Japanese Hydrographic Survey Ships

SOKURYOSEN

IJN Hydrographic Survey Ship KATSURIKI: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2010-2015 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 4

E 1916:
Laid down at Kure Navy Yard as a 1,540 ton minelayer.
5 October 1916:
Launched and named KATSURIKI MARU.
6 November 1916:
Cdr (later Captain) Tsunoda Kanzo (26) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
15 January 1917:
KATSURIKI is commissioned. Cdr Tsunoda is the Commanding Officer.
1 September 1917:
Cdr Mukai Kunikazu (26)(former CO of MIKASA) is appointed CO.
1 December 1917:
Cdr Takakura Masaharu (27) is appointed CO.
10 November 1918:
Cdr (later Captain) Arita Hidemichi (27) is appointed CO.
20 November 1919:
Cdr Miyano Koji (28) is appointed CO.
1 April 1920:
Renamed KATSURIKI.
25 July 1921:
Cdr Narusawa Yoshimizu (29)(former CO of CHIHAYA) is appointed CO.
1 December 1921:
Cdr Horiuchi Munehira (29) is appointed CO.
30 October 1922:
Cdr Hijikata Shizuo is appointed CO.
20 November 1923:
Cdr (later Captain) Ishida Shoichi (32) is appointed CO.
1 December 1924:
Cdr (later Captain) Matsui Risaburo (32) is appointed CO.
15 April 1925:
Cdr (later Captain) Yamada Matsujiro (32) (former CO of SAWAKAZE) is appointed CO.
20 October 1925:
Cdr Hirooka Shoji is appointed CO.
15 November 1927:
Cdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Ara Tadashi (33) is appointed CO.
10 December 1928:
Cdr (later Captain) Hirano Takeo (34) is appointed CO.
30 November 1929:
Cdr Fujinaga Saburo (36) is appointed CO.
15 November 1930:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Sakura Takeo (37) is appointed CO.
1 December 1931:
Cdr Ogino Nakaichiro (37) (former CEO / CO of I-3) is appointed CO.
15 November 1933:
Captain Kosokabe Yuzuru (38) (former ComSubDiv 8) is appointed CO.
1 November 1934:
Cdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Wakisaka Johei (38) is appointed CO.
10 October 1935:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Matsura Tadayuki (40) is appointed CO.
1936:
Initially employed as a hydrographic survey vessel, this duty then continues throughout the vessel’s life.
1 December 1937:
Cdr Matsura is promoted Captain.
1938:
IJN KATSURIKI surveys the Spratly Islands, a group of more than 750 reefs, atolls and islands claimed by French Indochina, probably to determine their naval value.
21 February 1938:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Nobutani Yasuji (40) is appointed CO.
1 June 1938:
Cdr Nobutani is promoted Captain.
9-11 February 1939: Hainan Island Operation:
KATSURIKI supports Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake’s Fifth Fleet, South China Naval Force’s invasion and capture of Hainan Island.
20 April 1939:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Nagao Motoo (42) is appointed CO.
2 May 1940:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Nakamura Masao (40) is appointed CO.
1 June 1940:
Cdr Kondo Shizuo (43) is appointed CO.
11 October 1940: Imperial Naval Review:
Yokohama. KATSURIKI and 97 warships are spread across Tokyo Bay. Vice Admiral (later Admiral of the Fleet, posthumously) Yamamoto Isoroku (former CO of AKAGI), Commander-in-Chief Combined Fleet, accompanies Emperor Hirohito (Showa) aboard battleship HIEI for the Emperor's annual review of the fleet. 527 aircraft also participate. HIEI, escorted by cruisers TAKAO, KAKO and FURUTAKA, then passes among the fleet's ships.
October 1941:
KATSURIKI is based at Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. During the month, USN codebreakers track her movements from Kwajalein to Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands. The codebreakers determine KATSURIKI is performing oceanic surveys and soundings in the vicinity of Tarawa preparatory to a Japanese invasion. [1]
15 October 1941:
Cdr Kondo is promoted Captain.
30 October 1941:
KATSURIKI is in the Fourth Fleet’s Survey and Patrol Division with survey vessel (ex-sub tender) KOMAHASHI and transport KOSHU.
8 December 1941:
KATSURIKI is attached to the Kure Naval District.
11 December 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
15 December 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
18 December 1941:
Patrols in Iyo Nada.
29 December 1941:
Departs Iyo Nada and later that day arrives at Kure.
5 January 1942:
Captain Chiba Shigeo (36) is appointed CO.
24 February 1942:
Departs Kure and later that day arrives at Hiroshima.
26 February 1942:
Departs Hiroshima and later that day arrives at Kure.
10 March 1942:
Reassigned to the First Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Combined Fleet.
16 March 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Singapore.
E 28 March 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Later, at an unknown date, proceeds up the Straits of Malacca to Burma.
10 April 1942:
Reassigned to the First Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Southwest Area Fleet.
7 June 1942:
Departs Penang.
11 June 1942:
Arrives at Mergui, Burma.
19 June 1942:
Arrives at Tavoy.
28 June 1942:
Departs Tavoy.
1 July 1942:
Arrives at Penang.
8 July 1942:
Departs Penang.
11 July 1942:
Arrives at Tavoy.
20 July 1942:
