Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

(AZUMA MARU by Ueda Kihachiro)

IJN AZUMA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2009-2024 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 6

3 May 1937:
Laid down at Mitsubishi Jukogyo K.K. Nagasaki Zosensho as a 6646-ton passenger/cargo ship for Nippon Yusen K. K. (NYK) Line.
23 October 1937:
Launched and named AZUMA MARU.
10 March 1938:
Completed and registered at Tokyo with Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) of respectively 6,646-tons and 3,699-tons. Her Call sign is JWZL. [1]
30 April 1938:
Arrives at Panama Canal from Kushiro with 7925 tons general cargo.
1 May 1938:
Transits the Panama Canal and departs for Hamburg, Germany.
30 August 1938:
Requisitioned by the IJA. Allocated Army vessel number 676.
12 October 1938:
Arrives at Lingding Island (now Lingding Dao), China.
26 December 1938:
Returned to owners.
9 April 1939:
Arrives at Panama Canal from Kobe with 8592 tons general cargo. Transits the canal and departs the same day for New York.
15 October 1939:
Arrives at Panama Canal from Yokohama with 9019 tons general cargo.
16 October 1939:
Transits the Panama Canal and departs for Rotterdam.
20 December 1939:
Arrives at Panama Canal from Rotterdam with 7075 tons general cargo.
21 December 1939:
Transits the Panama Canal and departs for Muroran.
12 May 1940:
Arrives at Panama Canal from Hong Kong with 7586 tons sugar, ore and general cargo.
14 May 1940:
Transits the Panama Canal and departs for Baltimore, MD.
13 June 1940:
Arrives at Panama Canal from Boston, Mass. with 7680 tons general cargo.
14 June 1940:
Transits the Panama Canal and departs for Kobe.
26 September 1940:
Arrives at Panama Canal from Manila, PI with 7244 tons coconut oil and general cargo.
28 September 1940:
Transits the Panama Canal and departs for Baltimore, MD.
30 October 1940:
Arrives at Panama Canal from Philadelphia, PA. with 7065 tons general cargo.
31 October 1940:
Transits the Panama Canal and departs for Yokohama.
20 January 1941:
Arrives at Panama Canal from Kobe with 2345 tons general cargo.
22 January 1941:
Transits the Panama Canal and departs for Baltimore, MD.
20 February 1941:
Arrives at Panama Canal from New York with 6996 tons general cargo.
21 February 1941:
Transits the Panama Canal and departs for Kobe.
23 August 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a general purpose vessel and attached to the Yokosuka Naval District. Departs Kobe.
25 August 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Transfered to the IJN.
3 September 1941:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Yokohama.
5 September 1941:
Departs Yokohama.
6 September 1941:
Arrives at Kobe.
14 September 1941:
Departs Kobe.
4 October 1941:
Arrives at Manzanillo, Mexico.
7 October 1941:
Departs Manzanillo.
15 October 1941:
Arrives at Callao, Peru.
16 October 1941:
Departs Callao.
18 October 1941:
Arrives at Arica, Chile.
19 October 1941:
Departs Arica.
20 October 1941:
Arrives at Iquique, Chile.
27 October 1941:
Departs Iquique.
29 October 1941:
Arrives at Callao.
30 October 1941:
Departs Callao.
28 November 1941:
Arrives at Yokohama.
5 December 1941:
Departs Yokohama.
6 December 1941:
Arrives at Kobe.
8 December 1941:
Departs Kobe and later that day arrives at Osaka.
9 December 1941:
Departs Osaka and later that day arrives at Kobe.
9 ~ 13 December 1941:
Scheduled for coal and aviation gasoline transport to Saigon, French Indochina (now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) under Order No. 824.
Loads 3,000-tons of coal and 19,225 aviation volatile oildrums.
13 December 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
15 December 1941:
Arrives at Miike.
17 December 1941:
Departs Miike.
18 December 1941:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
20 December 1941:
Departs Tokuyama.
21 December 1941:
Arrives at Osaka.
22 December 1941:
Departs Osaka.
24 December 1941:
Arrives at Yokkaichi.
6 January 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.
7 January 1942:
Arrives at Kota Bharu (Kota Bahru), British Malaya (now Malaysia).
16 January 1942:
Departs Kota Bharu.
16 January 1942:
Arrives at Singora (now Songkhla), Thailand.
28 January 1942:
Departs Singora.
30 January 1942:
Arrives at Saigon. Later sails on to Yokosuka.
15 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Tokyo.
2 March 1942:
Departs Tokyo.
