Battle of Wake Island
The two divisions embarked on large transport ships protected by an unusually strong escort force. Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka—who was a veteran of several previous operations, including the Battle of Wake Island—was appointed to command the convoy. The escort force was the newly established 6th Escort Convoy Command and included Kajioka's flagship, the coal burning minelayer , as well as destroyers , and , frigate , ocean escort ships ('kaibokan') "CD-20" and "CD-22", minesweeper "W-2", subchasers "CH-37" and "CH-38" and gunboats "Uji", "Ataka" and "Tama Maru No. 7".