FUSETSUKAN!

© 2008-2018 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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29 March 1938:
Aioi. Laid down at Harima's shipyard.

17 February 1939:
Her call sign becomes JLUA under instruction No. 26.

28 April 1939:
Launched and named HATSUTAKA.

1 August 1939:
Captain Inagaki Yoshiaki (40) (former CO of USHIO) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.

15 October 1939 to 15 November 1940:
Reassigned to the First Fleet’s Second Base Force.

31 October 1939:
Completed and registered in the IJN, attached to the Kure Naval District. Captain Inagaki is the Commanding Officer.

15 November 1939:
Captain (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Monzen Tei (42)(former CO of ODOMARI) is appointed CO and assumes command.

1 May 1940:
Serves as guardship under instruction No. 303.

15 October 1940:
Capt Matsushita Takeo (43) (former XO of Saeki Guard Unit) is appointed CO. Captain Monzen is posted CO of Ominato Guard Unit.

15 November 1940:
Attached to Combined Fleet’s Second Fleet’s First Base Corps.

10 April 1941:
Attached to the Combined Fleet’s Third Fleet’s First Base Corps.

15 August 1941:
Cdr Yoshikawa Tadaki (46) (former XO of SHOKAKU) is appointed CO.

15 October 1941:
Attached to the Combined Fleet’s Southern Expeditionary Fleet’s Ninth Base Corps.

31 October 1941:
Reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet's First Southern Expeditionary Fleet's Ninth Base Force based at Camranh Bay, Indochina.

1 December 1941:
Her call sign changes to JUGA under instruction no. 369.

3 December 1941:
At 1900 departs Sana escorting ASAKASAN and KANSAI MARUs.

6 December 1941:
At 0900, with ASAKASAN and KANSAI MARUs joins the main Siam (now Thailand) invasion convoy.

7 December 1941:
The Singora invasion convoy arrives at Singora (now Songkhla).

8 December 1941:
At 0630 HATSUTAKA and EIKO MARU arrive at Singora.

19 December 1941:
At 1100 HATSUTAKA departs Singora.

20 December 1941:
At 1008 arrives at Koh Samui.

22 December 1941:
At 2155 departs Koh Samui.

23 December 1941:
At 1306 arrives back at Singora.

3 January 1942:
Attached to the Combined Fleet’s First southern Expeditionary Fleet’s Ninth Base Corps.

11 January 1942:
At 0810 HATSUTAKA and EIKO MARU depart Singora.

13 January 1942:
At 0550 both ships arrive at Puolo Condore, FIC.

24 January 1942:
At 1005 HATSUTAKA, EIKO MARU and CHOSA MARU depart Puolo Condore.

26 January 1942:
At 0336 HATSUTAKA and EIKO MARU arrive at Anambas Islands.

11 February 1942: Operation "T" - The Invasions of Northern Sumatra and Sabang:
HATSUTAKA departs Camranh Bay escorting 11 transports carrying troops IJA's 229th Infantry Regiment and a battalion of the 230th Infantry Regiment for the landings at Banka and Palembang, Sumatra.

14 February 1942:
Six Bristol "Blenheim" light bombers of Royal Air Force No. 211 Squadron attack the convoy and sink transport INABASAN MARU and damage several others.

16 February 1942:
The transports land the troops near Palembang.

25 February 1942:
Attached to the Combined Fleet’s First southern Expeditionary Fleet’s Ninth Auxiliary Base Corps.

26 February 1942:
At 0803 departs Singapore. At 2007 arrives at Batupahat.

27 February 1942:
At 0733 departs Batupahat. At 2116 arrives at Port Dickson.

28 February 1942:
At 0737 departs Port Dickson. At 1918 arrives at Port Swettenham.

1 March 1942:
At 0958 departs Port Swettenham. At 1929 arrives at Pulau Buluh.

2 March 1942:
At 0958 departs Pulau Buluh. At 1836 arrives off Malacca.

3 March 1942:
At 1003 departs Malacca. At 1557 arrives off Batu Pahat.

4 March 1942:
At 1228 departs Batu Pahat. At 2102 arrives at Singapore.

10 March 1942: Operation T”- The Invasion of Northern Sumatra:
West Harbor, Singapore. HATSUTAKA departs with subchaser CH-7, gunboat EIKO MARU and the 1st Section, 44th Minesweeper Division escorting eight transports including NAGOYA MARU carrying the main body of the Imperial Guards Division.

12 March 1942:
At 0130 HATSUTAKA and EIKO MARU and presumably the convoy arrive at Labuhambilik, Sumatra.

14 March 1942:
At 1759 HATSUTAKA and EIKO MARU and presumably the convoy depart Labuhambilik.

15 March 1942:
At 1101 the convoy arrives at Penang.

March 1942:
HATSUTAKA is detached and returns to Singapore.

19 March 1942:
HATSUTAKA is assigned to the No. 2 Escort Unit comprised of light cruiser KASHII (F), kaibokan SHIMUSHU, destroyers of DesRon 3 and 5 being ASAKAZE, MATSUKAZE, SHIKINAMI and HATAKAZE, with HARUKAZE replacing HATAKAZE en route, Submarine chaser CH-7, 9th Base Force's gunboat EIKO MARU, Minesweeper Division 1's W-1, W-3 and W-4 (as distant cover only) and Special Minesweeper Division 91's CHOKO MARU and SHONAN MARU Nos. 5 and 7.

