FUSETSUKAN!

© 2005-2019 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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22 June 1938:
Laid down at Ishikawajima Shipbuilding.

29 June 1939:
Launched and named KYOSAI.

27 December 1939:
Completed and registered in the Yokosuka Naval District. Attached to the Jinhae Guard Unit.

18 June 1943:
Convoy SHI-809 departs Ujina for Shanghai consisting of WAKAMATSU, UGA, GYOKUREI, MIIKESAN, KOSHIN, WAZAN, TOKIWA and NICHINAN MARUs escorted by minelayer TSUBAME. [1]

E China Sea, off Shirase, Japan. At 1837 (I), LtCdr (later Admiral/CINCPAC) John S. McCain, Jr’s (USNA '31) USS GUNNEL (SS-253) first sights the convoy approaching, smoking heavily and making maximum speed. About every ten minutes, the convoy changes course through forty to sixty degree zigzags. USS GUNNEL's XO/navigator plots the convoy's base course as 260°(T) towards Shanghai.

19 June 1943:
E China Sea. At about 0825 (I), after making an "end-around", McCain fires six torpedoes and gets one hit on TOKIWA MARU’s No. 7 hold, port side aft. The other five torpedoes miss MIIKESAN and UGA MARUs. TOKIWA MARU sinks at 32-31N, 126-17E. One crewman is KIA. The remainder of the convoy escapes. At 1410, they anchor off Saishu To (former Quelpart Island, now Cheju-do, Korea).

Later that night, in the same area as her previous attack, USS GUNNEL torpedoes and damages converted gunboat HONG KONG MARU conducting a sweep for American submarines.

A hunter-killer group is formed consisting of KYOSAI from the Chinkai Guard Unit and minelayer TSUBAME, destroyer MINEKAZE and seaplanes from the Sasebo Naval Station.

At 2050 (I), USS GUNNEL surfaces in bright moonlight to recharge her batteries. At 2130 (I), GUNNEL's SJ radar picks up a contact at 5,800 yards. At about 2140 (I), USS GUNNEL's lookouts spot three warships about 3,000 yards astern. They identify one as an "old WAKATAKE-class destroyer."

KYOSAI discovers USS GUNNEL on the surface. All the warships open fire on GUNNEL. McCain makes a radar-assisted surface attack on the destroyer. He fires two stern torpedoes "down the throat" and crash-dives at 32-30N, 126-15E. USS GUNNEL undergoes depth charging, but evades by going to the bottom. Later, KYOSAI claims "sinking" the submarine.

21 June 1943:
At 0912, damaged HONG KONG MARU sinks at 33-13N, 128-45E.

12 March 1944:
At 0400, KYOSAI departs Tokyo with light cruiser TATSUTA, destroyers NOWAKI, ASAKAZE, YUNAGI and UZUKI, kaibokan HIRADO, and minelayer SOKUTEN escorting outbound convoy "Higashi Matsu No. 2" consisting of TAKAOKA, HIBI, TAJIMA, MIHO, AWA, DAITEN, RYUKA, TAMAHOKO, KOKUYO, TSUSHIMA and ATLANTIC MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 1.

13 March 1944:
40 miles NNE of Hachijo-jima. At 0310, LtCdr Malcom E. Garrison's new USS SAND LANCE (SS-381) sets up and fires four stern torpedoes at the convoy. Two hit and sink TATSUTA at 32-52N 139-12E. The other two hit and sink transport KOKUYO MARU carrying 1,029 troops. USS SAND LANCE undergoes an 18-hour attack by the escorts. USS SAND LANCE, a thick-skinned BALAO-class, dives to 550-feet and escapes 105 depth charges. The minesweeper W-20 is ordered to the area of the sinking.

19 March 1944:
At 1400, arrives at Saipan.

24 March 1944
At 0700, KYOSAI departs Saipan with subchasers CH-17, CH-31, CH-32, destroyers NOWAKI, ASAKAZE and kaibokan MANJU escorting convoy HIGASHI MATSU No.2 (return) consisting of TAKUNAN, NACHI, AWA DAITEN, MIHO, BINGO, RYUKA, TAKAOKA, HIBI, TAMAHOKO, TATSUHARU and SHINFUKU MARUs, storeship SOYA and an unidentified ship. En route SOYA and possibly AWA MARU detach and arrive at Chichi-Jima.