Departs Tavoy. This same day KATSURIKI is officially remodelled and rerated a survey ship.
21 July 1942:
Arrives at Rangoon.
23 July 1942:
Departs Rangoon.
26 July 1942:
Arrives at Mergui.
28 July 1942:
Departs Mergui.
3 August 1942:
Arrives at Penang.
5 August 1942:
Departs Penang.
7 August 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and is drydocked.
4 September 1942:
Departs Singapore.
10 September 1942:
Arrives at Tapanuli Bay, NW Sumatra.
17 September 1942:
Departs Tapanuli Bay.
18 September 1942:
Arrives at Padang.
19 September 1942:
Departs Padang.
22 September 1942:
Arrives at Batavia.
25 September 1942:
Departs Batavia.
28 September 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
3 October 1942:
Departs Belawan.
5 October 1942:
Arrives at Belawan.
6 October 1942:
Departs Belawan to nearby Aru Bay.
9 October 1942:
Returns from Aru Bay to Belawan.
13 October 1942:
Shifts again from Belawan to Aru Bay.
16 October 1942:
Returns to Belawan.
21 October 1942:
Departs Belawan.
23 October 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
29 October 1942:
Departs Singapore.
2 November 1942:
Arrives at Bentinck Island anchorage, Mergui Archipelago.
9 November 1942:
Departs Bentinck Island area.
11 November 1942:
Arrives at Rangoon.
16 November 1942:
Transfers to the Rangoon river delta
21 November 1942:
Returns to Rangoon.
25 November 1942:
Again returns to the Rangoon river delta area.
27 November 1942:
Returns to Rangoon.
8 December 1942:
Departs Rangoon for central Mergui area.
20 December 1942:
Departs Mergui area.
21 December 1942:
Arrives at Penang.
23 December 1942:
Departs Penang.
25 December 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Spends the rest of the month and all of January 1943 undertaking survey work within Singapore commercial port.
11 February 1943:
Transfers to Singapore Naval Port (Seletar).
16 February 1943:
Transfers back to Singapore commercial port.
26 February 1943:
Transfers to Singapore Naval Port (Seletar). Then back to Singapore commercial port at an unknown date
15 March 1943:
Undertakes further surveys.
20 March 1943:
Surveys are completed.
27 March 1943:
Departs Singapore.
28 March 1943:
Arrives at Port Swettenham.
29 March 1943:
Departs Port Swettenham.
31 March 1943:
Arrives at Penang.
3 April 1943:
Departs Penang and surveys the Selat Tanjong Dengang strait area.
5 April 1943:
Returns to Penang.
13 April 1943:
Departs Penang.
15 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
17 April 1943:
Departs Singapore and later that day arrives at the Lingga anchorage.
18 April 1943:
Departs Lingga anchorage and later that day arrives back at Singapore.
2 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
5 May 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
12 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
15 May 1943:
Arrives at Sabang.
16 May 1943:
Departs Sabang.
17 May 1943:
Arrives at Nancowry, Nicobar Islands.
26 May 1943:
Departs Nancowry.
27 May 1943:
Arrives at Sabang.
29 May 1943:
Departs Sabang.
30 May 1943:
Arrives at Nancowry.
14 June 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
25 June 1943:
Reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet.
10 November 1943:
Captain Terashima Shozen (50) is appointed CO.
26 April 1944:
At 1200, departs Surabaya with minesweeper W-12 escorting CHOYO (ex RNN surveying vessel TYDEMAN) towing 473 ton oil barge (presumed) JOKAI MARU and accompanied by TOYO MARU No. 5 towing 486 ton oil barge (presumed) JOTOU MARU.
27 April 1944:
At 1800, arrives at Jakarta.
5 May 1944:
At Jakarta. Minesweeper W-12 loads for 3 days of fresh food from KATSURIKI.
20 August 1944:
Captain Shiwa Kotora (50)(former CO of SOYA) is appointed CO.
21 September 1944:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Chester W. Nimitz, Jr’s USS HADDO (SS-255) is assigned lifeguard duty to rescue downed pilots of Task Force 38 engaged in operations against Luzon.
At 1103, USS HADDO’s lookouts spot heavy smoke to the NW. By 1146, Nimitz identifies the contacts as hospital ship TAKASAGO MARU and a minelayer. Each ship has a floatplane circling overhead. At 1317, TAKASAGO MARU heads towards Manila and the minelayer heads towards Palawan Passage.
Nimitz surfaces and makes a high speed “end-around”. At 2143, USS HADDO fires her six bow torpedo tubes at the minelayer at a range of 2,900 yards. At 2145, two hits are observed. At 2152, KATSURIKI sinks 80 nms SW of Manila at 13-35N, 119-06E. USS HADDO sees about 40 survivors in the water and attempts rescue, but the Japanese drown themselves instead.
Captain Shiwa is KIA. He is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.
10 November 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

Author's Notes:
[1] In fact, the Japanese invaded Tarawa in Dec '41.
[2] Little data were found on KATSURIKI ’s movements for June 43-Sep '44. Readers with access to such data are requested to post the information on the Discussion and Questions board or j-aircraft.org's IJN Ship Message Board

Thanks for help goes to Matthew Jones of Mississippi and to Gilbert Casse of France.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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