The No. 2 Escort Unit less HATSUTAKA and EIKO MARU departs Singapore escorting 43 transports carrying the IJA's 56th Infantry Division. The convoy consists of SHUNSEI, YAE, KOAN, TATEISHI, HAVRE (5467 grt), HIBURI, HOKUMEI, YAMAZUKI, GLASGOW, SYDNEY, SHINANOGAWA, AOBASAN, KAZUURA, KIZAN, KUSUYAMA, KOTOHIRA, SANKO, SAKITO, SHINAI, SHINRYU, SUMATRA, GENOA, TSUYAMA, TOKIWA, NAKO, NAGARA, NICHIRAN, NAPLES, HARUNA (10420 grt), HOFUKU, MYOKO (4103 grt), ATLAS, CALCUTTA, KUWAYAMA, KYUSHU, MEIGEN and MOMOYAMA MARUs and six unidentified merchant ships.

Because of size and differing ship speeds the convoy is broken into two sections. The first section consists of ATLAS, YAMAZUKI, NAGARA, KYUSHU, TOKIWA and AOBASAN MARUs and five other ships from the above list that sail on 20th March. The remaining section sails on the 19th March.

21 March 1942:
At 0858 HATSUTAKA departs Penang and joins the convoy. EIKO MARU follows later that day. SHIMUSHU is detached.

23 March 1942: Operation "D" - The Invasion of the Andaman Islands:
The No. 2 Escort Unit covers the unopposed landing of one battalion of the IJA 18th Infantry Division at Port Blair.

25 March 1942:
The transports begin landing troops at Rangoon, Burma. At 1200 HATSUTAKA arrives off the Irrawaddy river delta.

28 March 1942:
At 1936 arrives at Penang. HATSUTAKA is detached.

2 April 1942:
Cruiser KASHII, kaibokan SHIMUSHU, submarine chaser CH-8 and destroyers SHIKINAMI and HATAKAZE depart Singapore escorting 45 transports including CELEBES, RASHIN, RAKUYO, SINGAPORE, MIDORI, AYATOSAN, ALASKA, WALES, KAMO, KYOKUSEI, KUNITAMA, KOFUKU, SHINYU, SHINYO, SHINKYO, TAMAHOKO, CHILE, NAGATO, MAEBASHI, MANJU, MACASSAR, MIIKESAN, YASUKAWA, YAMAFUJI, RYOGA, LONDON, IKOMA, KAISHO, TOYAMA and WAKATSU MARUs and DAIGEN MARU No. 3, SHINSEI MARU No. 1 and YOSHIDA MARU No. 3 and eleven unidentified ships carrying the IJA's 18th Infantry Division. Meanwhile at 1825 HATSUTAKA departs Penang returning there at 2322.

3 April 1942:
At 0700 HATSUTAKA departs Penang returning there at 1022.

4 April 1942:
The convoy arrives at Penang. At 0730 escort duties are taken over by HATSUTAKA, SHIMUSHU and three destroyers of DesRon 5. Torpedo boat KARI also joins the convoy at some unknown point. KASHII is detached from the convoy and returns to Singapore the same day.

7 April 1942:
At 1138 the convoy arrives at the Rangoon rivermouth.

8 April 1942:
At 1528 HATSUTAKA departs the Rangoon area.

10 April 1942:
Attached to the Combined Fleet’s Southwest Area Fleet’s First Southern Expeditionary Fleet’s Ninth Auxiliary Base Corps.

11 April 1942:
At 1221 arrives back at Penang.

15 April 1942:
At 0830 departs Penang with submarine chasers CH-7 and CH-8, torpedo boat KARI and destroyers ASAKAZE and AKIKAZE and joins up with 3rd Convoy of Operation U consisting of TAIKAI, HAMBURG, TEIKAI, HOKURYU, ANYO, GINYO, KUWAYAMA, KOCHI, MEIGEN, KENKOKU (3377 grt), SAMARANG, SUEZ, TAIZAN, BUYO, PENANG, HAVRE, BRAZIL, MONTREAL, YAWATA, YONEYAMA, HOKUROKU, ARGUN, ENGLAND MARUs, SHINTO MARU No. 1, probably TOTAI MARU and four unidentified merchant ships also escorted by auxiliary gunboat CHOSA MARU and other unidentified small escorts.

19 April 1942:
At 0138 arrives at the Rangoon rivermouth. At 1801 departs.

22 April 1942:
At 1130 arrives at Penang.

30 April 1942:
At 0730 departs Penang.

1 May 1942:
At 1459 arrives at Keppel Harbour, Singapore.

2 May 1942:
At 0757 departs Keppel Harbour and at 1236 arrives at Seletar.

3 May 1942:
At 1152 moves from Seletar into the drydock, docking completed by 1606. Undergoes repairs.

12 May 1942:
Undocked and at 1045 arrives at Keppel Harbour, Singapore.

15 May 1942:
At 0702 departs Keppel Harbour.

16 May 1942:
At 1352 arrives at Deli Rivermouth (Labuhandeli), Sumatra.

18 May 1942:
At 1545 departs Labuhandeli. Provides cover for four ship Army convoy bound for Medan and Belawan.

20 May 1942:
At 1522 arrives at Victoria Point, Burma.

22 May 1942:
Departs Victoria Point.

23 May 1942:
At 1636 arrives at Mergui.

24 May 1942:
At 0857 departs Mergui.

26 May 1942:
At 1235 arrives at Penang.

11 June 1942:
At 1600 HATSUTAKA departs Penang and makes a patrol to the Nicobar Islands.

16 June 1942:
At 1800 arrives back at Penang.

30 June 1942:
Departs Penang on an escort mission.

4 July 1942:
At 1625 arrives back at Penang.

8 July 1942:
At 1425 departs Penang and meets up with convoy R-1 then consisting of DAINICHI, AKASHI, CELEBES and ENGLAND MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No.5 escorted by auxilary gunboat EIKO MARU. Escorted these ships and then detached on an anti submarine patrol of the Malacca Straits.

