© 2007-2016 Bob Hackett, Peter Cundall and Sander Kingsepp
Revision 3
1 July 1944:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ shipyard.
20 September 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-63.
15 October 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Attached to Maizuru Naval District. Assigned to Maizuru Guard Force.
23 November 1944:
At 0700 departs Kure and at 1930 arrives at Moji.
25 November 1944:
At 2000, CD-63 departs Moji for Singapore with escort carrier KAIYO, destroyers YUZUKI and KAMIKAZE and kaibokan CD-25, CD-35, CD-64 and CD-207 escorting convoy HI-83 consisting of transport/cargo liners SANUKI, TEIHOKU (ex French PERSEE), ORYOKU and NISSHO MARUs for Manila and tankers KYOKUUN, SEISHIN, HARIMA, TOA and EISHO MARUs. A further tanker in the convoy, AKASHI MARU is bound for Takao only.
30 November 1944:
At 0600, convoy HI-83 arrives at Takao. TEIHOKU (ex French PERSEE) and AKASHI MARUs are detached. The Manila contingent is detached from the convoy. KAIYO stops at nearby Saei.
1 December 1944:
The convoy departs Takao joined by tanker MIRI MARU and patrol boat PB-102 (ex-USS STEWART, DD-224). KAIYO rejoins the convoy from Saei.
3 December 1944:
At 0522, MIRI MARU opens fire on a surfaced enemy submarine sighted between MIRI and SEISHIN MARUs. One hour later, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Frank W. Fenno's (USNA ’25) USS PAMPANITO (SS-383) torpedoed and damages
SEISHIN MARU that heads to Yulin, Hainan Island with CD-207.
At 0607, LtCdr (later Cdr) William N. Deragon's (USNA ’34) USS PIPEFISH (SS-388) torpedoes and sinks CD-64 at 18-36N, 111-54E. The convoy breaks up and each ship independently retreats towards Hainan Island. CD-63 continues searching for survivors.
9 December 1944:
Arrives at Quinhon.
13 December 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
26 December 1944:
At 1158, CD-63 departs Singapore for Moji with escort carrier KAIYO, minelayer NIIZAKI, kaibokan CD-25, CD-207 and OKINAWA and patrol boat PB-102 (ex-USS STEWART, DD-224) escorting convoy HI-84 consisting of transport AWA MARU, oilers AKASHI, TOA, RYOEI, AMATO and MIRI MARUs, transport IKUTAGAWA MARU and one unidentified ship.
29 December 1944:
At 1157, HI-84 arrives at Cape St. Jacques (near Saigon) and departs at 1625 the same day. AKASHI and IKUTAGAWA MARUs remain behind. CD-27 and CD-34 join the convoy at this point.
30 December 1944:
South China Sea. HI-84 passes CarDiv 4's hybrid battleship/carriers ISE and HYUGA, cruisers OYODO and ASHIGARA, DesDiv 2's ASASHIMO and DesDiv 18's KASUMI that are enroute south from Camranh Bay. Later that day, HI-84 arrives at Binhoang Bay, Indochina.
31 December 1944:
At 0745, HI-84 departs Binhoang Bay. Soon after departure, LtCdr Otis R. Cole's (USNA ’36) USS DACE (SS-247) fires three torpedoes at KAIYO, but gets no hits. There is no counterattack, as the convoy seems unaware of the attack. At 1804, HI-84 arrives at Quinhon, Indochina.
1 January 1945:
Departs Quinhon.
2 January 1945:
At 0105, arrives at Tourane, Indochina.
3 January 1945:
At 0755 departs Tourane. Later S of Hainan Island. MIRI MARU strikes a mine and her engine room floods. She is left behind, but manages to reach Hong Kong.
5 January 1945:
At 1840, convoy HI-84 arrives at the Hong Kong area and departs at 1937.
9 January 1945:
Arrives at Chusan Retto (archipelago), E of Shanghai.
10 January 1945:
Departs Chusan Retto.
