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Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

(Sister KOZAN MARU, prewar)
IJA/IJN SHINSHU MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

19 April 1933:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi Jukogyo K. K as a 4,180-ton cargo vessel for Azuma Kisen K.K. 15 November 1933:
Launched and named SHINSHU MARU. [1] 10 February 1934:
Completed with a Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of 4,180-tons and a Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) of 2,493-tons. Registered at Kobe. Her call sign is JUUI. [2] Chartered by Kinkai Kisen K.K.
In service on the Shibaura Kirun, Formosa (now Keelung, Taiwan) Anping, Tainan, Formosa (now Taiwan) Takao, Formosa (now Kaohsiung, Taiwan) route. 1934-1941:
In Tomoegumi Kisens service. May 1934:
Undergoes an intermediate inspection.

6 June 1934:
Her NRT is changed to 2,490-tons. [2] February 1935:
Undergoes an intermediate inspection. 4 February 1936:
At night collides with the bow of Namura Kisens DAIGEN MARU No. 3 in Nagoya port. The extent of the damage if any is unknown. March 1936:
Undergoes an intermediate inspection. November 1936:
Undergoes an intermediate inspection. 15 April 1937:
Undergoes her first first class regular inspection. 3 May 1938:
Her GRT and NRT change to 4,182-tons and 2,489-tons respectively. [2] 12 May 1939:
Undergoes an intermediate inspection. June 1940:
Undergoes an intermediate inspection. 1941:
New owner is Tomoe gumi Kisen K.K.
Reregistered at Tokyo City. 31 March 1941:
Undergoes an intermediate inspection. 20 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Alloted IJA No. 464.
Departs Osaka. 17 December 1941: The Invasion of Lamon Bay, Southern Luzon, Philippines:
Imperial General Headquarters launches the combined IJA and IJN Lamon Bay Operation. The Army force consists of Gen (later Field Marshal) Count Terauchi Hisachis Southern Expeditionary Army. Its 14th Army, under LtGen Homma Masaharu, fields MajGen Morioka Susumu's Invasion Unit of about 7,000 troops consisting of elements of the 16th Infantry division: 20th Infantry, 22nd Field Artillery, HQ and II Battalion, 16 HQ Company, 16th Eng Battalion, 16th Recon Battalion, 3/45 AA Company, 16th Transport, 16th Signal Company, 16th Medical Unit and 16th Veterinary Unit. Two AA and one Signals regiments are stationed on IJA transports.

The invasion units are embarked on 20 IJA transports: SHINSHU, BENGAL, DAINICHI, DURBAN, KAIMEI, KAYO, KITANO, KOFUKU, LISBON, NAGATO, NICHIREN, RYOKA, RYUYO, SHINSEI, TAIAN, TATSUNO, TOFUKU, TOYAMA and TOYOHASHI MARUs and TAMON MARU No. 5.

The naval force consists of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake's (35)(former CO of KONGO) Southern Force, Philippines Invasion Group that includes Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibos (35)(former CO of YAMASHIRO) Third Fleet. Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kubo Kyujis (38) (former CO of KAGA) Invasion Unit consists of his 1st Base Force HQ, in light cruiser NAGARA, 1st Quartermaster Ports and Docks Unit and 1st Naval Signal Unit, aboard HAKUSAN MARU, 1st Naval Guard Unit, aboard KIMISHIMA MARU, 1st Naval Survey Unit in SENKO MARU and Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mori Kunizo's (40)(former CO of SATA) Sasebo No. 1 and 2 Combined Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) aboard MYOKO MARU.

The convoys escort consists of light cruiser NAGARA (F), heavy cruiser ASHIGARA, destroyers TOKITSUKAZE, YUKIKAZE, KAWAKAZE, SUSUKAZE, UMIKAZE, YAMAKAZE, minelayer AOTAKA, minesweepers W-7 and W-8, auxiliary gunboat/minelayer IKUSHIMA MARU, auxiliary gunboats BUSHO, KEIKO, KANKO and MYOKEN MARUs, auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 17 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 5 and auxiliary netlayer FUKUEI MARU No. 15.

At 1500, the Invasion Force departs Koniya, Amami Oshima for Lamon Bay, Quezon, Philippines.