13 July 1942:
Undertakes a convoy escort mission then resumes anti submarine patrols.

17 July 1942:
At 1200 arrives back at Penang.

28 July 1942:
At 1700 departs Penang.

30 July 1942:
Arrives at Mergui.

10 August 1942:
At Mergui HATSUTAKA is transferred to the 8th Fleet. 17 October 1942:
Ar sea HATSUTAKA arrives and begins escorting auxiliary transport SENKO MARU with auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 2

18 October 1942:
Arrives at Ambon.

27 October 1942:
Departs Rabaul for Shortland with submarine chaser CH-23 escorting convoy consisting of OIGAWA, TOYO and BRISBANE MARUs.

Late Oct 1942:
Arrives at Buin, Solomons.

13 November 1942:
At 1130 departs Buin on an anti submarine sweep. Then laid an anti submarine net.

15 November 1942:
At 1400 arrives back at Buin.

16 November 1942:
At 1823 departs on an escort mission.

18 November 1942:
At 1536 arrives at Kavieng.

19 November 1942:
At 1450 departs Kavieng.

20 November 1942:
At 0645 arrives at Rabaul. Meets up with convoy consisting of storeship BANSHU MARU No. 5 and tanker KYOEI MARU, the latter at least bound for Palau.

22 November 1942:
Detached from convoy and apparently returns to Rabaul.

26 November 1942:
At 1625 departs Rabaul on an escort mission.

28 November 1942:
At 1600 departs Rabaul for Shortland escorting a convoy consisting of KOA and YASUJIMA MARUs and SOYA.

30 November 1942:
At 1547 arrives at Buin.

5 December 1942:
At 0318 departs Shortland on an anti submarine sweep.

8 December 1942:
At 1409 arrives back at Shortland.

12 December 1942:
From 0507 to 1341 checks/lays a further anti submarine net, before returning to Shortland.

19 December 1942:
At 0248 with the Flag Commander undertakes an inspection tour to Kieta returning to Shortland later that day at 1854.

25 December 1942:
From 0636 to 1419 checks/lays a further anti submarine net, before returning to Shortland.

29 December 1942:
At 0752 departs Shortland on escort mission.

31 December 1942:
At 0725 arrives at Rabaul.

5 January 1943:
At 1200 departs Rabaul likely escorting transport KAGU MARU.

6 January 1943:
At 1330 arrives at Shortland.

14 January 1943:
At 0537 departs Shortland.

16 January 1943:
At 1350 arrives at Kieta.

17 January 1943:
At 0350 departs Kieta. At 1100 arrives at Choiseul.

18 January 1942:
At 1700 departs Choiseul.

19 January 1943:
At 0500 arrives at Buin. At 1630, departs Buin and meets up with destoyer AKIZUKI coming from Shortland in response to a distress call to assist army transport MYOHO MARU (4,122 tons) torpedoed two hours earlier. At 2153, AKIZUKI is torpedoed and heavily damaged by USS NAUTILUS (SS-168). [2]

21 January 1943:
At 1430, arrived with the heavily damaged AKIZUKI at Buin for emergency patching and shoring up of the keel of AKIZUKI. At 2340 departs Buin and patrols the northern approaches.

24 January 1943:
At 2030 switches tp patrolling the western approaches.

25 January 1943:
At 1030 arrives back at Buin. At 1530 departs again and begins patrolling the northern approaches.

3 February 1943:
At 1010 arrives at Shortland.

7 February 1943:
At 0600 departs Shortland on an escort mission.

8 February 1943:
Arrives back at Shortland.

10 February 1943:
At 0630 departs Shortland and patrols the western approaches.

13 February 1943:
At 1550 departs Shortland escorting a convoy consisting of MOMOYAMA, TOHO and ASO MARUs.

15 February 1943:
At 0400 arrives at Rabaul.

21 February 1943:
At 1600 departs Rabaul.

22 February 1943:
At 0700 arrives at Kavieng.

24 February 1943:
At 0500 departs Kavieng on escort mission.

1 March 1943:
Arrives at Shortland.

7 March 1943:
At 1450 departs Shortland on a lifesaving operation.

9 March 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.

10 March 1943:
At 1400 departs Rabaul.

11 March 1943:
Arrives at Shortland.

12 March 1943:
At 1320 departs Shortland for Shonan (Singapore) where the vessel has been reassigned.

13 March 1943:
At 1227 arrives at Rabaul.

15 March 1943:
At 1500 departs Rabaul.

22 March 1943:
At 0943 arrives at Ambon. The ship departs later that same day.

24 March 1943:
At 1737 arrives at Macassar.

28 March 1943:
At 1347 departs Macassar escorting two unidentified merchant ships.

30 March 1943:
At 1157 arrives at Surabaya.

1 April 1943:
At 0750 departs Surabaya.

4 April 1943:
At 1756 arrives at Seletar, Singapore.

5 April 1943:
At 1307 departs Seletar and transfers to Keppel Harbour, Singapore.

10 April 1943:
Docked in Keppel Harbour.

18 April 1943:
Undocked.

21 April 1943:
At 0759 departs Singapore.

22 April 1943:
HATSUTAKA is escorting the Army transport YAMAZATO MARU when the latter is torpedoed and sunk by NMNS O-21 in 03-28S 99-47E.

