YUSOSEN!
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(Wartime Standard Merchant Tanker 1TL)
IJN AZUSA MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
© 1998-2021 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 5
9 August 1943:
Kobe. Laid down as a 10,022-ton Standard Merchant 1TL tanker by Kawasaki Heavy Industries as yard No. K714 for Ishihara Kisen K.K.
10 February 1944:
Launched and named AZUSA MARU.
25 March 1944:
Completed and registered at Tokyo with Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) of respectively 10,022-tons and 4,508-tons. Her call sign is JQXS. That same day requisitioned by the IJN and registered as an auxiliary naval transport attached to the Kure Naval District. [1]
25 ~ 31 March 1944:
Rated as the 45th navy designated ship.
6 April 1944:
As scheduled sails westbound through Shionomisaki.
3 May 1944:
At 0445, AZUSA MARU departs Moji in convoy HI-61 consisting of empty oilers TATEKAWA, NICHIEI, JINEI, EIYO, AKANE, OTORISAN, SARAWAK and ASANAGI MARUs and passenger cargo ship MIZUHO MARU escorted by escort carrier TAIYO, destroyers ASANAGI, HIBIKI and INAZUMA, kaibokan SADO, KURAHASHI, CD-5, CD-7 and CD-13. [2]
7 May 1944:
JINEI MARU is detached because of engine trouble. [3]
8 May 1944:
About 0615, LtCdr Victor B. McCrae's (USNA ’32) USS HOE (SS-258) attacks the convoy at 19-19N, 120-00E. In a submerged attack, McCrae fires all his bow torpedoes and gets a single hit on AKANE MARU. She is detached from the convoy and returns to Takao, Formosa (now Kaoshiung, Taiwan) for repairs.
9 May 1944: Operation "A-GO" - The Defense of the Marianas.
At 2055, arrives at Manila, Luzon, Philippines. Released to her owners. That same day requisitioned again by the IJN. Registered as an auxiliary transport (refueling ship) attached to the Kure Naval District under instruction No. 642 2. Assigned to the Combined Fleet First Mobile Fleet as a Ko category auxiliary transport. [4]
AZUSA, TATEKAWA and NICHIEI MARUs are detached from the convoy to participate in the planned "A-GO" operation.
11 May 1944:
At 1625, AZUSA MARU departs Manila in an unnumbered convoy with TATEKAWA and NICHIEI MARUs escorted by destroyers HIBIKI and INAZUMA.
14 May 1944:
Tawi Tawi Bay. At about 0300, while patrolling on the surface, LtCdr (later Cdr) Thomas W. Hogan’s (USNA ’31) USS BONEFISH (SS-223) intercepts a three-tanker convoy making fourteen knots and consisting of AZUSA, TATEKAWA and NICHIEI MARUs with three destroyer escorts. Hogan selects the largest oiler to receive his last six torpedoes.
An HIBIKI-class destroyer passes close ahead of USS BONEFISH as the convoy zigs. The movement brings the target oiler within 3,000 yards. Hogan fires all forward torpedo tubes. Five Mark-14 torpedoes get away, but No. 6 refuses to fire. The first torpedo explodes against the oiler's bow. The second explodes under the bridge and Hogan thinks the third blows off her stern. He sees the oiler enveloped in smoke and flames and claims two hits and a sinking. In fact, none of the oilers are damaged. [5]
At 0420, the fourth torpedo explodes under destroyer INAZUMA. It blows her apart and she sinks quickly with the loss of 161 of her crew including Comdesdiv 6, Cdr Tomura Kiyoshi (49) and her CO, LtCdr Tokiwa Teizo (58). HIBIKI rescues 125 survivors. The two remaining destroyers charge and drop twenty heavy depth charges, but USS BONEFISH slips away.
15 May 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Kalimantan Indonesia).
16 May 1944:
AZUSA MARU is formally requisitioned by the IJN and assigned to the Kure Naval District. [6]
17 May 1944:
Departs Balikpapan in a convoy also consisting of tankers TATEKAWA and NICHIEI MARUs escorted by destroyers ASASHIMO, SAMIDARE, HAMAKAZE and HIBIKI and kaibokan MANJU. Soon after departure a magnetic mine damages tanker NICHIEI MARU but the tanker is able to continue.
19 May 1944:
The convoy is attacked by an enemy submarine, NICHIEI MARU drops depth charges. Later this day, at 1250, convoy arrives at Tawi Tawi.
25 May 1944:
At Tawi Tawi. Refuels heavy cruiser ATAGO.
28 May 1944:
Undertakes towing refueling exercises. At 2100 fleet oiler TSURUMI comes alongside to starboard and supplies AZUSA MARU with heavy oil.
29 May 1944:
At 0930 TSURUMI departs.
