© 2006-2018 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 9
16 July 1942:
Tamano. Laid down at the Mitsui shipyard.
19 April 1943:
Launched and named WAKAMIYA.
10 August 1943:
Completed and registered in the Kure Naval District.
11 August 1943:
Departs Tamano and later arrives at Kure. After arrival at Kure, undergoes maintenance to correct construction deficiencies. LtCdr Matsuno Giichi is appointed Commanding Officer.
19 August 1943:
Departs Kure and later arrives at Saiki.
23 August 1943:
Departs Saiki and arrives at Kure.
25 August 1943:
Reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet's First Surface Escort Division.
31 August 1943:
Departs Moji escorting convoy No. 192 with auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU consisting of TOKO, SYDNEY and TOFUKU MARUs and four unidentified merchant ships. The convoy splits in two shortly after departure and WAKAMIYA escorts the first, faster portion.
4 September 1943:
At 0700 arrives at Mako.
5 September 1943:
At 1830 departs Mako alone.
6 September 1943:
At 0940 arrives at Kirun.
9 September 1943:
At 0900 departs Kirun escorting convoy MA-04 consisting of ORYOKU MARU and possibly others.
12 September 1943:
At 1400 arrives at Moji.
21 September 1943:
At 1600 WAKIMIYA departs Moji escorting convoy No. 199 consisting of KUNISHIMA, DAIHO, SHINRYU MARUs and seven unidentified merchant ships.
26 September 1943:
At 1400 arrives at Takao.
30 September 1943:
At 1715 departs Takao on an anti submarine sweep.
1 October 1943:
At 1850 arrives back at Takao.
3 October 1943:
At 1830 WAKIMIYA departs Takao escorting the "C" convoy consisting of NISSHO, WAKATSU (ex Greek ANDREAS), MYOGI and HAMBURG MARUs.
6 October 1943:
At 1550 arrives at Manila.
8 October 1943:
At 0930 departs Manila on an anti submarine sweep.
10 October 1943:
At 1100 arrives back at Manila.
12 October 1943:
At 0945 WAKIMIYA departs Manila escorting the "D" convoy consisting of HOFUKU, LIMA and ASAKA MARUs.
20 October 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Singapore.
22 October 1943:
At 1300 WAKIMIYA departs Singapore escorting convoy No. 630 consisting of RYUKO (2962 GRT), HIBI, YAGUMO, MATSUE and ROKKO MARUs. The convoy split into two parts shortly after leaving port.
25 October 1943:
At 1230 the first part including WAKAMIYA arrives at St Jacques. At 1330 WAKAMIYA departs St Jacques and at 1700 arrives at Saigon.
26 October 1943:
The second part arrives at St Jacques.
27 October 1943:
At 1600 departs Saigon and at 1900 arrives at St Jacques.
28 October 1943:
At 1600 WAKIMIYA departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 437 consisting of ICHIYO, KYUEI, KYOKUZAN, MATSUE, HAVRE (5652gt), KOKUYO (4667gt), FUKUYAMA (ex British FEDERLOCK), MANSHU MARUs, HINO MARU No. 1 and four unidentified merchant ships.
29 October 1943:
At 1900 arrives at Camranh Bay.
30 October 1943:
At 1500 WAKAMIYA and the convoy departs Camranh Bay. The convoy splits into two parts, WAKAMIYA and four unidentified ships forming one part.
6 November 1943:
At 2000 arrives at Takao.
9 November 1943:
At 0930 departs Takao on an anti submarine sweep. At 1800 returns to Takao.
11 November 1943:
At 0740, WAKAMIYA departs Takao escorting convoy HI-14 consisting of transports KAGU, AWA, HOKUROKU and AKI MARUs and oiler AMATSU MARU.
14 November 1943:
At 0930, departs Daicho anchorage, Chusan Islands, China.
16 November 1943:
Arrives at Moji at 1030. That same day reassigned to the General Escort Command's First Surface Escort Division.
20 November 1943:
At 1800, WAKAMIYA departs Moji escorting convoy HI-21 consisting of oilers GOYO and ICHIYO MARUs and army cargo-passenger ship NEKKA MARU.
23 November 1943:
East China Sea, S of Shushan Island. At 0330, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) William S. Post’s (USNA ’30) USS GUDGEON (SS-212) launches an attack on the convoy at 28-38N, 122-05E. Post fires torpedoes at either GOYO MARU or NEKKA MARU, but hits WAKAMIYA. She blows up, breaks in two and sinks immediately. Only four of her 135 crewmen survive. LtCdr Matsuno is KIA and posthumously promoted Cdr. Post then torpedoes and sinks NEKKA MARU at 28-49N, 122-11E. Of NEKKA MARU's 1413 crew and troops, 387 are lost. GOYO and ICHIYO MARUs escape.
5 January 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
Thanks for assistance go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan and Mr. Gilbert Casse of France. Thanks for help in identifying COs goes to Mr. Matthew Jones of Ohio, USA.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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