JUNYOKAN!
IJN KASHII: Tabular Record of
Movement
© 1997-2018 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
Revision 6
30 May 1940:
Yokohama. Laid down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Shipyard as Vessel No. 101.
14 February 1941:
Launched and named KASHII.
1 April 1941:
Captain (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Iwabuchi Sanji
(43)(former CO of KAMOI) is appointed the Chief Equipping Officer (CEO).
15 July 1941:
Completed and attached to Sasebo Naval District.
Captain Iwabuchi is the Commanding Officer.
31 July 1941:
Reassigned to Southern Expeditionary Fleet.
15 October 1941:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kojima Hideo
(44)(former CO of ATAMI) is appointed the CO. Captain Iwabuchi is reassigned
as the CEO of AKITSUSHIMA under construction by Kawasaki at Kobe.
18 October 1941:
Saigon, Indochina (Vietnam). KASHII is the flagship
of Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's (former CO of HARUNA) Southern Expeditionary
Fleet.
18 November 1941:
Samah, Hainan Island, Occupied China. Vice Admiral
Ozawa transfers his flag to CHOKAI.
2 December 1941:
KASHII 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).[1]
5 December 1941:
Departs Cap St. Jacques, Indochina, escorting seven
troop transports carrying the IJA's 143rd Infantry Regiment.
8 December 1941: Operation "E" - The Invasion of Malaya:
Beginning at
1000, troops are landed at four points on the Kra Isthmus, Siam (Thailand).
9 December 1941:
Reassigned to the No. 1 Escort Unit of the Escort
Force.
13 December 1941:
Departs Camranh Bay, Indochina with light cruiser
SENDAI to cover the Second Malaya Convoy's 39 transports.
16 December 1941:
Covers landings at Singora, Patni, Ban Don and
Nakhorn. Escorts five transports to Kota Bharu, then patrols off Singora.
21 December 1941:
Arrives at Camranh.
26 December 1941:
KASHII is reassigned to the No. 2 Escort Unit with
light cruiser NATORI and destroyers. Departs Camranh Bay, Indochina.
28 December 1941:
Departs Mako with No. 2 Escort Unit escorting the
Third Malaya Convoy to Malaya and Bangkok, Siam.
3 January 1942:
Off Hainan Island. A gasoline fire starts on troop
transport MEIKO MARU. Later, the transport explodes and sinks. KASHII rescues
all MEIKO MARU's troops and crewmen.
10 January 1942:
Arrives at Bangkok, Siam.
11 January 1942:
Japan declares war on the Netherlands.[2]
1 February 1942:
Departs Bangkok.
2 February 1942:
Arrives at Saigon, Indochina.
4 February 1942:
Departs Saigon carrying Army troops.
6 February 1942:
Arrives at W. Borneo. Disembarks troops and
departs.
9 February 1942:
Arrives at Camranh.
11 February 1942:
Departs Camranh escorting 11 transports of the
Bangka-Palembang, Sumatra invasion force.
16 February 1942:
The transports land the troops near Palembang,
Sumatra.
? February 1942:
Arrives at the Anambas Islands.
1 March 1942:
Departs Anambas escorting a convoy.
2 March 1942:
Arrives at Singapore, Malaya. Assigned to the No. 1
Escort Unit.
8 March 1942: "T" Sakusen (Operation "T") - The Invasion of Northern
Sumatra:
At 1600 (JST), the No. 1 Escort Force's light cruisers KASHII and
YURA, kaibokan SHIMUSHU and MineDiv 41's REISUI and TAKAO MARUs depart
Singapore with DesRon 3 light cruiser SENDAI (F), DesDiv 19's ISONAMI, URANAMI
and AYANAMI, DesDiv 20's AMAGIRI, ASAGIRI and YUGIRI, MineDiv 1's W-1, W-3, W-4
and W-5 and SubChas Div 11's CH-8 and CH-9 escorting the northern Sumatra
invasion convoy, consisting of IJA transports ANYO, ALASKA, RAKUYO and KINUGAWA
MARUs, transporting elements of the Imperial Guards Division and IJN transports
TATSUMIYA and HEITO MARUs, transporting the Kobayashi Detachment of that
division.
Distant cover is provided by Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's (37) heavy
cruiser CHOKAI (flagship), CruDiv 7's MOGAMI, MIKUMA, KUMANO and SUZUYA, DesDiv
11's FUBUKI, HATSUYUKI and SHIRAYUKI and DesDiv 12's MURAKUMO and SHIRAKUMO.
