© 2008-2018 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 11
5 April 1922:
Tokyo. Laid down at Uraga Dock Co.'s shipyard as a second-class WAKATAKE-class destroyer tentatively named AYAME (Iris).
15 February 1923:
Launched.
1 May 1923:
LtCdr Wakagi Genji (36) is posted as Chief Equipping Officer.
5 November 1923:
Completed and registered in the IJN. LtCdr Wakagi is the CO.
1 April 1924:
Designated as destroyer No. 6.
1 December 1924:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Sugiyama Rokuzo (38) assumes command.
1 December 1925:
Lt (later Rear Admiral) Katsuno Minoru (40) assumes command.
1 December 1926:
SANAE is put on the Reserve List.
1 December 1927:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Hashimoto Shozo (43) assumes command.
1 August 1928:
Renamed SANAE.
10 December 1928:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral ) Itagaki Sakan (39)(former CO of AOI) assumes command.
1 December 1929:
LtCdr (later Captain) Tachibana Masao (45) assumes command.
15 November 1932:
Lt (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Fukuoka Tokujiro (48) assumes command.
25 May 1934:
LtCdr Osako Higashi (50) assumes command.
29 September 1934:
Lt (later Rear Admiral, posthumously) Yano Kanji (50) assumes command.
1 December 1936:
LtCdr Yoshii Goro (50) assumes command.
7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge (The First "China")
Incident:
Lugouqiao, China. Japanese troops on night maneuvers at the bridge fire blank cartridges. Chinese troops fire back, but do not cause injuries. The Japanese discover a soldier missing and demand entry to Beijing to look for him, but the Chinese refuse. The Japanese shell the city and an undeclared war on China begins.
August 1937: The Evacuation of Japanese residents in South China:
Japanese residents in South China are under the protection of Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Okuma Masakichi's (37) DesRon 5 composed of flagship YUBARI, destroyer ASAGAO, DesDiv 16's MAWEI, DesDiv 13's SWATOW and SANAE at Canton. DesRon 5 is assigned to protect about 12,000 Japanese residents in Fuchow, Amoy, Swatow and Canton. With the outbreak of the North China Incident, DesDiv 16 is dispatched to the north. DesDiv 5 from Mako and DesDiv 29 from Japan are put under the command of Rear Admiral Okuma.
12 August 1937:
The situation in South China shows a drastic change for the worse. Japanese residents in Swatow start evacuation that day. After the clash in Shanghai, residents in Canton begin evacuating on 15 August and those in Fuchow on 17 August. All of them reach Formosa safely. The evacuation of residents from Amoy, delayed for various reasons, is completed in late August.
1938:
SANAE's forefunnel is capped and additional ballast is added to improve stability.
25 July 1938:
Lt Shibayama Kazuo (52) assumes command.
15 October 1940:
LtCdr Yanase Yoshio (55) assumes command.
15 April 1941:
Lt Ogawa Yoichiro (57) assumes command.
1 October 1941:
LtCdr Koizumi Shiro (57) assumes command.
8 December 1941:
Kure Naval District. SANAE is in Cdr Otani’s DesDiv 13 with KURETAKE and WAKATAKE. Patrols in the Inland Sea, Bungo Suido and off Western Kyushu.
12 December 1941:
When approaching Okinoshma Lighthouse, carrier HOSHO detects what it makes to be an enemy submarine. SANAE launches a counter-attack and the carrier makes port at Kure undamaged.
10 April 1942:
In dockyard at Kure undergoing repairs and maintenance.
26 April 1942:
Departs Kure.
27 April 1942:
At 1730 arrives at Mutsure.
1 May 1942:
At 1200 SANAE departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 106 consisting of NOTO MARU and five unidentified merchant ships.
6 May 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Mako.
9 May 1942:
At 1200, SANAE departs Mako, Pescadores for Sasebo with light minelayer TSUBAME escorting convoy No. 206 consisting of SHINSEI, TATSUWA, TATSUHARU, SENZAN, NANYO, KEIFUKU, TAISHO, KINUGAWA, MEIYU and WAYO MARUs.