3 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
3 ~ 5 March 1942:
Scheduled for munitions transport under Transport instruction No. 293.
5 March 1942:
Departs Yokosuka heading south escorted by auxiliary gunboat HIYOSHI MARU No. 2 GO.
6 March 1942:
Arrives at Mikura-Jima, Izu Archipelago. Auxiliary gunboat HIYOSHI MARU No. 2 GO detaches and heads towards Uraga.
13 March 1942:
Arrives at Wotje, Marshalls.
27 March 1942:
Departs Wotje and later that day arrives at Taroa, Marshalls.
7 April 1942:
Departs Taroa.
10 April 1942:
Arrives at Jaluit, Marshalls. That same day, AZUMA MARU is registered in the IJN and attached to the Kure Naval District as an Otsu category miscellaneous auxiliary transport under Ordinance instruction No. 663. [2]
17 April 1942:
Departs Jaluit.
24 April 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka to participate in troop transport for the Midway Invasion Operation.
9 May 1942:
After 10 May 1942 for the time being under command of the Commander in Chief of the Second Fleet for transportation of the 11th Corps under Ocean instruction No. 435.
19 May 1942:
Embarks elements of the 11th Construction Unit. At 0900 departs Yokosuka in a convoy also consisting of MEIYO, HOKUROKU, and KEIYO MARUS escorted by destroyers KAGERO and ARARE.
23 May 1942:
Attached to the Combined Fleet as a transport ship for the third phase of the operation under Ocean instruction No. 554.
24 May 1942:
Arrives at Saipan, Marianas.
26 May 1942:
Rated as Ship No. 1 in the Transport Unit’s Second Squadron under MI Invasion Unit Escort Unit order No. 1.
28 May 1942: Operation "MI" - The Battle of Midway:
AZUMA MARU departs Saipan in Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake's (35) (former CO of KONGO) Midway Invasion Force's Transport Group with transports ZENYO, ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, AZUMA, KIYOSUMI, KEIYO, GOSHU, KANO, HOKUROKU (HOKURIKU), KIRISHIMA and NANKAI MARUs and TOA MARU No. 2 and oiler AKEBONO MARU escorted by patrol boats PB-1, PB-2, and PB-34. The transports carry an airfield construction unit, LtCol Ichiki Kiyonao's IJA detachment and two battalions of Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF).
3 June 1942:
The convoy is bombed by nine Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses". Later, the convoy is also attacked by three torpedo-carrying Consolidated PBY "Catalina" amphibious patrol planes. Oiler AKEBONO MARU is hit in the bow and KIYOSUMI MARU is strafed.
5 June 1942:
At 0255, the Combined Fleet's Commander-in-Chief, Admiral (Fleet Admiral, posthumously) Yamamoto Isoroku (32) (former CO of AKAGI), aboard flagship YAMATO, orders Operation MI cancelled. After 5 June 1942 for the time being under the command of the Commander in Chief of the Second Fleet.
6 June 1942:
At 0047 receives the Operation MI cancelation message under Combined Fleet wireless order No. 161.
13 June 1942:
Arrives at Truk, Carolines. Disembarks elements of the Eleventh Construction Unit.
19 June 1942:
Under the command of the Commander in Chief of the Fourth Fleet under Ocean instruction No. 855.
25 June 1934:
Attached to the Transport Fleet First Squadron under Operation SN First Escort Order No. 1.
29 June 1942: Operation “SN”- The invasion of Gualdacanal:
Departs Truk via Bougainville to Guadalcanal carrying airfield construction workers in a convoy also consisting of IJN transports AZUMASAN, HOKUROKU, MATSUMOTO and MEIYO MARUs, auxiliary aircraft transport KANTO MARU and auxiliary ammunition ship KOTOKU MARU escorted by light cruiser YUBARI (F) DesDiv 29’s YUZUKI and OITE, DesDiv 30's UZUKI and DesDiv 34’s AKIKAZE. The convoy carries a Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) and 11th and 13th construction units.
AZUMA MARU departs Truk for Guadalcanal with AZUMASAN and HOKUROKU MARUs escorted by light cruiser YUBARI and DesDiv 30's UZUKI.
At 1203 ordered to sail in the first warning navigation formation.
At 1230 the 21st Subchaser Division (CH-16, CH-17 and CH-18) and the 23rd Subchaser Division (CH-22 and CH-24) attach.
30 June 1942:
At 2120 destroyer YUZUKI detaches.
1 July 1942:
At 0130 destroyer YUZUKI reattaches.
At 1215 destroyer OITE detaches.
At 1425 destroyer OITE reattaches.