25 April 1943:
At 1539 arrives back at Keppel Harbour, Singapore. At 1917 departs on an anti submarine sweep.

1 May 1943:
At 0933 arrives at Penang.

2 May 1943:
At 0841 departs Penang escorting R convoy.

5 May 1943:
At 2030 arrives back at Penang.

25 May 1943:
At 0718 departs Penang with submarine chaser CH-8 escorting a convoy.

30 May 1943:
At 1800 arrives at Tavoy, Mergui.

3 June 1943:
At 1156 departs Tavoy with submarine chaser CH-8 escorting a convoy.

8 June 1943:
At 1442 arrives at Nancowry.

11 June 1943:
At 1700 departs Nancowry.

13 June 1943:
At 0845 arrives at Penang.

17 June 1943:
At 1600 departs Nancowry with submarine chaser CH-8.

18 June 1943:
At 1600 arrives at Sabang.

19 June 1943:
At 1200 departs Sabang with submarine chaser CH-8.

20 June 1943:
At 0930 arrives at Penang.

27 June 1943:
At 0025 departs Penang on an anti submarine sweep with submarine chaser CH-8.

30 June 1943:
Returns to Penang.

6 July 1943:
At 1559 departs Penang escorting F convoy.

8 July 1943:
At 0948 returns to Penang.

13 July 1943:
At 1840 departs Penang.

14 July 1943:
Arrives at Sabang with submarine chaser CH-8.

15 July 1943:
Early am departs Sabang. Later in the Andaman Sea HATSUTAKA makes a rendezvous with German submarine U-511. Vice Admiral Nomura Naokuni (35)(former CO of KAGA), Japan's representative to the Axis Tripartite Commission in Berlin since 1941, and Major Sugita Tamotsu of the IJA Medical Service, both passengers aboard U-511 inbound from France, briefly visit HATSUTAKA for a bath and then return to the U-boat. Thereafter, the minelayer and submarine chaser CH-8 escorts U-511 safely to Penang.

16 July 1943:
At 1414 arrives at Penang.

27 July 1943:
At 1154 departs Penang.

28 July 1943:
At 1045 arrives at Port Blair (NB: unconfirmed).

29 July 1943:
At 1142 departs Port Blair.

30 July 1943:
At 1208 arrives at Penang.

4 August 1943:
At 0458 departs Penang escorting convoy R-5.

9 August 1943:
At 1828 arrives back at Penang.

11 August 1943:
At 2343 departs Penang escorting P Convoy [P-6?].

18 August 1943:
At 0553 arrives back at Penang.

20 August 1943:
At 1327 departs Penang.

23 August 1943:
At 1035 arrives back at Penang but departs again at 1816. Carries out an anti submarine sweep and then escorts an R convoy.

27 August 1943:
At 2113 arrives at Penang.

1 September 1943:
At 1816 departs Penang.

2 September 1943:
At 1904 arrives at Sabang.

3 September 1943:
At 0757 departs Sabang on an anti submarine sweep.

5 September 1943:
At 0858 arrives back at Sabang and later that day at 1750 departs port.

6 September 1943:
At 1222 arrives at Sibolga and departs from there at 1315. At 1759 arrives at Sinabang Bay, Pulau Simeulue.

7 September 1943:
At 1003 departs Sinabang Bay. At 1816 arrives at Gunungsitoli, Pulau Nias and departs from there at 2032. At 2243 arrives at Siaba, Pulau Nias.

8 September 1943:
At 2025 departs Siaba.

9 September 1943:
At 0912 arrives at Pulau Telo and departs there at 1212. At 1355 arrives at Selat Tanahbala (Tanahbala Straits), Mentawai Islands, and departs from there at 1432.

11 September 1943:
At 0854 arrives back at Sabang.

13 September 1943:
At 1207 departs Sabang.

15 September 1943:
At 1913 arrives at Seletar, Singapore.

16 September 1943:
At 1026 departs Seletar and transfers to Keppel Harbour arriving there at 1346.

17 September 1943:
At 1755 departs Keppel Harbour, Singapore.

19 September 1943:
At 1701 arrives at Sabang.

20 September 1943:
At 1754 departs Sabang.

22 September 1943:
At 1305 arrives at Tabekat Bay, Mentawai Islands and departs there at 1447. At 1821 arrives at Siberut Bay.

23 September 1943:
At 0822 departs Siberut Bay. At 1508 arrives at Padang.

25 September 1943:
At 0850 departs Padang. At 1507 arrives at Sipura and at 1630 departs. At 1800 arrives at Sioban Bay, Sipura Island.

26 September 1943:
At 0819 departs Sioban Bay. At 1253 arrives at Sikakap departing from there at 1555. At 2040 arrives at Veeckens Bay, Pulau Selatan.

