Japanese escort ship CD-53

History
Imperial Japanese Navy
Name| CD-53
Builder| Nippon Kokan K.K., Tsurumi
Laid down| 15 August 1944[1]
Launched| 29 October 1944:[1]
Completed| 28 November 1944[1]
Commissioned| 28 November 1944[1]
Stricken| 10 April 1945[1]
Fate| Sunk by torpedo attack by submarine USS Bergall on 7 February 1945[1]
General characteristics
Class and type| Type C escort ship
Displacement| 745 long tons (757 t) (standard)
Length| 67.5 m (221 ft)
Beam| 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught| 2.9 m (10 ft)
Propulsion|

* Geared diesel engines
* 1,900 hp (1,417 kW)
* 2 shafts

Speed| 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range| 6,500 nmi (12,000 km) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement| 136
Sensors and
processing systems|

* Type 22-Go radar
* Type 93 sonar
* Type 3 hydrophone

Armament|

* As built :
* 2 × 120 mm (4.7 in)/45 cal DP guns
* 6 × Type 96 Type 96 25 mm (0.98 in) AA machine guns (2×3)
* 12 × Type 3 depth charge throwers
* 1 × depth charge chute
* 120 × depth charges
* From 1944 :
* as above, plus
* 1 × 81 mm (3.2 in) mortar

CD-53 was a C Type class escort ship (Kaibōkan) of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War.

## History

[edit]

CD-53 was laid down by Nippon Kokan K.K. at their Tsurumi shipyard on 15 August 1944, launched on 29 October 1944, and completed and commissioned on 28 November 1944.[1][2] On 28 November 1944, she was assigned to the 1st Escort Fleet, Kure Guard Force, Kure Naval District with Haruo Yamagata (山縣春雄) as her commanding officer.[2] On 5 February 1945, she was assigned to the Hainan Guard Office under the administration of the Imperial Japanese Army.[2] During the war CD-53 was mostly busy on escort duties.[1]

On 29 January 1945, she departed Moji-ku, Kitakyūshū for Singapore in convoy HI-93 serving as an escort along with CD-61, CD-63, and CD-207 for transport Kiyokawa Maru and oilers Toa Maru and Toho Marun.[1] On 1 February 1945, the convoy reached Hainan Island; on 3 February 1945, the convoy reached Qui Sande Bay; and on 6 February 1945, the convoy reached Vân Phong Bay just north of Cam Ranh Bay.[1] On 7 February 1945, the convoy left Van Phong Bay and at 1050, the American submarine Bergall fired two torpedoes at the convoy damaging the Toho Maru, and sinking CD-53 at (11°53′N 109°22′E﻿ / ﻿11.883°N 109.367°E﻿ / 11.883; 109.367).[1][3] 159 of her crew were killed.[1]

CD-53 was struck from the Navy List on 10 March 1945.[1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Cundall, Peter; Hackett, Bob; Casse, Gilbert (2012). "IJN Escort CD-53: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
2. ^ a b c Toda, Gengoro S. "第五十三號海防艦の艦歴 (CD-53 - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
3. ^ Cressman, Robert J. (2006) [1999]. "Chapter VII: 1945". The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Retrieved 19 January 2012.

## Additional sources

[edit]

* "Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy special issue". Ships of the World (in Japanese). Vol. 45\. Kaijinsha. February 1996.
* Model Art Extra No.340, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-1 (in Japanese). Model Art Co. Ltd. October 1989.
* The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.49, Japanese submarine chasers and patrol boats (in Japanese). Ushio Shobō. March 1981.

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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1945

Shipwrecks|

* 1 Feb: Ro-115
* 3 Feb: U-1279
* 4 Feb: USS Barbel, U-1014
* 5 Feb: MV Gay Viking, Karatsu
* 6 Feb: Peter Silvester
* 7 Feb: CD-53, Ro-55
* 9 Feb: U-864, U-923
* 10 Feb: Steuben
* 11 Feb: Persier, Ro-112, U-869
* 13 Feb: HMS Denbigh Castle, Ha-76, Ro-113
* 14 Feb: U-989
* 15 Feb: U-1053
* 16 Feb: U-309
* 17 Feb: HMS Bluebell, Impero, U-425, U-1273, U-1278, HMS Lark
* 18 Feb: Sperrbrecher 139, U-2344
* 20 Feb: Nokaze, TA 48, HMS Vervain, U-1276, USS S-37, USS S-38
* 21 Feb: USS Bismarck Sea, Dettifoss
* 22 Feb: HMCS Trentonian, U-300
* 23 Feb: Conte di Cavour, Henry Bacon, La Combattante, Point Pleasant Park
* 24 Feb: I-371, U-713, U-927, U-1208, U-3007
* 26 Feb: Arsterturm, I-368, I-370, Ro-43
* 27 Feb: Corvus, U-327, U-1018, U-1279
* 28 Feb: Lautaro
* Unknown date: U-676, U-683

Other incidents|

* 9 Feb: Kommandøren
* 10 Feb: USS Batfish
* 11 Feb: HMS Pathfinder
* 15 Feb: SS Charles F. Amidon, USS Crevalle
* 17 Feb: Conte di Cavour
* 18 Feb: Empire Duchess, USS Gamble, U-2336

1944 1945 1946
January 1945 March 1945

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