4 July 1942:
At 1220 destroyer YUZUKI detaches.
At 1230 the invasion convoy temporarily seeks shelter in the Shortland Islands, Bougainville, Solomons ( now Papua New Guinea) under South Seas Corps Order No. 239.
At 1415 the 23rd Subchaser Division attaches and destroyer YUZUKI reattaches.
5 July 1942:
At 1230 destroyers OITE and YUZUKI detach.
At 1345 departs Shortland Islands and heads towards Guadalcanal under South Seas Squadron wireless order No. 242.
6 July 1942:
At 0947 light cruiser YUBARI discovers a persicope and begins an anti submarine sweep. The convoy instantly changes course 45° to the right.
At 1005 the 23rd Subchaser Division detaches to hunt the enemy submarine.
At 1026 light cruiser YUBARI reattaches.
Arrives at Lunga Point, Guadalcanal shortly thereafter.
At 1400 begins offloading and begins landing the 11th Corps.
At 1442 one large aircraft accompanied by 4 fighter aircraft attack and drop bombs but the convoy sustains no damage.
At 1700 IJN transport HOKUROKU MARU and destroyer UZUKI depart for Kieta, Bougainville, Solomons.
At 1900 light cruiser YUBARI departs for Kieta.
7 July 1942:
Auxiliary munition transport KOTOKU MARU and subchaser CH-18 depart for Gavutu, Florida Islands, Solomons.
9 July 1942:
At 1506 light cruiser YUBARI arrives at Lunga Point.
At 1525 light cruiser YUBARI departs for Tulagi, Solomons.
The commander of the escort corps should assign a submarine chaser to escort IJN transports AZUMA MARU and AZUMASAN MARU to Truk after they completed unloading their cargo under South Seas Unit wireless order No. 250: Fourth Fleet No. 304.
11 July 1942:
Departs Lunga Point for Truk with IJN transport AZUMASAN MARU escorted by 1 subchaser of the 21st Subchaser Division or the 23rd Subchaser Division.
17 July 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
22 July 1942:
Departs Truk.
24 July 1942:
Arrives at Omiya Island (Guam).
27 July 1942:
Departs Omiya Island.
31 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1 August 1942:
No longer under command of the Commander in Chief of the Fourth Fleet under Ocean instruction No. 227.
3 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Yokohama. Undergoes periodic inspection, repairs and equipment work at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. shipyard.
26 August 1942:
Completes general inspection, repairs and equipment work. Departs Yokohama.
30 August 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo. Embarks Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) troops.
2 September 1942:
Departs Sasebo bound for Truk escorted by the destroyer MINEKAZE and the minelayer TAKASHIMA.
E 3 September 1942:
At 28.30N 132.00E minelayer TAKASHIMA detaches.
6 September 1942:
Arrives at Saipan. Disembarks SNLF troops and departs the same day.
8 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
9 September 1942:
Departs Truk.
11 September 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands, Australia (now Papua New Guinea).
17 September 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
18 September 1942:
Arrives at Buin, Bougainville, Solomons.
23 September 1942:
Departs Buin.
24 September 1942:
Arrives at Buka, Bougainville, Solomons (now Papua New Guinea).
26 September 1942:
Departs Buka.
29 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
30 September 1942:
Departs Truk.
6 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
10 October 1942:
Departs Yokosuka and later arrives at Tokyo.
19 October 1942:
Departs Tokyo.
20 October 1942:
Arrives at Osaka.
22 October 1942:
Departs Osaka.
26 October 1942:
Arrives at Tinian, Marianas.
27 October 1942:
Departs Tinian.
31 October 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
15 November 1942:
Rabaul. AZUMA MARU is bombed by United States Army Air Force B-17s and suffers medium damage.
30 December 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
12 January 1943:
Arrives at Kobe.
21 January 1943:
Arrives at Osaka. Enters dock at Osaka Tekkosho (Ironworks) Yard docked for urgent conversion to a tanker (a secondary emergency oiler).
28 January 1943:
Implement a heavy oil replenishment device as soon as possible under Instruction No. 281830.
15 February 1943:
Rerated a specially installed transport ship (oil supply) and attached to the Kure Naval Districtunder Ordinance No. 256. Assigned to the Navy department as a Ko category auxiliary transport. Recalled Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Ara Tadashi (33)(former CO of TATSUTAKE MARU) is appointed Supervisor. [2]
11 March 1943:
Completes conversion to a secondary emergency oiler. Departs Osaka.
12 March 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
16 March 1943:
Departs Kure.
28 April 1943:
Primary Munda, New Georgia, Solomons Transport. Departs Rabaul.
