@Revised - Allyn Nevitt - January 2012

@Revised - Allyn Nevitt with Anthony Tully - December 2013

Name Translation: "Mulberry"

20 December 1943:
Laid down at Fujinagata Shipbuilders, Osaka.

25 May 1944:
Launched at Osaka.

20 June 1944:
LtCdr Okuma Yasunosuke (60) (former CO of FUYO) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer. Special Duty Lt (LtCdr, posthumously) Murashige Sadaichi is appointed Equipping Officer.

1 July 1944:
Lt (LtCdr, posthumously) Kitamura Tetsu (68), Lt (j.g.) (LtCdr posthumously) Arai Denjiro (71) (former Crew, NOSHIRO), and Lt (j.g.) (later Lt) Mitani Yoshio (71) (former Crew, ASASHIMO) are appointed Equipping Officers.

2 July 1944:
Commander Yamashita Masamichi [53] (Pre-war C.O. of FUMIZUKI, former Adjutant, 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet) assigned as fitting out officer. LtCdr Okuma is appointed CO of SAMIDARE.

15 July 1944:
Lt (j.g.) (Lt, posthumously) Kodaira Kotaro (71) relieves Lt (j.g.) Arai as an Equipping Officer. Lt (j.g.) Arai is appointed a Division Officer of NAGATO.

25 July 1944:
Completed at Osaka. Commander Yamashita assigned as commanding officer. Assigned to Desron 11, Combined Fleet for training.[Note-1]

Initial Command Structure:
Commanding Officer: LtCdr Yamashita Masamichi (53)
Torpedo Officer: Lt (j.g.) Mitani Yoshio (71)
Gunnery Officer: Lt Kitamura Tetsu (68)
Navigator: Lt (j.g.) Kodaira Kiyoto (71)
Chief Engineer: Lt (j.g.) Murashige Sadaichi (Spec. Duty)

27 July 1944:
Depart Osaka; arrived Kure next day. Carried out training exercises over the following months.

3 August 1944:
Moved to Hashirajima to carry out exercises with the fleet.

9 August 1944:
Visited Tokuyama; then on to Otsujima anchorage, West Inland Sea. Carries on training in and out of the anchorage.

11 August 1944:
arrived at Beppu Bay.

14 August 1944:
departed Beppu Bay for training.

15 August 1944:
arrived at Yashima anchorage. Carries out training from there over next few days.

17 August 1944:
Depart Yashima anchorage; arrived at Hashirajima anchorage. Hereafter carries out exercises in and out of port.

20 August 1944:
Captain Sugama Ryokichi (50) (former XO of HARUNA)’s DesDiv 43 (TAKE, UME, MOMO) assigned with Captain Sawamura Seiji (49) (former XO of NACHI)’s DesDiv 30 to new Escort Squadron 31 created this day, with RAdm (later VAdm, posthumously) Edo Heitaro (40) (former ComDesRon 3) in command, flying his flag in light cruiser ISUZU. Known as the “Anti-Submarine Mop-Up Force”, Escort Squadron 31 in turn attached directly to Combined Fleet. KUWA’s attachment to DesDiv 43 pending on completion of two-month work-up with training DesRon 11.

23 August 1944:
Cruised to Kure. There carries out maintenance work.

25 August 1944:
Lt (later LtCdr, posthumously) Toji Yoshimitsu (70) (former Torpedo Officer of KIRI) is posted Torpedo Officer. In a change-of-assignment swap, Lt (j.g.) Mitani is posted Torpedo Officer of KIRI.

31 August 1944:
Returns to Hashirajima. Continues training and maintenance.

5 September 1944:
Cruised to Yashima anchorage. Carries out training while at anchor.

6 September 1944:
Cruises to Kure.

10-11 September 1944:
Cruising between Kure and Yashima area.

17 September 1944:
Arrived at Mitsubishi shipyward. Entered drydock for repairs and refitting.

18 September 1944:
Left drydock. departed same day back to Hashirajima and Kure area.

21 September 1944:
arrived at Yashima anchorage.

23 September 1944:
departed. arrived next day at Iwakuni Sea. Thereafter remains till October, conducting sortie exercises.

5 October 1944:
KUWA departed Iwakuni Sea and arrived at Kure.

10 October 1944:
Carried out sortie exercises in conjunction with (later cancelled) possible sortie with 2-YB against the enemy.

11 October 1944:
Sails to Saeki, northeast Kyushu. Carries out anti-submarine maneuvers.

15 October 1944:
LtCdr Yamashita is promoted Cdr. Navigator Lt (j.g.) Kodaira is promoted Lt.

16 October 1944:
DesDiv 43 MAKI, KIRI, KUWA in Western Inland Sea. ISUZU at Kure.
DesRon 11: At Iwakuni, except SUGI at sea en-route to Kagoshima.