Light aircraft carrier RYUJO, seaplane tender SAGARA MARU and aircraft from the
40th Naval Air Group at Seletar airfield and the Mihoro Naval Air Group at
Butterworth airfield, Penang provide air cover.
11 March 1942:
At 2030 (JST), the six transports of the Northern
Sumatra invasion convoy are divided into the Sabang/Idi Group: TATSUMIYA,
KINUGAWA and HEITO MARUs and the Koetaradja Group: ANYO, ATLAS and RAKUYO MARUs.
12 March 1942:
At 0005 (JST), the two groups enter their assigned
landing places. Unopposed landings begin at 0100 (JST).
15 March 1942:
Arrives at Penang with the No. 1 Escort Unit.
16 March 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
19 March 1942: ("U" Sakusen) - "U" transport operation to Burma:
The
First Burma Transport Convoy departs Singapore consisting of 32 ships with main
body of the 56th Division: AAOBASAN, CELEBES, GENOA, GLASGOW, HARUNA, HAVRE,
HIBURI, HOFUKU, HOKUMEI, KAZUURA, KIZAN, KOTOHIRA, KUSUYAMA, MOMOYAMA, MYOKO,
NAGARA, NAKO, NAPLES, NICHIRAN, SAKITO, SANKO, SHINAI, SHINANOGAWA, SHINRYU,
SHUNSEI, SUMATRA, SYDNEY, TATEISHI, TOKIWA, TSUYAMA and YAE MARUs.
The Initial Invasion Convoy is escorted by the No. 2 Escort Unit
comprised of light cruiser KASHII (F), DesRon 3's SHIKINAMI and DesRon 5's
ASAKAZE, HARUKAZE, HATAKAZE and MATSUKAZE, kaibokan SHIMUSHU, minelayer
HATSUTAKA, MineSweepDiv 1's W-1, W-3 and W-4, SubChasDiv 11's subchasers CH-7
and CH-8, SpecSubChasDiv 91's auxiliary subchasers CHOKO MARU and SHONAN MARU
No. 5 and No. 7 and the 9th Base Force's gunboat EIKO MARU. The convoy is also
escorted by the 12th Special Base Force’s torpedo boat KARI and auxiliary
gunboat KOSHO MARU.
20 March 1942:
Penang, Malaya. The 12th Special Base Force's
transport IJN NOJIMA MARU joins the convoy.
23 March 1942:
At 1800, the convoy arrives at Rangoon, Burma (now
Yangon, Myanamar).
25 March 1942:
The transports begin landing troops at Rangoon, Burma.
28 March 1942:
KASHII and the transports arrive at Penang.
30 March 1942:
KASHII and the transports depart Penang.
1 April 1942:
Strait of Malacca. Off Pulau Perak, Malaya. Empty
transports YAE MARU and SHUNSEI MARU are torpedoed and sunk by Royal Navy Lt Cdr
Hugh A.V. Haggard's submarine HMS TRUANT. TRUANT escapes a counterattack by the
escort.[3]
KASHII and the other transports arrive at Singapore later that day.
2 April 1942:
KASHII and SHIKINAMI and HATAKAZE depart Singapore
escorting 46 transports carrying the IJA's 18th Infantry Division.
4 April 1942:
The convoy arrives at Penang. Escort duties are taken
over by minelayer HATSUTAKA and three destroyers of DesRon 5. KASHII is
detached from the convoy and returns to Singapore the same day.
11 April 1942:
Singapore. KASHII is assigned as the flagship of Vice
Admiral Ozawa's First Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Malay Force. Assigned
guardship duties.
3 June 1942:
Drydocked at Keppel Harbor, Singapore.
14 June 1942:
Undocked.
25 June 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Shigenaga Kazue
(46)(former XO of MIKUMA) is appointed the CO. Captain Kojima is reassigned as
Naval Attaché to Germany.
3 July 1942:
Departs Singapore.
4 July 1942:
Arrives at Penang.
12 July 1942:
Departs Penang.
14 July 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Vice Admiral Okawachi Denshichi
(former CO of HIEI) assumes command of the First Southern Expeditionary Fleet,
Malay Force. Vice Admiral Ozawa is reassigned to the Naval General Staff.
28 July 1942:
Departs Singapore.
31 July 1942:
Arrives at Mergui, Burma.