13 May 1942:
TSUBAME and all ships except KEIFUKU MARU and three others with SANAE detach and arrive at Sasebo at 2330.
14 May 1942:
At 0600 arrives at Mutsure.
21 May 1942:
At 1000 SANAE departs Mutsure escorting convoy No.116 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships.
25 May 1942:
At 2000 arrives at Mako.
28 May 1942:
At 1200, SANAE departs Mako for Ujina with minelayer TAKASHIMA escorting convoy No. 216 consisting of SAIHO, PENANG, MIYADONO, SUEZ, KENZAN, IIDA, HOKUSHIN and SANFUKU MARUs and FUKUEI MARU No. 2.
31 May 1942:
NW of Amami-O-Shima. The convoy detects an enemy submarine. TAKASHIMA, and light minelayer TSUBAME that arrives on the scene, drop depth charges. No submarine attacks develop.
3 June 1942:
Arrives at the port of Ujina, Hiroshima.
16 June 1942:
SANAE departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 125 consisting of GENKAI, KIKASAN, NICHIMEI MARUs and NAPLES, OYO and TAIHEI MARUs that detach en route for Seito (Tsingtao).
21 June 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Mako.
28 June 1942:
At 1220 SANAE departs Mako with auxiliary gunboat IMIZU MARU escorting convoy No. 227 consisting of MIFUKU and TATSUHA MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships.
2 July 1942:
At 1800 arrives at Mutsure. Remains there all month.
5 August 1942:
At 1900 SANAE departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 145 consisting of TOHO, YUZAN MARUs and five unidentified merchant ships.
10 August 1942:
At 2100 arrives at Mako.
12 August 1942:
At 1500 SANAE departs Mako escorting convoy No. 248 consisting of tanker ITSUKUSHIMA MARU and two unidentified merchant ships.
15 August 1942:
At 0800 arrives at Mutsure.
21 August 1942:
At 1600 departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 153 consisting of BRISBANE, AKASHI, TOYOOKA and OIGAWA MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships.
26 August 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
1 September 1942:
At 1200 SANAE departs Mako escorting convoy No. 257 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships.
5 September 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Mutsure.
8 September 1942:
At 1200 SANAE departs Moji with destroyer WAKATAKE escorting convoy No. 160 consisting of KISO, TOKYO, NAGARA, KUROSHIO, CHOKO, YURI, BOKO (ex British SAGRES) and NIKKYU MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships. The convoy split into two parts after departure, the first part containing KISO MARU.
10 September 1942:
Tanker KUROSHIO MARU while in convoy, collides with and sinks ZUIUN MARU (no details- possible 1939 built 242 gross ton unit).
11 September 1942:
At 1500 the first part escorted by WAKATAKE arrives at Takao.
12 September 1942:
At 1700 the second part escorted by SANAE arrives at Takao. SANAE is docked for repairs.
14 September 1942:
NIKKYU MARU arrives at Kirun having detached at an unknown date.
17 September 1942:
CHOKO MARU arrives at Canton having detached at an unknown date.
4 October 1942:
At 0800 SANAE departs Kure and at 1500 arrives at Mutsure.
6 October 1942:
At 1600 SANAE departs Mutsure escorting convoy No. 172 consisting of SOURABAYA MARU and three unidentified merchant ships.
10 October 1942:
At 1000 arrives at Mako.
17 October 1942:
At 1300 SANAE departs Mako escorting convoy No. 343 consisting of KINKASAN and FUKKAI MARUs.
23 October 1942:
At 0600 arrives at St Jacques.
25 October 1942:
LtCdr Nagakura Yoshiharu (60) assumes command. At 1100 SANAE departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 534 consisting of SHUNKO, KINKASAN and FUKKAI MARUs.
28 October 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
3 November 1942:
At 1100 SANAE departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 642 consisting of AMAGI MARU and five unidentified merchant ships.
7 November 1942:
At 1600 arrives at St Jacques.
13 November 1942:
At 1600 SANAE departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 450 consisting of GENOA, NICHIAI MARUs, likely MIE MARU and four unidentified merchant ships.
18 November 1942:
BENGAL MARU likely joins the convoy from Feng Hsiang, Hainan Island.
