Japanese Escort Ship Miyake

''Miyake'' (三宅) was a ''Mikura''-class escort ship of Imperial Japanese Navy.

Construction and career

She was laid down on 12 February 1943 and launched on 30 August 1943 by the Nippon Kokan Tsurumi Shipyard. She was commissioned on 30 November 1943.

1943

She was homeported in Kure Naval District. She was the Commander-in-Chief of the Maritime Escort General Headquarters ( Commander-in-Chief Koshiro Oikawa, Admiral of the Navy, November 15,) Incorporated into the 1st Maritime Escort Flotilla. After she waits at Yokosuka Port, she escorts the 2705 fleet from December 5 to 7. She moves to Kure and conducts training. From December 21 of the same year, she was engaged in the escort mission of the 123rd Fleet (from Moji to Kaohsiung Port) consisting of nine transport vessels. On December 27, of the 27 fleets escorted by the Etorofu-class escort ship Matsuwa and heading for Singapore, the tanker Kueimaru sank due to a torpedo attack from a US submarine. ''Miyake'' and escort ships engaged in anti-submarine warfare, and both ships entered Kaohsiung on the 29th (30th).

1944

From January 20, ''Miyake'' and Etorofu-class escort pearls have been engaged in escort missions for the Hi-37 fleet (from Moji, via Manila, to Singapore).# S18.12 Diary of the First Maritime Escort Corps (2), pp.10-12 4) Action of the Underworld Troops / January 1945/ref> At that time, the light aircraft carrier Chitose (belonging to the 3rd Carrier Division) and the 16th Destroyer Flotilla ( Amatsukaze and Yukikaze) belonging to the 3rd Fleet of the Combined Fleet (commander-in-chief Jisaburo Ozawa). She was temporarily incorporated into the 3rd Carrier Division and was engaged in a fleet escort mission between the inland and Singapore. However, on January 16 during the escort of the Hi-31 fleet, the destroyer Amatsukaze was sunk by a torpedo strike from USS Redfin and became inoperable. On January 20, the Hi-31 fleet unit arrived in Singapore. On the return trip, the Hi-31 fleet was renamed the Hi-32 fleet and departed Singapore on January 25. ''Miyake'' was peeked out of the Hi-37 fleet, which went to Singapore. ''Miyake'', who remained in Manila, left the area on the 27th at 07:30 and joined the Hi-32 fleet (Chitose, Yukikaze, Tanker fleet). From February 4 to 5, each of the Hi-32 fleet units returned to Kitakyushu and Kure.

After replenishment and maintenance in Kure, ''Miyake'' moved to Moji. On February 16, ''Miyake'' took the tanker Kuroshio Maru, Tamatsu Maru, and Tatekawa Maru. She escorted the Hi-45 fleet, which consisted of 7 transport vessels (10,090 tons), along with Shiokaze, and left Monji. On the evening of February 19, the Hi-40 fleet unit (ship escorts, Asama Maru, 5 tankers) heading north toward Kaohsiung was attacked by USS Jack. Shiokaze separates from the fleet and heads for the escort of the Hi-40 fleet. On the 21st, the Hi-45 fleet arrives in Kaohsiung, and ''Miyake'' warns against submarine outside Kaohsiung Port. At night, ''Miyake'' moved to Zuoying. On the 22nd, the fleet departed Kaohsiung for the escort of the torpedo boat Hayabusa. Shortly thereafter, ''Miyake'', who left Zuoying on the same day, joins. After that, the tanker Kuroshio Maru had an engine failure and headed for Kaohsiung. On the 23rd, Tamatsu Maru separated from the fleet unit with Hayabusa and headed for Manila. On the same day, Shiokaze, finished escorting the Hi-40 fleet, joins the Hi-40 fleet. On the 27th, the Hi-45 convoy arrived in Singapore.

From March 4 to 5, ''Miyake'' temporarily escorted the Hi-47 fleet ( Etorofu and Iki) approaching Singapore. The fleet was attacked by USS Bluefish, and the Omineyama Maru sank on the 4th.# S18.12 Diary of the 1st Maritime Escort Corps (2), p.71 ppendix 2 Fleet Escort Status (Direct Route to Marai) March 1945, 1st Maritime Escort Corps Command/ref> On March 11, 4 escort ships (''Miyake'', Shimushu, Iki, and Etorofu) depart Singapore to escort the Hi-48 fleet. After 01:00 am on March 18, the Hokuriku Maru was sunk by a torpedo attack by USS Rapon, and her survivors were rescued by the escort ships. After stopping at Kaohsiung, the Hi-48 fleet unit returned to Moji on March 25.

On March 30, ''Miyake'' and Manju were attached to the Combined Fleet. On May 28, She escorted Ashizuri and Zuihō. On the morning of June 5, the US Navy USS Puffer attacks the oil tank fleet units while sailing in the Sulu Sea. Ashizuri and Zuihō were sunk.