9 August 1942:
Departs Mergui.
10 August 1942:
Arrives at Rangoon.
12 August 1942:
Departs Rangoon.
13 August 1942:
Arrives at Port Blair, Andaman Islands.
14 August 1942:
Departs Port Blair.
15 August 1942:
Arrives at Sabang.
16 August 1942:
Departs Sabang.
17 August 1942:
Arrives at Penang, Malaya.
19 August 1942:
Departs Penang.
20 August 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Guardship duties thereafter.
21 September 1942:
Departs Saigon on an emergency transport mission
to reinforce the Solomons. KASHII sports a fake second funnel, perhaps an
attempt to appear to be an American heavy cruiser.
22 September 1942:
Arrives at Camranh.
23 September 1942:
Departs Camranh.
24 September 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong. Embarks Army troops.
26 September 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.
1 October 1942:
Steams through the Sibuyan Sea and the San Bernardino
Strait.
8 October 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul, New Britain. Disembarks troops and
departs.
13 October 1942:
Arrives at Davao, Philippines.
14 October 1942:
Departs Davao, Philippines.
19 October 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Begins refit.
9 November 1942:
Departs Singapore.
11 November 1942:
Arrives at Palembang, Sumatra. Refuels.
13 November 1942:
Departs Palembang.
14 November 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
3 December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
4 December 1942:
Arrives at Belawan, Sumatra.
7 December 1942:
Departs Belawan.
9 December 1942:
Arrives at Port Blair, Andaman Islands.
10 December 1942:
Departs Port Blair.
11 December 1942:
Arrives at Sabang.
13 December 1942:
Departs Sabang.
14 December 1942:
Indian Ocean. Arrives at Sibolga, W. Sumatra.
15 December 1942:
A 58-man strong Rikusentai Special Naval Landing
Force is formed of the sailors of KASHII to support Army units on Mentawai
islands, off W Sumatra.
18 December 1942:
Departs Sibolga.
19 December 1942:
Indian Ocean. Arrives at Sabang, W. Sumatra.
23 December 1942:
Departs Sabang. Arrives at Batavia, Java that day.
27 December 1942:
Departs Batavia.
7 January 1943:
Captain (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Takada Satoshi
(44)(former XO of TAKAO) is appointed the CO. Captain Shigenaga is reassigned
as the CO of CHIKUMA.
16 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Drydocked. Both of her masts
are truncated and a "submarine spotting station" is added to the foretop.
21 January 1943:
Undocked.
7 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
8 February 1943:
Arrives at Penang.
12 February 1943:
Departs Penang.
13 February 1943:
Strait of Malacca. Arrives at Port Sweetenham,
Malaya.
18 February 1943:
Departs Port Sweetenham.
19 February 1943:
Arrives at Malacca, Malaya.
25 February 1943:
Departs Malacca. Arrives at Singapore. Guardship
duties thereafter.
9 March 1943:
Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) Endo Yoshikazu
(former CO of KINU) assumes command of the First Southern Expeditionary Fleet,
Malay Force. Vice Admiral Okawachi is later reassigned as CinC, Maizuru Naval
District.
26 April 1943:
Departs Singapore. Arrives at Malacca.
28 April 1943:
Departs Malacca. Arrives at Singapore.
20 May 1943:
Departs Singapore with Vice Admiral Endo embarked for an
inspection tour.
23 May 1943:
Indian Ocean. Arrives at Padang, W. Sumatra, NEI.
26 May 1943:
Departs Padang.
27 May 1943:
Indian Ocean. Arrives at Sibolga, NW Sumatra, NEI.
28 May 1943:
Departs Sibolga.
29 May 1943:
Indian Ocean. Arrives at Sabang, N. Sumatra, NEI.
30 May 1943:
Departs Sabang.
31 May 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrives at Car Nicobar. Departs that day.
1 June 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrives at Port Blair.
2 June 1943:
Departs Port Blair.
6 June 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Begins refit. Guardship duties
thereafter.
24 July 1943:
Departs Singapore on a transport run carrying troops
and supplies.
28 July 1943:
Arrives at Port Blair. Disembarks troops and unloads
supplies, then departs.
31 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
17 August 1943:
Departs Singapore on a transport run carrying troops
and supplies.
18 August 1943:
Strait of Malacca. Arrives at Belawan, NE Sumatra,
NEI.
20 August 1943:
Departs Belawan.