18 October 1944: Operation SHO-1 (Battle of Leyte Gulf)
1450: Com Escort Desron 31 Edo transfers the flag from ISUZU to OYODO, which is also designated standby-flagship of the Mobile Force for SHO Operation. Additionally for the SHO-Go operation, DesRon 11 was ordered to transfer its cruiser flagship TAMA along with destroyers SUGI and KUWA to the Mobile Fleet. ComDesRon 11 Rear Admiral Takama Tamotsu [41] temporarily transfers his flag to HINOKI, and KUWA and SUGI formally become part of Desdiv 43.
1700: ISUZU, MAKI, and KUWA arrive at Oita from Saeki.

20 October 1944:
0700: ISUZU, KUWA, MAKI, KIRI, and SUGI sortie to sweep the route of Bungo Strait ahead of the Mobile Fleet.
1730: Mobile Fleet exits Bungo Suido and heads south. The sweep completed without incident, led by ISUZU, KUWA with her four sister ships assume designated screen positions. KUWA is assigned to the screen of ZUIKAKU and ZUIHO in the first echelon.

22 October 1944:
Since the MATSU-class destroyers lack the range needed, it is necessary to refuel them before the battle. KUWA refueled astern from carrier CHITOSE.

24 October 1944:
When some of ZUIKAKU's planes ditch, in the afternoon KIRI and SUGI are detached to rescue the pilots. Doing so, they become separated and have difficulty finding the fleet. Low on fuel, they are forced to head for Formosa. KUWA has to adjust station accordingly.

25 October: Battle of Leyte Gulf - Battle off Cape Engano
Escorted Admiral Ozawa's Northern Force in Battle off Cape Engano.
Action:
- 1404: KUWA assigned direct screen of crippled ZUIHO now limping at 6 knots from torpedo and bomb damage.
- 1720 The small destroyer is so packed with men she can carry no more, and headed for Okinawa; the ZUIHO men were ordered to not even move about to preserve stability.
- 1730: KUWA attacked by 10 enemy planes, but had only light damage.

26 October 1944:
1420: Arrived at Nakagusuku Bay. Some 310 survivors of ZUIHO transferred to ISUZU after dusk. The damaged MAKI limped in at 1600 and KUWA is assigned to her escort. At first the plan is for KUWA to sail with MAKI at 2300 for Amami-o-shima, but this is postponed till morning.

27 October 1944:
0630: Departed escorting damaged MAKI, and at 1400 arrived at Satsukawa Bay, Amami-o-Shima and rejoined Main Body. Remaining survivors of ZUIHO transferred to HYUGA, new flagship of Mobile Fleet. Departed next day for the homeland.

28 October 1944:
1300: Departed Satsukawa Bay for Kure with CarDiv 4, ISUZU, SHIMOTSUKI, and MAKI.

29 October 1944:
2200: Arrived at Kure. Began repairs and maintenance work.(A small hole had been made in starboard hull at waterline at frame 101 and one 24mm gun damaged by strafing.)

November 1944: Due to the sinking of DesRon 31 flagship with the entire staff and records this month (see November 25 entry) primary source records for the Matsu-class destroyers for November and first part of December are limited. The record must be carefully reconstructed from other records such as port arrivals and mentions by dispatches and other ships. For this reason only primary source data is used, and the record is as a result, sparse, but it is thought, accurate.

2 November:
1418: ComCardiv 4 RADM Matsuda Chiaki telegramed that Cardiv 4 (HYUGA, ISE), ISUZU, SHIMOTSUKI, SUZUTSUKI, UME, KIRI, MOMO, KUWA, and SUGI will depart the homeland 8 November and arrive at Manila on 18 November.

5 November 1944:
JN 25 L signal mentions southbound schedule from November 9 of the following units to arrive at Mako about the 12th: 31st Division [ISUZU, UME, MOMO, unknown, CarDiv 4, unknown, KUWA, and SUGI." (Though a preliminary order, this would see little change. The two `unknown' vessels were KIRI and SHIMOTSUKI.)

8 November 1944:
Repairs completed. Departed Kure with ISE and other ships on screen duty for "H" Unit.

9 November 1944:
0215: ISUZU, SHIMOTSUKI, KUWA, and KIRI departed Mutsure convoying ISE to a rendezvous south. At the last minute SUZUTSUKI had to be left behind.
0830 Rendezvoused with HYUGA, UME, MOMO, and SUGI twelve nautical miles north of the Gotto Retto Islands.(The latter group had departed Sasebo at 0300 that morning) This formation of two battleships [i.e., Cardiv 4], one light cruiser, and seven destroyers was designated "H" Unit which was to make a special urgent transport run to Luzon. Once assembled, force proceeded on planned voyage to Manila via Mako.