E 19 November 1942:
GENOA and NICHIAI MARUs detach for Hong Kong.
21 November 1942:
At 1720 arrives at Mako.
26 November 1942:
At 1300 SANAE departs Mako escorting convoy No. 350 consisting of KINRYU and UMEKAWA MARUs.
2 December 1942:
At 1430 arrives at St Jacques.
5 December 1942:
At 1100 SANAE departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 541 consisting of KINRYU and UMEKAWA MARUs.
8 December 1942:
At 1500 arrives at Singapore.
10 December 1942:
DesDiv 13 is disbanded. SANAE is reassigned to the 1st Surface Escort Division, Southwest Area Fleet.
11 December 1942:
At 1100 SANAE departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 652 consisting of TAGA and NITTAI MARUs.
15 December 1942:
At 0830 arrives at St Jacques.
17 December 1942:
At 1400 SANAE departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 458 consisting of TAGA, TEIHOKU (Ex French PERSEE) and TAJIMA MARUs and one unidentified merchant ship.
23 December 1942:
At 1123 arrives at Takao.
1 January 1943:
At 1400 SANAE departs Mako escorting convoy No. 359 consisting of KOAN, RIKKO, NICHIRIN, NICHIREN, TEIKAI (ex German FULDA), KUWAYAMA MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships.
6 January 1943:
At 1746 arrives at St Jacques.
10 January 1943:
At 1100 SANAE departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 464 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.
13 January 1943:
At 0800 arrives at Camranh Bay.
14 January 1943:
At 0807 departs Camranh Bay.
17 January 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Takao.
22 January 1943:
At 0800 departs Takao and at 1300 arives at Mako.
24 January 1943:
At 1150 SANAE departs Mako escorting convoy No. 224 consisting of tanker SAN LUIS MARU and three unidentified merchant ships.
29 January 1943:
At 1315 arrives at Moji.
6 March 1943:
At 1600 SANAE departs Moji escorting convoy No. 134 consisting of HAWAII, MIKASA, YAMAHAGI, NITTETSU and TSUSHIMA MARUs.
13 March 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Takao.
16 March 1943:
At 1000 SANAE departs Takao escorting convoy No. 241 consisting of KOSHIN, GYOKO and ATAGO MARUs and one unidentified merchant ship.
20 March 1943:
At 1830 arrives at Moji.
27 March 1943:
At 1700 SANAE departs Moji escorting convoy No. 141 consisting of SHOZUI, NANREI, TEIBI and AWAJI MARUs, rtanker TEIKON MARU (ex German WINNETOU) and two unidentified merchant ships. SHOKEI MARU joins the convoy from Sasebo the same day.
1 April 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Takao.
2 April 1943:
At 1040 departs Takao escorting AIKOKU MARU.
5 April 1943:
At 1829 arrives at Moji.
9 April 1943:
At 1250 SANAE departs Moji escorting convoy No. 145 consisting of HIROTA MARU, tanker ICHIYO MARU and two unidentified merchant ships.
12 April 1943:
HIROTA MARU is detached and arrives at Kirun.
13 April 1943:
At 1010 arrives at Takao.
17 April 1943:
At 0800 departs Takao.
18 April 1943:
At 1707 arrives back at Takao but departs at 2217 on patrol.
20 April 1943:
SANAE escorts salavage vessels SHOHO and NANSHIN MARUs that are engaged in salvage of tanker NISSHIN MARU No. 2 wreck.
22 April 1943:
At 1600 arrives at Kirun.
23 April 1943:
At 1510 departs Kirun.
25 April 1943:
At 0911 arrives at Takao.
1 May 1943:
At 1200 SANAE departs Takao escorting convoy No. 747 consisting of ZUISHO, RYOYO, KOZAN and ERIE MARUs.
4 May 1943:
At 1900 arrives at Manila.
7 May 1943:
At 1300 SANAE departs Manila escorting convoy No. 914 consisting of tanker SANRAKU (ex Filipino SARANGANI) MARU and three unidentified merchant ships.
11 May 1943:
SANAE is detached at 03-00S.
