RIKUGUN YUSOSEN
(CHOJO MARU, prewar)
CHOJO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2014-2016 Bob Hackett
20 February 1926:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Zosensho K.K. as Yard No. 424, a 2,594-ton passenger-cargo ship for Osaka Shosen K. K. (OSK) Line, Osaka.
21 December 1926:
Launched and named CHOJO MARU.
28 February 1927:
Completed.
1933:
In OSK’s Japan ~ China service with ports of call at Kobe, Moji
and Tientsin, China.
1938:
Renamed TYOZYO MARU.
12 August 1939:
Sold to Toa Kaiun K. K., Osaka
22 December 1942:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Allotted IJA No. 834.
11 June 1943:
At 0800, CHOJO MARU departs Palau in convoy No. 3211 also consisting of KINE and SHINRYU MARUs escorted by destroyer SANAE.
16 June 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
24 June 1943:
At 1500, CHOJO MARU departs Manila escorting a convoy also consisting of SHONAN MARU escorted by minesweeper W-8.
28 June 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
1 July 1943:
CHOJO MARU departs Takao for Moji in convoy “D” also consisting of HAVRE, KONSAN, SHINKYO, TAINAN, TAJIMA, TEIFU (ex-Vichy French BOUGAINVILLE) and SHONAN MARUs and one unidentified merchant escorted by destroyer SANAE.
5 July 1943:
SHINKYO MARU is detached at Sakito.
6 July 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
15 August 1943:
CHOJO MARU departs Moji in convoy No. 187 also consisting of ATAGO, HONAN, KIYO, KOYU, KOFUKU and RAIZAN MARUs, fleet oiler SHIRIYA and four unidentified merchants escorted by destroyer KARUKAYA.
20 August 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
22 August 1943: CHOJO MARU departs Mako in convoy No. 317 also consisting
of KACHOSAN, KAIKO, KOYU and RYUKO MARUs, tankers KIYO and YAMAMIZU MARU No. 3 and four unidentified merchants escorted by patrol boat PB-2.
26 August 1943:
Arrives at Samah, Hainan Island, China.
30 August 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.
6 September 1943:
At 0905, departs Saigon, Vichy French Indochina (Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam. At 1225, arrives at St Jacques.
11 September 1943:
Arrives at Saigon.
14 November 1943:
CHOJO MARU departs Zamboanga, Philippines in a convoy also consisting of HINODE and MINRYO MARUs and YOSHIDA MARU No. 3 escorted by patrol boat PB-103.
15 November 1943:
At 1000, arrives at Cebu.
16 November 1943:
At 0800, departs Cebu.
18 November 1943:
At 0830, arrives at Manila.
23 January 1944:
CHOJO MARU departs Moji in convoy No. 131 consisting of AKAGISAN, ARABIA, HAWAII, NORFOLK, TOTTORI and USSURI MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships escorted by subchasers CH-41 and CH-43. The convoy carries elements of the IJA 147th Infantry Regiment, 46th Division including regimental HQs, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions and the regimental artillery battalion.
28 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
29 January 1944:
Departs Takao.
14 February 1944:
CHOJO MARU departs Cebu in convoy H-17 also consisting of IJA transports ODATSUKI and NAGATA MARUs escorted by auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 2. CHOJO MARU is carrying more than 800 soldiers and sailors.
15 February 1944:
At 2102, LtCdr Donald F. Weiss’ (USNA ’29) USS TINOSA (SS-283) torpedoes and sinks ODATSUKI MARU carrying war supplies at 09-15N, 127-00E. Six crewmen and four passengers are KIA. NAGATA MARU rescues survivors.
16 February 1944:
Sulu Sea. Gulf of Rianga. At 0250, Weiss torpedoes and sinks CHOJO MARU at 08-30N, 126-58E. 748 soldiers and sailors, three armed guards, 17 gunners, 15 lookouts and 72 crewmen are KIA.
Author's Note:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.
Bob Hackett
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