22 August 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrives at Car Nicobar. Disembarks
troops and unloads supplies, then departs.
25 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
27 August 1943:
Departs Singapore on a transport run carrying troops
and supplies.
29 August 1943:
Off Pulo Weh, N. Sumatra. En route to Sabang, KASHII
is attacked by Lt A. R. Profit's British submarine HMS TRIDENT. Profit fires
all eight of his bow torpedoes at KASHII, but misses.
31 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
1 September 1943:
Drydocked.
11 September 1943:
Undocked.
21 September 1943:
Departs Singapore on a transport run carrying
troops and supplies.
22 September 1943:
Strait of Malacca. Arrives at Belawan. Disembarks
troops and unloads supplies, then departs.
25 September 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrives at Port Blair. Disembarks
troops and unloads supplies, then departs.
25 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
6 October 1943:
Departs Singapore on a transport run.
8 October 1943:
Arrives at Penang.
10 October 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrives at Car Nicobar. Disembarks
troops and unloads supplies, then departs.
12 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
18 October 1943:
Departs Singapore on a transport run.
21 October 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrives at Port Blair. Disembarks
troops and unloads supplies, then departs.
23 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
28 October 1943:
Departs Singapore on a transport run.
30 October 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrives at Car Nicobar. Disembarks
troops and unloads supplies, then departs.
1 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
24 November 1943:
Departs Singapore on a transport run.
27 November 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrives at Car Nicobar. Disembarks
troops and unloads supplies, then departs.
30 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
26 December 1943:
Departs Singapore.
31 December 1943:
KASHII is reassigned to the Kure Training Division,
Kure Naval Station.
1 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa.
3 January 1944:
Departs Takao.
6 January 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo. Begins refit. Drydocked.
1 February 1944:
Undocked. Refit completed. Departs Sasebo.
February 1944:
Arrives at Etajima. Assumes duty as training ship for
the Naval Academy.
5 March 1944:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Matsumura Midori
(48)(former Naval Academy instructor) is appointed the CO. Captain Takada is
later reassigned as an instructor with the Otake Sailor Corps and then made
CO of the Yasuura Sailor Corps.
25 March 1944:
KASHII is directly attached to Headquarters, General
Escort Command. Begins modification as an anti-submarine ship at Kure.
30 March 1944:
Drydocked.
KASHII's torpedo tubes are removed and replaced by two Type 89 127-mm. HA
guns twin mounts. Four triple mount Type 96 25-mm AA guns are also installed
bringing their total to 20 barrels (4x3, 4x2). A Type 21 air-search radar is
fitted. KASHII's aft compartments are modified into concrete-protected magazines
for up to 300 depth charges. Four DC throwers and two DC rails are installed on
the quarterdeck. Hydrophones and sonar are also installed.
6 April 1944:
Undocked.
29 April 1944:
The modification is completed.
3 May 1944:
KASHII is assigned as flagship of Rear Admiral Matsuyama
Mitsuharu's (former ComCruDiv 18) No. 1 Surface Escort Division.
29 May 1944:
KASHII departs Moji escorting convoy HI-65. Among the
ships in the convoy are transports ARIMASAN and SHINSHU MARUs escorted by
carrier SHINYO, kaibokan CHIBURI, AWAJI, CD-19, subchaser CH-60 and minelayer
TSUBAME.
2 June 1944:
E of Formosa. The convoy is located by LtCdr (later
Captain) Enrique D. Haskins' new USS GUITARRO (SS-363) en route from Pearl to
Fremantle. About 2300, Haskins makes a moonlight periscope approach and fires
two torpedoes at the AWAJI while she an an other escort are conducting an
antisubmarine sweep. AWAJI sinks near Yasho Island at 22-42N, 121-24E. GUITARRO
is forced under to avoid depth charges, torpedo and aircraft attacks, but evades
the counterattack and escapes to Australia.
4 June 1944:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa.
12 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
17 June 1944:
At 0400, fast convoy HI-66 departs Singapore consisting
of transport/cargo liners SANUKI, HOKKAI and AWA MARUs and tanker OMUROSAN MARU
escorted by KASHII, escort carrier KAIYO and kaibokan CHIBURI, CD-7 and CD-11.
The convoy hugs the continental coast avoiding deep water as much as possible.
26 June 1944:
Arrives at Moji at 1300.
28 June 1944:
Arrives at Kure. Refit. Ten single mount Type 96 25-mm.
