Name Translation: "Bamboo"

15 October 1943:
Laid down at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal.

1944

1 April 1944:
Special Duty Lt Sakurai Tatsuya is appointed an Equipping Officer.

15 April 1944:
LtCdr Tanaka Hirokuni (60) (former CO of KURETAKE) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.

6 May 1944:
Lt Kani Yoshio (69) (former Division Officer, YAMASHIRO) is appointed an Equipping Officer.

10 May 1944:
Reserve Lt Takai Yoshisuke is appointed an Equipping Officer.

20 May 1944:
Lt Hosaka Hiroshi (68) (former Torpedo Officer, AMAGIRI) is appointed an Equipping Officer.

16 June 1944:
Completed, placed in commission, and assigned to RAdm (later VAdm) Takama Tamotsu's (41) (former ComDesRon 2) DesRon 11, Combined Fleet for training.

Initial Command Structure:
Commanding Officer: LtCdr Tanaka Hirokuni (60) (prev. C.O. KURETAKE)
Torpedo Officer: Lt Hosaka Hiroshi (68)
Gunnery Officer: Lt Kani Yoshio (69)
Navigator: Lt Takai Yoshisuke (Res.)
Chief Engineer: Lt Sakurai Tatsuya (Spec. Duty)

July-September:
Transport operations from Japan to Okinawa and Palau, then Philippines-area convoy escort duty out of Manila.

15 July:
Reassigned to Captain Sugama Ryokichi's (50) (former XO of HARUNA) newly activated DesDiv 43 (UME, TAKE, MATSU, MOMO), DesRon 11, Combined Fleet. [Note 1]
Departed Nakatsu Sea area as a member of the "RO-Go" transport mission. Other units were: cruisers NAGARA, MAYA, and KASHIMA; Destroyers KIYOSHIMO, ASAGUMO, URAKAZE, and FUYUZUKI. TAKE carried for her share 31 tons of materials for delivery to the Ryukyus Archipelago.

18 July:
0010: Departed Okinawa with KIYOSHIMO and FUYUZUKI. 0920: Arrived at Minami-Daito. Unloaded personnel and materials.
1030: Departed and returned to Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa

19 July:
0100: Departed Nakagusuku Bay, Okinwa for the Inland Sea with FUYUZUKI and KIYOSHIMO as part of the No.3 RO-Go Transport mission.

20 July:
1900: They arrived off Okinoshima, Bungo Strait.

21 July:
0000: Arrived at Yashima, West Inland Sea. Hereafter continued training schedules.

1 August:
Departed Yashima anchorage with MOMO, arrived Hashirajima the same day.

20 August:
DesDiv 43 reassigned to RAdm (VAdm posthumously) Edo Heitaro's (40) (former ComDesRon 3) newly activated 31st Escort Squadron, Fifth Fleet.

This day TAKE with URANAMI is searching the Palau sea are for the missing light cruiser NATORI. With no results.

26 August:
Action:

- 2050: Arrived at the scene of the disaster to the destroyer SAMIDARE at Velasco Reef.[The destroyer had been hard aground since 18 August. Refloating attempts had continued but at 1840 this day SAMIDARE had been hit by one torpedo starboard amidships [from USS BATFISH SS-310] and completely demolished. Three men had been killed and 34 were unaccounted for when TAKE took aboard the remaining crew.]
- 2140: Began taking aboard the survivors.
- 2335: Rescue operations completed; no others seen.
- 2350: TAKE departed to take SAMIDARE survivors to Palau.

4-14 October:
Escorted Convoy MAMI-11 with SC-63 from Manila to Miri, Borneo.[Note 2]
[After arrival at Miri apparently turned about and returned to Manila, see next]

20-26 October:
2340: Departed Manila. Escorted Convoy MATA No. 30 (So-called `HARUKAZE convoy') from Manila to Takao. On 24 October around 1500 hours assisted HARUKAZE in sinking of USS SHARK II (SS-314) with depth charges. Assisted torpedoed ARISAN MARU and rescued 347 survivors. [Note 3]

26 October:
0715: TAKE arrived at Takao with HARUKAZE and KURETAKE with MA-TA 30 convoy.

30 October 1944:
Returned to Manila.
LtCdr Iimura Tadahiko (65) (former Navigator, KINU) is appointed Temporary CO. LtCdr Tanaka is reassigned.