24 December 1941:
At 0200, the Invasion Force arrives at Lamon Bay. The landings proceed without strong opposition. 30 December 1941:
3 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao. 8 January 1942:
Departs Takao. 11 January 1942:
Arrives at Osaka. 12 January 1942:
Departs Ujina. 17 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao. 21 January 1942:
22nd Infantry Division Transportation Movement:
Departs Moji for Kirun in the 2nd Transportation Unit with IJA transports KOYO, RYUNAN, ATLAS, GENKAI and HIYORI MARUs escorted by DesDiv 27's SHIRATSUYU, SHIGURE, ARIAKE and YUGURE. The transports are carrying the IJAs 2nd Infantry Division. 22 January 1942:
Arrives at Kirun. Later, the convoy departs for Camranh Bay, French Indochina (now Vinh Cam Ranh Vietnam) to mobilize for the invasion of Java, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia). 27 January 1942:
Rated as the 15th Army First Transport under secret Netherlands East Indies Forces Third Escort Force order No. 1. 1 February 1942:
Rated as Ship No. 4 in the Third Escort Force First Convoy under secret Netherlands East Indies Forces Third Escort Force order No. 2.
Departs Takao in the First Convoy. At some point light cruiser NATORI joins the escort. 6 February 1942:
Arrives at Camranh Bay. 18 February 1942: Operation "J" - The Invasion of Java, Netherlands East Indies:
SHINSHU MARU is attached to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hiraoki, Kumeichis (39) 9th Base Force in Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburos Western Java Seizure Force. At 1000, SHINSHU MARU departs Camranh Bay in a convoy also comprised of 55 troop transports carrying the 2nd Infantry Division for the invasion of Bantam Bay and Merak. Light cruisers NATORI and YURA and seaplane tender SANYO MARU cover the Western Java Seizure Forces troop transports. 19 February 1942:
Arrives at the Anambas Islands, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia). 20 February 1942:
Departs Anambas.
At 1800 destroyers FUMIZUKI, HARUKAZE, MATSUKAZE and HATAKAZE detach to refuel. 21 February 1942:
At 0800 light cruiser YURA, DESDIV 11, DESDIV 12 and the 1st Minesweeping Squadron join the convoy.
At 1000 destroyers SATSUKI, NAGATSUKI and ASAKAZE detach to refuel.
At 1700 torpedo boat CHIDORI joins.
At 1800 destroyers FUMIZUKI, HARUKAZE, MATSUKAZE and HATAKAZE join.
At 2100 IJN transport TSURUMI joins. 22 February 1942:
At 1200 the start date of the landings for Operation Su and Ya is postponed by one day.
At 1400 the Third Escort Force reverses course to the southeastern sea of Anambas 23 February 1942:
At 1400 turns around again and starts heading south. 25 February 1942:
At 0920 destroyers FUBUKI and HARUKAZE join the line. 26 February 1942:
At 1900 destroyer MINAZUKI and Minesweeper W-5 leave the line and join the Third Escort Force. 27 February 1942:
At 0500 the Third Escort Force detaches.
At 1030 at 04-25S, 106-40E the convoy turns around.
At 1048 light cruisers NATORI and YURA and DESDIV 11 and DESDIV 12 advance to attack the enemy.
At 1515 the landing date is postponed by another day. 28 February 1942:
At 0120 destroyer MATSUKAZE detaches.
At 0415 light cruisers NATORI and YURA and DESDIV 11 and DESDIV 12 rejoin.
At 2020 Detaches from the Third Escort Force.
At 2330 the first transports arrive at Merak and begin landing their troops. 1 March 1942:
At 0000 arrives at Merak, Java.
At 0145 landing is successfull. 2 March 1942:
Departs Merak. 4 March 1942:
Departs Singapore for Ko Sichang, Thailand. 8 March 1942: The Surrender of Java:
At 0900, the C-in-C of the Allied forces. Dutch LtGen Ter Poorten announces the surrender of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in Java. That afternoon, Governor Jonkheer Dr. A.W.L. Tjarda Van Starkenborgh Stachouwer and Ter Poorten, meet the C-in-C of the Japanese forces, LtGen Hitoshi Imamura at Kalidjati and agree to capitulate. 18 March 1942:
Arrives at Bangkok, Thailand. 19 March 1942:
Arrives at Ko Sichang. 20 March 1942:
Arrives at Kirun. 21 March 1942:
Departs Kirun. 24 March 1942:
Arrives at Osaka. 5 May 1942:
Released to her owners by the IJA.
