Japanese cruiser Kashii
Encyclopedia
was the third and final vessel completed of the three light cruiser
s in Katori class
, which served with the Imperial Japanese Navy
during World War II
. It is named after a noted Shinto
shrine in Fukuoka
, Japan
.
, they were used as administrative flagship
s for various fleets, such as submarine
command and control and to command escort squadrons. The ships were upgraded as the war progressed with additional anti-aircraft guns and depth charge
s.
shipyards in Yokohama on 15 July 1941, and was initially assigned to Sasebo
Naval Base.
With the growing tensions in the Pacific, Kashii was subsequently (31 July 1941) assigned to the Southern Expeditionary Fleet under Vice Admiral
Jisaburo Ozawa
. On 18 October 1941, Kashii became flagship of the Southern Expeditionary Fleet based out of Saigon, French Indochina
. One month later, Kashii was transferred to Hainan
and Vice Admiral Ozawa transferred his flag to the Chokai.
On 5 December 1941, Kashii departed Cap St. Jacques
, French Indochina escorting seven troop transports carrying the Imperial Japanese Army
's 143rd Infantry Regiment to Kra Isthmus
(Thailand
) and Malaya
, and was thus still en route at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor
.
On 3 January 1942, the Kashii rescued troops from the troop transport Meiko Maru which had caught fire and exploded off of Hainan.
From January through March, the Kashii patrolled an area from Singapore
to Bangkok
and eastern Dutch East Indies
. On 11 February 1942, it escorted the 11 transports of the Bangka
-Palembang
, Sumatra
invasion force, and on 12 March 1942, participated in “Operation T" (the invasion of North Sumatra).
Kashii became flagship of the No. 2 Escort Unit on 19 March 1942, which escorted 32 transports with the IJA 56th Infantry Division
for the invasion of Burma, and an additional 46 transports carrying the IJA's 18th Infantry Division
in early April.
On 11 April 1942, Vice Admiral Ozawa transferred his flag back to Kashii which was now based in Singapore. However, on 14 July 1942 Vice Admiral Denshichi Okawachi replaced Vice Admiral Ozawa. Kashii continued with patrol duties in the eastern Indian Ocean
off Burma, the Andaman Islands
and Penang
through September.
On 21 September 1942, Kashii departed Saigon on an emergency transport mission to reinforce Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands
. Kashii used a fake second funnel in an attempt to mimic an American heavy cruiser
. The ruse succeeded, and Kashii successfully landed reinforcements at Rabaul
, New Britain
on 8 October 1942. It returned to Singapore without incident, and resumed its normal patrol duties until mid January 1943.
In January 1943, Kashii underwent retrofit at Keppel dockyard
in Singapore, to truncate its masts and add a "submarine spotting station” to its foretop. Kashii resumed its patrol area in the eastern Indian Ocean from February through end July 1943.
On 9 March 1943 Vice Admiral Yoshikazu Endo replaced Vice Admiral Okawachi as commander of the First Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Malay Force.
From 24 July 1943 - 22 August 1943, Kashii made two transport runs carrying troops and supplies to Port Blair
and Car Nicobar
. On 29 August 1943, off Pulo Weh, north Sumatra en route to Sabang
, Kashii was attacked by the Royal Navy
submarine
HMS Trident (N52)
, which fired all eight of its bow torpedoes, but missed. The Kashii made five more troop and supply runs to the Andaman Islands from 21 September 1943 - 27 November 1943 without incident.
On 31 December 1943, Kashii was reassigned to the Kure Training Division, arriving at Etajima
in February 1944 after retrofit at Sasebo to assume duty as training ship for the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
. However, its time as a training vessel was very short.
