Imperial Cruisers

JUNYOKAN!

(OI at Hiroshima Bay in 1937)

IJN OI: Tabular Record of Movement

© 1997-2018 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
Revision 7

24 November 1919:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki's shipyard as a KUMA-class light cruiser.
15 July 1920:
Launched and named OI.
4 May 1921:
Captain Maruo Tsuyoshi (28) is appointed the Chief Equipping Officer (CEO).
3 October 1921:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Attached to Kure Naval District. Captain Maruo is the Commanding Officer.
10 November 1922:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Hamano Eijiro (30)(former staff officer at Navy General Staff/NGS 2nd Division) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1923:
Captain (later Rear Admiral, posthumously) Hashimoto Saisuke (30)(former CO of ERIMO) is appointed the CO. Captain Hamano is later assigned as CO of battleship FUSO.
December 1923:
Kure. Undergoes repairs.
15 December 1923:
Departs Kure for sea trials and returns to port the same day.
27 December 1923:
Departs Kure for Mako (Makung), Pescadores.
10 May 1924:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Matsushita Shigeru (32)(former CO of KUMA) is appointed the CO. Captain Hashimoto is reassigned as the CO of KUMA.
1 December 1924:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Edahara Yurikazu (31)(former staff officer at NGS 5th Division) is appointed the CO.
1 May 1925:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Torin Iwajiro (31)(former instructor at naval gunnery school) is appointed the CO. Captain Edahara is later reassigned as the CO of the armored cruiser IWATE.
20 November 1925:
Cdr (promoted Captain 1 December; later Rear Admiral) Akiyama Toraroku (33)(former CO of WAKAMIYA) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1927:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Hibino Masaharu (34)(former XO of KINU) is appointed the CO. Captain Akiyama is reassigned as the CO of JINTSU.
10 December 1928:
Captain Kasuya Soichi (35)(former CO of HAYATOMO) is appointed the CO. Captain Ebino is later assigned as the CO of battleship HYUGA.
1 April 1929:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Katagiri Eikichi (34) is appointed the CO. Captain Kasuya is later reassigned as the CO of battleship YAMASHIRO.
30 November 1929:
Captain (later Admiral) Tsukahara Nishizo (36)(former XO of HOSHO) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1930:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Okada Shunichi (35) (former XO of NAGATO) is appointed the CO. Captain Tsukahara is later reassigned as the CO of carrier AKAGI.
1 April 1931:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Niimi Masaichi (36)(former XO of KUMA) is appointed the CO. Captain Okada is reassigned as the CO of armored cruiser IWATE.
15 October 1931:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Ota Taiji (37)(former CO of SUNOSAKI) is appointed the CO. Captain Niimi is reassigned as the CO of armored cruiser YAKUMO.
1 December 1932:
Captain Yamanouchi Taizo (36)(former CO of NISSHIN) is appointed the CO.
1934:
The development of long-range oxygen-propelled Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes causes a revision of the IJN's Night Battle Tactics. The Naval General Staff now plans to commence battle with the presumed enemy - the American fleet - by launching night torpedo attacks followed by a decisive daylight gunnery action by the IJN's main battle line.
To whittle down the opposing American fleet's numbers, the NGS plans for a special Night Battle Force to carry out these attacks. This force is to be made up by destroyer squadrons, heavy cruiser squadrons, a torpedo-cruiser squadron, and a battlecruiser squadron. The Night Battle Force will have the firepower of several hundred Type 93 torpedoes that outrange the American battleships' main guns. The next day, after the previous night's attacks have delivered crippling blows, the IJN's battleships will attack the remnants of the American fleet.
1 June 1934:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Hiraoka Kumeichi (39)(former CO of MUROTO) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1935:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Yamaguchi Gisaburo (40) is appointed the CO.Captain Hiraoka is reassigned as the CO of heavy cruiser AOBA.
1 December 1936:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Shima Kiyohide (39) is appointed the CO. Captain Yamaguchi is later reassigned as CO of battleship ISE.
1 December 1937:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Yasuba Yasuo (39)(former XO of KINU) is appointed the CO.
10 January 1939:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Takeda Isamu (43)(former CO of fleet oiler SHIRIYA) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1939:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Tonomura Senzaburo (40)(former inspector of the shipbuilding section at Sasebo Navy Yard) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1940:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Kanemasu Yoshio (40)(former ComDesDiv 45) is appointed the CO. Captain Tonomura is reassigned as the CO of fleet oiler ERIMO.
