Conway Maritime Press - Warship 44

for Yokusuka; arrived on 22nd; assigned to mobile force and
anchored in readiness at Yokusuka; on standby for the northern
operation; went to Kisarazu on 25th; moved to Sagami Bay on
26th; practised fuelling in tandem on 27th and anchored on alert
off Kisarazu.
29:5-8:7:43 operated in western Inland Sea (Saeki, Hashirajima,
Kure, Muzorumi, Tokuyarna).
&26-7-43 transported troops between Japan and South Seas;
departed Kure on 8th; arrived at Urajima on same day. Sortied
Tluk on 1fth to Rabaul.
26:7-17:9:43 anchored on alert at T!uk. carried out exercises and
sorties through the reef.
Chih,uma: 2: I 1 :42- 17 :9:43
2:17:42-26:2;43 departed Tluk on 2:11; Arrived Kure on 7:11;
investigated damage and carried out repairs between 7th and
29:11; drydocked on 2fth; further repairs until 28:12; while under
repair, Captain Tadashi Aoki (also Captain ofthe cruiser Aobo)
took command; repairs continued until %:2:43. On 20:1, Captain
Chikara Shigenga took command.
27:2-27:3;43 carried out maintenance and training; operated until
18:3 in Western Inland Sea (Kure, Tokuyama, Hashirajima,
Yashima); arrived Kure on 18th; prepared for sortie; departed on
21st; arrived off Kitsuki at 2145hrs; departed at 0700hrs; arrived
Saeki at 0910hrs: left at 1200hrs; arrived Tluk on 27lh al 1356hrs.
27:3-17:5:43 anchored on alert, practised sorties; carried out ASW
patrols,
17-29:5:43 departed Tluk for Yokusuka as part of main force,
patrol unit (Shurykubutai - KeiKaitai); arrived Yokusuka on 22nd;
assigned to mobile force; departed on 25th; arrived Kisarazu and
anchored there under alert for northem operation.
D:5-8:7:43 departed Kisarazu on 2fth; arrived Yokusuka next day;
departed for Halshirajima on 30th; arrived Saeki on 1.7; departed
for Hashirajima and anchored there on alert. F\rther exercises in
western Inland Sea.
8-26:7:43 transported army forces; departed Kure on 8th; arrived
Urajima same day; loaded army stores on 9th; Arrived Yashima
anchorage on 9th; left for Tluk on 10th; arrived on 15th; departed
for Rabaul on lfth; arrived on 21st; unloaded troops and stores.
On 22nd, assigned to eastern force, mobile force, main body;
departed Rabaul on 24th; arrived Tluk on 26th.
26:7-L7:9:43 carried out pre-arranged exercises and acted as
emergency stand-by at Tluk. On 15:8 assigned to mobile force,
main body.
Tone a,nd ChikurrLa: 18:9:43-26:10 :43
18-25:9:43 assigned to Mobile Force, Vanguard; took part in Z
Operation. Patrolled Marshalls and Gilberis area. Sortied Tluk for
Eniwetok; arrived on 20th (Tone) and 21st (Chikuma). Anchored
on stand-by; departed on 23rd, arriving Ttuk on 25th.
25:9-26:10:43 assigned to mobile force, main body, the object being
to destroy the enemy fleet and air strength. At Tluk until 16:10,
then sortied for Eniwetok on 17th; arrived on 19th; departed for
Truk on 23rd; arrived on 25lh (Tone) and 26th (Chikuma).
Tone: 26:10:43-1:2:44
26:10-21:12:43 anchored on alert at T!uk; carried out exercises until
3fth; departed Tluk for Kure on 31st; arrived on 6:11; carried out
repairs and maintenance until 3:12; departed on 18th for
Hashirajima; sortied for Kure on 20th; arrived on 21st. Captain
Haruo Mayuzumi took over on 1:12.
27:I2:43-BI:I:44 loaded army stores and troops at Kure; departed
on 23rd; arrived Tluk on 29th; assigned to 3rd fleet, 7 CruDv on
1:1:44; sortied from TYuk for Kaeving on 2nd; arrived on 4th;
unloaded army material and reached Tluk on 5th. Anchored at
T!uk; practised sorties.
7-28:2:44 departed from Tluk on 1st; arrived at Palau on 4th; left
there for Lingga on 16th; arrived on 21st; departed on 27th and
anchored at Bangka on the next day.