AA guns are installed bringing KASHII's 25-mm suite to 30 barrels (4x3, 4x2,
10x1). A Type 22 surface-search radar is also fitted.
10 July 1944:
The refit is completed. Departs Kure.
13 July 1944:
Departs Moji escorting convoy HI-69 under Rear Admiral
Sato Tsutomu (former ComSubRon 1) of the Eighth Escort Convoy. The convoy
includes 14 merchants, escort carriers TAIYO and KAIYO loaded with aircraft for
Luzon, kaibokan CHIBURI, SADO, CD-7 and CD-17. SHINYO provides air cover.
21 July 1944:
Arrives at Manila. TAIYO and KAIYO unload their
aircraft.
24 July 1944:
KASHII departs Manila with SHINYO escorting the convoy
section that is bound for Singapore. TAIYO is detached for Formosa. KAIYO
remains at Manila.
31 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
5 August 1944:
Departs Singapore with convoy HI-70 for Moji, Japan.
The convoy consists of eight marus screened by SHINYO, destroyer SHIMOTSUKI,
kaibokan CHIBURI, SADO and CD-13 and CD-19.
15 August 1944:
Convoy HI-70 arrives at Moji.
25 August 1944:
At 0630, fast convoy HI-73 departs Moji consisting of
Army Landing Ship KIBITSU, ex-armed merchant cruiser GOKOKU MARU, ex-seaplane
tenders SANUKI and KAGU MARUs, tankers TOHO, OMUROSAN, OTOWASAN, TAIHO, FUJISAN,
HAKKO, AMATO, TOA and KUROSHIO MARUs and fleet storeship IRAKO escorted by
escort carrier UNYO, KASHII, kaibokan CHIBURI, CD-13, CD-19, CD-21 and CD-27.
Later that day, the convoy is joined briefly by transports MIZUHO, ARABIA and
KOKURYU MARUs and tanker MANEI MARU that all depart the following day.
26 August 1944:
At 0900, MIZUHO, ARABIA and KOKURYU MARUs are ordered
away because of excessive smoke. MANEI MARU remains at Kyushu because of engine
problems.
29 August 1944:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa. Departs that same day and
arrives at Tsoying (near Takao).
30 August 1944:
Off Saei. The convoy splits. KIBITSU, GOKOKU and KAGU
MARUs (and probably IRAKO) head for Manila. The remaining ships head for
Singapore.
1 September 1944:
Off Luzon Strait. Late in the afternoon, a Nakajima
B5N2 "Kate" dive-bomber of the UNYO's 931st NAG spots diving USS TUNNY
(SS-282). The "Kate" drops two 60-kg depth charges that dish in TUNNY's hull. Her
patrol has to be terminated.
7 September 1944:
Arrives at Seletar, Singapore.
13 September 1944:
Departs Seletar as flagship of Rear Admiral
Yoshitomi Setsuzo's (former CO of KAGA and ComSubRon 7) 5th Escort Group
escorting convoy HI-74 to Moji. The convoy consists of oilers AZUSA, OTOWAYAMA,
HARIMA , OMUROYAMA and HAKKO MARUs escorted by UNYO, kaibokan CHIBURI, CD-13,
CD-19, CD-21 and CD-27.
16 September 1944:
At 2231, OMUROYAMA MARU is hit by a torpedo fired
by Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles E. LOUGHLIN's (former CO of S-14) USS
QUEENFISH (SS-393). KASHII fires a red flare signalling a submarine attack.
Cdr (later Rear Admiral/MOH) Eugene B. Fluckey USS BARB (SS-220) fires a
salvo of six bow torpedoes at overlapping targets. At 2334, 10,022-ton oiler
AZUSA MARU is hit starboard side by two of BARB's torpedoes. She blows up and
sinks with all hands.
17 September 1944:
At 0040, UNYO is hit starboard side by two of
Fluckey's torpedoes. At 0730 (JST), UNYO sinks by the stern. More than 900
crewmen and passengers are lost as are 48 aircraft, including a cargo of 36
Imperial Army planes UNYO was carrying back to Japan for overhaul and repairs.
CHIBURI and CD-27 rescue 761 survivors.
23 September 1944:
Arrives at
Moji.
25 September 1944:
Departs Moji. Arrives at Sasebo. Begins refit.
14 October 1944:
The refit is completed. Departs Sasebo. Arrives at
Moji.
