Irako

Irako

Country	Japan
Builder	Kawasaki Kobe Shipyard, Japan
Laid Down	30 May 1940
Launched	14 Feb 1941
Commissioned	5 Dec 1941
Sunk	24 Sep 1944
Displacement	9,724 tons standard; 11,278 tons full
Length	476 feet
Beam	62 feet
Draft	20 feet
Machinery	Two Kampon turbines, six Kampon boilers, 2 shafts
Power Output	8,300 shaft horsepower
Speed	17 knots
Crew	361
Armament	4x120mm L/45 Type 10 AA guns, 10x25mm Type 96 AA guns, depth charges

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseFood supply ship Irako was laid down in 1940 and completed just before the outbreak of the Pacific War. Her stores were large enough to carry supplies for 25,000 men for two weeks. She departed Japan for bases in the Pacific Ocean in early 1942 and made frequent trips to and from the home islands. In Sep 1944, she was attacked by US carrier aircraft and sank in Coron Bay off the coast of Busuanga, Palawan, Philippine Islands.

ww2dbaseSources:
Imperial Japanese Navy Page
Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Mar 2012

Irako Interactive Map

Photographs

Food transport ship Irako at Yokosuka, Japan, 3 Mar 1944

Irako Operational Timeline

30 May 1940	The keel of unnamed transport ship No. 74 was laid down at Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation's shipyard at Kobe, Japan.
5 Feb 1941	Transport ship No. 74 under construction at Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation's shipyard at Kobe, Japan was named Irako. She was assigned to the Sasebo Naval District.
14 Feb 1941	Food transport ship Irako was launched at the Kawasaki Kobe Shipyard, Japan.
5 Dec 1941	Irako was commissioned into Japanese Navy service with Captain Eisaku Tsuji in command. She departed Kobe, Japan.
11 Dec 1941	Irako began embarking food supplies in the western Inland Sea region in Japan.
23 Dec 1941	Rear Admiral Matome Ugaki inspected food transport ship Irako at Hashirajima, Japan.
14 Jan 1942	Irako departed Hashirajima, Japan for a series of stops in the Pacific Ocean (Davao, Philippine Islands; Celebes, Dutch East Indies; Truk, Caroline Islands; Saipan, Mariana Islands) with 500 tons of food supplies aboard.
7 Feb 1942	Irako arrived at Hashirajima, Japan and disembarked 80 tons of sugar from Saipan, Mariana Islands.
9 Apr 1942	Irako supplied food to auxiliary gunboat Okuyo Maru at Makassar, Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
6 May 1942	Irako departed Singapore for Yokosuka, Japan with destroyer Hatakaze in escort.
15 May 1942	Irako arrived at Yokosuka, Japan.
9 Aug 1942	Irako transited the Bungo Strait between Shikoku and Kyushu, Japan.
28 Sep 1942	Irako transited the Bungo Strait between Shikoku and Kyushu, Japan.
3 Nov 1942	Irako sailed south from Fukajima east of Kyushu island, Japan with minelayer Nasami in escort.
30 Nov 1942	Irako transited the Bungo Strait between Shikoku and Kyushu, Japan.
13 Dec 1942	Irako sailed south from off Mizunoko Lighthouse, Oita, Japan with minelayer Nuwajima in escort.
12 Jan 1943	Irako transited the Bungo Strait between Shikoku and Kyushu, Japan.
23 Jan 1943	Irako sailed south from off Mizunoko Lighthouse, Oita, Japan with torpedo boat Hato and submarine chaser CH-39 in escort.
2 Feb 1943	Irako supplied food to seaplane tender Sanyo Maru at Truk, Caroline Islands.
9 Feb 1943	Irako supplied food to seaplane tender Sanyo Maru at Truk, Caroline Islands.
5 Mar 1943	Irako sailed south from Fukajima, Japan with torpedo boat Hato in escort.
15 Mar 1943	Captain Keizaburo Okano was named the commanding officer of Irako.
30 Mar 1943	Irako transited the Bungo Strait between Shikoku and Kyushu, Japan with patrol boat PB-46 in escort.
14 Apr 1943	Irako transited the Bungo Strait between Shikoku and Kyushu, Japan with minelayer Yurijima in escort.
28 Apr 1943	Irako departed Truk, Caroline Islands for Iwo Jima, Japan with destroyer Tanikaze in escort.
