SOKAITEI!

© 2009-2017 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

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1942:
Laid down at the Kure Dock Yard.

1943:
Launched and numbered W-25.

30 April 1943:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Lt Oda Toshio is the Commanding Officer.

14 December 1943:
At 0831 departs Sasebo on an anti submarine sweep.

16 December 1943:
At 1119 arrives at Kaminoura, Goto Retto.

17 December 1943:
At 1028 departs Kaminoura and at 1428 arrives back at Sasebo.

21 December 1943:
At 1858 departs Sasebo on an anti submarine sweep.

24 December 1943:
At 0743 arrives at Sasebo.

27 December 1943:
At 1329 departs Sasebo and at 1830 arrives at Tomie.

30 December 1943:
At 0631 departs Tomie and at 1153 arrives at Imari Wan.

31 December 1943:
At 0630 departs Imari Wan escorting convoy SHI-111 consisting of IJN survey ship HAKUSA and merchant ships KANJO, WAKAMATSU and URATO (ex ERATO) MARUs and seven unidentified merchant ships.

3 January 1944:
At 1635 arrives at Shanghai.

5 January 1944:
At 1359 departs Shanghai escorting convoy MO-501 coonsisting only of HOKUJU MARU.

10 January 1944:
At 0750 arrives at Sasebo.

23 January 1944:
At 1427 departs Sasebo escorting minelayers SHINKO MARU and TAKASHIMA.

25 January 1944:
At 1155 arrives at Ebisu Wan and departs at 1645. At 2108 arrives at Arikawa Wan.

26 January 1944:
At 0600 departs Arikawa Wan. At 1825 arrives at Yuya Wan.

27 January 1944:
At 0701 departs Yuya Wan.

28 January 1944:
At 0947 arrives at Maizuru with minelayer TAKASHIMA apparently escorting minelayers TOKIWA and SAIGON MARU.

31 January 1944:
At 0930 departs Maizuru but returns later that day.

3 February 1944:
At 0802 departs Maizuru with minelayer TAKASHIMA escorting minelayers TOKIWA and SAIGON MARU.

4 February 1944:
At 2018 arrives at Sasebo.

5 February 1944:
At 1600 departs Sasebo escorting armed merchant cruiser SAIGON MARU and minelayer (ex armored cruiser) TOKIWA.

6 February 1944:
At 1634 arrives back at Sasebo.

13 February 1944:
At 0930 departs Sasebo escorting the 18th Escort Squadron (TOKIWA, TAKASHIMA, SAIGON, KOEI and SHINKO MARUs). At 1710 arrives at Ebisu Wan.

14 February 1944:
At 0700 departs Ebisu Wan and at 1135 arrives at Tomie. At 2259 departs Tomie.

15 February 1944:
At 1905 arrives back at Tomie anchorage.

16 February 1944:
At 0200 departs Tomie and at 0756 arrives at Sasebo.

17 February 1944:
At 1140 departs Sasebo escorting the 18th Escort Squadron (TOKIWA, TAKASHIMA, SAIGON, KOEI and SHINKO MARUs).

20 February 1944:
At 1544 arrives at Kure.

21 February 1944:
At 1553 W-25 departs Kure.

23 February 1944:
At 1900 W-25 arrives at Nagaura.

24 February 1944:
At 1600 W-25 departs Yokosuka and at 1810 arrives at Tateyama.

25 February 1944:
At 0600 departs Tateyama with W-27 escorting convoy No. 3225 consisting of MITAKESAN MARU.

27 February 1944:
At 0929 arrives at Futami, Chichi Jima.

2 March 1944:
Departs Futami escorting a convoy.

7 March 1944:
Arrives at Nagaura.

10 March 1944:
Departs Nagaura on an anti submarine sweep.

13 March 1944:
Arrives back at Nagaura.

14 March 1944:
Departs Nagaura on an anti submarine sweep.

15 March 1944:
Arrives back at Nagaura.

21 March 1944:
Departs Nagaura escorting a convoy. That evening anchors at Kisarazu.

22 March 1944:
Departs Kisarazu still escorting the convoy. (Likely Higashi Matsu No.3 outbound convoy but this is unconfirmed)

25 March 1944:
Arrives back at Nagaura.

26 March 1944:
Departs Nagaura.

28 March 1944:
Arrives back at Nagaura.

29 March 1944:
Departs Nagaura to meet a convoy off Aokeshima, probably inbound Higashi Matsu No.2 (Return journey) convoy.

