Admiralty Islands

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rjl3
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Admiralty Islands

#1

Post by rjl3 » 08 Apr 2022, 23:27

I have been looking into Japanese units in the Admiralty Islands and hope someone can fill in some blanks.

As far as I have been able to discern so far:

1. Initial forces: 51st Transport Regiment. landed April 1943. Does anyone have the actual date and the vessels that carried this force to Manus /Los Negros. They started building two airstrips - one at Lorongau and the other on Los Negros.

2. first reinforcement. 38th Div 1st Ind Mixed Regiment- 2nd Battalion. 750 men. Landed on Jan 24, 1944. Does anyone have the vessels that took this force to the Admiralties?

3. second reinforcement. 55th Div 66th Regiment -2nd Battalion. Planned for 2 transports. This force was apparently enroute to Rabaul from Palau and lost Toko Maru on Jan 30, 1944 to USS Seahorse. 350 of 857 troops on board were lost. I SUSPECT that the 2nd transport was Takatori Maru #2 who apparently was traveling with Toko Maru.
So this reinforcement failed.

4. third reinforcement. 38th Div 229th Regiment 1st Battalion. 530 troops. Landed on 2 Feb 1944. Does anyone know what ships were involved with this reinforcement?

Additionally the 14th Naval Base Force was on the islands when the US landed but I have no info on when / how they got there. Again anyone?

MTIA
Ralph

rjl3
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Re: Admiralty Islands

#2

Post by rjl3 » 09 Apr 2022, 01:06

just found additional information on Tokusetsukansen:

per TROM for CHA-47, this vessel left Palau on 5 Feb with a convoy bound for Manus Island. One transport was sunk on the 6th and the convoy was aborted and called back to Palau.
I cannot find any likely loss for this date near Palau. any info?
Ralph


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Akira Takizawa
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Re: Admiralty Islands

#3

Post by Akira Takizawa » 09 Apr 2022, 04:00

2. first reinforcement. 38th Div 1st Ind Mixed Regiment- 2nd Battalion. 750 men. Landed on Jan 24, 1944. Does anyone have the vessels that took this force to the Admiralties?

They were transported by destroyers Nowake, Maikaze and Yamagumo.

3. second reinforcement. 55th Div 66th Regiment -2nd Battalion. Planned for 2 transports. This force was apparently enroute to Rabaul from Palau and lost Toko Maru on Jan 30, 1944 to USS Seahorse. 350 of 857 troops on board were lost. I SUSPECT that the 2nd transport was Takatori Maru #2 who apparently was traveling with Toko Maru.

No, 2nd transport is Daiyei Maru(大永丸).

4. third reinforcement. 38th Div 229th Regiment 1st Battalion. 530 troops. Landed on 2 Feb 1944. Does anyone know what ships were involved with this reinforcement?

They were transported by destroyers Yamagumo and Akikaze.

Taki

rjl3
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Re: Admiralty Islands

#4

Post by rjl3 » 09 Apr 2022, 16:26

Taki
thank you for this info. question: I always read that Japanese destroyers were limited to about 150 troops.
if so, 3 destroyers could not have transported 750 troops indicating that a transport might have been involved?
Ralph

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ijnfleetadmiral
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Re: Admiralty Islands

#5

Post by ijnfleetadmiral » 10 Apr 2022, 01:02

What I have for this unit:

14th Base Force
Activated on 1 December 1943
Deactivated post-war

Commanding Officers
Commanding Officers
RADM OTA Minoru (41) – 1 December 1943 – 10 February 1944
CAPT / RADM TAMURA Ryukichi (41) – 10 February 1944 – 15 August 1945

Executive Officers
Position did not exist for this unit.

Chief Engineers
Position did not exist for this unit.

Surgeons
Position did not exist for this unit.

Paymasters
(P) LCDR GOTO Yasunosuke (Pay. 19) – 1 December 1943 – ???
??? – ??? – 15 August 1945
MSG, MS State Guard (Ret.) - First Always!

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Akira Takizawa
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Re: Admiralty Islands

#6

Post by Akira Takizawa » 10 Apr 2022, 03:09

rjl3 wrote:
09 Apr 2022, 16:26
Taki
thank you for this info. question: I always read that Japanese destroyers were limited to about 150 troops.
if so, 3 destroyers could not have transported 750 troops indicating that a transport might have been involved?
Senshi Sosho stated that it was a transport by destroyers. There was no transport.

Taki

adachi
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Re: Admiralty Islands

#7

Post by adachi » 10 Apr 2022, 22:56

The 14th Naval Base Force was not physically present on the Admiralty Islands, it was in New Ireland, but did administer the 88th Guard Unit stationed in the Admiralty Islands.

The IJN 88th Guard Unit was formed from part of the disbanded Kure 6th SNLF on December 1st, 1943. The unit had an authorized strength of 581 men and the former Kure 6th SNLF's commander Capt. Okumura Saburo was placed in command of the new guard unit.

The IJN 36th Air Defense Unit (roughly a company in size) was also there, it was formed on October 15th, 1943 in Yokosuka and seems to have arrived around a month later.

Both units were wiped out during the US landings.

rjl3
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Re: Admiralty Islands

#8

Post by rjl3 » 11 Apr 2022, 21:56

Thank you all! Great info.

I have been looking further info shipping to the Admiralty Islands and have come across some interesting (to me!) info:

January 1944 was a busy month for the islands. In addition to the destroyers visit the following ships called at Manus, some on the same night as the destroyers:

Sisters Matsu and Tatsu Maru's. Jan 24. Tatsu sunk, Matsu damaged but made it to Kavieng where sunk Feb 2.
Heiwa and Kyosei Marus (Kyosei not confirmed but about 95% certain) escorted by CHa 23. Heiwa Maru sunk Jan 24.
Chiburi Maru and Fukuei Maru # 9, probably traveling together and both sunk enroute Manus on Jan 17.

BTW there is a significant mix-up between TokusetsuKansen and Nihon Kaigun for CHa 23. Mix-up between CHa 23 and CH 23.
From assembling the TROM data it looks like it was the Aux CHa 23 that was escorting ships to Manus and Kavieng not CH 23.

Regards,
Ralph

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