25 August 1941:
OI is ordered to Maizuru for conversion to a "torpedo cruiser" with eleven quadruple 61-cm torpedo mounts, a total of 44 tubes.
1 September 1941:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Morishita Nobuei (45)(former ComDesDiv 8) is appointed the CO. Captain Kanemasu is reassigned as the CO of the auxiliary oiler KENYO MARU.
30 September 1941:
Maizuru. The modifications are completed, but only ten sets of Type 92 Model 3 quadruple mounts (shielded) are available for installation. The 40 tubes are arranged in two broadside rows of five, i.e. 20 per side.
20 November 1941:
OI and her sister torpedo cruiser KITAKAMI are assigned to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kishi Fukuji's (former CO of FUSO) CruDiv 9 in the First Fleet.
December 1941:
Western Inland Sea. OI is a guardship for the battleship force.
12 January 1942:
Hashirajima. The Chief of Staff, Combined Fleet, Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Ugaki Matome (a former Gunnery Officer of OI) inspects OI. Ugaki is dissatisfied with his staff's plans for the use of the newly remodeled torpedo cruisers. He indicates to his staff and Captain Morishita that more study is neeed to take better advantage of their torpedo power.
21 January 1942:
OI departs Mutsure, escorting transports.
26 January 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores.
1 February 1942:
Departs Mako.
4 February 1942:
Arrives at Hashirajima Bay. Continues battle training for the next two months.
10 April 1942:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Narita Shigeichi (43)(former ComDesDiv 6) is appointed the CO. Captain Morishita is later reassigned as the CO of YAMATO.
23 April 1942:
Drydocked at Kure.
9 May 1942:
Undocked.
11 May 1942:
CruDiv 9 is assigned to the Guard Force of the Main Body.
29 May 1942: Operation "MI" - The Battle of Midway:
The OI and KITAKAMI sortie with DesDiv 20's AMAGIRI, ASAGIRI, YUGIRI and SHIRAKUMO, DesDiv 24's KAWAKAZE, YAMAKAZE, SUZUKAZE and the UMIKAZE, DesDiv 27's ARIAKE, YUGURE, SHIGURE and SHIRATSUYU with the 2nd Supply Unit's oilers SAN CLEMENTE MARU and TOA MARU and Vice Admiral Takasu's (Aleutian Screening) BatDiv 2's HYUGA, ISE, FUSO and YAMASHIRO.
17 June 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
22 June 1942:
OI and KITAKAMI depart Yokosuka.
24 June 1942:
Arrives at Hashirajima.
August-September 1942:
OI and KITAKAMI are converted to fast transports. Their ten quadruple torpedo mounts are reduced to six, for a total of 24 tubes. They are equipped with two "Daihatsu" barges and fitted with two triple mount Type 96 25-mm AA guns. Depth charge launching rails are also installed.
9 September 1942:
OI and KITAKAMI depart Kure.
10 September 1942:
CruDiv 9 arrives at Yokosuka to embark the 4th Maizuru Special Naval Landing Force.
12 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
17 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
3 October 1942:
Captain Narita Shigeichi is relieved by Captain Nagai Takeo (47)(former ComSubDiv 33) because of illness. Narita dies later and is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.
>29 October 1942:
OI departs Truk.
31 October 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Disembarks part of the troops and departs.
1 November 1942:
Arrives at Buin. Disembarks the rest of the troops and departs.
3 November 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
21 November 1942:
CruDiv 9 is disbanded. OI and KITAKAMI are assigned directly to the Combined Fleet. That day they depart Truk.
26 November 1942:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops.
27 November 1942:
Departs Manila.
3 December 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Disembarks part of the troops.
4 December 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
6 December 1942:
OI and KITAKAMI are sighted en route to Truk by LtCdr Lucius H. Chappell's USS SCULPIN (SS-191), but Chappell is unable to gain an attack position. The cruisers arrive safely at Truk.
19 December 1942: Operation "C" (HEI-GO) - The Reinforcement of New Guinea:
Orders for Operation "C" (HEI-GO) are issued. The objective of this transport operation is to rush the 20th and 41st Army Division to Wewak. The operation consists of three separate operations, two of them divided into sub-echelons sailing at different dates: The first operation "C-1" (HEI-ICHI-GO) is to land the main strength of the 20th Army Division consisting of 9,443 men, 82 vehicles, arms and 12,267 bundles of provisions at Wewak. [1]
That same day, OI and KITAKAMI depart Truk.
