Japanese Minelayer Itsukushima - Operational History

Operational History

After commissioning, Istukushima was assigned to the Yokosuka Naval District as a reserve and training vessel, making occasional cruises to the South Pacific Mandate and Bonin Islands. During the Combined Fleet Maneuvers of 1935, she was attached to the IJN 4th Fleet and suffered damage due to a typhoon in what was termed the "Fourth Fleet Incident". The damage required several months of extensive repairs, resulting in an almost complete rebuild by May 1936. Istukushima was assigned to the IJN 3rd Fleet from 20 October 1936, but is reassigned directly to the Combined Fleet after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War. After patrols of the Chinese coast until October 1937, Istukushima was reassigned back to the IJN 3rd Fleet and stationed at Ryojun Guard District. From December 1937 to 20 March 1938, Istukushima was assigned to the IJN 4th Fleet, and then back to Yokosuka Naval District, but based at Sasebo. From August 1938, under the command of the IJN 3nd Fleet, Istukushima began patrols of the Yangzi River in China. However, at the end of 1938, she was removed from active duty and placed on reserve status and returned to Yokosuka.

Istukushima was reactivated on 15 November 1940 under the Combined Fleet and resumed patrols of the China coast to April 1941, when she was reassigned back to the IJN 3rd Fleet and deployed to Palau in December 1941. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Itsukushima was assigned to the Southern Philippines Striking Force of the IJN 3rd Fleet under the overall command of Admiral Ibō Takahashi, and tasked with mining the San Bernardino Strait.

In January 1942, Itsukushima was assigned to the Netherlands East Indies theatre of operations, supporting the Japanese invasions of Tarakan and Balikpapan in Borneo as flagship of the Second Base Unit under Admiral Sueto Hirose. From 10 March, she was reassigned to the Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet under Admiral Rokuzo Sugiyama, and continued to support operations in Borneo and Java. She was then reassigned to the Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet, under the Southwest Area Fleet, patrolling between Singapore, Surabaya, Batavia and Ambon to the end of the year. On 25–26 December 1942, together with the light cruiser Natori, Itsukushima landed troops of the 24th Naval Base force which captured Hollandia, New Guinea.

Itsukushima was subsequently based out of Palau through most of 1943, becoming part of the Fourth Southern Expeditionary Fleet from 30 November, and was deployed to Ambon by the end of the year.

In early 1944, Itsukushima was assigned to escort convoys between Ambon, Surabaya and Halmahera Island. On 6 May, she was unsuccessfully attacked by the USS Bonefish (SS-223), in the Celebes Sea. On 31 May, Itsukushima was assigned to "Operation KON" (the Relief of Biak), transporting reinforcements from Zamboanga on Mindanao in an effort to counter the American landings. On 24 August, Itsukushima was attacked by USAAF B-25 Mitchell bombers from the 345th Bomb Group while escorting a convoy near Lahbeh Strait near the Celebes. A near miss flooded her aft section, and engine room. She was attacked again on 2 September, but shot down two of the attacking planes, and so damaging two others that they were forced to crash-land. On 4 October, the minelayer Wakataka arrived to take Itsukushima under tow for Surabaya. However, on 17 October, while transiting the Java Sea under tow, Itsukushima was torpedoed by the Royal Dutch Navy submarine HNLMS Zwaardvisch (P322), and sank at position 5°23′S 113°48′E / 5.383°S 113.800°E / -5.383; 113.800.

Itsukushima was removed from the navy list on 10 January 1945.