1 April 1944:
Arrives at Nagaura.

6 April 1944:
Departs Nagaura and later that day arrives at Tateyama.

7 April 1944:
Departs Tateyama escorting a convoy (likely Higashi-Matsu No.5 outward journey convoy).

9 April 1944:
Arrives at Chichi Jima.

15 April 1944:
Departs Chichi Jima escorting a convoy.

17 April 1944:
Arrives at Nagaura.

27 April 1944:
Departs Nagaura and later that day arrives at Kisarazu.

28 April 1944:
Departs Kisarazu escorting a convoy (likely Higashi Matsu No.7 outward journey convoy)

1 May 1944:
Arrives back at Yokosuka. Docked for repairs and maintenance.

10 May 1944:
Undocked. Transfers to Koumi Wharf.

13 May 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and transfers to Nagaura.

16 May 1944:
Departs Nagaura and later that day arrives at Tateyama.

17 May 1944:
Departs Tateyama escorting a convoy (probably convoy No. 3515).

20 May 1944:
Arrives back at Yokosuka.

21 May 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Tateyama.

22 May 1944:
W-25 Departs Tateyama with submarine chaser CH-17 apparently escorting convoy No. 3523 possibly consisting of EDOGAWA, KYUSHU MARUs and tanker No. 3998 and possibly others. At some point CH-17 is detached and returns to Tokyo Bay.

27 May 1944:
Arrives at Chichi Jima.

30 May 1944:
Departs Chichi Jima escorting a convoy (possibly convoy No. 4530B).

4 June 1944:
Arrives at Nagaura, near Yokohama.

8 June 1944:
Departs Nagaura escorting a convoy.

10 June 1944:
Arrives at Nagaura, near Yokohama.

14 June 1944:
The "Yaei Maru" convoy consisting of YAEI, TATSUEI and KYUSHU MARUs and UNKAI MARU No.10 departs Chichi-Jima escorted by subchaser CH-16 auxiliary netlayer KOGI MARU and auxiliary minesweeper TOSHI MARU No. 5. Later that day W-25 departs Nagaura

15 June 1944:
At 0800, W-25 and torpedo boat CHIDORI join the escort.

16 June 1944:
In a raging storm, TATSUEI MARU, UNKAI MARU No. 10, KOGI MARU and CH-16 are separated from the convoy and steam together.

18 June 1944:
Arrives at Nagaura and soon after Yokosuka, Tokyo Bay. Apparently shifts back to Nagaura.

19 June 1944:
Departs Nagaura.

22 June 1944:
Arrives at Nagaura.

28 June 1944:
At 0600, W-25, departs Yokosuka for Chichi-Jima with subchasers CH-16 and CH-18, auxiliary minesweeper TOSHI MARU No. 5 and minelayer SARUSHIMA escorting convoy No. 3628 consisting of SHIMA, TATSUEI, SHOZUI, TAIKO and KAIKO MARUs and UNYO MARU No. 8.

2 July 1944:
Convoy No. 3628 arrives at Chichi-Jima and begins to unload.

4 July 1944:
Chichi-Jima. Carrier-based aircraft of Rear Admiral (later Admiral-Ret) Joseph J. Clark’s (USNA ’17) Task Group 38.1 and Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Ralph E. Davison’s Task Group 38.4 planes attack convoy No. 3628. They sink the entire convoy except KAIKO MARU. W-25 goes down at 28-35N, 141-04E.

10 September 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors' Note:
Thanks go to Matthew Jones for help in identifying the CO and to Mr Gilbert Casse of France for general assistance.

Photo credit goes to Gakken via J. Ed Low.

-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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