12 May 1943:
The convoy arrives at Tarakan. SANRAKU (ex Filipino SARANGANI) MARU is detached. SANAE apparently rejoins the convoy.
13 May 1943:
At 1200 the remainder of the convoy arrives at Balikpapan.
15 May 1943:
At 1700 SANAE departs Balikpapan.
20 May 1943:
At 0800 arrives at Palau.
24 May 1943:
At 0600 SANAE departs Palau escorting convoy No. 3209 consisting of FUSEI (ex British FAUSANG), SHONAN, NIKKI, HIMALAYA, AKASHI and HAMBURG MARUs.
29 May 1943:
At 0900 arrives at Manila.
2 June 1943:
At 1600 SANAE departs Manila escorting convoy No.3109 consisting of RYUYO MARU.
7 June 1943:
At 1700 arrives at Palau.
8 June 1943:
At 1200 departs Palau.
9 June 1943:
At 1320 arrives back at Palau.
11 June 1943:
At 0800, SANAE departs Palau escorting convoy No. 3211 consisting of CHOJO, SHINRYU and KINE MARUs at 9 knots.
15 June 1943:
At 1550 arrives at Manila.
21 June 1943:
At 0800 SANAE departs Manila escorting convoy No. 854 consisting of SHINRYU, KIYO, CHOSEN and TATEYAMA MARUs.
26 June 1943:
At 1800 arrives at Takao.
1 July 1943:
At 0930 SANAE departs Takao escorting the "D"convoy consisting of HAVRE MARU (5652 gt), TAINAN, TEIFU (ex French BOUGAINVILLE), CHOJO, TAJIMA, SHONAN, KONSAN MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships.
6 July 1943:
At 2000 arrives at Moji.
10 July 1943:
At 1200 SANAE departs Moji escorting convoy No. 174 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.
13 July 1943:
At 0730 arrives at Kirun.
14 July 1943:
At 1700 departs Kirun escorting TEIA MARU (ex French ARAMIS).
16 July 1943:
At 1430 arrives at Mako.
18 July 1943:
At 0800 departs Mako and at 1400 arrives at Takao.
20 July 1943:
At 0800, departs Takao in convoy No. 284 consisting of SHOUN, BIYO, MATSUMOTO, HIROTA, NANEI, ARGUN, NORFOLK, GINYO and KISHU MARUs and one other unidentified merchant ship.
25 July 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Moji.
30 July 1943:
At 0500 SANAE departs Moji with patrol boat PB-36 escorting convoy No. 174 consisting of ARATAMA, SUEZ, HAMBURG, TAIRYU, KIRISHIMA, KONSAN, YASUKUNI (5794 gt), TAIAN (5410 gt), KENSEI, TONAN, RIKKO, TEIKA (ex-Vichy French CAP VARELLA) and SAN LUIS MARUs and five other unidentified merchant ships. The convoy sails in two contingents, the first (8 ships including HAMBURG and SUEZ MARUs escorted by SANAE. The second (including SAN LUIS and TONAN MARUs) actually sailed two days earlier and does not meet at sea.
4 August 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
7 August 1943:
SANAE departs departs Takao in convoy No. 290 consisting of JUYO MARU and three unidentified merchant ships.
12 August 1943:
Arrives at Moji. Soon after drydocked at Kure.
3 September 1943:
At 0930 departs Kure alone.
4 September 1943:
At 0945 arrives at Moji.
5 September 1943:
At 1500, SANAE departs Moji for Takao escorting convoy No. 194 consisting of MURORAN, ZUIYO, YULIN, TSUSHIMA, WAZAN (ex British VITORLOCK), HAKUSHIKA, JUYO, TACHIBANA (1772 grt) and SANKISAN MARUs.
7 September 1943:
At 0125, on her first war patrol, LtCdr Ian C. Eddy‘s (USNA ’30) USS PARGO (SS-264) attacks the convoy on the surface using radar bearings. Eddy fires six torpedoes at the convoy, but gets no hits.
11 September 1943:
At 1000 arrives at Mako, Pescadores. Later that day, the convoy departs and arrives at Takao. SANAE remains at Mako.
