RIKUGUN YUSOSEN
(A Standard 2A Class underway)
EDOGAWA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2018 Bob Hackett
10 February 1944:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., shipyard as Yard Np. 679, a 6,968-ton cargo ship for Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line), Tokyo.
20 April 1944:
Launched and named EDOGAWA MARU20 May 1944:
Completed.
1944:
At an unknown date, requisitioned by the IJA as a Haitosen - Army/Civilian (A/C -AK) shared employment cargo ship. Alloted IJA No. 5514.
15 November 1944:
At 1600, EDOGAWA MARU departs Moji for Miri, Borneo in convoy MI-27 consisting of AWAKAWA, CHINKAI, 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. The convoy encounters a three-submarine wolf pack. After about 2200, the convoy is thrown into confusion by the wolf pack attacks. At 2205, LtCdr (later Cdr) Edward E. Shelby's (USNA ’33) USS SUNFISH (SS-281) torpedoes EDOGAWA MARU carrying 2,173 troops including the IJA 19th Sea Raiding Battalion and its base battalion, other units, 200 recent young graduates of the Army’s weapons, tank, signal, and artillery schools, 150 horses and 200 war dogs. Her cargo includes supplies, fuel, 60 vehicles, 16 landing craft, 50 depth charges and munitions. A torpedo explodes in her No. 2 hold and sets the ship afire.
About 2207, USS SUNFISH torpedoes and damages SEISHO MARU. Minesweeper W-101 attempts to assist. At about 2300, EDOGAWA MARU is abandoned.
At 2340, LtCdr Robert H. Caldwell's (USNA ’36) USS PETO (SS-265) torpedoes OSAKASAN MARU. Hit by two torpedoes, the new ship steaming in ballast on her maiden voyage, explodes in a ball of flame, lists to starboard and sinks at 33-30N, 124-30E. 62 crewmen and 80 passengers are KIA.
18 November 1944:
At 0130, a gun battle erupts between a surfaced submarine and SEISHO MARU. At 0317, Selby's USS SUNFISH torpedoes and sinks damaged SEISHO MARU. 36 crewmen and 412 passengers are KIA. At about the same time, Selby torpedoes EDOGAWA MARU again and she sinks at 33-35N, 124-35 E. 1,998 troops and 116 crewmen are KIA. At about 0430, PETO torpedoes CHINKAI MARU carrying troops and ammunition. She sinks at 33-35N, 124-34E.
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."
The rest of the convoy heads towards Shanghai for shelter. CD-61 has a number of survivors from sunken MI-27 ships aboard and now engages in further rescue work until morning. CD-61 then goes to Shanghai to land survivors.
Author's Note:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.
Bob Hackett
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