Requistioned by the Ship Management Association. 3 July 1942:
Kobe. Undergoes her first second class regular inspection. 7 December 1942:
Requisition order issued under Armed Forces secret instruction No. 17-11-28. 14 December 1942:
Aioi. Requisitioned. Registered at the Kure Naval District and assigned to the Naval Department as a general requisitioned ship (oiler).
Conversion into a secondary emergency oiler begins at the Harima Zosen K.K. 17 December 1942:
Civilian Captain Navy Contract Hamasaki Teru Ichi (only regarded a commissioned officer within the Naval Department) is appointed CO. 8 January 1943:
The conversion is completed. Departs Aioi. 9 January 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
Loads military supplies, weapons, alcohol supplies and personal items. 12 January 1943:
Loads 15 military mail bags and embarks 64 passengers. Thereafter departs Kure. 13 January 1943:
Arrives at Moji. Departs later this day. 14 January 1943:
Arrives back at Moji due to main engine failure. Repairs of main engine begin. 18 January 1943:
Departs Moji in convoy No. 119 also consisting of IJN auxiliary emergency oiler TERUKAWA MARU and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer KURETAKE. 23 January 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
Loads freight cars. 26 January 1943:
Loads 543 military mail bags and embarks 2 passengers. Thereafter departs Takao. 28 January 1943:
Arrives at Manila, Philippines.
Offloads military supplies, alcoholic beverages, cargo cars and 528 military mail bags. Disembarks 66 passengers. 1 February 1943:
Departs Manila. 4 February 1943:
Arrives at Miri, Sarawak, British Borneo, (now Malaysia). 5 February 1943:
Departs Miri. Arrives at Victoria (Labuan), British Borneo (now Malaysia) later that day.
Supplies fuel oil and fresh water to minesweeper W-7. 14 February 1943:
Departs Victoria. Arrives at Miri later this day.
Loads 4,323.40 kiloliters of crude oil. 16 February 1943:
Loads 1 military mail bag. Thereafter departs Miri. 20 February 1943:
Arrives at St. Jacques, French Indochina (now Vung Tao, Vietnam). 23 February 1943:
Loads 100-tons of fuel oil.
At 1200 departs St. Jacques in convoy No. 475 also consisting of IJN auxiliary emergency oilers KOZUI and HOKUAN MARUS and IJN auxiliary oiler SAN RAMON MARU and one unidentified merchant ship escortd by destroyer FUYO. For reasons unknown (weather?) the convoy after proceeding some way returns to port. 25 February 1943:
At 0930 arrives back at St Jacques. At 1925 the convoy departs St Jacques again. 2 March 1943:
Arrives at Takao. 4 March 1943:
At 0715 departs Takao in convoy No. 237 also consisting of IJN auxiliary emergency oiler HOKUAN MARU, IJN transport KOSEI MARU and six unidentified merchant ships escorted by patrol boat PB-36.
At 1000 the convoy arrives at Mako, Pescadores (now Magong, Penghu Islands, Taiwan). 5 March 1943:
Embarks 3 passengers.
At 1150 departs Mako in convoy No. 237. 11 March 1943:
Arrives at Moji. Later arrives at Tokuyama.
Offloads 4,323.40 kiloliters of crude oil. 16 March 1943:
Offloads one military mail bag and disembarks 3 passengers.
Departs Tokuyama later this day. 17 March 1943:
Departs Kobe. 18 March 1943:
At 1600 departs Moji in a convoy also consisting of IJN auxiliary emergency oilers SHOEI (2764 GT) and HOKUAN MARUs, oiler HAKKO MARU (1917) and IJA transport UMEKAWA MARU and three unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer FUYO. 23 March 1943:
At 1000 arrives at Takao. 30 March 1943:
Departs Kobe. 31 March 1943:
Arrives at Azuchi Oshima. 1 April 1943:
Departs Azuchi Oshima. Arrives at Sasebo later that day.