27 September 1943:
At 0816 departs Veeckens Bay. At 1722 arrives at Benkulen (Bengkulu).

28 September 1943:
At 2013 departs Benkulen.

29 September 1943:
At 0826 arrives at Malakoni, Pulau Enggano and departs there at 0958. At 1117 arrives at Enggano Bay. At 1441 departs Enggano Bay.

30 September 1943:
At 0914 arrives at Sikakap and departs there at 1125. At 1939 arrives at Siberut and departs there at 2105.

1 October 1943:
Arrives at Pulau Telo and departs there at 1449.

2 October 1943:
At 1006 arrives at Sabang.

4 October 1943:
At 0853 departs Sabang.

5 October 1943:
At 0120 arrives at Sibolga and departs there at 1014. At 1931 arrives at Afulu, Pulau Nias.

6 October 1943:
At 0650 departs Afulu and at 0937 arrives at Pulau Hinako. At 1207 departs Pulau Hinako.

7 October 1943:
At 1411 arrives at Olehleh and departs there at 1511. At 1725 arrives back at Sabang.

10 October 1943:
At 1200 departs Sabang.

11 October 1943:
At 2156 arrives at Afulu Bay, Pulau Nias.

12 October 1943:
At 1158 departs Afulu Bay.

13 October 1943:
At 1010 arrives at Padang.

14 October 1943:
At 1137 departs Padang. At 2003 arrives at Sikakap.

16 October 1943:
At 0828 departs Sikakap. At 1639 arrives Siberut.

17 October 1943:
At 0830 departs Siberut. At 1703 arrives at Pulau Telo.

18 October 1943:
At 0717, departs Pulau Telo and arrives at Sirombu, Pulau Nias at 1340. At 1433, departs Sirombu and at 1623, arrives at Afulu, Pulau Nias.

19 October 1943:
At 0721, departs Afulu.

20 October 1943:
At 0928, arrives at Sabang.

22 October 1943:
At 1357 departs Sabang.

23 October 1943:
At 0903 arrives at Sinabang and at 1816 departs.

24 October 1943:
At 1752 arrives at Telok Dalam.

25 October 1943:
At 1313 departs Telok Dalam.

26 October 1943:
At 0947 arrives at Padang.

27 October 1943:
At 0827 departs Padang. At 1615 arrives at Sikakap and departs there at 2015.

28 October 1943:
At 0836 arrives at Benkulen.

29 October 1943:
At 0816 departs Benkulen. At 1411 arrives at Manna and departs there at 1652.

1 November 1943:
At 1442 arrives at Singapore and is docked for repairs.

11 November 1943:
At 1035 undocked.

14 November 1943:
Departs Singapore on an escort mission.

19 November 1943:
At 1544 arrives at Malakoni, Enggano Island and departs from there at 1751.

20 November 1943:
At 0859 arrives at Sikakap and departs there at 1057. At 1849 arrives at Padang.

26 November 1943:
At 1247 departs Padang. At 1837 arrives at Siabon.

27 November 1943:
At 0815 departs Siabon. At 1756 arrives at Tanahbala Strait.

28 November 1943:
At 0751 departs Tanahbala Strait. At 1826 arrives at Sirombu, and departs there at 2053.

30 November 1943:
At 1030 arrives at Sabang.

3 December 1943:
At 1700 departs Sabang.

5 December 1943:
At 1530 arrives at Sibolga.

6 December 1943:
At 1126 departs Sibolga. At 1743 arrives at Gunungstoli and departs at 2301.

7 December 1943:
At 0841 arrives at Sinanbang and departs there at 1058. At 1924 arrives at Hinako.

8 December 1943:
At 0756 departs Hinako. At 0841 arrives at Sirombu and departs there at 1100. At 1736 arrives at Pulau Telo and departs there at 2157.

9 December 1943:
At 0550 arrives at Meulaboh and departs there at 0829.

10 December 1943:
At 0145 arrives at Sabang.

12 December 1943:
At 1930 departs Sabang.

13 December 1943:
At 0800 arrives at Sikakap and departs there at 1200.

14 December 1943:
At 0841 arrives at Benkulen and departs there at 1454.

18 December 1943:
At 1940 arrives at Oosthaven (Panjang).

19 December 1943:
At 0756 departs Panjang and at 1259 arrives at Balimbing and at 1956 departs there.

21 December 1943:
At 1436 arrives at Padang.

22 December 1943:
Captain Doi Shinji (45) (former CO of SAGA) is appointed CO. At 1930 departs Padang.

23 December 1943:
At 1835 arrives at Gunungstoli and departs there at 2048.

29 December 1943:
At 1332 arrives at Sabang.

12 January 1944:
At 0805 HATSUTAKA departs Sabang escorting a convoy to Merak consisting of TEMPEI, ZUISHO and DAICHO MARUs. Enroute, HATSUTAKA is detached to Padang and Sibolga.