24 December 1942:
OI arrives at Kure (KITAKAMI makes port at Sasebo). Captain (later Rear Admiral) Soma Shinshiro (42)(former CO of TAIGEI) is appointed the CO. Captain Nagai is reassigned to SubRon 1.
28 December 1942:
Drydocked at Kure.
31 December 1942:
Undocked.
2 January 1943:
On that day, codebreakers at the USN Fleet Radio Unit, Melbourne (FRUMEL), Australia, provide the translation of a radio message transmitted by an unidentified unit at 1850 on 31 December 1942:
"Request arrangements be made for installation of radar in KUMA, OI, KITAGAMI and 19th Destroyer Division (URANAMI and SHIKINAMI). Perhaps this could be done at Singapore."
4 January 1943:
Departs Kure for Chinkai (now Jinhae), Southern Korea.
5 January 1943:
Arrives at Chinkai. Joins KITAKAMI already there.
7 January 1943:
OI and KITAKAMI arrive at Fusan (Pusan), Southern Korea.
9 January 1943: Operation "C" (HEI-GO) - The Reinforcement of New Guinea:
OI and KITAKAMI depart Pusan with ex-seaplane tenders SANUKI and SAGARA MARUs. Their first transport echelon in operation "C-1" embarks the IJA's 20th Infantry division.
14 January 1943:
At 1030, arrive at Palau.
16 January 1943:
At 1600, depart Palau.
19 January 1943:
At 1530, arrive at Wewak, New Guinea. Disembarks troops.
20 January 1943:
At 0200, OI and KITAKAMI and the convoy depart Wewak.
23 January 1943:
Arrive at Palau.
24 January 1943:
Depart Palau.
31 January 1943:
The convoy arrives at Tsingtao, China. Embarks the IJA's 41st Infantry Division.
4 February 1943:
At 1600, OI and KITAKAMI depart Tsingtao with SANUKI and SAGARA MARUs in the first transport echelon transport echelon of operation "C-3".
10 February 1943:
At 1100, arrive at Palau.
17 February 1943:
Depart Palau.
20 February 1943:
Arrivs at Wewak. Disembarks troops.
21 February 1943:
At 0100, OI and KITAKAMI depart Wewak followed at 0200 by the two transports.
24 February 1943:
At 0800, arrive at Palau.
28 February 1943:
Depart Palau.
3 March 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
15 March 1943:
OI and KITAKAMI are attached to Admiral Takasu Shiro's (former CO of ISUZU) Southwest Area Fleet.
20 March 1943:
Departs Truk.
29 March 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya.
3 April 1943:
OI and KITAKAMI depart Surabaya on a troop transport run.
7 April 1943:
Arrives at Kaimana, New Guinea. Disembarks troops and supplies.
12 April 1943:
Arrive at Surabaya.
19 April 1943:
OI and KITAKAMI depart Surabaya on a second transport run.
20 April 1943:
Arrive at Makassar. Refuels.
24 April 1943:
Depart Makassar.
27 April 1943:
Arrive at Kaimana, New Guinea. Disembarks troops and supplies.
2 May 1943:
Arrive at Surabaya.
7 May 1943:
OI and KITAKAMI depart Surabaya on a third transport run.
11 May 1943:
Arrive at Ambon. Disembarks troops and supplies and departs.
12 May 1943:
Arrive at Kaimana, New Guinea. Disembarks troops and supplies.
15 May 1943:
Arrive at Makassar.
19 May 1943:
OI embarks troop at Zamboanga, Philippines.
24 May 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya, Java. Disembarks troops. Remains as a guardship.
11 June 1943:
Departs Surabaya.
12 June 1943:
Arrives at Makassar.
23 June 1943:
Makassar. OI, KITAKAMI, KINU and KUMA are bombed by Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 5th Air Force's 319th Bomb Squadron. None of the cruisers is hit, but some sustain slight damage from near misses. OI and KITAKAMI depart that day.
30 June 1943:
Arrive at Balikpapan, Borneo. Refuel.
1 July 1943:
OI and KITAKAMI are assigned to CruDiv 16, Southwest Area Fleet.
4 July 1943:
OI and KITAKAMI depart Balikpapan, Borneo.
5 July 1943:
Arrive at Surabaya, Java. Remain there as guardships.
23 July 1943:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kawai Shigezo (46)(former staff operations officer at Yokosuka Naval District HQ) is appointed the CO. Captain Soma is reassigned as the CO of target ship SETTSU.
