RIKUGUN YUSOSEN
(Similar size ship)
CHINKAI MARU:
Tabular Record of
Movement
© 2017-2018 Bob Hackett
1943:
Shanghai. Laid down at Kiangnan (Jiangnan Arsenal) Dock & Engineering Works (operated by Mitsubishi as Konan Yard) as a 2, 827-ton cargo ship for the East China Sea Corporation, Tokyo.
June 1943:
Launched and named CHINKAI MARU.
August 1943:
Completed.
30 October 1943:
At 1600, CHINKAI MARU departs Mutsure for Takao in convoy No. 110 also consisting of transports ASAHI, HANAKAWA, KIZAN, MALTA, OSHIMA, SEIZAN, SEIWA, SHINKOKU, TAINAN, TEIKO (ex-Vichy French D’ARTAGNAN), TOYO, YOZAN and YULIN MARUs and tankers TEIKON (ex-German WINNETOU), TERUKAWA and SANKO MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-2 and auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (ex-Chinese HUASHAN) MARU.
4 November 1943:
At 1410, arrives at Takao, Formosa.
7 November 1943:
At 1225, CHINKAI MARU departs Takao for Manila in convoy No. 776 also consisting of transports AKAGISAN, ASAHISAN, ECHIZEN, KIZAN, MADRAS, RIZAN, SHINKOKU, TOTTORI,
and TOYO (2704 grt) MARUs and IJA LST BANRYU MARU (later SS-2) escorted by patrol boat PB-2.
10 November 1943:
At 1300, arrives at Manila.
26 November 1943:
Off Davao, Philippines. CHINKAI MARU joins convoy H-6 consisting of FUJIKAWA, HAMBURG, TATSUHARU, NANREI and RYUSEI MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-103
29 November 1943:
At 0815, arrives at Kau, Halmahera.
22 February 1944:
CHINKAI MARU departs Takao in convoy TAMA-05 also consisting of FUYO, FUJIKAWA, HOZAN, KACHOSAN, TAIKOKU, TEIYU (ex-Italian CARIGNANO) and ZUIYO MARUs
and NISSHO MARU No. 16 escorted by minesweeper W-17, auxiliary netlayer TOKACHI MARU, auxiliary TERUKUNI MARU and two other unidentified small escorts.
26 February 1944:
At 1800, arrives at Manila.
11 July 1944:
At 0900, CHINKAI MARU departs Kau, Halmahera Island en route to Manila in convoy M-26 also consisting of CLYDE, HAMBURG and NARRUO MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 5 escorted by minesweeper W-5 and subchaser CH-60.
13 July 1944:
At 1830, the convoy arrives Bitung NE Celebes.
22 October 1944:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). Alloted IJA No. 1124.
15 November 1944:
At 1600, CHINKAI MARU departs Moji for Miri, Borneo in convoy MI-27 also consisting of AWAKAWA, EDOGAWA, ENKEI, KOSHU, KYOKUUN, MATSUURA, OSAKASAN, SEISHO and SHOHO MARUs escorted by kaibokan CD-61, CD-134, minesweeper W-101 and auxiliary subchasers CHa-156 and CHa-157. The convoy detours along the Korean coast to avoid American submarines. Immediately after departing ENKEI MARU drops out with rudder problems.
16 November 1944:
Tanker KYOKUUN MARU suffers engine problems and drops out.
17 November 1944:
Yellow Sea. Off Cheju Island. Convoy MI-27 encounters a submarine wolf pack. At 2205, LtCdr (later Cdr) Edward E. Shelby's (USNA '33) USS SUNFISH (SS-281) torpedoes and damages EDOGAWA MARU. About 2207, SUNFISH also torpedoes and damages SEISHO MARU. Minesweeper W-101 attempts to assist.
After 2200, the convoy is in confusion caused by the wolfpack attacks. AWAKAWA MARU splits off from MI-27 at this time; but does not steam to Takao. Instead, she operates in the northern part of the East China Sea.
About 2300, EDOGAWA MARU is abandoned with 2,173 troops aboard that include men of the 19th Sea Raiding Battalion and its base battalion, other units, 200 recent young soldier graduates of the IJA’s weapons, tank, signal and artillery schools, 150 horses and 200 war dogs. Her decks and holds are packed with supplies, fuel, 60 vehicles, 16 landing craft and munitions including 50 depth charges. 70 crewmen, 46 gunners and 1997 troops and passengers are KIA.
At 2340, LtCdr Robert H. Caldwell's (USNA '36) USS PETO (SS-265) torpedoes and sinks OSAKASAN MARU at 33-30N, 124-30E. 80 passengers and 62 crewmen are KIA.
18 November 1944:
At 0130, a gun battle erupts between a surfaced submarine and SEISHO MARU. At 0317, Selby's SUNFISH torpedoes and sinks damaged SEISHO MARU. About the same time, Selby again torpedoes EDOGAWA MARU and sinks her. The rest of the convoy heads towards Shanghai to shelter.
W of Quelpart Island. At 0434, Caldwell's PETO torpedoes CHINKAI MARU carrying troops and ammunition. She sinks at 33-35N, 124-34E. 22 crewmen and 17 gunners are KIA.
At 1603, USN codebreakers at Fleet Radio Unit, Melbourne, Australia (FRUMEL) intercept and decode a message from W-101 that reads: "Have the following survivors on board: 14 from OSAKASAN MARU, 36 from CHINKAI MARU, 186 from EDOGAWA MARU, 70 from SEISHO MARU. Expect to arrive at Raffles Island (30-42N, 122-26E) at 1200 on 19th. Allied submarine responsible attacked with unknown results."
Author's Note:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.
Bob Hackett
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