© 2009-2016 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 2
15 May 1944:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Ship Building, Ltd.
7 August 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-54.
30 September 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN.
8 November 1944:
At 0020 departs Sasebo and at 1630 arrives at Miike.
10 November 1944:
At 1530 CD-54 departs Miike, Kyushu for Manila with kaibokan CD-8, CD-9, CD-28, auxiliary subchaser CHa-24 and an unidentified warship escorting convoy MOMA-07 consisting of KENJO, NARUO, GYOKUYO, JINYO, FUKUYO, TATSUAKI (a.k.a. TATSUSHO), MIHO, SHIROUMA (HAKUBA) and SHINFUKU MARUs and MINO MARU and KONAN MARU No. 1.
11 November 1944:
Near Cape Ose Sea, Goto Archipelago. At 0906, Cdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Charles E. Loughlin’s (USNA ’33) USS QUEENFISH (SS-393) fires four torpedoes and hits MIHO MARU in the bow. Unable to keep up with the convoy, she heads for Sasebo. The escorts drop 55 depth-charges on USS QUEENFISH, but she remains undamaged.
12 November 1944:
248 miles SW of Nagasaki. At 0420, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral/MOH) Eugene B. Fluckey’s (USNA ’35) USS BARB (SS-220) torpedoes NARUO and GYOKUYO MARUs at 31-30N 125-57E. NARUO MARU, hit by one or more torpedoes, blows up and sinks instantly. She was carrying 20,000 shells and army troops. 72 crewmen, 131 gunners & 490 soldiers are KIA.
GYOKUYO MARU is hit by a torpedo in the engine spaces. She goes dead in the water and begins to drift. Later, JINYO MARU attempts to tow the cripple, but the towline parts. The passengers are transfered to other ships. The escorts drop seven depth-charges on USS BARB and inflict slight damage. CD-8 escorts JINYO MARU.
At about 0620, LtCdr Robert H. Caldwell’s (USNA ’36) USS PETO (SS-265) torpedoes TATSUAKI MARU at 31-46N, 125-40E. One strikes No. 2 hold, a huge explosion occurs. She lists over, then explodes. She was carrying many passengers (naval recruits). 65 crewmen, 20 gunners and 125 soldiers of the 18th Sea Raiding Battalion, the 19th Division, and Southern Army headquarters are KIA. JINYO MARU rushes to the area from where the attack came and drops depth-charges.
13 November 1944:
At 0950, arrives at Ssu Chiao Shan (Shushan Islands, E of Shanghai). JINYO MARU and CD-8 arrive later at 1600. At 1651 CD-8 departs and joins CD-9 in a submarine sweep.
14 November 1944:
155 miles E of Shanghai. About midnight, LtCdr Gordon W. Underwood’s (USNA ‘32) USS SPADEFISH (SS-411) fires five torpedoes by radar bearings at GYOKUYO MARU being towed by kaibokan CD-8 towards Shanghai. Hit by several torpedoes, GYOKUYO MARU sinks at 31-04N, 125-58E. She was carrying 456 troops and 110 shinyo explosive boats. 46 crewmen, 100 troops and an unknown number of passengers are KIA but most passengers had been taken off before the sinking. The 14th loses 100 of the squadron's: 188 men, and the 15th looses 121 of its 186 men.
At 1900 CD-8 and CD-9 arrive back at Ssu Chiao Shan.
16 November 1944:
At 0630 the convoy departs Ssu Chiao Shan and at 2300 arrives at Sanmen Wan.
17 November 1944:
At 0900 the convoy departs Sanmen Wan.
19 November 1944:
At 1200, the convoy arrives at Takao and is dissolved.
23 November 1944:
At 1530, CD-54 departs Takao for Manila with old destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-1, CD-3, CD-8, CD-28, subchasers CH-17, CH-18, CH-37 and CH-38 escorting convoy TAMA-32A consisting of AKAGISAN, HAGIKAWA, SORACHI, JINYO, NICHIYO, SHOEI, WAYO, MINO, SHIROUMA 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, arrives at Manila. At 1630 CD-54 departs Manila.
3 December 1944:
CD-54 departs Takao with destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-28 and CH-33 and two unidentified warships escorting convoy TAMA-34 consisting of JINYO, KENJO, YAMAKUNI, FUKUYO and YASUKUNI MARUs, BANSHU MARU No. 31 and SHINPUKU MARU.
6 December 1944:
At 2147, a concerted wolfpack attack begins by Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Roy M. Davenport's (USNA ’33) USS TREPANG (SS-412) and LtCdr James D. Fulp's (USNA ’34) USS SEGUNDO (SS-398).
Davenport torpedoes and sinks JINYO MARU at 18-30N 121-57E. She was carrying elements of the Army’s 18th and 19th Sea Raiding Battalions, 50 horses, 120 war dogs, 200 depth charges, 50 shinyo explosive boats and 15 trucks. 44 crewmen and 1,427 troops are KIA. At 2237, Fulp torpedoes YASUKUNI MARU that runs aground and is later abandoned near 18-59N 120-56E. She was carrying 315 troops, 155 passengers, coal, vehicles and tanks. 25 crewmen and three guards are KIA. Passenger casualties are unknown. At 2358 Davenport hits FUKUYO MARU with three torpedoes. She blows up and sinks nearby. She was carrying lead elements of the 71st Mountain Artillery from the 71st Division, soldiers of the 18th Sea Raiding Battalion and cadets headed for the Southern Army. Also aboard was the 34th Field Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion with eighteen 75mm antiaircraft guns totaling 921 men, of which 913 together with 66 gunners and 94 crewmen are KIA. BANSHU MARU No. 31 is also sunk with no survivors of her crew (23 men) around this time at 18-54N, 120-49E.
7 December 1944:
At 0005, Fulp's USS SEGUNDO torpedoes and sinks KENJO MARU at 18-52N, 121-57E. Many of her 379 troops and 78 crew are KIA. YAMAKUNI MARU, damaged by Davenport's USS TREPANG, goes no further than N San Fernando.
9 December 1944:
SHINPUKU MARU arrives at Manila with escorts less CD-54 that is detached to rescue YASUKUNI MARU.
15 December 1944:
N of Calayan Island, Luzon Channel. Task Force 38 planes sink CD-54 at 19-25N, 121-25E.
10 February 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Thanks also to Gilbert Casse of France.
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