Japanese Subchasers

KUSENTEI!

IJN Subchaser CH-22: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2005-2017 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 9

1941:
Yokohama. Laid down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' shipyard.
29 May 1941:
Launched and numbered CH-22.
12 October 1941:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District. The Chief Equipping Officer, Lt (later LtCdr) Nakamura Katsuo (60), is posted Commanding Officer.
3 December 1941:
At 0855 departs Nagaura.
5 December 1941:
At 1100 arrives at Nagaura.
8 December 1941:
Yokosuka. Assigned to the 1st Naval District. Conducts antisubmarine patrols in Tokyo Bay.
11 December 1941:
At 1100 arrives at Nagaura and departs at 1700.
18 December 1941:
At 2130 arrives back at Nagaura.
26 December 1941:
At 1300 departs Nagaura.
7 January 1942:
At 0920 arrives at Nagaura.
8 January 1942:
At 1400 departs Nagaura.
3 February 1942:
At 1100 arrives at Nagaura.
4 February 1942:
At 0900 departs Nagaura.
10 February 1942:
At 1735 arrives at Nagaura shortly after CH-23 and CH-24 have arrived.
12 February 1942:
At 0130 CH-22, CH-23 and CH-24 depart Nagaura.
16 February 1942:
At 0850 arrives at Nagaura.
17 February 1942:
At 1400 departs Nagaura.
March 1942:
Attached to the Owase area. Conducts patrols.
6 March 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Yokosuka.
7 March 1942:
At 1525 departs Yokosuka.
16 March 1942:
At 1130 CH-22, CH-23 and CH-24 arrive at Nagaura.
17 March 1942:
At 0805 CH-22, CH-23 and CH-24 depart Nagaura.
18 March 1942:
At 0730 CH-22, CH-23 and CH-24 arrive at Nagaura.
April 1942:
Returns to Tokyo Bay area. Conducts patrols.
3 April 1942:
At 1115 arrives at Nagaura.
5 April 1942:
At 0700 departs Nagaura.
16 April 1942:
At 1445 arrives at Nagaura.
20 April 1942:
At 1200 departs Nagaura.
26 April 1942:
At 1345 arrives at Nagaura.
May 1942:
Assigned directly to the Combined Fleet and attached to SubChasDiv 23.
11 June 1942:
Arrives at Guadalcanal.
1 July 1942:
CH-22, CH-23 and CH-24 depart Guadalcanal.
3 July 1942:
CH-22 arrives at Rabaul.
9 July 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
10 July 1942:
An unknown officer assumes command. Lt Nakamura is posted CO of CHIDORI.
11 July 1942:
Departs Truk.
14 July 1942:
Reassigned to Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi's (38) newly organized Eighth Fleet with the 7th Base Force's SubChasDiv 23 at Lae, New Guinea. Escorts convoys between Rabaul and the Solomon Islands.
15 July 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
18 July 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
5 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
7 August 1942:
Departs Truk.

11 August 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
17 August 1942:
CH-22 departs Rabaul for Basuba with light cruiser TENRYU, subchasers CH-23, CH-24 and minesweeper W-20 escorting a convoy consisting of KAZUURA, RYOYU and KANYO MARUs transporting the 25th Air Flotilla's base supplies.
18 August 1942:
At 1730, arrives at Basuba.
21 August 1942:
CH-22 and CH-24 arrives back at Rabaul.
24 August 1942:
CH-22 and CH-24 depart Rabaul with CruDiv 18's TATSUTA and TENRYU and DesDiv 17's HAMAKAZE, URAKAZE and TANIKAZE escorting transports KINAI and NANKAI MARUs.

25 August 1942: Operation "RE" - The Capture of the Allied Airfield at Milne Bay:
After midnight, the transports land 1,150 troops of the Kure No. 5 Special Naval Landing Force and two Type 95 Ha-Go tanks, at Ahioma on the northern shore of Milne Bay, ten miles east of their intended landing area. The Australian 18th Infantry Brigade of the 7th Division and elements of the Australian 14th Brigade, put up fierce resistance. In the morning the invasion force is bombed by Boeing B-17s and NANKAI MARU and URAKAZE are damaged.

27 August 1942:
CH-22 and CH-24 arrive back at Rabaul.
1 September 1942:
CH-22 departs Basabua escorting empty transports RYOYO and KAZUURA MARU and meets up en route with CH-23 escorting YASUKAWA MARU.
4 September 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
5 September 1942:
The Japanese high command orders a withdrawal from Milne Bay.

7 September 1942:
The last enemy troops remaining behind are annihilated. This is the first time in the Pacific campaign in which Allied troops decisively defeat Japanese land forces.