1 ~ 2 June:
Attached to the Operation A-GO Second Supply Unit.
2 June 1944:
At Tawi Tawi refuels battleship MUSASHI and heavy cruiser ATAGO.
3 June 1944:
The 2nd Supply Force’s oilers AZUSA and GENYO MARUs, escorted by YUKIKAZE, NOWAKI and YAMAGUMO, depart Tawi Tawi for point "I", a holding position 130 miles E of northern Mindanao, Philippines. At 70 nautical miles outside the port the destroyers NOWAKI and YAMAGUMO end the escort. Later that day, the group departs point I for Guimaras located between Negros Island and Panay Islands.
8 June 1944:
Arrive at Guimaras, Philippines.
8 ~ 14 June 1944:
Auxiliary oiler EIHO MARU transfers gasoline and heavy oil to AZUSA MARU.
13 June 1944:
Hashirajima. From his flagship light cruiser OYODO, the CINC, Combined Fleet, Admiral Toyoda Soemu (33), (former CO of HYUGA), signals the fleet to activate Operation "A-GO".
14 June 1944:
Guimaras, Philippines. Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's (37) Mobile Fleet's Main Body arrives and the 2nd Supply Force begins refueling operations.
15 June 1944:
Guimaras. At 0800, refueling is completed and the Mobile Fleet's Main Body departs. At 0830, the 2nd Supply Force and destroyers YUKIKAZE and UZUKI depart. They head through the Visayan Sea and San Bernardino Strait into the Philippine Sea towards the designated refueling rendezvous holding area.
16 June 1944:
NW of Palau. At about 2300, LtCdr (Later Rear Admiral) Herman J. Kossler's (USNA ’34) USS CAVALLA (SS-244) is running on the surface towards the San Bernardino Strait. His SJ radar detects four targets. Kossler closes and identifies two oilers escorted by two destroyers on a southeasterly course. Kossler increases speed and begins an "end around" to get ahead of the small convoy.
17 June 1944:
At 0315, Kossler completes the end-around and dives to begin an approach. He closes on an oiler - either AZUSA MARU or GENYO MARU - and sets up for an attack. Just as he is about to fire, one of the destroyers apparently spots his 'scope and charges. Kossler takes USS CAVALLA deep as the destroyer passes overhead. He remains submerged until about 0500. When he again comes to persicope depth, the convoy is nowhere in sight. At 0545, Kossler surfaces and gets off a contact report to COMSUBPAC. [7]
Later that day AZUSA MARU arrives at designated refueling rendezvous holding area, E point (12-00N 131-00E).
At 1440 destroyer UZUKI joins the escort.
At 1550 Destroyer AKIZUKI joins the escort.
AT 1830 meets up together with GENYO MARU, with the first supply group consisting of oilers HAYUSUI and NICHIEI, KOKUYO and SEIYO MARUs and destroyers HATSUSHIMO and SHIRATSUYU. Shortly therafter they all depart point E.
At 1845 destroyers AKIZUKI and URAKAZE are detached.
18 June 1944:
At 0730 oiler HAYASUI and the destroyers HATSUSHIMO, YUNAGI and TSUGA join the supply group. At 1515 Light cruiser NATORI joins the escort. Later that day AZUSA MARU arrives at designated refueling rendezvous holding area, F point (14-40N 134-20E).
19 June 1944:
At 0515 Light cruiser NATORI detaches. Soon after the Supply force departs point F.
At 1200 AZUSA MARU is in the tail section of the supply group.
At 1415 the fleet leaves at high speed towards the west. By 1700 AZUSA MARU loses sight of the fleet. At 1830 Begins preparations to take GENYO MARU in to tow. At 2030 towing preparations recommenced.
At 2400, the 2nd Supply Force is at 15-20N, 134-40E.
20 June 1944: The Battle of the Philippine Sea:
At 0520 the Supply group completes refueling. At 0620, the fleet reverses course. At 1746, a formation of Grumman TBF "Avenger" torpedo-bombers and SB2C-1 "Helldiver" dive-bombers attack the ships. AZUSA MARU is hit by several bombs and set afire. The 1st Supply Force's oilers SEIYO MARU and HAYASUI are also damaged by bombs.
At 1806, GENYO MARU is dive-bombed by three SB2Cs from Task Force 58's USS WASP (CV-18) Air Group 86. Bombs hits and near misses split GENYO MARU's sides and cause her engine to stop. At 1850, AZUSA MARU takes GENYO MARU in tow. About 1,000 tons of water are taken onboard. This slows the towing and the line breaks several times. At 2220, after destroyer UZUKI removes the crew, she scuttles GENYO MARU with gunfire.
Departs the Philippine Sea for Guimaras escorted by destroyers YUKIKAZE and UZUKI.
23 June 1944:
Arrives at Guimaras. Gasoline and fuel oil is loaded by transfer from EIHO MARU.