1 May 1943	Irako arrived at Iwo Jima, Japan.
24 May 1943	Irako departed Kure, Japan for Truk, Caroline Islands with armed merchant cruiser Aikoku Maru in escort.
29 May 1943	Irako arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands.
28 Jun 1943	Irako departed Yokosuka, Japan at 1730 hours with convoy No. 3628 with transport Hakusan Maru, escorted by destroyer Ikazuchi.
6 Jul 1943	Irako arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands.
25 Jul 1943	Irako departed Truk, Caroline Islands for Kure, Japan with cruiser Aoba, with destroyers Amatsukaze and Urakaze in escort.
1 Aug 1943	Irako transited the Bungo Strait between Shikoku and Kyushu, Japan and arrived at Kure, Japan.
12 Sep 1943	Irako departed Truk, Caroline Islands with minelayer Tsugaru and destroyer Hamakaze in escort.
18 Sep 1943	Irako arrived at Yokosuka, Japan.
4 Oct 1943	Irako departed Yokosuka, Japan as a part of convoy No. 3002 with Tokyo Maru, escorted by destroyer Shiratsuyu.
12 Oct 1943	Irako arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands at 0500 hours.
14 Nov 1943	Irako departed Yokosuka, Japan at 1400 hours in convoy No. 3115.
23 Nov 1943	Irako arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands at 1550 hours.
5 Dec 1943	Irako departed Truk, Caroline Islands as a part of convoy No. 4205A.
10 Dec 1943	Irako arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands.
14 Dec 1943	Irako arrived at Yokosuka, Japan.
4 Jan 1944	Irako departed Yokosuka, Japan for Truk, Caroline Islands with destroyers Shigure and Harusame in escort.
11 Jan 1944	Irako arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands.
13 Jan 1944	Irako supplied food to transport Heian Maru at Truk, Caroline Islands.
16 Jan 1944	Irako supplied food to transport Heian Maru at Truk, Caroline Islands.
20 Jan 1944	Irako departed Truk, Caroline Islands. She was attacked by submarine USS Seadragon and suffered one torpedo hit to her bow on the starboard side.
21 Jan 1944	Cruiser Chokai reached the damaged food transport ship Irako to tow her to nearby Truk, Caroline Islands. They arrived at Truk at 1700 hours.
12 Feb 1944	Irako completed her repairs at Truk, Caroline Islands.
13 Feb 1944	Irako departed Truk, Caroline Islands for Yokosuka, Japan as a part of convoy No. 4213.
27 Feb 1944	Irako arrived at Yokosuka, Japan.
3 Mar 1944	Irako began repairs at Yokosuka, Japan and later Yokohama, Japan.
5 Jul 1944	While undergoing repairs at Yokosuka and Yokohama, Japan, Irako was assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet based at Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
10 Aug 1944	Irako departed Imari Bay, Kyushu, Japan as a part of convoy HI-71.
12 Aug 1944	Irako collided with Teia Maru off Ryukyu Islands, Japan, suffering superficial damage.
15 Aug 1944	Irako arrived at Mako, Pescadores Islands, Taiwan.
25 Aug 1944	Irako departed Moji, Japan as a part of convoy HI-73 at 0630 hours.
29 Aug 1944	Irako arrived at Takao (now Kaohsiung), Taiwan; later on the same day she moved to a mooring in the Zuoying District of Takao.
30 Aug 1944	Irako departed Takao (now Kaohsiung), Taiwan for Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
2 Sep 1944	Irako arrived at Manila Bay, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
22 Sep 1944	Irako departed Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands at 0300 hours with a deck load of reconnaissance floatplanes for Coron Bay, Calamian Islands, Philippine Islands.
23 Sep 1944	Irako dropped anchor between Tangat Island and Lusong Island just off the southern coast of Busuanga, Philippine Islands.
24 Sep 1944	Irako was attacked by US carrier aircraft and sank in Coron Bay, Busuanga, Philippine Islands.
30 Nov 1945	Irako was struck from the Japanese Navy List.

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Irako