13 January 1945:
At 1725, arrives at Moji.
14 January 1945:
Departs Sasebo and at 1000 arrives at Kure. Undergoes repairs.
26 January 1945:
At 0700 CD-61, CD-63 and CD-207 depart Kure and at 1600 arrive at Moji.
29 January 1945:
At 0730, CD-63 departs Moji with kaibokan CD-61 and CD-207 escorting convoy HI-93 consisting of KIYOKAWA MARU and tankers TOHO and TOA MARUs.
4 February 1945:
CD-53 joins convoy HI-93 as an additional escort.
5 February 1945:
Hainan Sea. KIYOKAWA MARU is detached for Yulin with CD-61, CD-63 and CD-207. The escorts arrive at 1830 and depart at 1930.
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. At 1615, the remaining ships enter Camranh Bay.
8 February 1945:
At 1300, departs Camranh Bay.
9 February 1945:
At 0840, CD 61 is damaged by a mine near St Jacques. At 0930, arrives at St Jacques where TOHO MARU and CD-61 are detached. At 1130, TOA MARU and CD-63 and CD-207 depart.
12 February 1945:
At 1230, arrives at Singapore.
23 February 1945:
At 0755, CD-63 departs Singapore for Moji with kaibokan CD-207 escorting convoy HI-94 consisting of fleet oiler HARIO and TOA MARU.
26 February 1945:
Anchors at Obi Island, Indochina.
28 February 1945:
At 0130, arrives at Nha Trang Bay, Indochina, then departs a few hours later.
Cap Varella, Indochina. At 0832, that same day, the convoy encounters an unidentified enemy submarine. TOA MARU drops depth charges, but without effect.
1 March 1945:
At 2150, most of the convoy arrives at Yulin in a dense fog.
2 March 1945:
At 0900 CD-63 and CD-207 depart Yulin and patrol.
3 March 1945:
Yulinakin Bay, Hainan Island. Royal Australian Air Force PBY "Catalina" float planes, based in the Philippines, mine the bay.
At 0800, convoy HI-94 departs Yulin, but at 0947, HARIO hits a mine and begins to flood. The convoy reverses course while HARIO’s crew tries to save their ship.
4 March 1945:
Off Cape Bastian. The flooding overwhelms the crew’s efforts. At 1507, HARIO sinks at 18-10N, 109-40E. Captain Miyata Eizo (49) apparently survives as does an unknown number of her crew.
5 March 1945:
At 0800, TOA MARU and escorts depart Yulin.
7 March 1945:
At 2300, anchors at Nanao Dao.
8 March 1945:
At 2330, anchors at Hsing Hua Bay.
9 March 1945:
At 0630, departs Hsing Hua Bay. At 2230, arrives at Heiniu Bay.
10 March 1945:
At 0630, departs Hei Niu Bay. Soon after kaibokan OKINAWA and minelayer NIIZAKI join the convoy.
12 March 1945:
CD-63 conducts a depth-charge attack against an unidentified submarine. The explosions wreck her sonar head and cause multiple fuel leaks. At 1935, arrives Saegil Do (Seinichi To), Korea.
13 March 1945:
At 0623, departs Saengil Do. Soon after at 0700 OKINAWA is detached. At 1510, arrives at Katoku Strait.
14 March 1945:
At 0600, departs Katoku Strait. At 0645, kaibokan OKI joins convoy as an additional escort. At 1700, arrives at Mutsure.
15 March 1945:
At 0620 departs Mutsure and at 0710 arrives at Moji.
16 March 1945:
At 0715, departs Moji. At 1800, arrives at Nagasaki.
17 March 1945:
At 0650, departs Nagasaki. At 1015, arrives at Sasebo. Undergoes repairs.
4 April 1945:
At 0700, departs Sasebo with kaibokan CD-207 and OKINAWA.
5 April 1945:
At 0800, arrives Hyongje Do (Kyotai Jima) near Cheju (Saishu) Island.