1 April 1944:
At 1000, the convoy arrives at Tokyo. It is presumed KYOSAI has previously been detached at Chichi-Jima.

4 April 1944:
KYOSAI departs Chichi-Jima for Yokosuka escorting convoy 4324 consisting of storeship SOYA and NISSHO MARU and ASAHI MARU No. 2 as well as one unidentified merchant ship, possibly AWA MARU. The other escorts are the auxiliary gunboat NACHI MARU and auxiliary minesweepers KEINAN MARU and TOSHI MARU No. 8, auxiliary netlayer KOGI MARU and auxiliary submarine chaser FUMI MARU, the latter four as far as 31 degrees north.

15 April 1944:
At 0600, KYOSAI departs Tokyo with destroyers HOKAZE, YUNAGI, UZUKI, kaibokan MIYAKE and CD-6, minelayers SARUSHIMA and YURIJIMA, minesweepers W-20, W-28 and subchasers CH-10 and CH-12 escorting convoy "Higashi-Matsu No. 6". The convoy consists of AWAJI, HAKUBA, KATSUKAWA, TAKAOKA, BATAVIA, AWA and HOKUSHIN MARUs bound for Saipan, CHOAN MARU No. 2 and MIKAGE MARU No. 1 bound for Truk, JOKUJA, BISAN and JINSAN MARUs bound for Palau, KAMISHIMA and SHOZAN MARUs bound for Woleai, INARI and TONEGAWA MARUs bound for Guam and TATSUSHO (TATSUAKI) and TAMAHOKO MARUs bound for Chichi-Jima.

18 April 1944:
TATSUSHO (TATSUAKI) and TAMAHOKO MARUs are detached for Chichi-Jima escorted by KYOSAI and YURIJIMA. Arrives later that day.

28 April 1944:
At 1330 departs Chichi-Jima escorting a convoy (allegedly 4513 but number appears incorrect) consisting of HYAKUFUKU and TATSUSHO (TATSUAKI) MARUs also escorted by minelayer YURIJIMA, auxiliary minesweepers TOSHI MARU No. 8 and TAMA MARU No. 6 and auxiliary KIKU MARU No. 8.

2 May 1944:
At 0650 arrives at Minami Torishima (Marcus Is).

6 May 1944:
At 1330 the same convoy departs Minami Torishima.

11 May 1944:
At 0030 arrives back at Chichi-Jima.

13 May 1944:
At 0530 KYOSAI, minelayer YURIJIMA and auxiliary minesweepers TOSHI MARU No. 8 and TAMA MARU No. 6 depart escorting convoy No. 4513 consisting of HYAKUFUKU and TATSUSHO (TATSUAKI) MARUs.

E 15 May 1944:
TOSHI MARU No. 8 and TAMA MARU No. 6 are detached and return to Chichi-Jima.

17 May 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

21 May 1944:
KYOSAI and minelayer YURIJIMA depart Tokyo Bay escorting convoy No. 3521 likely consisting of SHOUN MARU and possibly others.

28 May 1944:
Arrives at Saipan.

3 June 1944:
KYOSAI and minelayer YURIJIMA depart Saipan for Truk with torpedo boat HIYODORI and converted indicator net-layer KISHIN MARU escorting an unnamed convoy consisting of SEIKA and SHINFUKU MARUs and NISSHO MARU No. 18.

7 June 1944:
Arrives at Truk.

7 July 1944:
At 1000 departs Davao escorting convoy DAMA-01 consisting of unidentified merchant ships also escorted by kaibokan MIKURA, CD-19, torpedo boat HIYODORI, submarine chaser CH-48, and minelayer YURIJIMA.

9 July 1944:
At 1700 arrives at Cebu.

11 July 1944:
At 0700 departs Cebu.

13 July 1944:
At 1800 arrives at Manila.

14 July 1944:
KYOSAI departs Manila with minesweeper W-15 escorting convoy MATA-24A consisting of KAGU MARU.

17 July 1944:
Arrives at Takao and departs later that day.

20 July 1944:
Arrives at Moppo.

21 July 1944:
Departs Moppo.

22 July 1944:
Arrives at Chinkai.

25 July 1944:
Departs Chinkai and later that day arrives at Pusan.

14 August 1944:
Departs Pusan but returns to port later that day.

16 August 1944:
Departs Pusan and later that day arrives at Chinkai.

19 August 1944:
Departs Chinkai but later that day returns to port.

20 August 1944:
Departs Chinkai.

22 August 1944:
Arrives at Moppo (Mokpo).

25 August 1944:
Departs Moppo.

1 February 1945:
Yellow Sea. Reassigned to the General Escort Command’s First Escort Fleet’s 103rd Escort Squadron. Engages in mine laying.