10 September 1942:
Refueled by auxiliary seaplane tender KIYOKAWA MARU.
20 January 1943:
At 1500, CH-22 and CH-18 depart Rabaul for Truk escorting a convoy consisting of KAIHEI, TAIFUKU and NANKAI MARUs.
22 January 1943:
Steffen Straits near Kavieng, New Ireland. CH-22 and CH-18 rendezvous with convoy "D" inbound from Truk consisting of TAIHEI, KAMO, MACASSAR, SHINRYU and SHICHISEI MARUs and an unidentified ship escorted by CH-12 and auxiliary gunboat CHOKO MARU No. 2. CH-22 and CH-18 escort convoy "D" to Rabaul. CH-12 and CHOKO MARU No. 2. detach to escort an outbound convoy. [1]

29 January 1943:
Off New Georgia, Solomon Islands. CH-22 is escorting IJA cargo ship NICHIUN MARU when, at about 1600, LtCdr Robert J. Foley's (USNA ’27) USS GATO (SS-212) torpedoes and sinks NICHIUN MARU (unknown casualties) at 06-22S, 156-04E. Foley evades CH-22 and slips away.

4 March 1943:
At 1600, departs Buin in a convoy consisting of oiler KYOEI MARU and cargo ship KISARAGI MARU. At 1620, shortly after leaving port about 12 American aircraft attack the convoy, but are beaten off.

6 March 1943:
At 0500, arrives at Rabaul with CH-18.

9 March 1943:
At 1530, CH-22 and CH-18 depart Rabaul escorting the "Wewak No. 1" convoy consisting of TAISEI , NISSHU, TOHO and TAIYU MARUs and one unidentified ship.

14 March 1943:
At 1113, arrives at Wewak.

15 March 1943:
Departs Wewak.

20 March 1943:
At 0930 arrives at Palau.
1 May 1943:
At 0500 CH-22 departs Rabaul with CH-16 to Palau escorting a convoy consisting of TOYU, TOYO, TEIKAI (ex German FULDA), TAIRIN and MILAN MARUs and possibly others. At some point CH-16 is detached and returns to Rabaul.
8 May 1943:
At 0620 CH-16 arrives back at Rabaul. The convoy arrives at Palau the same day.
12 May 1943:
At 1100, CH-22 departs Palau for Rabaul escorting convoy P-512 consisting of ENGLAND, NAGANO, KONAN and DAINICHI MARUs.

17 May 1943:
At 1800, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Edward C. Stephan's (USNA ’29) USS GRAYBACK (SS-208) torpedoes and sinks troop transport ENGLAND MARU at 00-45S, 148-30E. 232 of the 1500 troops aboard and 13 crewmen are KIA.

19 May 1943:
At 1800 arrives at Rabaul.

26 May 1943:
At 1730 departs Rabaul on an anti submarine sweep
27 May 1943:
At 0118 returns to Rabaul.
28 May 1943:
At 1610 departs Rabaul on an escort mission.
2 June 1943:
At 0500 arrives back at Rabaul.
3 June 1943:
At 0930 CH-22 and CH-38 depart Rabaul escorting a convoy consisting of NAGANO, DAINICHI, GLASGOW, GENMEI, SAMARANG and KENRYU MARUs.
11 June 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
14 June 1943:
CH-22 departs Palau escorting convoy P-514 consisting of MIYADONO, TAGANOURA and NICHIRYU MARUs and HAKUTETSU MARU No. 13.

19 Jun 1943:
At 1514, MIYADONO MARU is torpedoed by LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Arnold F. Schade's (USNA ’33) USS GROWLER (SS-215) at 01-52N, 148-03E. The badly damaged MIYADONO MARU is beyond saving. Three passengers and five crewmen are KIA. About midnight, after the survivors had been rescued, CH-22 shells and sinks her.

25 June 1943:
At 0645 arrives at Rabaul.

27 June 1943:
At 1130 departs Rabaul on an escort mission.
28 June 1943:
At 1700 arrives back at Rabaul.
29 June 1943:
At 0440 CH-22 and CH-24 depart Rabaul escorting convoy O-908 consisting of Army transports CLYDE, MADRAS, YAMAGATA, NITTAI, PACIFIC MARUs, tug HOZU MARU and two unidentified Naval requisitioned vessels.
E 6 July 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
9 July 1943:
SubChasDiv 23’s CH-22, CH-23 and CH-24 depart Palau escorting convoy So-905 consisting of HOKKO, TOKO, RYOYO, SHOHO and HOKKAI MARUs. CH-23 is apparently detached soon after departure.

12 July 1943:
At about 1800, LtCdr Ralph C. Lynch's (USNA ’29) USS MINGO (SS-261) attacks the convoy at 00-54N, 143-01E, but is unsuccessful; however, so are SubChasDiv 23’s counterattacks.

The convoy undergoes an unsuccessful torpedo attack by LtCdr Oscar E. Hagberg's (USNA ’31) USS ALBACORE (SS-218) and another by USS MINGO.