10 November 1944:
1400: "H" Unit arrived at Mako; some units [such as SUGI] arrived on the 11th.

12 November 1944:
"H" Unit of Cardiv 4 and its screen departed Mako for Manila.

13 November 1944:
1844: Based on the reports of the damage and ongoing danger from the large air raid on Manila that day, CarDiv 4 en-route to Manila is ordered by Com 2-YB (VADM Shima) to divert to the Shinnan Islands near Palawan. CarDiv 4 and DesRon 31 had been scheduled to reach Manila tomorrow but it was now decided they would unload their materials at a standby place and transfer them to fast transports sent down from Manila for the remainder of the journey.

14 November 1944:
1400: "H" Unit arrived the Spratly Island aka Shinnan Gunto "Dangerous Ground." There they awaited the arrival of the fast transports from Manila.

15 November 1944:
KUWA is assigned to Captain (later RAdm, posthumously) Iwagami Jiichi's (50) (former ComDesDiv 7) new DesDiv 52 (HINOKI, KUWA, MOMI, SUGI, KASHI); assigned same date to training DesRon 11, Combined Fleet.
0900: Fast "T-1" Type Transports No.6, No.9, and No.10 arrived from Manila. Began loading the supplies carried by Cardiv 4, SHIMOTSUKI, and UME and KIRI for delivery to Manila. [ISUZU, MOMO,KUWA, SUGI retain their cargo for they are still going to Manila.]

16 November:
1700: Loading completed Fast Transports No.6, No.9, and No.10 departed the Spratlys for Manila. DesRon 31 ISUZU, MOMO, KUWA, and SUGI had preceded them. All of these scheduled to arrive at Manila afternoon of 18 November. CarDiv 4 and SHIMOTSUKI remained behind while UME and KIRI departed toward Brunei to reinforce the escort of Kurita's 1-YB departing from there for return home.

18 November 1944:
1202: USS HAKE (SS-256) sights ISUZU on course 70 degrees heading to enter Manila Bay. No escorts seen but two [MOMO and KUWA] detected by sound dropping depth charges randomly.
1620: ISUZU, KUWA, MOMO, and SUGI arrived in Manila Bay. ISUZU and KUWA go to Cavite while MOMO and SUGI go to Manila harbor. Two hours later, transports 6, 9, 10 enter Manila port after them. Just before midnight ISUZU and MOMO move over to Manila dock and hastily unload their cargo and refuel, eager to depart befoe daylight to avoid the threat of expected air attack.

19 November 1944:
Action:
Before dawn, ISUZU, MOMO, KUWA, and SUGI departed Manila for Brunei to construct a new seaplane base there. However, when 55 nmiles west of Manila Bay entrance at 0640 ISUZU is hit in the starboard quarter by a torpedo from a salvo of six fired by USS HAKE (SS-256). The cruisers steering gear is heavily damaged and she is rendered temporarily unnavigable. However, within an hour ISUZU gets underway again. Steering has been temporarily restored and she can make 16 knots. But since a typhoon is brewing in the Formosa area, it is too risky to attempt to proceed toward Japan for any repairs. It was decided to proceed to Singapore and ISUZU screened by MOMO and SUGI heads there for repairs. At some point KUWA and SUGI detached.
Later in day: Arrived somewhere.[Note-2]

20 November 1944:
Desdiv 52 reassigned from Desron 11 to Escort Squadron 31; which is then re-designated Desron 31 , and today attached to the Fifth Fleet. Composition now:
Light cruiser ISUZU [flag]
Desdiv 43:UME, MAKI, TAKE, KIRI, KAYA
Desdiv 52:MOMO, KUWA, SUGI, HINOKI, KASHI
Desdiv 30:YUZUKI, UZUKI
CD # 21: KASADA, KANJU, MANJU, MIYAKE, IKUNA.

22 November 1944:
Departed above place.

25 November 1944:
[Desron Note: At 0448 while en-route with MOMO back to Manila from Singapore Escort Desron 31 Flagship SHIMOTSUKI was torpedoed by USS CAVALLA (SS-) and blew up and sank so violently there were only 46 survivors. ComDesRon 31 Edo and ComDesDiv 41 RADM Wakida Kiichiro [48] with their staffs are killed in action. As a result, late that day in Japan RADM Tsuruoka Nobumichi [43] is appointed replacement ComDesRon 31 and departed by air immediately for Singapore. During the hiatus, the various ships of Escort Desron 31 operate with some ambiguity in orders and records alike.]