13 September 1943:
At 1000 departs Mako escorting AKITSU MARU.
15 September 1943:
Convoy No. SA-13 consisting of TEIKO (ex French D'ARTAGNAN), TEIHOKU, ARIMASAN, USSURI and TEIFU (ex French BOUGAINVILLE) MARUs, YAMAMIZU MARU No. 3 and fleet tanker ASHIZURI depart Moji. The convoy’s destination is Singapore. Enroute south heavy weather is encountered and the convoy is dispersed.
16 September 1943:
At 0830 SANAE and AKITSU MARU arrive at Manila.
17 September 1943:
At 1200 departs Manila.
19 September 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Takao.
21 September 1943:
At 0900 some of the ships from SA-13 depart Takao now escorted by SANAE.
23 September 1943:
At 1930 these ships arrive at Manila.
25 September 1943:
At 2240 SANAE departs Manila.
27 September 1943:
At 1810 returns to Manila.
29 September 1943:
At 0900 SANAE departs Manila in convoy No. 918 consisting of an unidentified merchant ship.
4 October 1943:
At 0930 arrives at Balikpapan.
5 October 1943:
At 0900 SANAE departs Balikpapan with subchaser CH-5 escorting convoy No. 2608 consisting of oilers TSURUMI and ONDO and ASUKA, RYOYO, TAJIMA MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships. Soon after leaving, TSURUMI encounters machinery problems and is forced to turn back.
11 October 1943:
At 1500 arrives at Palau.
16 October 1943:
At 1400 SANAE departs Palau with subchaser CH-5 escorting convoy 2511 consisting of NICHIRYO and SHOEI (1986 grt) MARUs at 9 knots.
20 October 1943:
LtCdr Sakai Shinichi (63) assumes command.
22 October 1943:
At 0850, arrives Balikpapan. Prior to arrival, NICHIRYO MARU is detached and steams independently to Ambon.
24 October 1943:
At 1730 departs Balikpapan escorting tankers NISSHO and KOKUYO MARUs bound for Palau.
26 October 1943:
At 0700 ceases escort.
27 October 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Balikpapan.
4 November 1943:
At 1830, SANAE departs Balikpapan with auxiliary subchaser CHa-37 escorting convoy No. 2610 consisting of oilers SATA, SHOYU and SEIAN and KYOEI MARUs. During the voyage, cargo ship KENZAN MARU joins the convoy en route.
10 November 1943:
At 1700 arrives at Palau.
15 November 1943:
SANAE's 1st Surface Escort Division is reassigned from the Southwest Area Fleet to the General Escort Command.
At 0700 departs Palau for Balikpapan escorting convoy No. 2513 consisting of naval tanker ONDO.
18 November 1943:
Celebes Sea, 90 miles S of Basilan Island, Philippines. SANAE is escorting fleet oiler ONDO. At about 2300, LtCdr (later Cdr) George E. Porter’s (USNA ’32) USS BLUEFISH (SS-222) attacks on the surface. Short on torpedoes, Porter fires three bow torpedoes by radar bearings at SANAE. At least one hits and sinks her at 04-52N, 122-07E. [1] LtCdr Sakai and an unknown number of crewmen are KIA. Sakai is promoted Commander, posthumously.
Porter then torpedoes and damages ONDO. USS BLUEFISH’s crew opens fire with her deck gun, but ONDO fires back. Porter breaks off. Later, ONDO is towed to Zamboanga, Philippine Islands.
On 13 December FRUMEL decrypted the following message from an unidentified vessel (probably ONDO):
"At 2340 on 18th this ship and SANAE were attacked with torpedoes. SANAE sank. My enginerooms are flooded and am unable to proceed."
5 January 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors Notes:
[1] Strictly speaking, Porter did not use radar bearings, but radar ranges and TBT (torpedo bearing transmitter) bearings. He first fired a spread of 4 torpedoes (3 at SANAE, one at ONDO, all bow tubes) and next 2 torpedoes from the stern tubes at ONDO (both missed).
Thanks to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France. Special thanks go to Hans Mcilveen of the Netherlands for info on FRUMEL intercepts
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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