YUSOSEN!
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(Chiyoda Maru on builders trials- courtesy Berend van der Wal)
CHIYODA MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2008-2018 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 3
23 September 1942:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi's Shipyard as a 4,701-ton merchant tanker for Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK)
K. K., Tokyo.
23 January 1943:
Launched and named CHIYODA MARU.
20 March 1943:
Completed.
23 April 1943:
Departs St Jacques in convoy No.574 also consisting of tanker RIKKO MARU and one unidentified merchant ship without escort.
26 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
4 May 1943:
Departs Singapore in convoy No.687 also consisting of tankers SHOYU, TEIKON (ex-German WINNETOU) and EIYO MARUs and one unidentified merchant ship without escort.
7 May 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.
15 June 1943:
At 0650, CHIYODA MARU departs Sasebo in convoy No. 166 consisting of tankers TACHIBANA, KIYO, HAKKO, GOYO, CHIHAYA and NICHIRIN MARUs and transports CEYLON, NORFOLK, SHOGEN, TAIAN and ISUZU MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-36.
18 June 1943:
At 1000, TAIAN MARU is detached for Kirun (Keelung), Formosa.
20 June 1943:
At 1400, arrives at Takao, Formosa.
23 June 1943:
Departs Mako in convoy No. 302 also consisting of KIYO, GOYO, YASUKUNI, SANKISAN, SHOGEN, KOSEI, RYUKO, NORFOLK MARUs, OGURA MARU No. 1 without surface escort. Later YASUKUNI and KOSEI MARUs are detached off Hainan Island.
29 June 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.
4 July 1943:
At 1100 departs St Jacques for Miri in a convoy also consisting of tankers OGURA MARU No.1, GOYO and SEINAN MARUs with unknown escort.
17 July 1943:
CHIYODA MARU departs St Jacques in convoy No. 411 consisting of tankers GOYO, SEINAN MARUs and SUZAN (SUNGSHAN), HAKUSHIKA, YAMAHAGI and BISAN (MIYAMA) MARUs escorted by Submarine Chaser CH-19.
20 July 1943:
At 0730 CH-19 detaches from the convoy.
22 July 1943:
At 1700, BISAN (MIYAMA) MARU and SUZAN (SUNGSHAN) MARU are detached for Amoy at 22-42N, 119-11E. At 2359, arrives at Takao.
10 August 1943:
At 1400, CHIYODA MARU departs Moji for Mako, Pescadores in convoy No. 185 also consisting of tankers TACHIBANA, TONAN, SAN RAMON, MATSUMOTO, YAMAMIZU and NICHIRIN MARUs passenger-cargo ships TEIBI (ex French BERNARDIN de ST PIERRE), KACHIDOKI (ex-PRESIDENT HARRISON) and GINYO MARUs, cargo ship ASUKA MARU and one unidentified ship escorted by kaibokan SADO.
11 August 1943:
Off Nagasaki convoy No. 184 consisting of tankers FUSHIMI MARU No. 3, SHUNTEN MARU and one unidentified merchant ship without escort merges with the convoy.
15 August 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
18 August 1943:
At 1300 departs Mako in convoy No. 766 also consisting of MATSUMOTO, SHUNTEN, TAIRYU, TENCHO MARUs, FUSHIMI MARU No. 3 and one unidentified merchant ship escorted by destroyer ASAKAZE.
23 August 1943:
At 1350 arrives at Manila.
26 August 1943:
At 1230 departs Manila in convoy No. 917 also consisting of TAIRYU, TAIAN (5410 gt), SHUNTEN, KYOEI and MATSUMOTO MARUs, FUSHIMI MARU No. 3, OGURA MARU No. 3 escorted by destroyer ASAKAZE. The convoy is bound for Balikpapan and at an unidentified point MATSUMOTO, SHUNTEN and CHIYODA MARUs and FUSHIMI MARU No. 3 are detached.
30 August 1943:
Arrives at Miri.
7 September 1943:
At 1400, CHIYODA MARU departs Saigon for Mako, Pescadore Islands in convoy No. 424 consisting of KENSEI, CHINA, MIYO, JINZAN, FUKUJU, TOSEI, BELGIUM, TEIRYU (ex-German AUGSBURG), ANKO and KAIKO MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-2 and auxiliary gunboat KAZAN MARU.
7 September 1943:
At 1325, CHIYODA MARU develops engine trouble and falls behind.
14 September 1943:
At 0800, the convoy arrives at Mako less TOSEI, TEIRYU, ANKO and KAIKO MARUs that detached earlier.
