Japanese escort ship No.51

CD-51 was a C Type class escort ship (Kaibōkan) of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War.

History
CD-51 was laid down by the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at their Kobe Shipyard on 1 May 1944, launched on 20 August 1944, and completed and commissioned on 21 September 1944. During the war CD-51 was mostly busy on escort duties.

On 12 January 1945, while on convoy duty north of Qui Nhon (14.25°N, 109.16667°W), CD-51 was attacked and sunk by planes from the aircraft carriers USS Essex (CV-9), USS Ticonderoga (CV-14), USS Langley (CVL-27) and USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) which were part of Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman's Task Group 38.3 that had entered the South China Sea to raid Japanese shipping. 159 of her crew were killed.

CD-51 was struck from the Navy List on 10 March 1945.