On 25 March 1944, Kashii was reassigned directly to Headquarters, General Escort Command, and was modified for anti-submarine warfare
at Kure Arsenal. Its torpedo tubes were removed and replaced by two Type 89 127 mm twin mount HA guns. Four triple mount Type 96 25 mm AA guns were also installed bringing the total to 20 barrels (4x3, 4x2), a Type 21 air-search radar
was fitted and hydrophone
s and sonar
were also added. Kashii's aft compartments were modified into concrete-protected magazines for up to 300 depth charge
s. Four depth charge throwers and two rails are installed on the quarterdeck
. The modification work was completed by 29 April 1944.
Mitsuharu Matsuyama's No. 1 Surface Escort Division on 3 May 1944 and departed Moji
on 29 May 1944 escorting a convoy to Singapore. On 2 June 1944, USS Guitarro (SS-363)
spotted the convoy east of Taiwan
, and sank one of its ships with two torpedoes, but Kashii was undamaged, and made it to Singapore on 12 June 1944 with the remaining vessels in the convoy.
Further refit was undertaken at Kure on 28 June 1944, with ten single mount Type 96 25 mm AA guns installed, bringing the total to 30 barrels (4x3, 4x2, 10x1), and a new Type 22 surface-search radar was also fitted at that time.
Kashii departed again on 13 July 1944 from Moji, escorting convoy HI-69 loaded with aircraft for Luzon
in the Philippines
. The convoy arrived safely in Manila
, and after offloading aircraft, proceeded to Singapore, returning to Moji without incident on 15 August 1944.
Another convoy mission was undertaken to the Philippines on 25 August 1944. On the return voyage, Kashii was flagship for Rear Admiral Setsuzo Yoshitomi's 5th Escort Group escorting convoy HI-74. The convoy was attacked on 16 September 1944 by the USS Queenfish (SS-393)
and USS Barb (SS-220)
, which sank two oilers and the aircraft carrier Unyo
. More than 900 crewmen were lost, along with 48 aircraft. Kashii and the remaining ships rescued 761 survivors, reaching Moji on 23 September 1944.
The next convoy mission (HI-79) to Singapore from 26 October 1944 - 9 November 1944 was uneventful. After arrival, Rear Admiral Shiro Shibuya replaced Admiral Yoshitomi as CINC of the new 101st Escort Group. The return run from Singapore to Sasebo from 17 November 1944 to 4 December 1944 was uneventful.
On 10 December 1944, Kashii was reassigned to the 1st Surface Escort Group and departed Moji for Takao
, Taiwan with a convoy of Army transports. From Takao, Kashii was assigned another convoy to Singapore. The new convoy was attacked by USAAF B-25 Mitchell
bombers off Hainan on 25 December 1944, but escaped with little damage.
The return voyage with convoy HI-86 consisted of ten ships (4 tankers and 6 cargo ships) and the 101st Escort Group's five frigate
CD kaibokans, which departed Singapore on 30 December 1944. On 12 January 1945, shortly after departing Qui Nhon Bay, Indochina
, bombers from the U.S
Task Group 38.3 USS Essex (CV-9)
, USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)
, USS Langley (CVL-27)
and the USS San Jacinto(CVL-30)
attacked convoy HI-86, sinking most of the convoy's ships. Kashii was hit starboard amidships by a torpedo from a TBF Avenger
, then a SB2C Helldiver
struck with two bombs aft, setting off the depth charge magazine. The Kashii sank stern first at 13°50′N 109°20′E. Of the Kashii's crew, 621 men went down with the ship and only 19 were rescued.
Kashii was removed from the Navy list on 20 March 1945.
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
s in Katori class
Katori class cruiser
The were originally ordered by the Imperial Japanese Navy to serve as training ships in the 1937 and 1939 Supplementary Naval budget. During the Pacific War, they were used as administrative flagships for various fleets, such as submarine command and control, and to command escort squadrons...