Loads Aircraft and aircraft equipment. 3 April 1943:
Embarks one passenger. Departs Sasebo later this day. Arrives at Arikawa Bay later that same day. 4 April 1943:
Departs Arikawa Bay. Arrives at Tomie, Fukue Island later this day. 5 April 1943:
Receives secret Sasebo wireless No. 051356:
Convoy SA-1:
IJA transports MALAY, TOYOURA CHINZEI (1999 GRT,41), TOTAI (3158 GRT.18), HAKOZAKI, KENAN AND NICHINAN MARUs and MIKAGE MARU No. 8 bound for Nakasaki.
IJN auxiliary emergency oilers (B-AO) SHINSHU, NIKKAKU and SHOEI (2764 GRT) MARUs and IJA transports TAMON and WAZAN (ex British VITORLOCK) MARUs bound for Takao.
Destroyer KURI: direct escort to the vicinity of the Maan Islands, China, left Tomie at 1700 on the 5th, speed 8 knots. Receives destroyer KURI secret wireless No. 051805:
Escorting a convoy of 13 ships, the ship leaves Tomie at 18:00 and heads for Kachoyama, sailing directly between Furue and Kachoyama, and is scheduled to reach the sea north of Kachoyama on the morning of the 7th.
The IJN auxiliary emergency oiler NIKKAKU MARU will remain in Tomie due to engine trouble. Departs Tomie in convoy SA-1. 7 April 1943:
At 0830 destroyer KURI ends escort 5 nautical miles north of Kachoyama and detaches. At 1915, E of Jiushan Islands, China sails in a convoy also consisting of IJN auxiliary emergency oiler SHOEI MARU (2764 gt) and IJA transport TAMON MARU. Auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO arrives and begins escorting the convoy. 8 April 1943:
At 1140, 12 nautical miles of Qixing Island, China auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO ends escort. 9 April 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
Offloads aircraft and aircraft equipment and disembarks one passenger.
Loads freight cars and other cargo. 11 April 1943:
Departs Takao. Arrives at Mako later that day.
Offloads freight cars and other cargo.
Loads 3,946-tons of heavy fuel oil for cans. 13 April 1943:
Embarks two passengers, thereafter departs Mako. Arrives at Takao later this day.
Loads canned pine pears and military supplies. 16 April 1943:
At 1400 departs Takao in covoy No. 252 also consisting of IJN emergency oilers SHOEI (2764 GRT) and RONSAN MARUs and IJA transports GENOA, NICHIAI and JUYO MARUs and six unidentified merchant ships escorted by patrol boat PB-36. The general requisitioned ship NISSHIN MARU No. 2 explodes and sinks. 17 April 1943:
At 2300 PB-36 ends escort and heads towards the wreck location of the IJN general requisitioned ship NISSHIN MARU No. 2. 18 April 1943:
At 1715 patrol boat PB-36 is assigned to escort convoy No. 252. 22 April 1943:
At 1900 arrives at Moji.
Arrives at Kobe later this day.
Disembarks three passengers. 23 April 1943:
Departs Kobe. 25 April 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
Offloads canned pine pears, military supplies, heavy fuel oil for cans and disembarks six passengers. 30 April 1943:
Loads 8,000 empty drums.
Departs Yokosuka later that day. 1 May 1943:
Departs Tokyo in convoy No. 7430 also consisting of civilian oiler (C-AO) KOTAI MARU and IJN auxiliary emergency oiler TAINAN MARU and one unidentified ship escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU. 2 May 1943:
Arrives at Kobe.
Loads 3,174 pipes and 3 small cars. 4 May 1943:
Departs Kobe. Arrives at Osaka later this day. Departs Osaka later that same day towing oil barge NANYU No. 31. Arrives at Kobe later this same day. 5 May 1943:
Departs Kobe. Arrives at Shido Bay later that day. 6 May 1943:
Departs Shido Bay. 7 May 1943:
Arrives at Hisaki. 11 May 1943:
Departs Hisaki. 13 May 1943:
Arrives at Kagoshima. 15 May 1943:
Departs Kagoshima in convoy ROKU-9 towing oil barge NANYU No. 31. 16 May 1943:
Arrives at Naze. Receives Oshima Defense secret wireless No. 161450:
1 Convoy OKI-8 consisting of civilian cargo ships (C-AK) KEIUN and BOKO MARUs arrived at Naze at 0700. Departed for Kagoshima at 1500.