17 March 1945:
At 1300 arrives at Hikin Do, Chosen.

18 March 1945:
At 0800 departs Hikin Do on patrol.

21 March 1945:
At 1235 arrives back at Hikin Do.

22 March 1945:
At 0630 departs Hikin Do on an anti submarine sweep.

25 March 1945:
At 1630 arrives at Hikin Do.

26 March 1945:
At 0300 departs Hikin Do.

27 March 1945:
At 1900 departs Chinkai.

28 March 1945:
At 1045 arrives at Sasebo.

1 April 1945:
Reassigned to the Seventh Fleet’s 18th Squadron at Saeki.

11 April 1945:
At 0530 departs Sasebo.

12 April 1945:
At 1700 minelayers TOKIWA, KYOSAI and NIIZAKI arrive at Saiki.

14 April 1945:
At 0900 NUWAJIMA departs Saiki followed an hour later by KOEI MARU, KYOSAI and SAISHU. The ships proceed to lay mines in the Bungo Suido area.

15 April 1945:
At 0630 KOEI MARU, SAISHU, NUWAJIMA and KYOSAI arrive at Saiki.

22 April 1945:
At 0800 minelayers KYOSAI, NIIZAKI, SAISHU and NUWAJIMA escorted by kaibokan CD-22 depart Sasebo. At 1400 they anchor in Imari Wan.

24 April 1945:
At Himejima anchorage minelayer EIJO MARU transfers mines to minelayers SAISHU, NIIZAKI, NUWAJIMA and KYOSAI.

25 April 1945:
At 1330 off Kogushi (Ogushi) Wan minelayer NUWAJIMA meets up with KYOSAI.

29 April 1945:
At 1530 NUWAJIMA, SAISHU and KYOSAI with kaibokan CD-22 arrive at Saiki.

1 May 1945:
At 1805 SAISHU and KYOSAI departs Saiki for Uzuki.

2 May 1945:
At 1500 SAISHU and KYOSAI depart Saiki for Uzuki.

4 May 1945:
At 0930 SAISHU and KYOSAI arrive back at Saiki.

8 May 1945:
At 0300 NIIZAKI and KYOSAI depart Saiki for Yawata. They arrive there at 1140.

18 May 1944:
At 1000 KYOSAI is undocked.

19 May 1945:
At 1000 minelayers KOEI MARU, KYOSAI, SAISHU and TOKIWA and kaibokan CD-22, CD-29 and CD-44 depart Sasebo. At 1800 the ships anchor at Karatsu Wan.

21 May 1945:
At 0900 at Moji KYOSAI and SAISHU are detached and proceed to Saiki.

24 May 1945:
KYOSAI and SAISHU arrive at Saiki.

25 May 1945:
At Saiki KYOSAI, SAISHU and EIJO MARU load mines.

26 May 1945:
At 1520 EIJO MARU, KYOSAI and SAISHU depart Saiki and later that day anchor off Kanda anchorage.

31 May 1945:
At Yobuko, minelayers KYOSAI, EIJO MARU and KOEI MARU load mines for Tsushima Strait mineplant. At 1330 KYOSAI departs for Sasebo.

1 June 1945:
At 0800 arrives at Sasebo.

June 1945:
Tsushima Straits. A minefield is laid by the minelayers.

Yokosuka. Reassigned to a tokko (suicide) Squadron.

5 August 1945:
After nightfall, KYOSAI departs Yokosuka for Kujyu-Kurihama beach, a probable US landing area on a mining mission off the Boso peninsula with kaibokan CD-37 (flagship of Rear Admiral Aitoku Ichiro (45)(former CO of UNYO) in command of the mission) and SHISAKA and auxiliary minelayer KINJO MARU.

6 August 1945:
E of Nojimazaki. During the forenoon all mines are sown and the unit heads back, when several air alarms are received. KYOSAI comes under a strafing attack at 34-52N, 139-58E by fighters of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) John H. Towers’ Task Force 58 returning from the Tokyo area. The planes damage KYOSAI's cutter by strafing and its fuel tank ignites. The flaming boat is jettisoned overboard. Kaibokan SHISAKA is undamaged and departs the area at high speed.