, which served with the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It is named after a noted Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine in Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Background
The Katori-class cruisers were originally ordered to serve as training ships in the 1937 and 1939 Supplementary Naval Budget. With the Pacific WarPacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, they were used as administrative flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
s for various fleets, such as submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
command and control and to command escort squadrons. The ships were upgraded as the war progressed with additional anti-aircraft guns and depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s.
Early career
Kashii was completed by MitsubishiMitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
shipyards in Yokohama on 15 July 1941, and was initially assigned to Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
Naval Base.
With the growing tensions in the Pacific, Kashii was subsequently (31 July 1941) assigned to the Southern Expeditionary Fleet under Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Jisaburo Ozawa
Jisaburo Ozawa
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He was the last Commander-in-Chief of Combined Fleet. Many military historians regard Ozawa as one of the most capable Japanese flag officers.-Biography:...
. On 18 October 1941, Kashii became flagship of the Southern Expeditionary Fleet based out of Saigon, French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
. One month later, Kashii was transferred to Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
and Vice Admiral Ozawa transferred his flag to the Chokai.
On 5 December 1941, Kashii departed Cap St. Jacques
Vung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
, French Indochina escorting seven troop transports carrying the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
's 143rd Infantry Regiment to Kra Isthmus
Kra Isthmus
The Kra Isthmus is the narrow land bridge which connects the Malay Peninsula with the mainland of Asia, and popularly named "The Devil's Neck".-Geography:...
(Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
) and Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, and was thus still en route at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
.
Early stages of the Pacific War
After the initial landings in Malaya and Thailand, Kashii returned to Camranh Bay, Indochina on 13 December 1941 to rendezvous with 39 transports of the Second Malaya Convoy, which it then escorted to various points along the eastern coast of Thailand and Malaya. It also escorted the Third Malaya convoy from 26-28 December 1941.On 3 January 1942, the Kashii rescued troops from the troop transport Meiko Maru which had caught fire and exploded off of Hainan.
From January through March, the Kashii patrolled an area from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
and eastern Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
. On 11 February 1942, it escorted the 11 transports of the Bangka
Bangka Island
Bangka is an island lying east of Sumatra, Indonesia. Population 626,955. Area: c.4,600 sq mi .There is an additional small island named Pulau Bangka in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia.-Geography:...
-Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
invasion force, and on 12 March 1942, participated in “Operation T" (the invasion of North Sumatra).
Kashii became flagship of the No. 2 Escort Unit on 19 March 1942, which escorted 32 transports with the IJA 56th Infantry Division
56th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
IJA Fifty Sixth Division was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. It was also known as Ryuheidan meaning "Dragon Division".-History:The 56th Division participated in the Invasion of Burma during the Burma Campaign...
for the invasion of Burma, and an additional 46 transports carrying the IJA's 18th Infantry Division
18th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the .-History:The 18th Division was formed in Kurume, Kyūshū on 13 November 1907, together with the 17th Division, as part of the post Russo-Japanese War expansion of the standing Japanese military...
in early April.
On 11 April 1942, Vice Admiral Ozawa transferred his flag back to Kashii which was now based in Singapore. However, on 14 July 1942 Vice Admiral Denshichi Okawachi replaced Vice Admiral Ozawa. Kashii continued with patrol duties in the eastern Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
off Burma, the Andaman Islands
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...
and Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
through September.
On 21 September 1942, Kashii departed Saigon on an emergency transport mission to reinforce Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
. Kashii used a fake second funnel in an attempt to mimic an American heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
. The ruse succeeded, and Kashii successfully landed reinforcements at Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
on 8 October 1942. It returned to Singapore without incident, and resumed its normal patrol duties until mid January 1943.
In January 1943, Kashii underwent retrofit at Keppel dockyard
Keppel Harbour
Keppel Harbour is a stretch of water in Singapore between the mainland and the southern islands of Pulau Brani and Sentosa. Its naturally sheltered and deep waters was to meet the requirements of British colonists attempting to establish a Far East maritime colony in that part of the world, and...
in Singapore, to truncate its masts and add a "submarine spotting station” to its foretop. Kashii resumed its patrol area in the eastern Indian Ocean from February through end July 1943.