28 November 1944:
KUWA arrived at Canacao, Cavite.

29 November 1944:
0812: KUWA and another destroyer [TAKE] arrived at Manila harbor from Cavite.

1 December 1944:
1423: Third Echelon of No.7 "TA" transport run to Ormoc is activated by Southwest Area Fleet order to Commander First Transport Division. KUWA is assigned to this mission as flagship and her skipper Commander Yamashita in command.
1800: Departed Manila for Ormoc. Destroyers KUWA (flag) and TAKE are escorting reinforcement convoy of first class transport No.9, and second-class transports (LSTs) No.140 and No. 159.[Note-3]

2 December 1944:
2330: arrived at Ormoc. TAKE stands in closer to shoreline to take aboard survivors from the TA-3 convoy disaster of 11 November, among them SHIMAKAZE CO Cdr (later Captain) Uwai Hiroshi (51) (former CO of HAMAKAZE), Chief Engineer Lt Kamimura Arashi (Eng. 47) (former Division Officer, NAGATO), and DesRon 2 Chief-of-Staff Captain Hirose Hiroshi (52) (former Chief-of-Staff, DesRon 1). Meanwhile, KUWA takes a patrol position to the south of Ormoc pier to keep watch and patrolling at a slow speed of 6 knots to avoid making a large bow wave or risk running aground.

3 December 1944: (Battle of Ormoc Bay)
Action:
While thus engaged, almost precisely at midnight a sweep of three American destroyers of DesDiv 120 (flagship USS ALLEN M. SUMNER-DD-692, COOPER-DD 695, MOALE DD-693) under Commander J.C. Zahm surprises the Japanese, whose attention had been skyward expecting night air-attack. The three American destroyers open fire at 0008 and advance line abreast to present a narrow target and engaging with forward guns a target to the north of KUWA that is either TAKE or one of the transports.To buy time, flagship KUWA rushes out to meet the enemy. KUWA opened fire and training her torpedo mount to port fired torpedoes. Just as she fired them a series of shell hits strike her. Starting about 0011 KUWA begins taking a series of hits - the first salvo lands aft near No.2 gun, the second salvo on the forecastle and bridge area and the third salvo crippled the engine room. At first Kuwa is returning fire and making better than 15 knots and continuing to close range aggressively. But more hits follow in quick succession. KUWA is reduced to a burning wreck and comes to a stop listing to port and by 0020 is out of the battle. TAKE had not been idle during this time; under cover of the flagship's charge, she circled to unmask her guns and tubes and opened fire as well, charging into action in the shoal waters at 24 knots. With KUWA going down, she now came under heavy fire in turn, and bracketed by waterspouts, fired two of her three available torpedoes by manual control at the enemy.

In the ensuing melee, one of the attacking American destroyers, USS COOPER (DD-695), was also sunk with the loss of 10 officers and 181 men, breaking in two abruptly after a torpedo hit starboard amidship at 0015 from one of the Japanese destroyers, usually presumed to be TAKE's pair of "fish."[Note-4] At 0145 Commander Zahm orders retreat without pausing to rescue the survivors of COOPER. After following long enough to ensure the Americans were fleeing, crippled TAKE returns to the transports and the Japanese rush to finish the offloading.

Sunk: Around 0100 or earlier KUWA sank in 105 meters of water (official position (10-50'N, 124-35'E) with about half of her crew including Commander Yamashita, Torpedo Officer Lt Toji, Gunnery Officer Lt Kitamura, Navigator Lt Kodaira, and Chief Engineer Lt Murashige lost in action, all of whom are posthumously promoted one rank. By this time TAKE had taken damage and was listing to port. Only one shaft was operable now, and TAKE dared not stop to rescue survivors. She radioed Ormoc to send out barges. However, at 0330 when the transports depart Ormoc the course takes them close enough to the battle site that shortly thereafter No. 140 is able to pause long enough to rescue eight KUWA survivors. The remaining survivors of KUWA and COOPER end up in close proximity, with the result that a handful of Japanese are also later rescued by U.S. forces which rescued Captain Mell A. Petersen and 168 men. Still others successfully reach shore in considerable numbers.(Note-5)

4 December 1944:
0730: Transport 140 with KUWA survivors arrived at Manila with No. 159.
0845: Still steaming on just her starboard shaft, TAKE arrived safely at Manila guarded by No.9 transport.

5 Februrary 1945:
The Fifth Fleet is abolished. Desron 31 with KUWA still listed, is attached to Combined Fleet.

10 February 1945:
Removed from Navy List.

Remark: - Kuwa's wreck was discovered in 2002 and in December 2005 a team including renowned diver Robert Lalumerie dove the wreck and confirmed Kuwa's identity. She was found on the bottom upright, but superstructure leveled. This and other details helped fill in some of the gaps in the sparse battle record.- (Tully) For more info, see editor's page on: Shipwrecks of the IJN

Notes and Sources:

Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Anthony Tully and Bill Somerville for contributing from their works to this TROM. Further thanks to Kevin Denlay for providing translated aspects of Kuwa dive video from 2006 Chinese television.