13 January 1944:
At 1314 arrives at Sibolga and departs later that day at 1600.

14 January 1944:
At 1159 arrives at Padang and departs later that day at 1840.

15 January 1944:
At 2009 arrives at Benkuelen (Benkulen, today Bengkulu) and departs from there at 2131.

17 January 1944:
At 1129 arrives at Pulau Baringin and departs later that day at 1442.

18 January 1944:
At 1622 arrives at Sikakap.

19 January 1944:
At 0258 departs Sikakap and later that day At 1045 arrives at Padang.

20 January 1944:
At 0856 departs Padang. At 1642 arrives back at Sikakap and departs there at 1953.

22 January 1944:
At 2143 arrives at Sabang.

24 January 1944:
At 1802 departs Sabang.

27 January 1944:
At 1630 arrives back at Sabang.

29 January 1944:
At 1000, departs Sabang.

30 January 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Sinabang.

31 January 1944:
At 1000, departs Sinabang. Arrives at Gunungstoli at 1700.

1 February 1944:
At 1000, departs Gunungstoli. At 1600, arrives at Telokdalam.

2 February 1944:
At 0900, departs Telokdalam.

3 February 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Padang.

4 February 1944:
At 1930, departs Padang.

5 February 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Sigolap and departs same day at 1400.

6 February 1944:
At 1600, arrives at Balimbing and departs at 1900.

7 February 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Bencoolen and departs at 1900.

8 February 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Padang.

9 February 1944:
At 1100, departs Padang.

10 February 1944:
At 0930, arrives at Sibolga.

13 February 1944:
At 1006 arrives at Sabang.

16 February 1944:
At 1001 departs Sabang.

18 February 1944:
At 1646 arrives at Sabang.

19 February 1944:
At 1901 departs Sabang.

20 February 1944:
At 1519 arrives at Sibolga.

23 February 1944:
At 0147 departs Sibolga and at 1847 arrives at Padang.

25 February 1944:
At 1740 departs Padang.

28 February 1944:
At 1518 arrives at Surabaya.

2 March 1944:
At 1154 departs Surabaya.

6 March 1944:
Arrives at Jakarta.

8 March 1944:
At 0747 departs Jakarta.

11 March 1944:
At 0707 arrives at Padang.

13 March 1944:
At 1000 departs Padang escorting KORYU MARU (6630 gt).

15 March 1944:
At 1355 arrives at Sabang.

19 March 1944:
At 1738 departs Sabang.

20 March 1944:
At 1330 arrives at Belawan.

22 March 1944:
At 1412 departs Belawan.

23 March 1944:
At 0856 arrives at Sabang.

30 March 1944:
At 1607 departs Sabang.

1 April 1944:
At 0948 arrives at Padang.

3 April 1944:
At 1852 departs Padang.

4 April 1944:
At 0941 arrives at Benkuelen.

5 April 1944:
At 0012 departs Benkuelen. At 1028 arrives at Sikakap.

6 April 1944:
At 0157 departs Sikakap and at 0954 arrives at Padang and departs later that day at 2046.

7 April 1944:
At 1350 arrives at Telukdalam, Nias Island and departs there at 1703.

8 April 1944:
At 0031 arrives at Sibolga.

10 April 1944:
At 0104 departs Sibolga. At 0821 arrives at Gunungstoli and departs there at 1102. At 1641 arrives at Sinabang.

11 April 1944:
At 1041 departs Sinabang. At 1914 arrives at Meuderot, Pulau We and departs later that day at 2352.

12 April 1944:
At 1120 arrives at Olehleh and departs later that day At 1444 and arrives at Sabang at 1601.

13 April 1944:
At 1852 departs Sabang.

15 April 1944:
Arrives at Penang.

16 April 1944:
HATSUTAKA departs Penang for Sabang escorting KUNITSU MARU.

18 April 1944:
At 1248 arrives at Sabang.

19 April 1944: Allied Operation "Cockpit":
Sumatra, Indian Ocean. In the first combined operation between Admiral James Somerville's, (Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet) British Pacific Fleet and the USN Pacific Fleet, carrier aircraft from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS SARATOGA (CV-3) attack Sabang, NEI. The strike force is made up of 17 "Barracudas" (No. 810 and No. 847 Sqdns) and 13 F4U "Corsairs" (No. 1830 and No. 1833 Sqdns) from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and 11 TBF "Avengers", 18 SBD "Dauntlesses" and 24 F4F "Hellcats" (VT, VB and VF-12) from USS SARATOGA.

The strike force encounters no air opposition and flak only after the attack is well under way, indicating total surprise. The planes damage HATSUTAKA and sink transports HARUNO (ex Dutch KIDOEL, one crewman killed), and KUNITSU MARUs. Oil storage tanks also are destroyed and heavy damage is inflicted on port facilities. The Corsair and Hellcat pilots claim 24 aircraft destroyed on the ground in a suppressive sweep over nearby Lho Nga airfield. The only Japanese response is an attack by three G4M "Betty" torpedo bombers, all of which are splashed by a Combat Air Patrol from USS SARATOGA.

Later that day at 0955 HATSUTAKA departs port for Penang.

At 1646, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from HATSUTAKA that reads: “Scheduled to arrive Penang at 1230, 20th. Request arrangements be made for the following: 1. Necessary repairs to the following damage: (lists damage to transmitter, searchlights, and holes in hull ----). 2. Killed in action 3, Patients 5. 3. ---.”

20 April 1944:
At 1127 arrives at Penang. Undergoes repairs.

28 April 1944:
At 1200, auxiliary minesweeper KEINAN MARU depart Singapore for Port Blair, Andaman Islands escorting AMAGI MARU carrying 600 men of the 36th Independent Brigade and a shipping workshop. HATSUTAKA leaves Penang at 1658 and apparently meets up with the convoy off Penang or more likely sails south to meet them.

