© 2007-2015 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 2
24 May 1919:
A MOMI-class destroyer is ordered from Uraga Dock Co.’s
shipyard and designated HAGI.
28 February 1920:
Uraga. Laid down.
29 October 1920:
Launched.
20 April 1921:
HAGI is commissioned and attached to Kure Naval District. LtCdr (later Captain) Nakajima Naokuma (34) is the CO.
1 December 1921:
LtCdr (later Captain) Nagai Jitsuyo (33)(former CO of SHIGURE) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1922:
LtCdr (later Captain) Suzukida Kozo (37)
1 December 1924:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Kawase Shiro (38) is appointed the CO.
20 May 1925:
An unknown officer assumes command.
2 December 1925:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Kutita Takeo (38) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1926:
LtCdr Ito Bennosuke is appointed the CO.
10 August 1927:
LtCdr (later Captain) Shimizu Takio (39) is appointed the CO.
5 September 1929:
LtCdr (later VAdm) Kimura Masatomi (41) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1930:
LtCdr (VAdm, posthumously) Shimazaki Toshio (44)(current CO of FUJI) assumes joint command of HAGI.
1 December 1930:
Lt (Captain, posthumously) Hirose Sadatoshi (47) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1931:
Lt Hirose is promoted LtCdr.
1 December 1932:
Lt (LtCdr, posthumously) Iwase Okuichi (48) is appointed the CO.
1 October 1933:
Lt (RAdm, posthumously) Orita Tsuneo (49) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1933:
Lt Orita is promoted LtCdr.
25 April 1935:
LtCdr (later Captain) Tobita Kenjiro (50) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1936:
LtCdr (RAdm, posthumously) Iwagami Jiichi (50) is appointed the CO.
21 February 1938:
LtCdr (later Cdr) Nakamata Isamu (50)(former CO of W-14) is appointed the CO.
1940:
Kure Naval Arsenal. HAGI undergoes modifications. One of her
three Kampon boilers is removed reducing her speed to 18 knots. Additionally,
her torpedo tubes, aft 4.7-inch/45 cal main gun and minesweeping gear are
removed. 25mm AA guns and depth charge racks and throwers are fitted. Extra
ballast is added to compensate for the loss in weight and to increase stability.
The changes increase her displacement to 935-tons.
21 October 1940:
Modifications are completed.
1 April 1941:
HAGI is reclassified as a special duty patrol boat and
renumbered 33.
29 November 1941:
Departs Truk for Kwajalein.
2 December 1941: Operation "Z":
DesRon 6 receives the signal
"Niitakayama nobore (Climb Mt. Niitaka) 1208" from the Combined Fleet. This
signifies that X-Day hostilities will commence on 8 December (Japan time).
3 December 1941:
Arrives at Roi-Namur
.
8 December 1941: The Invasion of Wake Island:
PB-33 and PB-32 depart
Roi-Namur, Kwajalein to participate in the invasion of Wake with Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi's (former CO of KISO) Attack Force's DesRon 6’s light cruiser YUBARI, DesDiv 29's OITE and HAYATE and DesDiv 30's KISARAGI, MUTSUKI, YAYOI and MOCHIZUKI, CruDiv 18’s light cruisers TATSUTA and TENRYU, submarine depot ship JINGEI and armed merchant cruisers KONGO and KINRYU MARUs.
11 December 1941:
Two miles SW of Wake Island. HAYATE and OITE close to bombard Wilkes Island, but HAYATE takes three direct hits from salvos of Marine 5-inch guns. At 0652, HAYATE blows up and sinks with her entire crew. A near-miss damages OITE. Later, DesDiv 30's YAYOI also takes a 5-inch hit.
30 miles SW of Wake. At 0724, four Marine Grumman F4F -3 "Wildcats" strafe TENRYU and damage three torpedoes on her deck. Another Wildcat strafes TATSUTA. Captain Henry T. Elrod, USMC, hits KISARAGI with a 100-lb. bomb that probably detonates her depth charges. At 0731, she blows up and sinks with her entire crew. That morning, a dejected Rear Admiral Kajioka orders his Attack Force to retreat to Kwajalein.
13 December 1941:
Arrives at Roi.
21 December 1941: The Second Invasion of Wake Island:
PB-33 and PB-32 depart Roi with the rest of Attack Force. The Attack Force is joined by CarDiv 2's HIRYU and SORYU, Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Abe Hiroaki's (former CO of FUSO) CruDiv 8's TONE and CHIKUMA, DesDiv 17's URAKAZE and TANIKAZE that are detached from Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) Nagumo Chuichi's (former CO of KIRISHIMA) Pearl Harbor Striking Force enroute back to Japan. The Attack Force is also joined by Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Goto Aritomo's (former CO of MUTSU) CruDiv 6's AOBA, KINUGASA, KAKO and FURUTAKA, CruDiv 18's KIYOKAWA MARU and DesDiv 29's ASANAGI and YUNAGI.
22 December 1941:
Participates in the second invasion of Wake with PB-32.
23 December 1941: The Second invasion of Wake Island:
PB-33 carries part of Lt Itaya’s 3d Company of the Maizuru Second Special Naval Landing Force.
(SNLF). At about 0245, to ensure the SNLF troops get ashore, PB-33 is deliberately run aground on the south shore of the atoll near the west end of the airstrip at 19-17N, 166-37E.
A USMC shore battery's 3-inch shell hits the bridge of PB-33 and wounds the captain, the navigator, and five seamen. Two other sailors are killed. Fourteen more rounds hit the superstructure and hull of PB-33 and set her afire. The flames illuminate PB-32 farther west along the beach. The Marines then shift fire to PB-32. The crews from both PB-33 and PB-32 join the SNLF troops landing on the island. Later that day, after a magnificent, but hopeless stand, Wake's grossly outnumbered American garrison is overwhelmed and forced to surrender.
1942:
After the Japanese secure the island, they make no attempt to salvage PB-33.
Wake Island is renamed Otori Jima by the Japanese.
15 January 1942:
Removed from the Navy List.
4 September 1945:
The hulk of PB-33 remains in place when American forces reoccupy the island.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Thanks to Matt Jones of USa and Gilbert Casse of France.
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