On 9 March 1943 Vice Admiral Yoshikazu Endo replaced Vice Admiral Okawachi as commander of the First Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Malay Force.
From 24 July 1943 - 22 August 1943, Kashii made two transport runs carrying troops and supplies to Port Blair
Port Blair
Port Blair is the largest town and a municipal council in Andaman district in the Andaman Islands and the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India...
and Car Nicobar
Car Nicobar
Car Nicobar is the northernmost of the Nicobar Islands. It is also one of two local administrative divisions of the Indian district of Nicobar, part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands....
. On 29 August 1943, off Pulo Weh, north Sumatra en route to Sabang
Sabang
Sabang is a city consisting of several islands in Aceh, Indonesia. The metropolitan area is located on Weh Island, 17 km north of Banda Aceh. The city covers an area of 118 square kilometres and according to the 2000 census had a population of 23,654 people...
, Kashii was attacked by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
HMS Trident (N52)
HMS Trident (N52)
HMS Trident was a British T class submarine built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. She was laid down on 12 January 1937 and was commissioned on 1 October 1939...
, which fired all eight of its bow torpedoes, but missed. The Kashii made five more troop and supply runs to the Andaman Islands from 21 September 1943 - 27 November 1943 without incident.
On 31 December 1943, Kashii was reassigned to the Kure Training Division, arriving at Etajima
Etajima, Hiroshima
is a city located on the island of Etajima in Hiroshima Bay in southwestern Hiroshima, Japan.The city was formed on November 1, 2004 from the merger of the town of Etajima from Aki District with three towns from Saeki District: Nōmi, Ōgaki, and Okimi.As of March 1, 2008 population data, the city...
in February 1944 after retrofit at Sasebo to assume duty as training ship for the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
. However, its time as a training vessel was very short.
On 25 March 1944, Kashii was reassigned directly to Headquarters, General Escort Command, and was modified for anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
at Kure Arsenal. Its torpedo tubes were removed and replaced by two Type 89 127 mm twin mount HA guns. Four triple mount Type 96 25 mm AA guns were also installed bringing the total to 20 barrels (4x3, 4x2), a Type 21 air-search radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
was fitted and hydrophone
Hydrophone
A hydrophone is a microphone designed to be used underwater for recording or listening to underwater sound. Most hydrophones are based on a piezoelectric transducer that generates electricity when subjected to a pressure change...
s and sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
were also added. Kashii's aft compartments were modified into concrete-protected magazines for up to 300 depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s. Four depth charge throwers and two rails are installed on the quarterdeck
Quarterdeck
The quarterdeck is that part of a warship designated by the commanding officer for official and ceremonial functions. In port, the quarterdeck is the most important place on the ship, and is the central control point for all its major activities. Underway, its importance diminishes as control of...
. The modification work was completed by 29 April 1944.
Later stages of the Pacific War
Kashii became flagship for Rear AdmiralRear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Mitsuharu Matsuyama's No. 1 Surface Escort Division on 3 May 1944 and departed Moji
Moji-ku, Kitakyushu
is a ward of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is the former city of Moji which was one of five cities merged to create Kitakyūshū in 1963. It faces the city of Shimonoseki across the Kanmon Straits between Honshū and Kyūshū....
on 29 May 1944 escorting a convoy to Singapore. On 2 June 1944, USS Guitarro (SS-363)
USS Guitarro (SS-363)
USS Guitarro , a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the guitarro, a ray of the guitarfish family.-Construction and commissioning:...
spotted the convoy east of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and sank one of its ships with two torpedoes, but Kashii was undamaged, and made it to Singapore on 12 June 1944 with the remaining vessels in the convoy.
