© 2009-2016 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
15 August 1944:
Tsurumi. Laid down at Nippon Kokan K. K.’s shipyard.
29 October 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-53.
28 November 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN.
24 January 1945:
At 2100 departs from an unidentified location (probably Tsurumi but not stated).
25 January 1945:
At 0900 arrives at Moji.
26 January 1945:
At 0800, CD-53 departs Moji via Sasebo and Takao for Singapore with destroyers NOKAZE and KAMIKAZE and kaibokan SHONAN, KUME and CD-25 escorting convoy HI-91 consisting of transport/cargo liners SANUKI and KITSURIN MARUs and tankers TOJO and EIYO MARUs.
28 January 1945:
Yellow Sea, NE of Shanghai, China, off Kokuzan To. Cdr (later Captain) Gordon W. Underwood’s (USNA ’32) USS SPADEFISH and LtCdr (later Captain) Stephen H. Gimber's (USNA ’35) USS POMPON (SS-267) make contact with a three-ship convoy with four escorts. USS POMPON makes two night submerged approaches, but the escorts drive her off each time. At about 0200, while two escorts pin down USS POMPON astern of the convoy, Underwood’s submerged USS SPADEFISH slips in on the disengaged side of convoy and attacks. At 0240, Underwood torpedoes and sinks KUME at 33-54N, 122-55E with the loss of 89 crewmen. At 0313, in a second attack, Underwood fires three torpedoes at SANUKI MARU carrying 52 Type 1 EMBs and 167 men of the 43rd Shinyo Squadron, as well as 26 Type 5 EMBs and 183 men of the 101st Shinyo Squadron, and all three hit. She sinks at 33-55N, 122-55E 55E taking down her CO, Captain Kamioka Kohyo (48) promoted Rear Admiral posthumously, all 78 EMBs and all of the 43rd Shinyo Squadron's men and but 20 men of the 101st Shinyo Squadron. KAMIKAZE rescues survivors from both ships, including KUME's CO Reserve LtCdr Nihei Kou, and is detached to Chinkai to land them.
29 January 1945:
At 0730, convoy HI-93 departs Moji for Singapore consisting of KIYOKAWA MARU and oilers TOA and TOHO MARUs escorted by kaibokan CD-61, CD-63 and CD-207. The convoy hugs the continental coast stopping each night at a different anchorage.
1 February 1945:
HI-91 arrives at Langyeh Wan, Hainan Island.
2 February 1945:
At 1500, HI-91 convoy departs Hainan Island.
3 February 1945:
At 1915, arrives at Qui Sande Bay, Indochina. CD-53 is detached.
4 February 1945:
At 0900 at Samah CD-53 joins convoy HI-93 as an additional escort.
5 February 1945:
Hainan Sea. KIYOKAWA MARU is detached for Yulin.
6 February 1945:
At 2000, HI-93 arrives at Van Phong Bay, Indochina.
7 February 1945:
At 0700, departs Van Phong Bay. At 1050, LtCdr John M. Hyde’s (USNA ’34) USS BERGALL (SS-320) attacks the convoy’s starboard side. TOHO MARU is hit by two torpedoes, but manages to continue on. CD-53 is hit, breaks in two and sinks at 11-53N, 109-22E with 109 crew killed.
10 April 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Thanks to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.
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