30 July 1943:
OI and KITAKAMI depart Surabaya.
1 August 1943:
Arrive at Singapore.
10 August 1943:
Drydocked at the Seletar Naval Base.
24 August 1943:
Undocked.
30 August 1943:
OI and KITAKAMI depart Singapore on a troop transport mission.
2 September 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrive at the Nicobar Islands. Disembarks troops.
3 September 1943:
Depart the Nicobar Islands.
4 September 1943:
Strait of Malacca. Arrive at Penang, Malaya. Refuel.
6 September 1943:
Depart Penang.
7 September 1943:
Arrive at Singapore.
11 September 1943:
Depart Singapore. Arrive at Lingga.
10 October 1943:
Depart Singapore.
20 October 1943:
Depart Penang. Embarks troops.
22 October 1943:
Andaman Sea. Arrive at Port Blair, Andaman Islands. Disembarks troops.
22 October 1943:
Depart Port Blair.
25 October 1943:
Arrive at Singapore.
29 October 1943:
Embark troops. Depart Singapore.
31 October 1943:
Arrive at Port Blair. Disembarks troops.
2 November 1943:
Arrive at Penang.
3 November 1943:
Departs Penang.
4 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Unloads supplies.
25 December 1943:
Refit.
4 January 1944:
Departs Singapore. Arrives at Lingga for training with KITAKAMI.
21 January 1944:
Departs Lingga. Arrives at Singapore.
23 January 1944:
Embarks troops. Departs Singapore. OI and KITAKAMI accompany AOBA and light cruiser KINU escorted by destroyer SHIKINAMI on a troop transport run to the Andaman Islands.
25 January 1944:
Andaman Sea. Arrive at Port Blair. Disembarks troops.
27 January 1944:
Malacca Strait, SW of Penang (04-54N, 98-28E). On the return leg to Singapore, KITAKAMI is hit aft by two torpedoes fired by Royal Navy submarine HMS TEMPLAR. SHIKINAMI is detached to escort KINU that takes KITAKAMI under tow. OI and AOBA continue to Singapore.
2 February 1944:
OI departs Singapore. Arrives at Penang. Embarks Southwest Area Fleet staff personnel and departs.
10 February 1944:
Arrives at Surabaya, Java.
12 February 1944:
Captain Shiba Katsuo (50)(former CO of HIBIKI) is appointed the CO. Captain Kawai is reassigned as staff officer of 30th Special Base Force.
18 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore. Drydocked.
24 February 1944:
Undocked.
27 February 1944:
Departs Singapore with KINU and destroyers URANAMI, AMAGIRI and SHIKINAMI to escort TONE, CHIKUMA and AOBA during Operation "SA No. 1".
1 March 1944: Operation "SA No. 1":
Arrives at Banka; departs the same day for commerce raiding in the Indian Ocean.
15 March 1944:
Arrives at Batavia, Java.
25 March 1944:
Departs Batavia. Arrives at Singapore the same day.
2 April 1944:
Departs Singapore with AOBA and destroyer AMAGIRI carrying ammunition.
4 April 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
5 April 1944:
Departs Balikpapan.
9 April 1944:
Arrives at Tarakan, Borneo. Refuels.
10 April 1944:
Departs Tarakan.
11 April 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
14 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
15 April 1944:
Departs Singapore with AOBA and destroyer AMAGIRI carrying torpedoes for SubRon 8 at Penang.
18 April 1944:
Departs Penang with AOBA and AMAGIRI. The two cruisers carry personnel of the 732nd Naval Air Group and base materials.
19 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and departs that the same day. The cruisers carry personnel of the 851st Naval Air Group and base materials for Davao.
22 April 1944:
OI, AOBA and AMAGIRI proceed up Makassar Strait at 24 knots in calm weather.
23 April 1944:
Makassar Strait. 55 miles S of Balikpapan. Late in the morning, AMAGIRI, steaming about 600 metres off OI's starboard side, suddenly strikes a magnetic mine laid earlier by an enemy plane. Her sound-room rapidly fills with fuel oil from a nearby ruptured tank. Luckily, the crewmen managed to escape through the blown hatch chased by the rising tide of oil. Many men in the boiler and engine rooms suffer burns. On the bridge it is believed the ship was torpedoed, so extra lookouts are posted. AMAGIRI takes on a 19 degree list to starboard. Fires break out and the No. 1 boiler room has to be abandoned. The torpedoes in No. 1 mount are jettisoned to prevent induced explosions. Some progress is made in combating the flames, but the list continues to increase.