1 May 1944:
Off the coast of Malaya. That evening, an enemy submarine's periscope is spotted a mere 30 m off AMAGIRI MARU's starboard flank. AMAGI MARU opens fire and the escorts drop two DCs. Two torpedo tracks are sighted, but AMAGI MARU successfully evades them.

2 May 1944:
Auxiliary minesweeper KYO MARU No. 1 joins the convoy and replaces KEINAN MARU No. 5 that is detached. At 2240, AMAGI MARU is hit in her No. 2 hold by one of three torpedoes fired by LtCdr (later Vice Admiral, Sir) Hugh S. Mackenzie's submarine HMS TANTULUS. Four soldiers are KIA. At 2330, KYO MARU No. 1 takes off passengers and later transfers them to HATSUTAKA.

3 May 1944:
Off Lesser Andaman Islands, 40 nms S of Port Blair. At about 0200, it is decided to attempt to tow AMAGI MARU, but at 0220 she is hit by a second torpedo and sinks immediately at 10-52N, 93-12E. At 1020 HATSUTAKA arrives at Port Blair.

4 May 1944:
At 0900 departs Port Blair.

7 May 1944:
At 1600 arrives at Penang.

11 May 1944:
At 0730 departs Penang.

13 May 1944:
At 1000 arrives at Singapore.

18 May 1944:
At 1300 departs Singapore.

20 May 1944:
At 1700 arrives at Penang.

14 July 1944:
HATSUTAKA departs St Jacques with subchaser CH-19 escorting convoy SASHI-29B consisting of TAIEI, AWAJI, HONAN (ex British WAR SIRDAR) and SEISHIN MARUs. At around the midway point CH-19 is detached and returns to Saigon.

17 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

27 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

3 August 1944:
Near Singapore. HATSUTAKA hits a mine laid by HMS TRUCULENT and suffers minor damage.

25 September 1944:
Departs Penang.

26 September 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

29 September 1944:
At 1200 departs Singapore for Penang.

October 1944:
LtCdr Ozaki Sakan assumes command.

1 October 1944:
At 1000 arrives at Penang.

9 October 1944:
At 1800 departs Penang.

10 October 1944:
LtCdr (later Cdr) Ozaki Takashi (60) (former CO of KUSAGAKI) is appointed CO.

11 October 1944:
At 1030 arrives at Penang.

12 October 1944:
At 1800 departs Penang.

14 October 1944:
At 1030 arrives at Penang.

17 October 1944:
At 1300 departs Penang.

19 October 1944:
At 1300 arrives at Singapore.

29 October 1944:
At 1300 arrives at Penang. Loads mines.

6 November 1944:
At 1045 departs Penang on a minelaying mission. At 2000 arrives back at Penang.

7 November 1944:
At 0730 adeparts Penang on a minelaying mission and arrives back at 1920. Loads mines.

13 November 1944:
At 1210 departs Penang with submarine chaser CH-9 on a minelaying mission.

15 November 1944:
At 1344 returns to Penang. Loads mines.

20 November 1944:
At 1300 departs Penang with submarine chaser CH-9 on a minelaying mission.

21 November 1944:
At 2230 arrives back at Penang.

24 November 1944:
At 1500 eparts Penang with submarine chaser CH-9 on a minelaying mission.

26 November 1944:
At 2040 arrives at Penang.

4 December 1944:
At 1442 departs Penang escorted by the submarine chaser CH-9.

5 December 1944:
Arrives at Port Swettenham. CH-9 carries on to Singapore.

6 December 1944:
Departs Port Swettenham but later that day returns to Port Swettenham.

8 December 1944:
Departs Port Swettenham.

9 December 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

12 December 1944:
Departs Singapore.

14 December 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

19 December 1944:
Departs Singapore.

21 December 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

22 December 1944:
Departs Singapore escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-41.

24 December 1944:
At 1900 Submarine chaser CH-9 departs Penang and later meets up with HATSUTAKA and CHa-41.

27 December 1944:
At 1040 CH-9 arrives back at Penang. At 2100 CHa-41 arrives at Port Swettenham. It is unclear if HATSUTAKA accompanies either.

31 December 1944:
Arrives at Port Swettenham.

2 January 1945:
Departs Port Swettenham.

5 January 1945:
Attached to the Combined Fleet’s Tenth Area Fleet’s First Southern Expeditionary Fleet’s Ninth Auxiliary Base Corps.

30 April 1945:
Departs Singapore for Ha-Tien, French Indochina (now Vietnam) in Chi-Go Phase 1 convoy escorting auxiliary transport TOTTORI MARU.

2 May 1945:
At 2155 LtCdr Benjamin C. Jarvis' (USNA ’39) USS BAYA (SS-318) and Cdr Frank D. Latta’s (USNA ’32)(former CO of USS NARWHAL (SS-167) USS LAGARTO (SS-371) SJ radar pick up four targets at 15,000 yards; a tanker, and unidentified ship and two escorts one of which is later mis-identified as a SHIRATAKA-type minelayer. At 2305, USS BAYA attacks on the surface unsuccessfully. At 2307, HATSUTAKA opens fire on USS BAYA with 20-mm, 40-mm, and 2 or 3 4.7" guns at range of 1100 yards. At 2309, Baya fires another three torpedoes in a "down the throat shot", but HATSUTAKA combs their tracks. At 2320, when HATSUTAKA turns on her searchlight, USS BAYA submerges and fires another torpedo at her, but misses again. At 2325, when USS BAYA surfaces, HATSUTAKA secures her searchlight and again commences firing on USS BAYA. At 2329, she drops six depth charges that shake USS BAYA violently. At 2333, Jarvis informs Latta that he was driven off by the escort.

