IJN Okikaze - US Trigger

[Jordi Comas]

Hi again

This time is for Okikaze
She was sunk by US Trigger on 10 January 1943 at 35 m SE of Yokosuka. 51 crew members were killed and an unknown number of survivors were rescued by the Japanese auxiliary minelayer Kosei Maru. But how many?

Thank you very much
Jordi

[ijnfleetadmiral]

OKIKAZE's complement was 148, and the Wikipedia page says "most of the crew" were lost in the sinking. Her TROM on combinedfleet.com states "number of survivors unknown". Among those lost in the sinking were:

Commanding Officer: LCDR / CDR* IUCHI Gisaburo (58) (KIA)
Gunnery Officer: LTJG / LT* TAKAO Toshiaki (68) (KIA)
Navigator: LT / LCDR* WATANABE Yorizumi (Res.) (KIA)

There were at least two survivors: Torpedo Officer LT SUZUKI Chuzaemon (Spec. Duty 18) and Chief Engineer LT TERAJIMA Tokunosuke (Spec. Duty) were both rescued. So if we go by the regular complement and the number of those killed, we have 97 survivors.

[Jordi Comas]

Thank you!

Perhaps fishing vessels rescued more survivors because she sank close to the coast..............or they managed to arrive to Japan