AOBA orders AMAGIRI to make for Surabaya, but movement is impossible. AMAGIRI starts to lose trim forward, then oil spills into the sea and catches fire. Finally, AMAGIRI's captain orders the navy flag on her rear mast lowered. Boats ae lowered, but catch fire in the burning oil. AMAGIRI's shafts and propellers rise from the water. All hands exit over the high side as the AMAGIRI's stern rises in the air. The survivors are picked-up by AOBA and OI. 13 of AMAGIRI's crew are lost.
24 April 1944:
Arrives at Tarakan.
27 April 1944:
Departs Tarakan. Arrives at Davao. Unloads supplies.
28 April 1944:
Departs Davao for Tarakan.
29 April 1944:
Arrives at Tarakan.
14 May 1944:
Departs Tarakan on a transport run with AOBA and destroyer SHIKINAMI.
17 May 1944:
Arrives at Palau.
19 May 1944:
Departs Palau with AOBA and SHIKINAMI on a transport run to Sorong.
22 May 1944:
Arrives back at Palau.
23 May 1944:
Departs Palau with AOBA and SHIKINAMI on a transport run to Sorong, then via Batjan, Halmahera for Tarakan.
27 May 1944: American Operation "Horlicks" - The Invasion of Biak:
Rear Admiral (later Admiral/CNO) William M. Fechteler's (former CO of INDIANA, BB-58) Task Force 77 lands Maj Gen Horace H. Fuller's 41st Division on Biak off New Guinea. That same day, OI arrives at Tarakan and refuels.
30 May 1944:
Departs Tarakan.
1 June 1944:
Arrives at Surabaya, Java. Remains there as a guardship.
6 July 1944:
OI departs Surabaya for Manila.
18 July 1944:
OI and SHIKINAMI depart Manila for Singapore, but SHIKINAMI develops engine trouble and the two ships return to Manila. At 1500, after repairs, they depart.
19 July 1944:
South China Sea, 570 miles S of Hong Kong. Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Reuben T. Whitaker's (former CO of S-44) USS FLASHER (SS-249) is running on the surface in heavy weather. At 1046, Whitaker's lookouts spot a cruiser and a destroyer approaching at 18 knots. Whitaker crash dives, then comes to periscope depth and sets up. When the cruiser is 1,400 yards astern, Whitaker fires his four stern tubes at OI. At 1111, two torpedoes hit portside aft. One is a dud, but the other torpedo explodes, flooding OI's aft engine room.
At 1114, SHIKINAMI counterattacks, dropping 15 depth charges. An hour later, Whitaker brings FLASHER to periscope depth. He sees OI listing to port, down by the stern and decides to attack again. At 1326, Whitaker fires four bow torpedoes from 3,500 yards, but they all miss. Lookouts aboard SHIKINAMI spot the torpedo wakes and the destroyer counterattacks again. Whitaker takes FLASHER deep. SHIKINAMI drops 13 more depth charges. FLASHER's crew silently reload their torpedo tubes.
At 1725, unknown to Whitaker, while he is reloading, OI sinks by the stern at 13-12N, 114-52E. SHIKINAMI rescues Captain Shiba and 368 crewmen, but 153 crewmen are lost. Captain Shiba is later reassigned to the Naval General Staff as the chief of its propaganda bureau. [2]
10 September 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Notes:
[1] The second of the three planned movements, Operation "C-2" (HEI-NI-GO), the transport of the 208th (light bomber) Sentai, was cancelled.
[2] On 2 September 1945, Captain Shiba, Rear Admiral, the Baron, Tomioka Sadatoshi (former CO of OYODO) and Rear Admiral Yokoyama Ichiro (former CO of KUMA) were the representatives of the IJN during the formal surrender ceremonies aboard USS MISSOURI (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay along with three representatives of the IJA and three representatives of the Foreign Ministry.
Thanks for assistance in researching the IJN officers mentioned in this TROM go to Mr. Jean-François Masson of Canada. Thanks for assistance also go to Aldert Gritter ("Adm. Gurita") of the Netherlands.
Thanks for assistance in researching the COs in Revision 3 go to Matt Jones of the USA.
Special thanks go to Hans Mcilveen of the Netherlands for info on FRUMEL intercepts and Erich Muehlthaler of Germany for his assistance concerning Operation "C".

- Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.

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