Japanese Escorts

KAIBOKAN!
(Ukuru Class Escort in 1944 - colorized by Irootoko, Jr)

IJN Escort HOTAKA: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2006-2016 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 2

27 November 1944:
Uraga, Kanagawa Prefecture. Laid down at Uraga Dock Co., Ltd.as Yard No. 574.
28 January 1945:
Launched and named HOTAKA.
30 March 1945:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District. Attached to the Kure Guard Unit´s anti-submarine training force. LtCdr Fujimoto Eisa (Hidesa) is the Commanding Officer. LtCdr Fujimoto Eisa is the Commanding Officer.
23 April 1945:
Arrives at Maizuru together with kaibokan IO.
24 April 1945:
HOTAKA and IO depart Maizuru for Nanao. After arrival, they conduct anti-submarine training.
Attached to the newly formed 51st Squadron.
3 June 1945:
Assigned to the General Escort Command´s 1st Escort Fleet in the 102nd Escort Squadron
2 July 1945:
HOTAKA departs Maizuru together with kaibokan IO, AMAMI and CD-13 escorting minelayer TOKIWA from Maizuru to Ominato, Aomori Prefecture.
4 July 1945:
The ships safely arrive at Ominato.
5 July 1945:
Reassigned to the General Escort Command’s First Escort Fleet’s 2nd Coast Defense Group.
8 August 1945:
Departs Ominato together with kaibokan KANJU escorting a convoy to North Korea.
This day the Soviet Union Declares War on Japan: Moscow declares that from 9 August 1945, the Soviet Union will consider itself to be at war with Japan.
15 August 1945: Cessation of Hostilities:
Genzan (Wonsan), N Korea. In the evening, HOTAKA departs Genzan Harbor together with kaibokan KANJU escorting an evacuation convoy to Maizuru. KANJU is in the lead followed by HOTAKA. While passing the harbor entrance, KANJU strikes a Russian aircraft-laid mine. KANJU´s stern is heavily damaged by the explosion. Three crewmen are KIA and about 50 wounded.
KANJU is taken in tow by HOTAKA when the Japanese receive an erroneous report about two Soviet cruisers approaching Wonsan from the north. KANJU's captain orders her battle flag lowered and then Abandon Ship. Her unwounded crew and also a few wounded crew members are transferred to HOTAKA while almost all wounded crew members are taken to the Wonsan Army Hospital. KANJU is scuttled and sinks ca. 500 yards ENE of the Coaling Pier, Genzan Harbor, at 39-10N, 127-27E.
That same day, LtCdr Fujimoto informs his crew of the cessation of hostilities.
1 October 1945:
Departs Yokosuka on her first repatriation trip.
16 August 1945:
In the morning, HOTAKA departs Genzan escorting an evacuation convoy to Maizuru.
20 August 1945:
Arrives at Maizuru. Immediately departs for Ominato.
21 August 1945:
Arrives at Ominato.
5 September 1945:
HOTAKA is still at Ominato.
5 October 1945:
Arrives at Bangka Island. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated. That same day, HOTAKA is removed from the Imperial Navy List.
8 October 1945:
Departs Bangka.
12 October 1945:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Disembarks troops and passengers.
20 October 1945:
Departs Uraga.
29 October 1945:
Arrives at Palau. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
1 November 1945:
Departs Palau.
8 November 1945:
Arrives at Uraga. Disembarks troops and passengers.
11 November 1945:
Departs Uraga.
16 November 1945:
Arrives at Maizuru.
18 November 1945:
Undergoes repairs at Maizuru.
31 January 1946:
Repairs are completed.
1 December 1945:
Formally assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service to perform demobilization transport duties. [1]
4 February 1946:
Departs Maizuru.
5 February 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
6 February 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo. Disembarks troops and passengers.
9 February 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
14 February 1946:
Arrives at Guam. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that same day.
21 February 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
22 February 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
25 February 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
28 February 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
2 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun (Keelung). Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
5 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
7 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
9 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
12 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
15 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
16 March 1946:
Arrives at Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
17 March 1946:
Departs Okinawa.
18 March 1946:
Arrives at Kirun. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
21 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
25 March 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.
27 March 1946:
Arrives at Miyako Shima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
28 March 1946:
Arrives at Ishigaki Shima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
29 March 1946:
Departs Ishigakishima.
1 April 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
6 April 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Tsurumi yard, Tokyo .
15 May 1946:
Repairs are completed.
21 May 1946:
Departs Uraga.
29 May 1946:
Arrives at St. Jacques. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day .
31 May 1946:
Arrives at Saigon. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
5 June 1946:
Arrives at Bangkok. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later the same day.
16 June 1946:
Arrives at Uraga. Disembarks troops and passengers.
26 June 1946 - 5 July 1946:
Tokyo. Undergoes repairs at the Tsurumi yard.
7 July 1946:
Departs Uraga.
8 July 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers and departs later that day.
12 July 1946:
Arrives at Korojima near Tsientsin. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
15 July 1946:
Departs Korojima.
18 July 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
5 August 1946 - 20 August 1946:
Tokyo. Undergoes repairs at the Tsurumi yard.
19 July 1947:
Ceded to the United States as a war reparation.
1 March 1948:
Yokosuka. Dismantled and scrapped at Uraga.

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 go to Gilbert Casse of France and to Erich Muethlthaler of Germany for the info in rev 2.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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