
Arrives at Takao. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
31 January 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
8 February 1946:
Arrives at Kure for repairs.
18 February 1946:
Repairs are completed.
22 February 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
26 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun (Keelung). Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
1 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
3 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
5 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
11 March 1946:
Departs Kirun.
15 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
18 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
20 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
22 March 1946:
Departs Kirun.
23 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
25 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
28 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
29 March 1946:
Departs Kirun.
31 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
2 April 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
5 April 1946:
Arrives at Kwaren (Hua Lien), Formosa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
6 April 1946:
Departs Kwaren.
9 April 1946:
Arrives at Miyakojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
13 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
17 April 1946:
Arrives for repairs at unknown location, possibly Wakamatsu.
15 May 1946:
Repairs are completed.
22 May 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
24 May 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
25 May 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
28 May 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
1 June 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
3 June 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
5 June 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
10 June 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
13 June 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
14 June 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
18 June 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
19 June 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
21 June 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
25 June 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
27 June 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. That same day enters drydock.
14 July 1946:
Undocked. Repairs completed.
21 July 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
22 July 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
23 July 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
24 July 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
23 September 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
24 September 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
25 September 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
30 September 1946:
Departs Kure.
3 October 1946:
Arrives at Naze port, Amami-O-Shima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
5 October 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
8 October 1946:
Departs Kure.
10 October 1946:
Arrives at Naze. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
12 October 1946:
Departs Naze.
14 October 1946:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
15 October 1946:
Departs Kure.
16 October 1946:
Arrives at Naze. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
18 October 1946:
Departs Naze.
19 October 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
24 October 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
26 October 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
28 October 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
6 November 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
8 November 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that same day.
10 November 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
23 November 1946:
Enters drydock at Sasebo.
14 December 1946:
Undocked. Repairs are completed.
18 June 1947:
Dai-ichi Building, Tokyo. Japanese warships are to be divided into four roughly equal lots among the "Big Four" victorious nations. 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.
29 August 1947:
Nakhodka Bay, Siberia, Maritime Province. CH-52 is ceded to the Soviet Navy as a war reparation. Tentatively designated as patrol vessel EK-36. Under repair until early 1950.
Late October 1947:
Transferred to Vladivostok.
30 December 1954:
Redesignated as dispatch vessel NARYN.
11 March 1958:
Stricken from the Navy List, scrapped soon thereafter.
Authors' Notes:
[1] The cause of the loss of USS SNOOK, or even its sinking location, have never been officially determined.
[2] 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.
Thanks to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France for general assistance and to Mr. Sander Kingsepp of Estonia and Mr. Matthew Jones of Missisippi, USA for help in identifying COs.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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