2 Convoy ROKU-9 consisting of IJN auxiliary emergency oiler SHINSHU MARU and cargo ships KAIJUN GO (ex Chinese HAI SHUN), JUNGEN GO (ex Chinese SHUN YUAN) , NANKAI, KAISHO and KAIJO MARUs arrives at Naze at 0930, departing for Naha at 1200, scheduled to arrive at 1200 on the 17th.
3 IJA transport AYAHA MARU is scheduled to arrive at Kitadaitojima at 2100 on the 17th. Departs Naze towing oil barge NANYU No. 31. 17 May 1943:
At 1030 auxiliary minesweeper SEKI MARU arrives and begins escorting IJN auxiliary emergency oiler SHINSHU MARU and cargo ships KAIJUN GO (ex Chines HAI SHUN) and JUNGEN GO (ex Chinese SHUN YUAN). 19 May 1943:
Auxiliary minesweeper SEKI MARU ends escort and heads towards Kirun. 20 May 1943:
Arrives at Takao. 23 May 1943:
Loads 6 classified books . Thereafter departs Takao towing oil barge NANYU No. 31. 26 May 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
Offloads classified books.
Loads 5 passenger cars and 117 Manila rope rolls. 1 June 1943:
Receives Philippine Army Telephone order No. 148:
1 Ship B SHINSHU MARU (tows an oil barge), bound for Tarakan, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Kalimantan, Indonesia), IJN auxiliary transport TARUSHIMA MARU bound for Balikpapan, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Kalimantan, Indonesia), Ship A IJA transport KOFUKU MARU.
Departing at 1500 on the 2nd, passing Apo East Channel, Cuyo East Channel, west of Cagayang Islands, Philippines heading for Tarakan, speed 8.5 knots.
2 The auxiliary minesweeper CHOUN MARU No. 21 will escort the above convoy to 09°30'N, 121°00'E (scheduled to arrive at 0900 on the 4th). Then returns to Manila.
3 Commander of the Philippine Force: escort from the above location to Sibutu Passage, Philippines. 2 June 1943:
At 1500 departs Manila, towing oil barge Nanyu No. 31, in a convoy also consisting of IJN auxiliary transport TARUSHIMA MARU and IJA transport KOFUKU MARU escorted by auxiliary minesweeper CHOUN MARU No. 21. 6 June 1943:
Arrives at Tarakan.
Loads military supplies. 8 June 1943:
Departs Tarakan. 10 June 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
Offloads empty drums, military supplies and crude oil and embarks 12 passengers.
Emergency repairs are made to damage caused by torpedo attacks. 25 June 1943:
Departs Balikpapan. 30 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).
Loads 3,603.268-tons of B heavy oil. 1 July 1943:
Tokyo City and Tokyo Prefecture are abolished and become Tokyo Metropolis.
Departs Palembang. 4 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
Offloads 3,603.268-tons of B heavy oil.
Emergency repairs are made to damage caused by torpedo attacks. 15 July 1943:
Departs Singapore with IJN auxiliary emergency oiler HOKUAN MARU. 16 July 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. 18 July 1943:
Departs Palembang. 20 July 1943:
Departs Palembang. 23 July 1943:
Departs Singapore in a convoy also consisting of IJN auxiliary emergency oiler HOKUAN MARU initially without escort. 5 August 1943:
The kaibokan FUKUE meets the ships off Candor (Condor) Reef, Yap, Carolines and escorts them to Truk, Carolines. 6 August 1943:
At 0600 arrives at Truk.
Replenishes 3,644-tons of B heavy oil. 14 August 1943:
Departs Truk in convoy No. 7144 also consisting of IJN auxiliary oiler KENYO and IJN auxiliary emergency oilers HOKUAN and TENNAN MARUs escorted by destroyers TAMANAMI and MAIKAZE. The convoy sails at 10 knots. 19 August 1943:
At 0930, arrives at Palau, Western Carolines. 20 August 1943:
Departs Palau in convoy No. 2508 also consisting of IJN auxiliary oiler KENYO and IJN auxiliary emergency oilers HOKUAN and TENNAN MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HAYABUSA. The convoy sails at 9.5 knots. 23 August 1943:
Receives the third war preparation departments secret notice No. 18-8-37: Notice of ship release:
After release each ship will be sent to increase the amount of oil taken from the south. Third war preparation departments secret notice No. 2442: Notification.
