CO of 2nd Maizuru SNLF at Wake Island - 1941

[hisashi]

> 82nd was at Bougenville.

I did not notice it. Probably, it was reorganized after the first 82nd was destroyed in New Guinea.

Taki

According to Nihon Rikukaigun Butai Yoran It was 82nd 'dispatched force(hakentai)' and 82nd keibitai remained in Bougenville. It might be error, or some member remained in Bougenville after most of them were sent to Lae, New Guinea.

Hisashi,
Does it state which unit in particular that Kesshitai originally came from? I also don't believe it was a company: I've read that the Kesshitai was 70 men under command of WO Kiroku Horie and it landed on Wake in 2 Daihatsu (or Shohatsu), west of Peacock point.

The AA unit was a platoon and under Tanaka. I think it did not take part in the fighting but was meant as part of the garrison force.

The Takano force which was 100 picked men that landed on Wilkes and was completely destroyed, were those men from the Maizuru 2nd SNLF?

If the whole of the Maizuru 2nd SNLF did not take part in the invasion of Wake, was the main strength still on Truk during the invasion?

According to JACAR C08030066400 (19th squadron wartime log) in 19 Dec Tsugaru was in Roi of Roi-Namur. A company of Maizuru SNLF moved from Tsugaru to Wake by Tenyo-Maru. So Maizuru SNLF sent two companies; Uchida company and newly arrived Itadani (or Itaya) company. Anoter appendix of 6th desron wartime log C08030120700 shows the allotment and move among boats. The two companies shared patrol boat No.32 and No.33, but Uchida was on No.32 while Itadani was on No.33. Another company, from 6th base force was led by Takano (2 daihatsu from DD Oikaze).
Uchida's company had a AA platoon, so it must be Tanaka's. AA gun from 4th base force seems to have larger caliber.
Uchida landed with No.32 but shortly before strand a daihatsu with 57 men departed from No.32, under Horie. It was kessitai. No.32 and 33 had respectively one daihatsu. Itadani used one on No.33.

It is very confusing that 6th desron gave local names for their landing companies as the 1st SNLF (Uchida coy) and 2nd SNLF(Takano coy). I think both Maizuru company was from Maizuru 2nd SNLF.

[matthew hainer]

ijnfleetadmiral,
According to my notes on the Maizuru 2nd SNLF, the commander of the Maizuru 2nd SNLF was Cdr. T.Murota and I am almost certain that he did not land on Wake during the assault, but would have came ashore after the fighting had already ended. No source of the battle that I have read has ever remarked on the CO of the Maizuru 2nd SNLF landing during the assault.

Hisashi,
You have mainly answered the questions that were driving me insane over Wake island! Thank you for sharing that information about the allotment and their movements aboard the ships.

I estimate that the Maizuru 2nd SNLF departed Wake on 26 December aboard the Kinryu Maru which stopped at Saipan and then back to Truk where it remained for roughly 2 weeks until the invasion of Kavieng took place. The occupying force that would become the 65th Keibitai is I believe the 6th Bobitai, 6th Base Force. It is this force that I think Takano Company was from as it is listed in a OOB on 8 December as being on Kwajalein Atoll but in 14th July OOB is no longer present there. Anyways thats my contribution to this discussion.

Thank you!

[hisashi]

I found in C08030120600, page 14 clearly states Uchida coy and Itadani coy were from Maizuru 2nd SNLF.

Also C08030120200, page 39 refers the company leader of 1st SNLF (Uchida coy) as the leader of rikusentai (the landing force of Wake operation). This page was a part of invasion plan before Itadani coy arrived in time. So Uchida was not the leader of Maizuru 2nd SNLF, but seemed named by RAdm Kajioka as the leader of landing force for Wake.

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Just found out from asking a question on j-aircraft.com that the CO of 2nd Maizuru SNLF was Cdr (later Captain) Miyata Yoshinobu (Eta Jima Class 50).

[matthew hainer]

Hisashi,
You have provided great insight to Japanese units in the battle. What does your record say of the "100 picked men" force that was completely destroyed on Wilkes Island? Were these from Takano force or from Maizuru 2nd SNLF?

[hisashi]

Hisashi,
You have provided great insight to Japanese units in the battle. What does your record say of the "100 picked men" force that was completely destroyed on Wilkes Island? Were these from Takano force or from Maizuru 2nd SNLF?

All Takano company. Summarizing Japanese web sources, Takano had 310 men. C08030120700 shows all Takano company men was on DD Oikaze. 6th desron's report have little mention on what happened on the ground but telecommunication log in C08030120400 and C08030120500 gave us many hints. DD Oikaze had only two daihatsu, so Takano could use only a part of his men (100 picked men maybe). One of the two returned but Kajioka ordered it should be sent to Kinryu-Maru to transport the rest of Maizuru men to Wake. After Wake was occupied about at 09:00 AM, Kajioka and DD Oikaze made some communications and found all daihatsu had damaged and the situation on Wilkes remained unknown. At 09:35 Kajioka ordered Oikaze to send small cutter to see what was going on Wilkes. At 12:15 PM DD Oikaze reported their own personnel landed [on any available boats] and got 106 POWs on Wilkes (men from Oikaze returned soon).

[cstunts]

Hello,

SNLF landed on Guam according to Wakako Higuchi's brand new book, "The Japanese Administration of Guam, 1941-1944"
Foreward by Donald DEnoon & Goto Shinhachiro (McFarland & Co., 2013)

The SNLF leader was CDR HAYASHI HIROSHI, and the unit was at Saipan prior to the war.

I am attaching a photo from Wakako Higuchi's book of members of this SNLF. The date is November 1941.)
Page 19.

FWIW

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Here's what I have for Hayashi, taken from Nishida's "Materials of IJN" site...doesn't list him as CO 2nd Maizuru SNLF anywhere:

Hayashi Hiroshi
Eta Jima Class 49 (Class Rank: 118th of 176)
Promoted Midshipman - 16 July 1921
Promoted Ensign - 25 May 1922
Promoted Lieutenant (j.g.) - 1 December 1924
Promoted Lieutenant - 1 December 1926
Promoted Lieutenant Commander - 1 December 1932
Promoted Commander - 15 November 1938
Commanding Officer, 54th Guard Unit - 20 December 1941 - 27 May 1945
Chief of Guam Government Officer - 1 January 1942 - 27 May 1945
Promoted Captain - 1 November 1943
Posthumously promoted Rear Admiral - 27 May 1945 (Died of Illness)

[matthew hainer]

They were the 5th Defense Force, not the Maizuru 2nd SNLF. The Maizuru 2nd SNLF was not even stationed on Saipan during this time.

[matthew hainer]

Hello Hisashi,
does JACAR C08030120200 give full unit casualties for the 11 December attempted landing of Wake Island? If i'm correct Yubari was damaged; to what extent was she damaged and other Japanese ships as well as casualties?

Thank you.

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Yubari - straddled three times, but not hit; no casualties.
Tenryu - minor damage due to strafing: three torpedoes in No. 1 torpedo mount damaged; 5 wounded.
Tatsuta - minor damage to radio shack from strafing; no casualties.
Yayoi - one direct hit; 1 dead, 17 wounded.
Kisaragi - direct bomb hit on bridge; upended and sank 5 minutes later with all 157 hands.
Hayate - shore battery scored direct hit on one of the aft torpedo mounts; broke in two and sank 2 minutes later; 168 dead, 1 survivor.