15 August 1945:
KYOSAI’s crew hear the Emperor's recorded radio announcement of the end of the war.

5 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

12 October 1945:
Performs demobilization transport duties. Departs Uraga.

17 October 1945:
Arrives at Guam.

18 October 1945:
Departs Guam.

21 October 1945:
Arrives at Mortlock Island.

22 October 1945:
Departs Mortlock.

23 October 1945:
Arrives at Guam.

24 October 1945:
Departs Guam.

28 October 1945:
Arrives at Uraga.

29 October 1945:
Undergoes repairs at Uraga.

24 November 1945:
Repairs are completed.

27 November 1945:
Departs Uraga.

1 December 1945:
Officially designated a Special Transport in the Allied Repatriation Service.

That same day, arrives at Guam and departs later that day.

8 December 1945:
Arrives at Yap and departs later that day.

16 December 1945:
Arrives at Uraga.

20 December 1945:
Undergoes repairs at Uraga.

5 March 1946:
Repairs are completed.

10 March 1946:
Departs Uraga.

14 March 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo.

17 March 1946:
Departs Sasebo.

19 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai and departs later that day.

22 March 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo.

24 March 1946:
Departs Sasebo.

26 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai and departs later that day.

30 March 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo.

4 April 1946:
Departs Sasebo.

6 April 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai.

9 April 1946:
Departs Shanghai.

12 April 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo.

19 April 1946:
Departs Sasebo.

21 April 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai.

23 April 1946:
Departs Shanghai.

24 April 1946:
Arrives at Sasebo.

3 May 1946:
Undergoes repair at Tsurumi.

2 June 1946:
Repairs are completed.

15 June 1946:
Departs Uraga.

19 June 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai and departs later that same day.

22 June 1946:
Arrives at Uraga and departs later the same day.

24 June 1946:
arrives Sasebo.

19 July 1946:
At 0800 departs Sasebo.

25 July 1946:
At 1100 arrives at Korojima (near Tsientsin).

31 July 1946:
At 1015 departs Korojima.

5 August 1946:
At 0830 arrives at Hakata.

12 August 1946:
At 1700 departs Hakata.

15 August 1946:
At 1030 arrives at Korojima.

18 August 1946:
At 0700 departs Korojima.

20 August 1946:
Arrives at Chipo (Chefoo) and departs later that day.

25 August 1946:
At 0945 arrives at Hakata.

7 September 1946:
At 1600 departs Hakata.

10 September 1946:
At 1200 arrives at Korojima.

13 September 1946:
At 1630 departs Korojima.

16 September 1946:
At 0830 arrives at Hakata.

23 September 1946:
At 1600 departs Hakata.

26 September 1946:
At 1645 arrives at Korojima.

29 September 1946:
At 1600 departs Korojima.

2 October 1946:
At 1500 arrives at Hakata.

14 October 1946:
At 1600 departs Hakata.

17 October 1946:
At 1730 arrives at Korojima.

19 October 1946:
At 1600 departs Korojima.

22 October 1946:
At 1515 arrives at Hakata.

1 November 1946:
Arrives at Tamano for repairs.

15 November 1946:
Repairs are completed.

22 November 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.

23 November 1946:
Arrives at Amami-Oshima and departs later the same day.

27 November 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.

29 November 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.

30 November 1946:
Arrives at Amami-Oshima and departs later the same day.

2 December 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.

13 December 1946:
Departs Kagoshima.

14 December 1946:
Arrives at Amami-Oshima.

15 December 1946:
Departs Amami-Oshima.

17 December 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.

20 November 1947:
Ceded to the United Kingdom as a war reparation.

31 March 1948:
Completes scrapping at Tohoku Shiogama shipbuilding.

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Author's Notes:
[1] Some sources do not list HONG KONG MARU as a member of the convoy or TSUBAME as an escort.

[2] No data were found for KYOSAI's movements during 1941, '42 and most of '43. Readers with access to any such data are requested to post the information on the Discussion and Questions board or j-aircraft.org's IJN Ship Message Board

Photo credit goes to Matthew Jones. Thanks also go to Matt for assistance with COs and John Whitman for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages and troops carried aboard KATA-626. Thanks also go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan and Erich Muehlthaler of Germany for info in Rev 5.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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