29 April 1943:
Arrives at Buin, departs later and arrives at unknown location Gatsukai Island later this same day.
30 April 1943:
Departs unknown location Gatsukai Island and arrives at Buin later that day. Departs Buin, calls at Shortland and arrives at Rabaul later this same day.
15 May 1943:
Departs Rabaul in convoy No. 2152 also consisting of IJN transport YAMAGIRI MARU, IJA transport NOTO MARU, auxiliary minelayer MOGAMIGAWA MARU and auxiliary stores ship HOKKAI (407 GRT) MARU escorted by destroyer YUZUKI.
19 May 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
30 May 1943:
Departs Tarakan, Borneo for Balikpapan, Borneo escorted by subchaser CH-5.
22 August 1943:
W-16 departs Tarakan escorting the tanker AZUMA MARU to Balikpapan.
11 September 1943:
At 0930 arrives at Truk via the South Channel escorted by the destroyer TAMANAMI.
13 September 1943:
At Truk transfers 143 tons fuel oil to TONE and 123 tons to CHIKUMA.
27 September 1943:
Departs Truk in convoy No. 7272 also consisting of fleet oiler KUMAGAWA MARU escorted by destroyer ASANAGI for Palau. Later tankers SHINKOKU MARU and HAYATOMO apparently join the convoy.
1 October 1943:
At 1425 arrives at Palau with auxiliary oilers KUMAGAWA and SHINKOKU MARUs and fleet oiler HAYATOMO escorted by destroyer ASANAGI. Disembarks a passenger, and offloads 6,000 tons of heavy oil, 500 tons of aviation gas and 500 tons of volatile oil.
5 October 1943:
At 0700 departs Palau for Balikpapan with auxiliary oiler KUMAGAWA MARU. Their speed is 11 knots.
9 October 1943:
Makassar Strait. At about 1100, LtCdr Marvin J. Jensen's (USNA ’31) USS PUFFER (SS-268) torpedoes and damages auxiliary oiler KUMAGAWA MARU off Balikpapan at 01-07N, 119-30E.
11 October 1943:
Subchaser CH-6 escorts auxiliary oiler KUMAGAWA MARU while she is towed to Balikpapan.
20 October 1943:
At 0900, arrives at Balikpapan. Embarks fuel and provisions. At 1225, departs with oiler GENYO MARU for Truk escorted by patrol boat PB-102 (ex-USS STEWART, DD-224). At 1629 at 01-24S, 117-35E patrol boat PB-102 discovers an enemy submarine periscope. PB-102 conducts a depth-charge attack. Later PB-102 detaches from the convoy.
21 October 1943:
At 1900 patrol boat PB-102 detaches and heads towards her homeport.
27 October 1943:
At 07-50N 143-00E destroyer YUZUKI meets up with the two oilers that are at this point unescorted.
29 October 1943:
At 0500 arrives at Truk escorted by destroyer YUZUKI.
E November 1943:
Morikawa Nobuyoshi is appointed Commanding Officer.
12 November 1943:
AZUMA MARU departs Truk in a convoy consisting of oiler GENYO MARU escorted by destroyer MATSUKAZE.
30 November 1943:
At 0700, departs Balikpapan en route to Truk via Palau with auxiliary oilers KOKUYO and KENYO MARUs escorted by subchaser CH-6 and one unidentified warship.
3 December 1943:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Lawrence R. Daspit's (USNA ’27) USS TINOSA (SS-283) sights the convoy and makes an approach, but the convoy zigs and ruins the setup. Daspit fires three torpedoes "up the kilt" at AZUMA MARU with a cargo of 500 drums of aviation gasoline, 500 drums of normal gasoline and 6,000-tons of heavy oil. At 1947 (I), one hits and sets her afire. She slows, then settles lower in the water and drops out of the convoy.
USS TINOSA moves in on the surface, but AZUMA MARU opens fire with her deck guns and machine-guns. Daspit crash dives and closes to point blank range. At 2121, he fires three more torpedoes that blow up and sink AZUMA MARU at 06-34N, 131-40E. The remainder of the convoy continues towards Palau.
50 crewmen including her Captain, Morikawa Nobuyoshi, and 18 passengers are KIA. Captain Ara Tadashi (33) is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.
5 February 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Note:
[1] 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.
[2] There were two categories of Yusosen. The Ko category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and the Otsu category without.
Thanks to Berend van der Wal of Netherlands and Gengoro S. Toda of Japan. Photo credit and general thanks goes to Gilbert Casse of France and Matthew Jones of Missisippi, USA.
- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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