3/4 May 1945:
Gulf of Siam (Thailand). After midnight, USS BAYA again attacks the tanker unsucessfully and is again driven off by the escorts. That same night, HATSUTAKA detects, depth-charges and sinks USS LAGARTO with all 86 crewmen in the Gulf's shallow waters at 07-55N, 102-00E. Early in the morning, USS BAYA attempts to contact USS LAGARTO with no success. [3]

13 May 1945:
At 1600, HATSUTAKA departs Ha-Tien, SW Indochina for Singapore escorting cargo ship TOTTORI MARU.

14 May 1945:
Gulf of Siam. At 0737, LtCdr Albert L. Becker's (USNA ’34) USS COBIA (SS-245) fires five torpedoes at a minelayer Becker misidentifies as "YAEYAMA", but two broach and HATSUTAKA combs the remaining tracks. At 1150, HATSUTAKA attacks USS COBIA not ceasing until after 1320. USS COBIA notes that HATSUTAKA apparently had two echo ranging devices, evidenced by alternate high and low note pings.

At 1430, LtCdr Frank M. Smith's (USNA ’35) USS HAMMERHEAD (SS-364) attacks TOTTORI MARU, carrying 500 tons of rice, at 10-58N, 102-24E, but she evades three torpedoes.

That same day, HATSUTAKA catches USS COBIA in shallow water and attacks with depth charges. Becker takes USS COBIA to the bottom at only about 120 feet, but USS COBIA gets mired in about 20 feet of mud. USS COBIA takes a beating and is heaviy damaged by the depth charges. After HATSUTAKA departs, Becker rocks the submarine with his electric motors and breaks free.

15 May 1945:
At 0020, lookouts aboard TOTTORI MARU spot a surfaced submarine (USS HAMMERHEAD). In high seas and poor visibility, TOTTORI MARU opens fire with her forward deck gun, followed by HATSUTAKA, scoring several near misses. At 0127, TOTTORI MARU is hit on the bow by a torpedo from USS HAMMERHEAD. At 0132, she sinks bow first at 09-58N, 101-05E. 52 crewmen are KIA. HATSUTAKA picks up 19 survivors and turns back towards Singapore.

16 May 1945:
Off the E coast of Malaya. At 0525, LtCdr Francis W. Scanland's (USNA ’34) USS HAWKBILL (SS-366) fires six torpedoes and gets two hits that damage HATSUTAKA. A sea truck takes her under tow stern first towards the mainland, but Scanland attacks and fires three more torpedoes at her from over 4,600 yards. HATSUTAKA is hit, breaks in two and sinks at 04-49N, 103-31E. Her surviving crewmen refuse rescue. LtCdr Ozaki Takashi (60) survives. He is later promoted Cdr.

23 May 1945:
At 1525, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from the CO of HATSUTAKA that reads: “At and after 0530 on the 16th of May, 3 torpedoes were fired (one direct hit in the engine room, navigation impossible). At 1100 we received a second torpedo attack and sank six miles off Zungun --. ” At 1625, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt another message from HATSUTAKA that reads: “HATSUTAKA action summary. ----- Between 0020 and 0215 on the 15th engaged 6 submarines. Kept down two of them and inflicted considerable damage, but TOTTORI MARU was sunk by the others -----.”

10 August 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

3 April 2008:
NW of Pulao Tenngol, Malaya. A team of divers from Davy Jones' Locker Co. of Koh Tao, Thailand, locates the wreck of HATSUTAKA. The wreck was found N of Dungun, about one kilometer off shore. The bow section is lying on its port side, measuring about 45m in length. This forward section lies on a roughly N-S orientation. The stern sits upright, about 25m off the bow section, extending west, towards the mainland.

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Author's Notes:
[1] General note: HATSUTAKA was used as a fast transport in the Indian Ocean area for much of her career

[2] For action details see trom of destroyer AKIZUKI.

[3] On 19 May 2005, USS LAGARTO was located in the Gulf of Thailand by Wreck Research Vessel MV TRIDENT based at Koh Tao, Thailand. The wreck is mostly intact and sitting upright in about 70 m/225 ft of water. The stern is shrouded in Thai fishing nets. Forward starboard torpedo door No. 4 is partially open and empty that suggests USS LAGARTO went down fighting and fired a torpedo during her last moments. Also visible forward of the conning tower port quarter is massive damage. A hole about 18 feet high and 8 to 9 feet wide is on the port side, near the forward torpedo room.

Clearly, USS LAGARTO sustained a direct hit from a depth charge that completely destroyed her external steel plating. The sub's external control planes are juxta-positioned; the foreword planes are set to the ‘dive’ position whereas the stern planes are set to ‘surface’. The rudder is positioned at hard right. All of USS LAGARTO's hatches are closed.

Watch a video on USS LAGARTO on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP_0-AU671U

Thanks go to Matthew Jones of Mississippi for assistance with COs. Thanks also go to the late John Whitman of Virginia, USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages and to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France and Berend van der Wal of Netherlands for general assistance.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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