1 November:
LtCdr Unaki Tsuyoshi (64) (former Chief Equipping Officer, TSUBAKI) is appointed CO. LtCdr Iimura is reassigned.

= 9-11 November 1944: (TA-3 Operation):
9 November:
0510: TAKE with SHIMAKAZE, HAMANAMI, HATSUHARU, No.30 Minesweeper, No.45 Subchaser departed Manila to act as screen for TA No.3 force and escorted it towards Ormoc.

10 November:
1900: Advancing TA No.3 convoy while off western mouth of Black Rock Pass encountered the retiring TA No.4 units [OKINAWA, NAGANAMI, WAKATSUKI, ASASHIMO, KINKA MARU and the bow-damaged AKISHIMO] returning to Manila. After some at sea consulation:
2045: To augment the screen for TA No.3 NAGANAMI, WAKATSUKI, and ASASHIMO break off from No.4 and join No.3 south-bound. In exchange the TAKE (and later HATSUHARU) detached from No.3 at this time and headed back to Manila escorting AKISHIMO and the KINKA MARU.

11 November:
0500: HATSUHARU joined TAKE on return trip to Manila.
1830 TAKE arrived back at Manila with surviving vessels of TA-No.4 Operation and convoying damaged AKISHIIMO to Cavite.

13 November:
Heavy multiple air-raids on Manila Harbor. Cruiser KISO and destroyers OKINAMI, HATSUHARU so damaged they settle to the bottom in shallow water. AKISHIMO and AKEBONO left burning at Cavite. VAD Shima Com 2-YB transfers his flag from ashore back to sea and leads out ships still fit to sail.
2330 HATSUSHIMO (flag 2YB), KASUMI, USHIO, ASASHIMO, and TAKE depart Manila for Nagashima in Shinnan Gunto.

14 November:
(1400: Arrived this day at Naga-shima [ ] Shinnan Gunto is Cardiv 4, SHIMOTSUKI, Desron 31: ISUZU, UME, KIRI, MOMO, KUWA, and SUGI. Shima's contingent is to join them there)

15 November
Arrived at Nagashima this evening. Desdiv 18 abolished, KASUMI incorporated with USHIO in Desdiv 7. [See November 20 re-organization below]

16 November:
0900: TAKE with KASUMI, USHIO, HATSUSHIMO, and ASASHIMO departed Nagashima for Brunei.
1840 Desdiv 7 orders cancelled, told to return to Nagashima and await Matsuda [CarDiv 4]. TAKE however detached and proceeded toward Manila to participate in the `TA" Operations.
2315: TAKE arrived at Manila area.

18 November:
2315 TAKE tied up alongside Canakao Naval stores department. [Cavite area]

20 November:
0210 Returned from Cavite.

Today Escort Desron 31 was transferred to the 5th 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.

= 24-27 November 1944: (TA-5 Operation):

24 November:
1205: Departed Manila escorting troop convoy TA No. 5 Second Echelon comprised of T-1 fast transports No.6, No.9, and No.10 from Manila towards Ormoc. TAKE's CO LtCdr. Unaki is in tactical command.
2130 Arrived with the transports at Balanacan harbor. Moored overnight at 13-31'N, 121-51'E.

25 November:
Early this morning Escort Desron 31 flagship SHIMOTSUKI was sunk with RADM Edo and entire staff en-route to Manila. A re-organization thus resulted while TAKE was engaged in TA-No.5:
Desdiv 43 is incorporated into DesRon 31. The new revised formation is:
ISUZU
Desdiv 30 YUZUKI, UZUKI
Desdiv 43 KIRI, UME, TAKE, MOMO, MAKI, KAYA
CD # 21 KASADA, KANJU, MANJU, MIYAKE, IKUNA

While heading south to Ormoc LtCdr. Unaki received a warning that US carrier forces were approaching and to disperse his ships and take shelter among whatever islands were nearby. TAKE entered a small bay on at Marinduque Island to do so.