Chih,uma: 26 : 10 :43-5:2:44
26:1-0-7;11:43 anchored on alert at Tluk; sortied from Tluk for
Rabaul on Srd in an attempt to deshoy the enemy fleet. Sighted a
B-24 shadowing on 4th; twice bombed during the night; arrived
Rabaul on 5th; attacked by about 80 fighters and bombers;
followed by 35 large aircraft. Part ofthe hull and machinery
damaged by near misses; three wounded. Departed Rabaul for
Truk, attacked by seven enemy planes on 6th; drove them offwith
AA fire. Reached Truk on 7th.
7-20:7I:43 anchored on alert at T!uk; carried out exercises.
20-23:1,1:43 transported aviation fuel, personnel and material from
Tluk to Eniwetok, between 20th and 21st. and from Eniwetok to
Kwajalein between 2nd and21td.
24:ll-7:12:43 moved to Ruotto anchorage to paf,rol the Gilberts,
Nauru and Ocean area. Arrived Ruotto same day. Sortied on27th;
arrived Eniwetok on 28th, departed on 29th; arrival at Ruotto on
3fth. Anchored there as support for a transport operation.
Departed on 3:12; arrived at Tluk on 5th; fuelled and departed for
Kure on ?th.
7:12:43-5:2:44 arrived Kure on 12th; drydocked in No 4 dock on
20th; left dock on 20:1:44; completed overhaul by 4:2. Assigned to
3rd Fleet, 7 CruDv on 1:1; Captain K6ji Norimitsu took command.
Left Kure on 5th; transported material to Singapore; left for
Lingga (as for Tonzl.
Tone and Chikurna: 1:3:44-20:4:45
l:3-17l.5:44 assigned to }rd Fleet, 7 CruDiv on 1:3; departed
Bangka next day to attack merchant shipping in the Indian
Ocean; arrived at Jakarta on 15:3; left on 18th; arived at
Singapore on 20th; departed on 1:4; transported material for 601st
Flight Squadron; retumed to Singapore on 4:4; departed next day
for Lingga to take part in A G6 Sakusen (Mariands); left Lingga
on 11:5; arrived at Tawi-Tawi on 14:5; Ieft next day and arrived at
Tarakan on 16th; left anchorage, returning to ilbwi-Tawi on 17th.
17;5-20:6:44 anchored at Tawi-Tawi on alert until 9:6; left on 10th;
arrival at Guimaras on 12th; sortied next day for Marianas area;
took part in Marianas air-sea battle between 19th and 20th.
20;6-22:70:44 departed from battle area, arriving at Nakshino Bay
on 22:6; left there next day, arriving at Hashirajima on 24th;
drydocked at Kure on 26th; completed overhaul on 7.?; departed
Kure on 8th carrying army personnel; arrived Lingga on 16th;
remained in Singapore-Lingga area on stand-by until 18:10;
departed Lingga on 18th; arrived Brunei on 20th; departed on
22nd and operated as part of the Kurita fleet in Shd i Gd Sakusen
(Leyte Gul0.
22-28:10:44 advanced to I-eyte
Gulfon 25th; flagship of
TCruDv w}ren Suzuya was sunk.
Slightly damaged by one bomb
hit and several near misses.
Arrived at Brunei on Zlth.
Advanced to kyte; while firing
on US CVEs and Des was
subject to several air and ship
attacks. Torpedoes hit in
machinery spaces; ship sank.
Part of crew rescued by DD
Nowake, which was then also
sunk 20:4:45.
Tone : 28 : 10 :44-30 :9:4
I
28:10:44-17:2:45 carried out maintenance at Brunei until 7:11;
departed on 8th arriving Maizuru on 17th. While en route was
assigned to 2nd Fleet, 5 Cru-Div on 15th. Docked at Maizuru on
17th and repaired until 17:2:45. Captain Yusaka Okada took
command on 1:l:45.
l8t2-23t7t45 departed Maizuru on 18th, arrived Kure on 20th;
engaged in training and maintenance in the Kure-Edauchi area.
Attacked by US carrier planes on 18:3 while moored at Edauchi
and slightly damaged by splinters from near misses. Classified as
special guard ship (Tokushu Kibokan) on 6:7.
24:7-4:8:45 about 100 carrier planes attacked Tone on 24th. The
ship was o