26 October 1944:
KASHII departs Moji with Rear Admiral Yoshitomi
Setsuzo, CINC, 5th Escort Group, embarked escorting convoy HI-79. The convoy
includes TEN'EI MARU and several tankers. The escort also includes kaibokan
NOMI, UKURU, CD-17, minelayer NIIZAKI and minesweeper W-21.
9 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
15 November 1944:
Rear Admiral Shibuya Shiro (former CO of NACHI)
assumes command of the new 101st Escort Group.
17 November 1944:
At 1800, departs Singapore carrying Rear Admiral
Yoshitomi’s flag again, this time escorting convoy HI-80 escorting convoy HI-80
consisting of TENEI, MATSUSHIMA, RYOEI, MUNAKATA, ARIMASAN, KUROSHIO, NICHINAN
and KAIHO MARUs also escorted by kaibokan NOMI, UKURU, KASADO, MANJU, MIYAKE,
CD-17, CD-23 and CD-51 and minelayer NIIZAKE.
20 November 1944:
At 0600, CD-23 joins the convoy from St Jacques. At
1240, CD-17 is detached for Saigon.
24 November 1944:
At 1300, NICHINAN MARU and MANJU and CD-51 having
detached arrive at Van Phong. CD-51 later rejoins the main convoy.
27 November 1944:
At 0930, RYOEI and ARIMASASN MARUs escorted by
NIIZAKI are detached for Takao.
4 December 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo.
10 December 1944:
Reassigned to the 1st Surface Escort Group.
19 December 1944:
Departs Moji with HI-85
23 December 1944:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa. KASHII and the 101st
Escort Group are relieved of escorting the convoy of Army transports and
reassigned to escort another convoy to Singapore.
25 December 1944:
Off Hainan Island, China. The new convoy is
attacked by USAAF B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers. One transport is hit and
detaches for Yulin, China.
26 December 1944:
Arrives at Saigon.
28 December 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
30 December 1944:
Departs Singapore with the 101st Escort Group's
five kaibokan escorting 10-ship (4 tankers and 6 cargo ships) convoy HI-86.
4 January 1945:
Arrives at Saigon.
9 January 1945:
Departs Saigon with the convoy.
10 January 1945:
Arrives at Van Fong Bay, Indochina.
11 January 1945:
Departs Van Fong. Arrives at Qui Nhon Bay.
12 January 1945: Task Force 38's Operation "Gratitude"- Strikes on
Indochina:
The KASHII and the convoy depart Qui Nhon.
From 1100 to 1700, in the South China Sea, Curtiss SB2C "Helldiver"
dive-bombers and Grumann TBF "Avenger" torpedo-bombers from Rear Admiral (later
Admiral) Frederick T. Sherman's (former CO of LEXINGTON, CV-2) Task Group 38.3's
USS ESSEX (CV-9), TICONDEROGA (CV-14), LANGLEY (CVL-27) and SAN JACINTO (CVL-30)
attack convoy HI-86. They sink most of the convoy's ships or cause them to be
beached to avoid sinking. Only three escorts survive.
At 1408, KASHII is attacked by SB2Cs and TBFs. She is hit starboard
amidships by a torpedo. Then an SB2C hits her with two bombs aft that set off
her depth charge magazine. KASHII sinks stern first at 13-50N, 109-20E. 621
sailors go down with her. Only 19 are rescued.
Both Captain Matsumura and Rear Admiral Shibuya are killed in the action.
Shibuya is promoted Vice Admiral, posthumously and Matsumura is promoted Rear
Admiral, posthumously.
20 March 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
[1] Mt. Niitaka, located in Formosa (now Taiwan), is the
highest point in the Japanese Empire at the time.
[2] Parts of the NEI had already been seized by Japan at that time. At
midnight, 7/8 Dec '41 (0800 Batavia Time, 8 Dec) the Dutch Government-in-Exile
in London decided to declare war on Japan. On 10 Dec '41, General Pabst, the
emissary of the Government-in-Exile in Tokyo, handed the formal Declaration of
War (in French) to the Japanese Foreign Minister.
[3] TRUANT survived the war after having sunk or damaged twenty Axis
ships in the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Java Sea.
Special thanks for assistance in researching the IJN officers mentioned
in this TROM go to Mr. Jean-François Masson of Canada. Thanks for assistance
also goes to Aldert Gritter ("Adm. Gurita") of the Netherlands. Thanks also go
to Erich Muethlthaler of Germany.
- Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.
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