Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

(Standard 2AT Tanker KENJO MARU by Ueda Kihachiro)

DAIMEI MARU
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2011-2023 Bob Hackett, Peter Cundall and Berend van der Wal
Revision 3

17 March 1943:
Tokyo. Laid down at the Ishikawajima Jukogyo K.K. shipyard as a 6,923-ton Type 2A Standard Cargo Ship for Osaka Shosen K.K. (OSK), Osaka.
E April 1944:
Converted to a Standard 2AT Tanker while on the ways.
4 July 1944 1944:
Launched and named DAIMEI MARU
14 August 1944:
Completed and registered at Osaka with Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) of respectively 6,923-tons and 4,979-tons. Her call sign is JXYU. [1].
14 ~ 21 August 1944:
Requisitioned and attached as a naval ship to the Ship Transport Association.
21 August 1944:
Rated as the 47h Navy Designated Ship
21 ~ 25 August 1944:
Loads 60-tons of cargo.
25 August 1944:
Departs Tokyo with a crew of 35 people.
26 August 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
26 ~ 28 August 1944:
Offloads 60-tons of cargo.
28 August 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives at Yokohama later this day. Departs Yokohama later that same day.
1 Sepember 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
2 September 1944:
Departs Tokuyama. Arrives at Kure later this day.
2 ~ 4 September 1944:
Loads 2,000-tons of cargo and embarks 43 passengers.
4 September 1944:
Departs Kure.
5 September 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
5 ~ 9 September 1944:
Loads 40-tons of cargo.
9 September 1944:
At 1200 departs Moji in convoy MI-19 also consisting of civilian oilers (C-AO) IWAKUNI KENZUI and MITSU MARUs, auxiliary oilers CHIHAYA and EIHO MARUs, Army transports ARISAN, DAIA, DAIBIN (OTOSHI), ENOURA, MATSUURA, SHINSEI, SHUNSHO and TASMANIA MARUs, ore carrier NIKKO MARU, civilian cargo ship YULIN (ex-Norwegian HERLEIK) and Army shared transports (A/C-AK) HAKUROKU (HAKUSHIKA) and TEIFU(ex-French BOUGAINVILLE) MARUs escorted by kaikoban ETOROFU, SHONAN, CD-6 and CD-16, torpedo boat SAGI and auxiliary gunboat CHOHAKUSAN MARU. In the evening, land-based IJA aircraft provide ASW cover.
10 September 1944:
At 1212, LtCdr's (later Cdr) Edward E. Shelby's (USNA ’33) USS SUNFISH (SS-281) torpedoes and sinks CHIHAYA MARU at 33-49N, 127-41E. CHIHAYA MARU was sailing with sea water in her oil tanks as ballast and carried a deck cargo of 413 soldiers, most from the 2nd Company, 10th Tank Regiment, 2nd Tank Division and six Daihatsu landing craft and two armored cars. 79 soldiers an nine crewmen are KIA; also lost are the landing craft and armored cars. The convoy immediately retires to Chinto (Chin Hajo Island), Shosen, (now Jindo, South Korea where it arrives at 1500 and then regroups. Meanwhile the escorts launch a concerted, but unsuccessful attempt to find the submarine.
12 September 1944:
Convoy MI-19 departs Chinto. ETOROFU and SHONAN, by this time, are well ahead of the convoy.
13 September 1944:
At about 1600, an unknown submarine attacks convoy MI-19. The escorts drop DCs. No damage is recorded.
16 September 1944:
At Yulin, Hainan Island, China. Kaibokan ETOROFU detaches and subsequently joins the escort of convoy HI-72/MAMO-03 which suffered a series of devastating attacks in the South China Sea.
17 September 1944:
Convoy MI-19 splits. With SHUNSHO, NIKKO, EIHO, MITSU, MATSUURA, ENOURA and KENZUI MARUs heads for Kirun, Formosa (now Keelung, Taiwan). escorted by kaibokan SHONAN. Arrives at Kirun later this day.
18 September 1944:
At about 1000, arrives outside Takao. DAIBIN and SAN DIEGO MARUs are detached.
28 September 1944:
Departs Kirun.
29 September 1944:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa (now Kaoshiung, Taiwan).
29 ~ 30 September 1944:
Offloads 40-tons of cargo and embarks 138 passengers.
30 September 1944:
At 1200 departs Takao in reorganized convoy MI-19 consisting of Army transports ARISAN, DAIA, DAIBIN (OTOSHI) and TASMANIA MARUs, civilian oilers (C-AO) IWAKUNI and MITSU MARUs, civilian cargo ship YULIN (ex-Norwegian HERLEIK), Army shared transports (A/C-AK) HAKUROKU (HAKUSHIKA), KENEI, and TEIFU (ex-French BOUGAINVILLE) MARUs and general requisitioned cargo ship (B-AK) SHINSEI MARU escorted by kaibokan ETOROFU, CD-18, CD-26 and subchaser CH-19 and possibly kaibokan SHONAN.
2 October 1944:
Arrives at Aparri, N Luzon and at 2300 departs.
3 October 1944:
At 1500, arrives at Lapoc, N Luzon. EKaibokan ETOROFU and SHONAN detach and return to Takao.
4 October 1944:
At 0600, departs Lapoc and at 1700 arrives at N San Fernando.
5 October 1944:
At 0600, departs North San Fernando.
6 October 1944:
At 0600, arrives at Manila. 7 ~ 11 October 1944:
Offloads 2,000-tons of cargo and disembarks 181 passengers.
17 October 1944:
Manila. Japanese naval authorities, fearing another air attack by Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) John S. McCain's (USNA '06) Task Force 38, order a number of ships out of Manila to relieve congestion in the harbor.