Further refit was undertaken at Kure on 28 June 1944, with ten single mount Type 96 25 mm AA guns installed, bringing the total to 30 barrels (4x3, 4x2, 10x1), and a new Type 22 surface-search radar was also fitted at that time.
Kashii departed again on 13 July 1944 from Moji, escorting convoy HI-69 loaded with aircraft for Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The convoy arrived safely in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, and after offloading aircraft, proceeded to Singapore, returning to Moji without incident on 15 August 1944.
Another convoy mission was undertaken to the Philippines on 25 August 1944. On the return voyage, Kashii was flagship for Rear Admiral Setsuzo Yoshitomi's 5th Escort Group escorting convoy HI-74. The convoy was attacked on 16 September 1944 by the USS Queenfish (SS-393)
USS Queenfish (SS-393)
USS Queenfish , a Balao-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the queenfish, a small food fish found off the Pacific coast of North America....
and USS Barb (SS-220)
USS Barb (SS-220)
, a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the barbus.Her keel was laid down on 7 June 1941 by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 2 April 1942 , and commissioned on 8 July 1942, Lieutenant Commander John R...
, which sank two oilers and the aircraft carrier Unyo
Japanese aircraft carrier Unyo
Unyō was a Taiyō-class escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.-Construction and conversion:The liner of the shipping line Nippon Yusen, laid down in the Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki in December 1938, launched in October 1939 and commissioned in July 1940, was...
. More than 900 crewmen were lost, along with 48 aircraft. Kashii and the remaining ships rescued 761 survivors, reaching Moji on 23 September 1944.
The next convoy mission (HI-79) to Singapore from 26 October 1944 - 9 November 1944 was uneventful. After arrival, Rear Admiral Shiro Shibuya replaced Admiral Yoshitomi as CINC of the new 101st Escort Group. The return run from Singapore to Sasebo from 17 November 1944 to 4 December 1944 was uneventful.
On 10 December 1944, Kashii was reassigned to the 1st Surface Escort Group and departed Moji for Takao
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
, Taiwan with a convoy of Army transports. From Takao, Kashii was assigned another convoy to Singapore. The new convoy was attacked by USAAF B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
bombers off Hainan on 25 December 1944, but escaped with little damage.
The return voyage with convoy HI-86 consisted of ten ships (4 tankers and 6 cargo ships) and the 101st Escort Group's five frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
CD kaibokans, which departed Singapore on 30 December 1944. On 12 January 1945, shortly after departing Qui Nhon Bay, Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
, bombers from the U.S
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Task Group 38.3 USS Essex (CV-9)
USS Essex (CV-9)
USS Essex was an aircraft carrier, the lead ship of the 24-ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in December 1942, Essex participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning the...
, USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)
USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)
USS Ticonderoga was one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for historic Fort Ticonderoga, which played a role in the American Revolutionary War...
, USS Langley (CVL-27)
USS Langley (CVL-27)
USS Langley was an 11,000-ton that served the United States Navy from 1943 to 1947, and French Navy as the La Fayette from 1951 to 1963. Named for Samuel Pierpont Langley, American scientist and aviation pioneer, Langley received nine battle stars for World War II service...
and the USS San Jacinto(CVL-30)
USS San Jacinto (CVL-30)
The second USS San Jacinto of the United States Navy was an Independence-class light aircraft carrier that served during World War II. She was named for the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution. U.S. President George H.W...
attacked convoy HI-86, sinking most of the convoy's ships. Kashii was hit starboard amidships by a torpedo from a TBF Avenger
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
, then a SB2C Helldiver
SB2C Helldiver
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was a carrier-based dive bomber aircraft produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service. Despite its size, the SB2C was much faster than the SBD it replaced...
struck with two bombs aft, setting off the depth charge magazine. The Kashii sank stern first at 13°50′N 109°20′E. Of the Kashii's crew, 621 men went down with the ship and only 19 were rescued.
Kashii was removed from the Navy list on 20 March 1945.