Convoy HI-81

Battle of Convoy Hi-81

Port side view of USS Spadefish in May 1944.

Date	November 15–18, 1944
Location	Yellow Sea
Result	United States victory

Belligerents

United States

Japan

Commanders and leaders

Strength

Sea:
6 submarines
Air:
1 B-29 bomber

Sea:
2 escort carriers
1 seaplane tender
1 destroyer
7 escort ships
1 submarine chaser
3 landing ships
5 oilers
Air:
27 B5N torpedo bombers

Casualties and losses

none

~6,600 killed
2 escort carriers sunk
1 submarine chaser sunk
1 landing ship sunk

Convoy Hi-81 (ヒ-81^?) was the designation for a formation of Japanese transports that carried soldiers bound for Singapore and the Philippines during World War II. The transports were escorted by a large force of surface combatants including the escort carriers Shinyo and Akitsu Maru which were sunk in the Yellow Sea by American submarines. Over the course of a four-day convoy battle in November 1944 nearly 7,000 Japanese were killed in action while the Americans sustained no casualties.

Convoy Hi-81 was under the command of Rear Admiral Tsutomu Sato of the Eighth Escort Fleet in the escort ship Etorofu. Shinyo was commanded by Captain Shizue Ishii and the Akitsu Maru was actually serving as an aircraft ferry in the convoy. The other Japanese vessels known to have taken part in the mission was the seaplane tender Kiyokawa Maru, the destroyer Kashi, the escort ships Tsushima, Daito, Kume, Shonan, CD No. 9 and CD No. 61. There was also the submarine chaser No. 156, five oilers, Arita Maru, Toa Maru, Hishidate Maru, Marii Maru, Otowasan Maru and three landing craft depot ships, Shinshu Maru, Kibitsu Maru and Mayasan Maru. The landing craft depot ships were carrying hundreds of men and supplies of the Imperial Japanese Army 23rd Division from Manchuria and were directed to separate from the main convoy at Mako and reinforce the Japanese army engaged in the Philippines Campaign. The rest of the convoy would then continue on to Singapore.

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Wikipedia