Action:
- 0730: TA No.5-B at position 13.32N 121.52E, anchored at Balanacan Bay off Masbate Island, is attacked by enemy carrier aircraft. TAKE is damaged by near-misses and No.6 and No.10 are sunk. No.9 is badly damaged but remained afloat. TAKE had suffered fifteen dead including the Navigation officer and the gyro-compass and half the communication equipment put out of commission. Oil leaked from holed tanks. Of the transports No.10 lost 118 men and 53 wounded. No.6 was hit by a number of bombs and sank after induced explosion with 23 killed, 28 wounded. A famous but seldom put in context photo of the Pacific War in fact shows this moment. [Note 4]
- After the raid was over TAKE's Captain decided to pick up any survivors and soldiers and return them to Manila rather than to proceed. However, while headed north he received orders for TAKE with No.9 to proceed at best speed to Ormoc anyway. Carefully considering the situation, decided to disregard this instruction. It was doubtful No.9 was in condition to continue in such a way anyway.[However, when he offered explanation and apology SWAF CoS RADM Kaoru Arima simply accepted his judgement and made no reprimand.]
- - 1215 No.6's captain sends request for #10 SHINYOO MARU to tow HIGASHINOYAMA MARU to Batangas and recover various instruments.

26 November:
0847: TAKE and No.9 arrived at Gintu Island.

27 November:
0735: TAKE and No.9 returned to Manila.
1730: Departed; cruised over to Cavite dockyard.

28 November:
2230: KUWA arrived at Canacao joining TAKE at Cavite.

29 November:
0812: TAKE and KUWA returned to Manila from Cavite.

= 1-4 December 1944: (TA-7-Third Echelon Operation):

1 December:
1230: TAKE returned from Cavite.
1423: Third Echelon of No.7 "TA" transport run to Ormoc is activated by Southwest Area Fleet order to Commander First Transport Division. Team-mate 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 of first class transport No.9, and second-class transports (LSTs) No.140 and No. 159.

2 December:
2330: Arrived in Ormoc Bay and took up patrol positions as the transports moved to near to the quay to barge the provisions ashore. While flagship KUWA stands sentry duty 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:
Ormoc Bay: Participated in the last U.S. destroyer versus Japanese destroyer action of the Pacific War.

Action:
- While proceeding with the above activities almost precisely at midnight [of 2/3 December Tokyo time] 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 rushed out to meet the enemy. KUWA fired torpedoes and opened fire, but is swiftly reduced to a burning and sinking wreck within ten minutes.
- 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.
- 0015: A torpedo fired either by KUWA or TAKE struck and broke in half USS COOPER (DD-695). In turn TAKE received a dud 5" shell hit on the port side in the forward engine room. It came to rest on on the far side of the engine room and only one man was injured. Nevertheless, the breach torn flooded the engine room and it had to be abandoned. TAKE lost the use of the port shaft as well as the No.1 boiler due to feed water loss and began to list to port.[Note 5]
- 0145: TAKE was listing to port and having to exchange gunfire on one engine when the U.S. commander Zahm abruptly ordered the battle broken off, quitting the bay without attempting to rescue survivors. After following long enough to ensure the Americans were fleeing, crippled TAKE returns to the transports and the Japanese rush to finish the offloading. TAKE did not attempt to rescue survivors of KUWA, which had by now sunk, but radioed Ormoc garrison to send out barges.
- 0330: The Japanese leave Ormoc Bay. The path takes Transport No.140 close enough to the site it is able to pause long enough to rescue eight KUWA survivors.
- 0940: TAKE triumphantly radioed: "Attacked by three enemy ships. Sank one and drove the others off to the south. KUWA sank and TAKE is proceeding on one prop. Absolutely no other damage [losses]"

4 December 1944:
1845: TAKE and No.9 Transport entered Manila harbor. [Transports No. 140 and No. 159 had also previously returned safely earlier in the morning at 0730 hours.] TAKE began repair work.

5 December:
1030: TA-No.8 convoy departed Manila escorted by UME, SUGI, and MOMO. TAKE's damage foreclosed any possibility of participating. Entered No. 103 dock at Cavite and repairs continued.

8 December:
1100: TAKE returned to Manila harbor from Cavite. However, it had been impossible to restore the port engine so speed remained reduced. Full repairs were ordred to take place at Sasebo.
1720: Departed Manila. Escorted convoy from Manila via Formosa to Moji.

15 December:
Arrived at Sasebo. Following docking for repairs, remained in Inland Sea through end of war.[Note 6]

1945

9 January:
Captain Yoshida Masayoshi (50) (former CO of KAZAGUMO) is appointed ComDesDiv 43. Captain Sugama is reassigned.