1 The ship will be chartered on 31 August and will continue to operate as a Navy managed ship from 1 September.
2 The chief of the Naval Transportation Headquarters gives instructions regarding the operation of the ship.
3 Restoration of the ships outfitting work will be determined by the commander in chief of the competent naval base.
However we will take care not to leave the ship moored for repairs as much as possible and rigging work necessary for oil transportation and protection will be carried out when the ship is released from service. 26 August 1943:
IJN auxiliary emergency oiler TENNAN MARU detaches and heads towards Tarakan.
Arrives at Balikpapan.
Loads 375.87 -tons of gasoline, diesel, machine oil etc and embarks 6 passengers. 31 August 1943:
Removed fom the Naval list. 1 September 1943:
Requisitioned, attached to the Kure Naval Base, and operated by the IJN with civilian crew (B-AO). 23 September 1943:
Departs Balikpapan for Singapore, St. Jacques, Yulin (Hainan Island, China), Hong Kong and then Manila. 8 October 1943:
At 0600, departs Truk in convoy 7081 also consisting of IJN auxiliary transport KENSHO MARU escorted by subchaser CH-33. 13 October 1943:
Arrives at Palau. 24 October 1943:
Arrives at Manila. 31 October 1943:
At 1200, departs Manila in convoy No. 1 also consisting of IJA transports SHIRANESAN, TOHO, NICHINAN (2732 GRT), and TEIKAI (ex-German FULDA) MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-103 (ex-USS FINCH). At 1855 receives an order to head south down the Tablas Strait, Philippines. 1 November 1943:
At 1335 patrol boat PB-103 fires two warning shots at 11° 12,000m off Mandaui Island, Lubang Islands, Philippines. 2 November 1943:
At 1915, while nearing Cebu Port, Philippines, IJA transport TEIKAI MARU runs aground on the western side of Lauis Ledge Light (10-14.12N, 123-53.26E), W tip of Mactan Island, Philippines. Patrol boat PB-103 and IJA transport NICHINAN MARU are detached to assist.
At 1930, arrives with IJA transports SHIRANESAN and TOHO MARUs at Cebu.
At 2305, IJA transport TEIKAI MARU is refloated. 3 November 1943:
At 0830 IJA transports TEIKAI and NICHINAN MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-103 arrive at Cebu. 3 ~ 13 November 1943:
Departs Cebu for Tarakan and then Balikpapan. 14 November 1943:
At 1700 departs Balikpapan in convoy No. 2611 also consisting of IJN auxiliary oilers, TOA, NAMPO, SHINKOKU and NIPPON MARUs and IJA transports COLUMBIA and KOYU MARUs escorted by destroyer WAKATAKE and auxiliary submarine chaser CHa 37. At a point presumably near Palau the fast oilers SHINKOKU, NIPPON, TOA and NAMPO MARUs detach from the convoy and are escorted by destroyers HIBIKI and HAMAKAZE that join as escorts. 16 November 1943:
At 2100, destroyer WAKATAKE breaks off escort to hunt an enemy submarine. 17 November 1943:
At 0700, destroyer WAKATAKE rejoins the convoy. 20 November 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Palau. 21 November 1943:
At 0530, the convoy arrives Truk. 1 December 1943:
Departs Palau in convoy No. 8012 also consisting of IJN auxiliary oiler HISHI MARU No. 2 escorted by submarine chaser CH-28. 4 December 1943:
At 1830 at 07-45N, 143-10E subchaser CH-28 engages in anti submarine warfare. 8 December 1943:
At 2210, arrives at Truk's north channel with IJN auxiliary oiler HISHI MARU No. 2 escorted by subchaser CH-28.
The list of Navy assigned ships is published under secret Armed Forces message No. 422. 22 December 1943:
At 0830, departs Truk for Palau in convoy No. 7222 also consisting of IJN auxiliary oiler KYOEI MARU escorted by subchaser CH-33. 27 December 1943:
At 1400, arrives at Palau after weathering bad storms at sea. 16 January 1944:
At 0830, departs Palau for Balikpapan in convoy No. 2517 consisting of IJN auxiliary oiler KYOEI MARU and IJN auxiliary storeship HARUNA MARU escorted by subchaser CH-6 and auxiliary subchaser Cha-32. IJN auxiliary storeship HARUNA MARU sails in a zigzag course.