7 April 1945:
At 0600, the escorts depart port and maintain a series of patrols and anti submarine sweeps between Hyongje Do and Ssu Chiao Shan and distant cover for convoy MOSHI-03 (KINSEN MARU)
25 April 1945:
At 1045, arrives at Tsingtao (Seito).
4 May 1945:
At 0330, departs Tsingtao.
6 May 1945:
At 2000, joins the convoy and begins escorting liner KOTOBUKI (ex-Italian CONTE VERDE) MARU with and CD-207 and four unidentified kaibokani.
7-9 May 1945:
Beats off air attacks by Martin PBM "Mariner" and Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" heavy bombers.
9 May 1945:
At 1315, arrives at Mokpo (Moppo), Korea. CD-63 is detached.
10 May 1945:
Departs Mokpo escorting TATSUMIYA MARU.
12 May 1945:
At 1200, arrives at Tsingtao (Seito).
20 May 1945:
At 0900, departs Tsingtao escorting convoy CO-01 consisting of tanker JAKARUTA MARU escorted by kaibokan CD-63, CD-192 and KANAWA.
22 May 1945:
At 2053, kaibokan CD-207 arrives and CD 63 detaches.
23 May 1945:
At 1200, arrives back at Tsingtao.
29 May 1945:
At 0800, CD-63 departs Tsingtao, N China, for Hikin To (Pigum Do), SW Korea, with kaibokan OKINAWA, CD-213 and four unidentified warships escorting convoy SE-07 consisting of KOYO, FUSAN and NIKKI MARUs and NANKI MARU No. 2, BANSHU MARU No. 62 and BANSHU MARU No. 66. That night, anchors at Shihtao Bay.
30 May 1945:
At 0330, departs Shihtao Bay.
31 May 1945:
At 0730, anchors Aoba Jima (Anma Do)
1 June 1945:
At 0730 arrives at Hikin To, then proceeds to Japan, probably escorting unidentified ships formerly of convoy SE-07.
June 1945: American Operation “Barney”:
Tsushima Strait, Japan. Cdr (later Captain) George E. Pierce’s (USNA ’32) USS TUNNY (SS-282) with LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Richard B. Lynch’s (USNA ’35) USS SKATE (SS-305) and LtCdr (later Cdr) Lawrence L. Edge’s (USNA ’35) USS BONEFISH (SS-223) are organized as the “Polecats” and equipped with FM Sonar gear to detect mines. Once the minefields are detected and charted, shipping in the Sea of Japan will be open to predation by American subs. The Polecats foray into the Sea of Japan for the next several weeks and sink several ships.
15 June 1945:
Kaibokan of the 31st Escort Division commence defensive anti-submarine sweeps in the Toyama Bay area.
19 June 1945:
Nanao Bay. At 0615, USS BONEFISH torpedoes KONZAN MARU at 37-13N, 137-18E. One crewman is killed. The 31st Escort Division is alerted immediately and CD-63, OKINAWA (F) and CD-207 arrive at the scene of sinking. OKINAWA makes sonar contact with a submerged submarine and drops a series of depth charges set to a depth of 295 to 390 feet. Next, CD-63 and CD-207 attack. CD-158 is also dispatched to the same location. After another attack, the sonar contact is lost. Pieces of cork and oil are sighted at 37-18N, 137-55E. USS BONEFISH is lost with all 85 hands.
10 August 1945:
Towards the evening CD-63 departs Nanao Bay in company of CD-81 and CD-207 for Genzan (now Wonsan), Korea. Soon after departing the anchorage, CD-63 strikes a mine, probably laid by a 20th Air Force B-29. Her bow is blown off and a heavy flooding occurs, but there are no casualties.
CD-81 and CD-207 take the heavily damaged escort in tow and beach her in shallow water. The Genzan sortie is canceled.
30 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
October 1947 - 30 April 1948:
Scrapped at Tamano Zosen Shipyard.
Authors' Note:
Thanks go to Mr. Iwasaki Yutaka of Japan and Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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