5 February 1945:
Fifth Fleet deactivated; 31st Escort Squadron reassigned directly to Admiral Toyoda Soemu's (33) (former CinC Yokosuka Naval District) Combined Fleet.

1 March 1945:
Captain Sakuma Eiji (51) (former CO of FUYUZUKI) is appointed ComDesDiv 43. Captain Yoshida is appointed ComDesDiv 41.

15 March 1945:
31st Escort Squadron reassigned to VAdm (Admiral posthumously) Ito Seiichi's (39) (former Vice- Chief of the Naval General Staff) Second Fleet.

18 March:
1602: With enemy KdB known to have departed Ulithi and moving north an air raid is expected next day; TAKE and KAEDE ordered to standby with YAHAGI, ISOKAZE, YUKIKAZE, HATSUSHIMO and ASASHIO at Kure and not depart for Hashirjima.

7 April 1945:
Lt Shikida Fumio (71) (former Division Officer, RYUHO) is appointed Gunnery Officer. Lt Kani is reassigned.

20 April 1945:
Second Fleet deactivated; 31st Escort Squadron reassigned directly to Admiral Toyoda's Combined Fleet.
In this role TAKE and the rest of Desdiv 43 (KAYA, KIRI, MAKI, TSUTA) were modified for the projected KETSU-GO deployments for the defense of the homeland. Each had an overhanging slanted ramp added to the stern and rails were installed aft to accommodate one "Kaiten" human torpedo. Each destroyer during May began night-time training with this weapon.

July 1945:
TAKE, MAKI, and KAYA at Himi anchorage at Yashirojima.

August:
Surrendered at Maizuru at end of war in an undamaged condition.

15 September 1945:
LtCdr Unaki is reassigned and leaves the ship. A successor is not appointed.

30 September 1945:
Reserve Lt (j.g.) Saguri Osamu is appointed Navigator. Lt Takai is reassigned.

10 October 1945:
Lt Sahashi Morio (Eng. 49) (former Chief Engineer, NIRE) is appointed Chief Engineer. Lt Sakurai is reassigned.

15 October 1945:
Lt Mitani Yoshio (71) (former Torpedo Officer, KIRI) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Hosaka is appointed CO of KYOSAI.

25 October 1945:
Removed from Navy List. Later used as repatriation ship.

30 November 1945:
Torpedo Officer Lt Mitani is reassigned and leaves the ship. A successor is not appointed.

1946

1 March 1946:
Lt Urakabe Saburo (71) (former Crew, YAMASHIRO) is appointed Navigator. Lt (j.g.) Saguri is reassigned.

6 June 1946:
Lt Ishiwata Yuzuru (Eng. 52) (former Crew, SUZUTSUKI) is appointed Chief Engineer, with additional duty as Chief Engineer of SUMIRE. Lt Sahashi is reassigned.

8 October 1946:
Navigator Lt Urakabe is appointed Navigator of SUMIRE as an additional duty. Chief Engineer Lt Ishiwata is reassigned and leaves the ship. A successor is not immediately appointed.

28 October 1946:
Navigator Lt Urakabe is appointed Navigator of YUKAZE as a further additional duty.

1947

25 February 1947:
Lt Yagioka Tadao (Eng. 52) (former Crew, NAGATO) is appointed Chief Engineer, with additional duty as Chief Engineer of SUMIRE.

15 March-20 April:
Escort Squadron 31 reassigned to Second Fleet, then back to Combined Fleet.

22 May 1947:
Navigator Lt Urakabe ceases duty as Navigator of NAMIKAZE.

1 July 1947:
TAKE departed Sasebo bound for Singapore having been posted to Great Britain as war reparations.

16 July 1947:
Arrived at Singapore and turned over to the British authorities there. [Reportedly soon afterwards the British simply scrapped here there]

August:
Surrendered at Maizuru at end of war.

25 October 1945:
Removed from Navy List. Later used as repatriation ship.

16 July 1947:
Turned over to Great Britain; later scrapped. Lt Yagioka assumes full-time duty as Chief Engineer of SUMIRE.

Notes and Sources:

Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Anthony Tully, Bill Somerville, and Matthew Jones for contributing to this TROM.