On the 18th, the Imperial Headquarters launched Operation Sho-go. It was necessary to refuel the 1st Squadron (commonly known as Kurita Squadron or Kurita Fleet) and the 2nd Squadron (commander Kiyohide Shima, Commander-in-Chief of the 5th Fleet, commonly known as Shima Fleet). As a result, the Army and Navy Department of the Great Headquarters was confused over the arrangement of tankers. Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Fleet, was forced to secure tankers, and as part of this, ordered the Niei Maru and Ryoei Maru to wait for Sanya on Hainan Island. Eventually, 4 tankers ( Niei Maru, Ryoei Maru, Kuroshio Maru, Toho Maru) were pulled out of the Hi-76 fleet to supply the troops. The Hi-76 fleet was virtually disassembled in the air. ''Miyake'' and Manju will escort Ryoei Maru and move to Penghu Islands Makou. On the 20th, 09:30, she arrived at Makou and replenished the 2nd Squadron. On the 22nd, 07:00, Secretary Kurita formed a supply unit, and a second supply unit was formed by 3 escort ships (Kurahashi, Miyake, Manju) and two tankers (Niei Maru, Ryoei Maru). On October 23, Ma departed. After conducting anti-submarine sweeping, she entered Xiamen City on the opposite bank of Taiwan on the 26th. On the 29th, under the command of Captain Kagayama, the captain of Shimo Miyake, Miyake and his consort ship depart from Ma, escorting the special survey ship (special repair ship) Shimo (October 27, as Mi 23 fleet, arrived at Ma). Initially ordered to advance to Brunei, Borneo, but was later relocated to Singapore.

As of November 20, the 31st Squadron was incorporated into the 5th Fleet (Lt. Gen. Kiyohide Shima, Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Kiyohide Shima, flagship Ashigara, Commander of the 2nd Squadron) and divided into the Battle of Ormoc Bay. On December 30, the air raid caused damage to the No. 20 Kaibokan and the sinking of the Aobayama Maru, but ''Miyake'' was not damaged.

1945

From midnight to early morning on January 9, in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, the Hi-87 Convoy Unit (the commander of the unit is the 7th Convoy Commander, General Katsumi Komazawa, Flagship Kamoi, Shigure, Isokaze, Hatakaze, refueling ships such as the escort ship ''Mikura'' and Kurahashi, and eight other ships) had arrived. However, she was soon attacked by a carrier-based aircraft of the US 38th Task Force. Kamoi was damaged. At sea, Kaihomaru was sunk and Yashiro was damaged. ''Miyake'' left Kaohsiung on January 10 as a unit of the Hi-87 fleet that separated damaged ships and undamaged ships, and left Kaohsiung on January 10 at midnight (14th morning). Arrived in Hong Kong. The Hi-87 fleet unit was also hit by air raids on US MTF carrier-based aircraft in Hong Kong. Others were heavily damaged or sunk, and several ships such as Noumi and Kurahashi were damaged.

On March 19, there was an attack on Kure and an anti-aircraft battle was conducted. In mid-April, 4 escort ships under the command of Captain Ei Ikeda, commander of the 1st Escort Flotilla (Noumi, No. 31 Kaibokan, Miyake, No. 213 Kaibokan ) Escort the Moshi 02 fleet (cargo ship Kotobukiyama Maru, Dalian Kisen 3,943 tons). The Moshi 02 fleet, which departed from Monji at 6 am on April 11, stayed at Hiyojima in the northwestern part of Jeju Island at 2:00 pm on April 13. Before dawn on the 14th, the USS Tirante attacks the Moshi 02 fleet, which was moored inside the harbor. Kotobukiyama Maru, Mikura-class escort ship Nomi, the 31st Kaibokan were sunk. On April 18, Miyake returned to Moji. On April 22, she escorted Jilin Maru and left Moji. However, Jilin Maru became unable to navigate through mines, and ''Miyake'' engaged in a patrol mission between Jeju Island and Tsushima.

She heads to Qingdao on May 8. She moved to Ishijima on May 17, and left Ishijima on May 19 as an escort for the Daiseimaru fleet. She arrived at Daito Bay on the 21st. On May 22, she left Daito Bay. She escorted Koyo Maru and arrived at Ishijima on the 24th. On the same day, she bombarded the land battle. On May 25, she left Ishijima. She escorted Tatsumiya Maru and Okitsu Maru and arrived at Daito Bay on the 26th. In June, she entered Sasebo Port. She left Sasebo on August 1 and moved to Yobuko fishing port. She arrived at Wonsan Port in Korea on August 7. She left Motoyama on the 10th and moved to Yeongil Bay. She ended the war there. She was mined and damaged near Moji, Kitakyushu on August 21.

After the war, she was engaged in lift transportation as an auxiliary ship. She was dismantled by Sasebo Heavy Industries from May to July 1948.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miyake
Ships built in Japan
1943 ships