© 2009-2014 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
5 October 1944:
Tsurumi. Laid down at Nippon Kokan K. K.'s shipyard.
3 December 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-71.
12 March 1945:
Completed and registered in the IJN.
April 1945:
Assigned to the General Escort Command’s First Surface Escort Division.
30 April 1945:
Arrives at Nanao Bay with other kaibokan of the 11th Escort Squadron.
1 June 1945:
Temporarily reassigned to 103rd Escort Squadron.
15 July 1945:
Reserve LtCdr Takano Mamoru is appointed Commanding Officer.
15 August 1945:
Tokyo. Japan accepts the Allies “Potsdam Declaration” (of unconditional surrender) and hostilities cease.
5 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List. That same day, departs Sasebo on her first repatriation voyage.
11 October 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
25 October 1945:
Departs Manila.
30 October 1945:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
29 November 1945:
Departs Kure.
1 December 1945:
Formally assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service. [1]
5 December 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
9 December 1945:
Departs Manila.
14 December 1945:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.
26 December 1945:
Departs Kure.
3 January 1946:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
6 January 1946:
Departs Manila.
9 January 1946:
Arrives at Takao. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
13 January 1946:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.
18 January 1946:
Enters dockyard at Kure for repairs.
25 January 1946:
Repairs are completed.
1 February 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
2 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun (Keelung). Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
5 February 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
7 February 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
10 February 1946:
Arrives at Keelung. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
11 February 1946:
Departs Keelung.
13 February 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
25 February 1946:
Enters dockyard at Tamano for repairs.
8 April 1946:
Repairs are completed.
12 April 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
14 April 1946 :
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
15 April 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
17 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
21 April 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
23 April 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
25 April 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
27 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
1 May 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
3 May 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
5 May 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
7 May 1946:
Arrives at Uraga. Disembarks troops and passengers.
9 May 1946:
Enters dockyard at Uraga for repairs.
20 June 1946:
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 (i.e. U.S., U.K., USSR, China). 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.
28 August 1947:
Nakhodka Bay, Siberia, Maritime Province. CH-71 is ceded to the Soviet Navy as a war reparation.
Late October 1947:
Transferred to Vladivostok.
Authors' Note:
[1] 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 and Mr. Matt Jones of Ohio, USA.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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