28 September 1943:
At 1615, CHIYODA MARU departs Mutsure for Takao in convoy No. 102 consisting of TEIRYU (ex-German AUGSBURG), SUEZ, BELGIUM, MISAKI, TAIAN, TEIFU (ex-French BOUGAINVILLE), HAVRE, FRANCE and YUBAE MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-36.
3 October 1943:
At 1925, arrives at Takao.
6 October 1943:
At 0900 departs Mako in convoy No. 328 consisting of ICHIYO, NAMPO, BOKUYO (MUTSUYO), HAVRE, BELGIUM, TACHIBANA, YASUJIMA, FUKUYAMA, REIYO, TEIFU (ex French BOUGAINVILLE), SUGIYAMA, KYOKUZAN, DURBAN, HAWAII, MISAKI, SHINRYU, HAKONE, ZUIHO, NICHIRAN, IKOMA, ZUISHO and ZUIYO MARUs, possibly SAINEI MARU and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer FUYO and auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU.
11 October 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Saigon. 19 ships including CHIYODA MARU and FUKUYAMA, KYOKUZAN, SUGIYAMA, DURBAN, and REIYO MARU detach at St Jacques or Saigon.
4 November 1943:
Departs St Jacques in convoy No.439 also consisting of HAKKO, MITO, BEIJU MARUs and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by the destroyer ASAGAO.
11 November 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
5 January 1944:
CHIYODA MARU departs Moji in convoy SA-19 consisting of cargo ship KUROGANE MARU and tankers MEDAN, KAIKO, SAN PEDRO MARUs without escort.
9 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao. CHIYODA and SAN PEDRO MARUs are detached from the convoy.
16 January 1944:
At 1500, CHIYODA MARU departs Manila in convoy No. 3103 consisting of HAVRE MARU and tankers RIKKO and SAN PEDRO MARUs escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU.
21 Janary 1944:
At 1100, arrives at Miri.
1 March 1944:
At 1635, CHIYODA MARU departs Moji in convoy MOTA-07 consisting of tankers RIKKO, NITTATSU, ATAGO and SARAWAK MARUs and transports/cargo ships TEIKA (ex-French CAP VARELLA), YAMAHAGI, KONSAN, SUGIYAMA, KENSEI and HAKUSHIKA (HAKUROKU) MARUs escorted by minesweeper W-30 and destroyer AMAGIRI.
7 March 1944:
HAKUROKU MARU falls behind with engine problems but later that day rejoins convoy.
8 March 1944:
Off the coast of northern Formosa, TEIKA (ex-French CAP VARELLA) and YAMAHAGI MARUs are detached for Kirun (Keelung).
9 March 1944:
At 1440, arrives at Takao.
7 April 1944:
Departs Manila in convoy MATA-17 also consisting of SUGIYAMA, KONSAN MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by the destroyer KARUKAYA, torpedo boat SAGI and auxiliary sub-chaser CHa 9.
11 April 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
1 May 1944:
CHIYODA MARU departs Moji in convoy MI-03 consisting of cargo ships SHOHEI, NIKKO, ETAJIMA, DAIJUN, SHINNO, TOUN, KANKYO and TAISEI MARUs and tankers KOTOKU and SHUNTEN MARUs and UNKAI MARU No. 5 and OGURA MARU No. 2 and possibly cargo ship KENWA MARU and six other unidentified ships escorted by second-class destroyer KARUKAYA, torpedo boat HATO, auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU and other unidentified warships.
E 7 May 1944:
Arrives at Takao and later departs port for Manila.
10 May 1944:
150 miles NW of Manila, Luzon. Cdr (later Rear Admiral) James C. Dempsey's (USNA '31) USS COD (SS-224) attacks convoy MI-03. At 0647, Dempsey torpedoes and sinks destroyer KARUKAYA at 15-47N, 119-32E. Dempsey then torpedoes and sinks transport SHOHEI MARU with 850 passengers, depth charges, mines, guns and ammunition. Eight crewmen and 12 passengers are KIA.
19 May 1944:
Arrives at Miri.
24 May 1944:
CHIYODA MARU departs Miri in convoy MI-04 consisting of PACIFIC and CHOHAKUSAN MARUs and tankers TAKETOYO and SHUNTEN MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HATO and auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU.
29 May 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
31 May 1944:
Departs Manila.