26 June 1944:
Departs Guimaras for Davao, Mindanao, Philippines escorted by destroyers HATSUSHIMO, YUKIKAZE and UZUKI.
26 June ~ 1 July 1944:
The destroyer YUKIKAZE runs aground on the Pepitas Rocks. Destroyers HIBIKI and YUNAGI and fleet oiler HAYASUI assist YUKIKAZE refloat. Later calls at Gato island Visayan Sea, Philippines and Hashima (Gunkan) Island near Nagasaki.
29 June 1944:
Departs Davao via Manila for Kure escorted by HATSUSHIMO, YUKIKAZE and UZUKI. Joins up with RYOEI, OKIGAWA and NICHIEI MARUs and kaibokan CD-22 and MANJU.
1 July 1944:
Arrives at Mutsure.
2 July 1944:
Arrives at Kure.
17 July 1944:
At 0755 departs Kure in a convoy also consisting of RYOEI, NICHIEI and OKIGAWA MARUs escorted by destroyers SATSUKI, YUZUKI and UZUKI, kaibokan MANJU and submarine chasers CH-30 and CH-33.
20 July 1944:
At an unknown location, NICHIEI MARU refuels subchaser CH-33.
22 July 1944:
At 0640 destroyer SATSUKI meets with RYOEI MARU that has apparently separated.
23 July 1944:
At 0847 AZUSA and NICHIEI MARUs arrive at Manila escorted by CH-30 and CH-33. NICHIEI MARU refuels subchasers CH-30 and CH-33.
24 July 1944:
At 1010 OKIGAWA MARU suffers an engine breakdown. At 1340 RYOEI MARU arrives at Manila escorted by UZUKI, SATSUKI and YUZUKI. NICHIEI MARU refuels destroyer YUZUKI.
10 August 1944:
Convoy HI-71 departs Imari Bay (Moji) for Singapore comprised of oilers AZUSA, TEIYO, EIYO, ZUIHO, AMATSU, KYOKUTO and NIYO MARUs and HAKKO MARU No. 2, fleet oiler HAYASUI, food-supply ship IRAKO, transports TEIA (ex-French ARAMIS), AWA, NOTO, HOKKAI, and NOSHIRO MARUs, IJA landing craft depot ships TAMATSU and MAYASAN MARUs and cargo ships KASHII, NISSHO and ORYOKU MARUs. The convoy's screen is provided by 6th Escort Convoy under convoy commander Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi (39) (former CO of KISO) with destroyers FUJINAMI and YUNAGI, kaibokan HIRATO, KURAHASHI, MIKURA, SHONAN and CD-11 and escort carrier TAIYO. Her 631st Naval Air Group provides air cover with 12 BN5 “Kates”.
15 August 1944:
HI-71 arrives at Mako, Pescadores. NIYO, HAKKO and ORYOKU MARUs and IRAKO are detached.
17 August 1944: Operation "SHO-1-GO" (Victory) - The Defense of the Philippines:
At 0800, HI-71 sorties from Mako for Manila, part of the SHO Operation, transporting troops and supplies for the defense of the Philippines. Kajioka's escort forces are further strengthened by old destroyer ASAKAZE and kaibokan SADO, ETOROFU, MATSUWA and HIBURI sent from Takao on the orders of 1st Surface Escort Division.
18 August 1944:
Alerted by an "Ultra" signal based on code-breaking, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Louis D. McGregor's (USNA ’30) USS REDFISH (SS-395) intercepts and, at 0524, torpedoes and damages EIYO MARU. Destroyers ASAKAZE and YUNAGI are detached to escort her back to Takao.
Off Cape Bolinao, Luzon. At 2222, TAIYO, at the rear of the convoy, is hit by torpedoes fired by LtCdr (later Captain) Henry G. Munson's (USNA ’32) USS RASHER (SS-269) and sinks. Because of the fire and speed of sinking, most of her crew are lost. If common practice obtained, including passengers about 1,200 were probably aboard. Of these reportedly 747 perished; but by some miracle, Captain Sugino Shuichi (46) was among the just over 400 surviving crew and passengers. At 2312, USS RASHER torpedoes transport TEIA MARU. The big ex-French liner is set afire and sinks. 2,316 troops, 275 passengers, 6 armed guards, 4 shipboard gunners, 10 special lookouts, and 54 crew, for a total of 2,665 are KIA.
19 August 1944:
The convoy splits into at least two distinct groups. Just past midnight, Munson's USS RASHER closes on an eastbound group of three large ships with one escort. At 0033, torpedoes blow open armed merchant cruiser NOSHIRO MARU and transport AWA MARU. Both vessels are beached near Port Curimao.
