© 2009-2017 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 4
1 August 1944:
Laid down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Ohtawo shipyard, near Nagasaki.
2 November 1944:
Launched and numbered CD-74.
20 November 1944:
Reserve LtCdr Tamaki Makoto is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
10 December 1944:
CD-74 is commissioned and registered in the IJN. Attached to Yokosuka Naval District. LtCdr Tamaki is the Commanding Officer. Attached to the Kure Guard Unit. Soon thereafter, cruises to Saeki, northeast Kyushu. Upon arrival, CD-74 carries out anti-submarine and general training at the anti-submarine school based at Saeki.
4-11 January 1945:
CD-74 carries out an anti-submarine sweep in the direction of Tori-Jima, an island several hundred miles south of Tokyo Bay.
25 January 1945:
Cruises to Yokosuka.
12 February 1945:
Departs Chichi-Jima on convoy escort duty.
13 February 1945:
Enroute back to Japan, the convoy is attacked by a lone USAAF B-29 heavy-bomber. One of the merchant ships incurs slight damage. CD-74 drives off the attacker with gunfire.
14 February 1945:
Arrives at Uraga, Tokyo Bay.
15-16 February 1945:
CD-74 is attached to the 1st Sweeping Force. Participates in the S-21 Operation.
15 February 1945:
At about 2300, in the vicinity of Toshima, south of Tokyo Bay, CD-74 detects two enemy submarines that fire torpedoes, but all miss. The results of CD-74's depth charge counter-attack are obscure. The identity of these submarines, if there were any, remains unknown.
25 February 1945:
CD-74 joins the Tokyo Bay Northern Escort Force.
5 March 1945:
Departs Tateyama, near Tokyo Bay escorting 10,241-ton tanker SABANG MARU.
6 March 1945:
CD-74 returns to Tateyama.
12 March 1945:
Departs Yokosuka escorting convoy No. 3312 consisting of NANYO MARU No. 1. Later that day arrives at Yamada.
13 March 1945:
Departs Yamada and later that day arrives at Hachijo-Jima, south of Tokyo Bay.
16 March 1945:
Departs Hachijo Jima escorting convoy No. 4316 consisTING OF NANYO MARU No. 1 for Yokosuka.
17 March 1945:
Arrives at Yokosuka and undergoes repairs for the remainder of the month.
5 April 1945:
CD-74 departs Yokosuka escorting convoy No. 3405 consisting of RYUJIN MARU.
6 April 1945:
Arrives at Hachijo Jima.
7 April 1945:
Departs Hachijo Jima with kaibokan SHISAKA escorting NIKKO MARU No. 2. At 2030 NIKKO MARU No. 2 breaks her propellor and is taken in tow by SHISAKA.
8 April 1945:
The convoy arrives at Tateyama.
CD-74 apparently doubles back and returns to Hachijo Jima.
9 April 1945:
CD-74 departs Hachijo Jima escorting RYUJIN MARU.
10 April 1945:
Arrives at Tateyama Wan.
11 April 1945:
Departs Tateyama and later that day arrives at Yokosuka.
April 1945:
Participates in anti-submarine sweeps in the Ogasawara Gunto (Bonin Islands) area.
14 April 1945:
Departs Yokosuka but later that day returns to Yokosuka.
15 April 1945:
Departs Yokosuka.
16 April 1945:
Arrives at Katsuura.
18 April 1945:
Departs Katsuura.
19 April 1945:
Arrives at Onagawa.
22 April 1945:
Departs Onagawa.
23 April 1945:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
5 May 1945:
Departs Yokosuka.
10 May 1945:
Arrives at Ominato.
13 May 1945:
Departs Ominato.
14 May 1945:
Arrives at Otaru.
17 May 1945:
Departs Otaru escorting a convoy.
18 May 1945:
Arrives at Wakkanai.
28 May 1945:
Departs Wakkanai escorting O convoy consisting of HOKUSHIN and AWA MARUs. The convoy had departed from Otaru with KASADO as escort.
1 June 1945:
Arrives at Matsuwa Jima.
22 June 1945:
Departs Ominato escorting tanker HORAI MARU No. 10 to Onagawa.
July 1945:
Conducts escort duty off the north coast of Honshu.
July 1945:
Attached to the Ominato Guard District. Carries out anti-submarine sweeping and convoy escort duty in the Kurile Islands.
14 July 1945:
Very early, in fine weather CD-74 enters Muroran, southern Hokkaido with a convoy. Reports are received that an enemy carrier task force is beginning operations in northern Japanese waters. As a consequence, the convoy’s departure is postponed and the ships remain in the harbor awaiting developments, CD-74's crew remains at action stations. CD-65, CD-215 and minesweeper W-24 are also present in the harbor.
At 0830, a large formation of about 130 carrier-based aircraft of Vice Admiral John S. McCain’s Task Force 38 attacks the convoy with machine-guns, bombs and rockets. CD-74 returns fire with all guns. Soon, one merchant ship is sunk and another heavily damaged. Raging fires break out on the latter.
15 miles S of Muroran. CD-74 is rocked by bomb explosions fore and aft in the vicinity of No. 1 main gun and in the area of her depth charge equipment. This is followed by a bomb near miss amidships to starboard. The underwater explosion has a mining effect in the shallow water. CD-74 rapidly fills with water and sinks at 42-21N, 140-59E. 22 crewmen are KIA and about 20 wounded.
CD-65 is also sunk, but CD-215 incurs only slight damage. CD-74 claims to have shot-down two of the attackers and damaged others.
15 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Note:
Special thanks for assistance in developing this TROM go to the late Bill Somerville of the USA and to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.
Thanks also to Mr. Matt Jones of Ohio, USA for help in identifying COs.
-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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