FUSETSUKAN!

© 2010 Bob Hackett and Erich Muehlthaler.

---

24 March 1939:
Yokohama. Laid down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ shipyard as a 720-ton SOKUTEN-class minelayer.

28 August 1939:
Launched and named NARYU.

20 June 1940:
Completed and registered in the Sasebo Naval District.

1 November 1941:
Assigned to the Maizuru Guard Unit. Undergoes training.

1 December 1941:
Off the coast of Wakayama Prefecture, Honshu. NARYU is briefly grounded in Kitan Kaikyo Strait.

3 December 1941:
Departs Maizuru and comes under command of the Commander, Osaka Guard Station. Conducts patrols in the Kii Channel and Bungo Strait areas.

January 1942:
Reassigned to the Kii Strait Guard Unit.

26 January 1942:
Arrives at Maizuru. Thereafter, proceeds to Wakasa Bay for training.

3 May 1942:
Departs Maizuru. Again, under command of the Commander, Osaka Guard Station.

6 May 1942:
Arrives at Yura.

7 May 1942:
Departs Yura. Conducts patrols.

10 June 1942:
Departs Yura. Stationed at Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture. Conducts patrols.

8 May 1943:
Arrives at Maizuru.

15 May 1943:
Enters dock.

28 May 1943:
Undocked.

14 June 1943:
Departs Maizuru. Conducts anti-submarine sweeps in nearby coastal waters.

1 July 1943:
Departs Maizuru escorting a convoy.

4 July 1943:
Arrives at Kushimoto.

9 July 1943:
Departs Yura.

11 July 1943:
Proceeds to Maizuru. Conducts patrols.

13 August 1943:
Departs Maizuru. Conducts patrols.

20 August 1943:
Arrives at Nanao Bay. Conducts patrols off Nanao Bay.

9 October 1943:
Departs Nanao Bay escorting a convoy towards the Oga Peninsula.

19 October 1943:
Arrives at Maizuru. Undergoes engine repairs.

8 November 1943:
Departs Maizuru. Conducts patrols.

17 January 1944:
Departs Maizuru. The same day attached to the Osaka Guard Force.

21 January 1944:
Arrives at Yura. Thereafter, engaged in convoy escort duties while based at Kushimoto.

4 February 1944:
Departs Yura to join as escort for escort carrier UNYO torpedoed on 19 January 1944 by USS HADDOCK (SS-231).

7 February 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

10 February 1944:
Departs Yokohama escorting a convoy.

15 February 1944:
Arrives at Osaka.

16 February 1944:
Drydocked. A sonar set is installed.

5 March 1944:
Undocked.

7 March 1944:
Departs Osaka. Thereafter, engages in convoy escort duties while based at Kushimoto.

20 July 1944:
Departs Kushimoto.

21 July 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

1 August 1944:
Registered in the Yokosuka Naval District.

18 August 1944:
At 0800, departs Nagaura with minelayer SAISHU, auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 5 and some unidentified small special submarine chasers (CHa) escorting convoy No. 3818 consisting of KANAMO, SURUGA, and EIKO MARUs and some other small craft.

22 August 1944:
At 1800, safely arrives at Chichi-Jima. 23 August 1944: At 0900, departs Chichi-Jima with minelayer SAISHU and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 5 escorting convoy No. 4823 consisting of EIKO, HOKKAI and HASSHO MARUs. At 1047, the convoy is attacked NW of Chichi-Jima by two PB4Y-1 (B-24s) of VB-102. Auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 5 sustains a bomb hit. At about 1215, she bursts into flames, blows up and sinks at 27-07N, 142-06E.

29 August 1944:
A 0500, arrives at Yokosuka.

11 September 1944:
Departs Tateyama escorting a convoy.

16 September 1944:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.

17 September 1944:
Departs Chichi-Jima escorting a convoy.

22 September 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

1 October 1944:
Assigned to the Chichi-Jima Special Base Force.

15 October 1944:
Departs Uraga. Lays mines on two occasions.

3 November 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

5 November 1944:
Enters dock.

17 November 1944:
Undocked.

27 November 1944:
Runs trials.

11 December 1944:
Registered again in the Yokosuka Naval District.

24 January 1945:
Departs Yokosuka. Conducts anti-submarines sweeps while based at Kushimoto.

16 February 1945:
Off Shionomisaki, SE of Honshu. NARYU is conducting an anti-submarine sweep. Two hours before dawn, LtCdr George E. Porter, Jr’s USS SENNET (SS-408) ST radar picks up a target. At 0700, Porter’s crew mis-identifies the target as a FUBUKI-cass destroyer. At 0718, Porter fires three stern Mark-23 torpedoes at NARYU at 1,850 yards and gets two hits.

As SENNET is passing 200 feet, she is damaged by two depth bombs dropped by a radar equipped Japanese aircraft. About 0800, NARYU sinks 170 degrees 67 nautical miles from Shiono-Misaki, Wakayama Prefecture at 32-10N, 139-58E. At 0845, SENNET surfaces and sights about 40 survivors. Porter’s crew twice attempts to take one prisoner, but the Japanese refuse to come aboard the submarine and all probably perish in the cold water.

10 April 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

---

Authors' Note:
Thanks go to Sander Kingsepp.

-Bob Hackett and Erich Muehlthaler.

---

Back to Minelayer Page