13 July 1943:
ALBACORE makes another unsuccessful attack on the convoy.

16 July 1943:
At 2200 arrives at Rabaul.

22 July 1943:
At 1530 departs Rabaul on an escort mission, possibly escorting NICHIRYO MARU to Buin.
26 July 1943:
At 0200 arrives back at Rabaul possibly escorting KISARAGI MARU from Buin. At 1130 departs Rabaul on a further escort mission.
30 July 1943:
At 2200 arrives back at Rabaul.
4 August 1943:
At 0830 departs Rabaul on an escort mission.
8 August 1943:
At 0445 arrives back at Rabaul.
12 August 1943:
At 1725 departs Rabaul on an escort mission.
16 August 1943:
Arrives back at Rabaul.
28 August 1943:
At 2000 departs Rabaul on patrol.
29 August 1943:
At 1250 returns to Rabaul. At 1950 departs Rabaul on an escort mission.
1 September 1943:
At 1550 arrives back at Rabaul.
3 September 1943:
At 0600 departs Rabaul on an escort mission.
4 September 1943:
Off New Ireland, Bismarcks. CH-22 is attacked and damaged by Fifth Air Force B-24 "Liberator" heavy bombers and B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers.

6 September 1943:
At 1730 arrives back at Rabaul.
10 September 1943:
At 0800 departs Rabaul on an escort mission.
16 September 1943:
At 2100 arrives back at Rabaul.
17 September 1943:
At 0900 departs Rabaul on an escort mission.
22 September 1943:
At 0050 arrives back at Rabaul.
28 September 1943:
At 1200 CH-22 and CH-24 depart Rabaul escorting convoy O-803 consisting of SHOUN and CHIYO MARUs and one unidentified merchant ship bound for Palau.
5 October 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
20 October 1943:
At 1445, CH-22 and CH-24 depart Rabaul for Palau escorting fleet convoy O-006 consisting of TENNAN, JOHORE, HOZUKAWA, BUNZAN, KOSEI and KAZAN MARUs.

22 October 1943:
At 2253, CH 22 opens fire on a enemy submarine discovered on the surface.
23 October 1943: LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) John S. Coye's (USNA ’33) USS SILVERSIDES (SS-236) attacks the convoy. At 2245, Coye sinks TENNAN MARU. 42 crewmen and five passengers are KIA. USS SILVERSIDES also damages JOHORE and KAZAN MARUs at 02-30N, 144-44E.

24 October 1943:
KAZAN MARU sinks as the result of her damage. Three crewmen and four guards are KIA. CH-24 attempts to scuttle the immobilized JOHORE MARU, but fails. Later, USS SILVERSIDES finishes off JOHORE MARU. 77 passengers and seven crewmen are KIA.

2 November 1943:
CH-22, CH-24 and CH-39 depart Palau escorting convoy SO-205 consisting of KOGYO, NAGOYA, ARATAMA, SHICHISEI and TESHIO MARUs and DAIGEN MARU No. 3.
4 November 1943:
At 1700 in 05-20N 140-00E two torpedoes miss KOGYO MARU. The escorts counter-attack and the convoy continues.
9 November 1943:
At 1940 a B-25 attacks the convoy without causing damage.
10 November 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
30 January 1944:
At 0850, CH-22 and CH-15 and patrol boat PB-36 depart Palau for Tarakan for Tarakan escorting convoy NE 002 consisting of oilers OGURA MARU No. 3 and KYOEI MARU No.2 .

31 January 1944:
CH-22 is detached and returns to Palau.

12 February 1944:
Departs Truk Atoll with destroyers YUZUKI and MINATSUKI escorting convoy No. 1123 consisting of KOKAI and KOWA MARUs and SUMIYOSHI MARU No. 23.
17 February 1944:
Arrives at Rabaul.
18 February 1944:
CH-22 and CH-40 depart Rabaul for Moji escorting convoy O-902 consisting of SHINTO MARU No. 1 and TATSUGIKU MARU.

19 February 1944:
35 miles S of Kavieng, New Ireland, near Kaut Bay. At about 1430, Fifth Air Force B-25s of the 345th Bomb Group's 500th and 501st Squadrons, A-20 "Havoc" light bombers of the 3rd Bomb Group and P-38 "Lightning" fighters attack and destroy convoy O-902. They sink CH-22 and CH-40 at 03-04S, 150-42E and cargo ships SHINTO MARU No. 1 (19 crewmen and 87 troops KIA) and TATSUGIKU MARU (15 crewmen KIA) at 02-46N, 150-42E. SHINTO MARU No. 1 was evacuating hundreds of ground personnel of the IJN 11th Air Fleet from Rabaul to Truk.

The USAAF's Fifth Air Force wipes out the entire convoy.

31 March 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Note:
[1] Convoy D was actually Part D (the equipment/baggage convoy) of Convoy No. 35 that departed Shanghai to transport the IJA’s 6th Infantry Division via Truk to Guadalcanal (after the decision is made to evacuate Guadalcanal, the convoy’s destination was changed to New Guinea). Part D departed Truk on 20 Jan '43 and arrived at Rabaul on 24 Jan '43 escorted by CH-18, CH-12 and CH-22 and CHOKO MARU No. 2 (and possibly destroyer HAMAKAZE part way).
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany for additional info about convoy O-006, Mr Matthew Jones of USa for help in identifying COs, and to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France for general assistance.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

Back to Subchaser Page