E 8 June 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
23 June 1944:
CHIYODA MARU departs Moji for Miri Borneo in convoy MI-09/MOMA-09 consisting of SAIHO, SAINEI, CHILE, SHIROUMA (HAKUBA), KENSEI, NORFOLK, KINRYO, KYOKUZAN, UGA, NATSUKAWA, TATSUHARU, BINGO, NIKKO, MISAKI, AMAHI MARUs and tankers SHIMOTSU, CHIYODA, SHUNTEN, EIYO, YOKO MARUs, KYOEI MARU No. 3, KYOEI MARU No. 10 and two other unidentified merchant ships escorted by kaibokan CD-9, torpedo boats HATO and TOMOZURU, minelayer NUWAJIMA and auxiliary gunboats PEKING and KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARUs
28 June 1944:
NUWAJIMA with MISAKI, AMAHI and TEIKA MARUs are detached for Keelung, Formosa.
29 June 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Takao, Formosa. YOKO MARU and HIROTA MARU are detached.
30 June 1944:
At 1800, departs Takao.
3 July 1944:
At 2000, arrives at Manila. SAIHO, SAINEI, CHILE, TATSUHARU, NATSUKAWA, BINGO, EIYO, NIKKO, MISAKI MARUs, KYOEI MARU No. 3, KYOEI MARU No. 10 and two unidentified ships, kaibokan CD-9 and torpedo boats HATO and TOMOZURU are detached and remain at Manila. SHIROUMA (HAKUBA) is also detached for Leyte Island.
7 July 1944:
At 0600, CHIYODA MARU departs Manila for Miri, Borneo in a convoy with SHIMOTSU, SHUNTEN, NORFOLK, KINRYO, KENSEI, UGA and KYOKUZAN MARUs escorted by auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU.
E 18 July 1944:
CHIYODA MARU departs Miri in convoy MI-10 consisting of DAIZEN, HIDA, HINAGA and FUYUKAWA MARUs and tankers HAKUBASAN, SHUNTEN, TAKETSU (BUTSU), and SHIMOTSU MARUs plus 19 unidentified ships escorted by destroyer ASAKAZE, kaibokan YASHIRO and CD-3, minelayer MAEJIMA and auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU.
E 23 July 1944:
Arrives at Manila where convoy MI-10 is joined by tankers OEI MARU and KYOEI MARU No. 6 and KAKOGAWA, TSUKUBASAN, ROKKO, MYOGI MARUs and UNYO MARU No.7 and possibly others.
27 July 1944:
At 1100, reconstituted convoy MI-10 departs Manila.
28 July 1944:
At 1040, HAKUBASAN MARU is torpedoed by LtCdr Francis D. Walker's (USNA '35) USS CREVALLE (SS-291) and sinks at 1305 at 16-28N, 119-38E with 7351-tons of oil and 710-tons of rubber. Three crewmen are KIA.
2 August 1944:
Arrives at Takao. ASAKAZE and YASHIRO are detached.
4 August 1944:
Departs Takao.
10 August 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
19 August 1944:
At 0600, CHIYODA MARU departs Moji in convoy MI-15 consisting of URATO (ex ERATO), RIKKO, EKKAI, TAISHO, HOKUSEN, TSINGTAO, TOSHIGAWA and NANSEI MARUs and OKINOYAMA MARU No. 5, escorted by destroyers WAKABA, HIBIKI and HATSUHARU, minelayer SHIRATAKA and minesweeper W-21.
25 August 1944:
Arrives at Takao at 1600.
30 August 1944:
At 1500, CHIYODA MARU departs Takao for Manila in reorganized convoy MI-15 that now consists of RIKKO, TAISHO, OKUNI (TAIKOKU) Maru, EIKYU, auxiliary storeship SHINYO, NANSEI, HOSEN MARUs with UNKAI MARU No. 5, OKINOYAMA MARU No. 5 and KYOEI MARU No. 10 escorted by kaibokan CD-10 and CD-20, minelayer SHIRATAKA and minesweeper W-21.
31 August 1944:
Luzon Strait, S of Formosa. Alerted by an "Ultra" signal based on code breaking, a wolf pack of American submarines intercepts convoy MI-15. At about 0325, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles E. Loughlin's (USNA '33) QUEENFISH (SS-393) hits CHIYODA MARU, carrying 430 passengers, coal briquettes & drummed gasoline, with four torpedoes and she bursts into brilliant flames and black smoke. The flames illuminate the other ships in the convoy. At 0340, as the moon sets, CHIYODA MARU sinks Taking down 15 crewmen and 382 troops. Loughlin also damages oiler RIKKO MARU steaming in ballast.
Authors' Note:
Thanks to Gilbert Casse of France and Berend van der Wal of Netherlands, the latter for sourcing the photo.
- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
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