At 1820, DAIMEI MARU departs Manila in the "Taihi" (Refugee) convoy also consisting of Army transports MANILA, SHIRANESAN, ARABIA and TAIKAI MARUs, Army shared transports (A/C-AK) EIMAN, TEIFU (ex-French BOUGAINVILLE), DAIIKU, KENEI, HAKUROKU (HAKUSHIKA) MARUs and NICHIYU MARU No. 2, general requisitioned cargo ship (B-AK) SHINSEI MARU, Army shared tanker (A/C-AO) KYOEI MARU No. 6 and civilian tanker (C-AO) MITSU MARU escorted by destroyer SHIOKAZE, torpedo boat HIYODORI, subchaser CH-21 and auxiliary gunboats CHOUN and KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARUs.
18 October 1944:
At 0716, LtCdr (later Captain) Eric L. Barr's (USNA '34) USS BLUEGILL (SS-242) torpedoes and damages ARABIA MARU at 14-4N, 119-52E. CH-21 attends the casualty and is joined by patrol boat PB-104 and HAKKO MARU from a separate small convoy. At 1155 PB 104 drops 19 depth charges.
At 1208, USS BLUEGILL torpedoes ARABIA MARU again. She sinks taking down 382 troops of the 153rd Infantry Regiment, 103 of the 49th Cavalry Regiment, 161 of the 49th Field Artillery Regiment, 328 of the 49th Engineer Regiment,four men of the 49th Signal Regiment, 51 men of the Division’s ordnance unit and 87 men of the 1st Field Hospital for a total of 1,116 troops plus 89 crewmen and gunners or 1,205 men KIA. After rescuing survivors, patrol boat PB-104 and HAKKO MARU return to Manila. CH-21 remains with the convoy.
At 2015 in position 14.03N 119.39E about 105 metres W of Nasugbu, Luzon HAKUROKU MARU is hit by two torpedoes also from USS BLUEGILL on the port side in hold No.3 and the fuel bunker. Pumping operations begin but are then suspended and the ship sinks later that day. The ship was loaded with war supplies, empty drums and about 2000 troops for Java, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) and Burma (now Myanmar). 1156 of these troops and 30 of the crew were killed.
At 2210, LtCdr Maurice W. Shea's (USNA ’37) USS RATON (SS-270) attacks the convoy at 12-30N, 119-10E. USS RATON torpedoes and sinks SHIRANESAN and TAIKAI MARUs. SHIRANESAN MARU is carrying men of the Independent 107th Flying Corps Instructors and the 31st Aviation Repair Workshop; a total of 1318 troops, 47 gunners and 63 crewmen are killed. TAIKAI MARU is carrying aviation supplies and 495 passengers. 445 passengers, 37 gunners and 101 crewmen are killed.
19 October 1944:
At 0600, CH-21 is detached and makes for Manila. Soon after arrival, TF 38 attacks Manila harbor. At 0900 disembarking of survivors ends. CH-21 and patrol boat PB-104 are ordered to rejoin the convoy and depart at 0905.
At 1600 auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 3 and LST T 102 search the distress site.
At sunset the search ends and the ships pursue the convoy.
20 October 1944:
At 1220, arrives at Bacuit Bay, Palawan Island, Philippines.
21 October 1944:
At 0855, departs Bacuit Bay.
22 October 1944:
Attacked by B-24 "Liberator" heavy bombers.
23 October 1944:
Attacked again by B-24s.
24 October 1944:
At 1958, arrives at Gaya Bay, Sabah, British Borneo (now Malaysia). Some ships separate at this point.
26 October 1944:
Departs Gaya Bay in convoy escorted by auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU and patrol boat PB-104. Arrives at Labuan (Victoria), British Borneo (now Malaysia) later this day at 1835.
27 October 1944:
At 1045, departs Labuan and arrives off Brunei later that day.
28 October 1944:
Departs off Brunei. At some point before arrival, EIMAN, DAIIKU, DAIMEI and NICHIYU MARU No. 2 detach. At 1650 arrives at Miri, Sarawak, British Borneo, (now Malaysia).
28 October 1944 ~ 1 November 1944:
Loads 8,000-tons of heavy oil and embarks 31 soldiers.
1 November 1944:
At 1200 departs Miri for St. Jacques, French Indochina (now Vung Tau, Vietnam) in convoy MI-20 also consisting of Army shared oiler DAISHU MARU, civilian tanker (C-AO) MITSU MARU, auxiliary oiler SAN DIEGO MARU and auxiliary emergency oiler SHUNTEN MARU escorted by destroyer SHIOKAZE, torpedoboat HIYODORI and subchaser CH-21.
2 November 1944:
At 0612 LtCdr Norman D. Gage's (USNA '35) USS GURNARD (SS-254) sights five ships suddenly appearing out of a rain squall.
At 0613 the closest ship is identified as an oiler. The identity of the others and composition of the convoy can not be determined as they disappear in a rain squall.
At 14345 USS GURNARD surfaces. Weather has improved. Masts of three large ships and three escorts are visible.
3 November 1944:
At 006 USS GURNARD submerges to periscope depth. The convoy now seems to be in a staggered column with one escort leading and one on each flank.
At 0048 Gage fires six torpedoes, three at each of the last two oilers in the column.
At 0050 USS GURNARD's’ crew hears three explosions.
At 0125 USS GURNARD's crew hears breaking up noises.
DAIMEI MARU sinks at 05-53N, 111-12E 350km NW of Miri. 31 soldiers and three crewmen are KIA.

Authors' Notes:

[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.

Thanks go to John Whitman for info on troops carried by CHIHAYA and ARABIA MARUs. Thanks also go to Gilbert Casse and John Whitman for info on HAKUSHIKA MARU in Rev 2. Finally thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
- Bob Hackett, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall

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