I'd like to thank Allan Alsleben for providing permission to post this article.
1st Kure 11/15-'40 Formed at Kure, and assigned to Combined Fleet 12/12-'41 Landed at Legaspi, Luzon. 12/16-'41 Landed a Detachment at Davao, Mindanao 1/31-'42 Landed at Ambonia, Ambon 3/10-'42 Deactivated at Ambon - Became 4th Guard Unit same date, 24th Spl. Base Force 2nd Kure 10/15-'41 Formed at Kure, and assigned to Combined Fleet 12/24-'41 Landed at Jolo, Sulu Archipelago. 1/10-'42 Landed at Tarakan, Borneo. 1/24-'42 Landed at Balikpapan 3/10-'42 Deactivated - Became 2nd Guard Unit same date, 22nd Special Base Force at Balikpapan. 3rd Kure 2/ 1-'42 Formed at Kure and assigned to Combined Fleet 4/20-'42 Reassigned to 4th Fleet, Attached 5/ 4-'42 Detachment landed on Tulagi, Florida Island 5/ 4-'42 At sea with the Port Moresby Seizure Force 7/14-'42 Reassigned to 8th Fleet, Attached 8/27-'42 Landed a Detachment at Rabi, Milne Bay 10/ 1-'42 Deactivated at Buin 5th Kure 5/ 1-'42 Formed at Kure and assigned to Combined Fleet and a component of 2d Combined SNLF. 7/ 1-'42 Returned to Japan without landing on Midway. 2d Combined SNLF disbanded. Attached to the Combined Fleet 8/26-'42 Landed at Rabi, Milne Bay 10/ 1-'42 Deactivated at Rabaul 6th Kure 11/20-'42 Formed at Kure and assigned to Combined Fleet and a component of 8th Combined SNLF. 6/30-'43 At Rice Anchorage, with a company at Vura Island which was destroyed. Evacuated to Kolumbangara by way of Arundel Island. 12/ 1-'43 Deactivated 7th Kure 4/20-'43 Formed at Kure and assigned to Combined Fleet and a component ot 7th Combined SNLF. 6/ 1-'43 Occupied Santa Isabel with 7th Combined 9/ 1-'43 Reassigned to 8th Fleet, 1st Base Force at Buin Remain there until war's end. 8th Kure 8/ 1-'43 Formed at Singapore and assigned to SouthWest Area Fleet 8/15-'43 Deactivated there