At 2155, IJN auxiliary oiler KYOEI MARUs bow collides with the starboard aft section of IJN auxiliary storeship HARUNA MARU. Two crewmen are KIA.
At 2200, IJN auxiliary storeship HARUNA MARUs crew abandons ship and takes to their lifeboats.
At 2211, IJN auxiliary storeship HARUNA MARU sinks in 06-00N 133-25E, 160 km southwest of Palau.
At 2300 IJN auxiliary oiler KYOEI MARU accomodates her lifeboats. After rescuing 54 IJN auxiliary storeship HARUNA MARU survivors auxiliary subchaser CHa-32 detaches and returns to Palau. 21 January 1944:
The convoy's destination is changed to Tarakan. 22 January 1944:
At 1630, arrives at Tarakan. 26 January 1944:
IJN auxiliary oiler JAMBI MARU joins the convoy escorted by auxiliary subchasers Cha-41 and Cha-46.
At 1545, departs Tarakan. 28 January 1944:
At 0600 IJN auxiliary oiler JAMBI MARU runs aground.
Subchaser CH-6 detaches to assist IJN auxiliary oiler JAMBI MARU while being wary. Soon after refloats with help from subchaser CH-6 and both head towards Balikpapan.
At 1630 arrives at Balikpapan.
At 1730 IJN auxiliary oiler JAMBI MARU and subchaser CH-6 arrive at Balikpapan. 29 ~ 31 January 1944:
Departs Balikpapan for Zamboanga, Mindanao, Philippines and then Manila. Later departs Manila for an unknown destination. 20 February 1944:
The list of Navy assigned ships is published under secret Armed Forces message No. 216. 29 February 1944:
Arrives at Takao. 9 March 1944:
Rated as the 19th Navy designated ship. 16 March 1944:
Departs Takao for Hong Kong. 1 April 1944:
Departs Hong Kong. 4 April 1944:
Arrives at Yulin. 10 April 1944:
Departs Yulin with civilian cargo ship (C-AK) NICHIAN MARU escorted by auxiliary subchaser KAINAN MARU. 13 April 1944:
Arrives with civilian cargo ship (C-AK) NICHIAN MARU and escort auxiliary subchaser KAINAN MARU at Hong Kong. 13 April ~ 31 May 1944:
In drydock for maintenance and repairs. 21 June 1944:
The list of Navy assigned ships is published under secret Armed Forces message No. 558. 26 August 1944:
At Hong Kong. 13 October 1944:
Off Camranh Bay, Indochina. At 0816 (H), Cdr John M. Hydes USS BERGALL (SS-320) sights two ships at 12,000 yards. By 0833 (H), two escorts are sighted. The convoy is heading south, probably to St. Jacques and/or Singapore. Hyde identifies the targets as a 2,000-ton tanker and a 4,000-ton transport escorted by two patrol craft, but the shore is only 3,500 yards to starboard. The water is too shallow for Hyde to attack and survive the inevitable subsequent depth charging, so he seeks deeper water while tracking the small unidentified convoy. At 0902, USS BERGALL fires four Mark 18 electric torpedoes at the transport, then Hyde takes USS BERGALL deep. At 0904, the submarines crew hears two explosions. SHINSHU MARU sinks at 11-53N, 109-17E. 16 crewmen are KIA. Between 0908 and 1416, USS BERGALL suffers 30 DCs and four aircraft bombs dropped on her, but escapes. 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors Notes:
[1] Not to be confused with cargo ship (100 GRT, 29) IJA landing craft depot ship (8,108 GRT, 34) and passenger ship (134 GRT, 42). [2] NRT is a ship's cargo volume capacity expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3). It is calculated by subtracting non-revenue-earning spaces i.e. spaces not available for carrying cargo, for example engine rooms, fuel tanks and crew quarters, from the ship's gross register tonnage (GRT). Net register tonnage (NRT) is not a measure of the weight of the ship or its cargo, and should not be confused with terms such as deadweight tonnage or displacement. Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany and to Gengoro Toda of Japan. Bob Hackett, Berend Van der Wal and Peter Cundall

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