80 miles NW of Cape Bolinaro, Luzon. USS REDFISH is joined in the attack by LtCdr (later Cdr) Charles M. Henderson's (USNA ’30) USS BLUEFISH (SS-222). At 0325, HAYASUI is probably hit by two of four torpedoes fired by USS BLUEFISH in a night surface radar attack. HAYASUI goes dead in the water.
At 0433, in a submerged radar attack, LtCdr Gordon W. Underwood's USS SPADEFISH (SS-411) hits TAMATSU MARU with two torpedoes. The big landing craft depot ship sinks in 10 minutes taking down 4,755 troops and 135 crewmen.
At 0603, oiler TEIYO MARU, already hit, awash to midships and abandoned, is hit again by two torpedoes and sinks at 17-30 N, 119-30E taking down 41 crewmen and 58 passengers. Five hours later, at 0818, LtCdr Henderson's USS BLUEFISH fires three more torpedoes at HAYASUI seen drifting and down by the stern. All three torpedoes hit. HAYASUI bursts into flames and goes down stern first at 17-34N, 119-23 E. Captain Sugiura Keizaburo (49) is KIA. He is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously. The number of survivors is unknown. The convoy scatters and arrives piecemeal in Manila over the next few days.
21 August 1944:
Arrives at Manila
25 August 1944:
At 1650, convoy HI-71 consisting of AZUSA, KYOKUTO, HOKKAI, ZUIHO, KYOKUHO and AWA MARUs departs Manila escorted by destroyer FUJINAMI, frigates HIRADO, KURAHASHI and MIKURA, kaibokan CD-11 and subchaser CH-28. At 1845, KYOKUHO MARU develops engine trouble and drops behind escorted by FUJINAMI. Later, they catch up with the convoy.
1 September 1944:
At 1356, arrives at Singapore. Loads 13,137 t heavy oil and embarks 100 passengers.
11 September 1944:
Convoy HI-74 departs Seletar for Moji under Rear Admiral-Ret Yoshitomi Setsuzo (39)(former ComSubRon 7) of the 5th Guard Fleet. The convoy consists of oilers AZUSA, OTOWASAN, HARIMA, OMUROSAN and HAKKO MARUs escorted by escort carrier UNYO, light cruiser KASHII, frigates CHIBURI, CD-13, CD-19, CD-21 and CD-27.
12 September 1944:
At 1245 at 05-18N, 105-06E finds an oil crest. Kaibokans CD-13 and CD-27 in cooperation with an airplane carry out an anti submarine attack.
16 September 1944:
At 2231, OMUROSAN MARU is hit by a torpedo fired by Cdr (later Rear Admiral) C. E. LOUGHLIN's (USNA ’33) USS QUEENFISH (SS-393). KASHII fires a red flare signaling a submarine attack, but at 2334, AZUSA MARU is hit starboard side by two of a salvo of six bow torpedoes fired by Cdr (later Rear Admiral) E. B. Fluckey's (USNA ’35) USS BARB (SS-220) at the overlapping targets. AZUSA MARU blows up and sinks with all hands (100 crewmen and passengers) at 19-08N, 116-33E.
UNYO is hit starboard side by the other three torpedoes fired in Fluckey's salvo, one in the stern in the steering compartment, the other in the engine room. UNYO settles aft and sinks the next morning at 19-10N, 116-35E (Radio notice at 0805 gives slight variant of 19-08N, 116-36E.) Working hard in the stormy seas, escorts CHIBURI and CD-27 rescue 55 officers and 706 men, but her CO, Captain (Rear Admiral posthumously) Kimura Kozo (Ikuzo) (49) and more than 900 crewmen and passengers are lost as are 48 aircraft, including a cargo of 36 IJA planes UNYO was carrying back to Japan for overhaul and repairs..
10 November 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.
Author's Notes:
[1] [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] It is possible oiler HAYASUI was part of HI-61 and also stopped at Manila.
[3] The 1TL's high-speed diesels were plagued with problems caused by hasty construction.
[4] There were two categories of Yusosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
[5] LtCdr Hogan probably saw the unreliable Mark 14's compressed air flasks exploding against the hull.
[6] Defacto requisitioning occurred on 9 May '44.
[7] As a result of Kossler's contact report, COMSUBPAC repositions several submarines, among them LtCdr (Later Rear Admiral) Herman J. Kossler's (USNA ’34) USS CAVALLA and LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-ret) James W. Blanchard's (USNA ’27) USS ALBACORE (SS-218). On 19 Jun '44, Blanchard torpedoes and sinks new fleet carrier TAIHO. Later that same day, Kossler sinks fleet carrier SHOKAKU, the penultimate surviving carrier of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Thanks for assistance in preparing this TROM go to Sander Kingsepp of Estonia, Mr. Berend van der Wal of the Netherlands, Gengoro Toda of Japan and Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.
- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
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