KYUSUISEN!
(KISOGAWA MARU, sistership of GORYU MARU prewar)
IJN GORYU MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2015-2017 Berend van der Wal, Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
E 1939:
Koyagi Jima. Laid down by Kawaminami Kogyo Zosensho K.K. as a 1,912-tons Peacetime Standard (D) Type cargo ship for Goyo Shosen K.K.
25 March 1940:
Launched and named GORYU MARU.
17 June 1940:
Completed and registered at Kobe.
1 July 1940:
Chartered by Kawasaki Kisen K.K.
1 May 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a general requisitioned transport (Ippan Choyosen).
18 May 1941:
Conversion for military duty starts at the Yokosuka Naval Yard.
20 June 1941:
Conversion is completed.
17 July 1941:
At the Matsu Islands, replenishes the auxiliary gunboat NAMPO MARU with fresh water.
4 August 1941:
At the Matsu Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboats NAMPO and ASAO MARUs with fresh water.
15 October 1941:
Registered by the IJN as an auxiliary water tanker attached to the Sasebo Naval District under instruction No. 1256.
E October 1941:
Attached to Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s (36) Third Fleet as an auxiliary water tanker, Otsu category. [1]
2 December 1941:
Departs Oshima.
4 December 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.
7 December 1941:
Departs Sasebo.
9 December 1941:
Arrives at Oshima.
10 December 1941:
Departs Oshima.
13 December 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.
14 December 1941:
Departs Sasebo.
16 December 1941:
Arrives at Oshima.
17 December 1941: The Invasion of Lamon Bay, Southern Luzon:
Imperial General Headquarters launches the combined IJA and IJN Lamon Bay Operation. The Army force consists of Gen (later Field Marshal) Count Terauchi Hisachi’s Southern Expeditionary Army. Its 14th Army, under Lt-Gen Homma Masaharu, fields MajGen Morioka Susumu's Invasion Unit of about 7,000 troops consisting of elements of the 16th Infantry division: 20th Infantry, 22nd Field Artillery, HQ and II Battalion, 16 HQ Coy, 16th Eng Battalion, 16th Recon Battalion, 3/45 AA Coy, 16th Transport, 16th Signal Coy, 16th Med Unit and 16th Vet Unit. Two AA and one Signals Regiment are stationed on IJA transports (Yusosen).
The invasion units are embarked on 20 IJA transports: BENGAL, DAINICHI, DURBAN, KAIMEI, KAYO, KITANO, KOFUKU, LISBON, NAGATO, NICHIREN, RYOKA, RYUYO, SHINSEI, SHINSHU (4182 GRT), TAIAN, TATSUNO, TOFUKU, TOYAMA and TOYOHASHI MARUs and TAMON MARU No.5.
The naval force consists of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake's (35) (former CO of KONGO) Southern Force, Philippines Invasion Group that includes Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s (35)(former CO of YAMASHIRO) Third Fleet. Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kubo Kyuji’s (38) (former CO of KAGA) Invasion Unit consists of his 1st Base Force HQ, in light cruiser NAGARA, 1st Quartermaster Ports and Docks Unit and 1st Naval Signal Unit, aboard HAKUSAN MARU, 1st Naval Guard Unit, aboard KIMISHIMA MARU, 1st Naval Survey Unit in SENKO MARU and Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mori Kunizo's (40)(former CO of SATA) Sasebo No. 1 and 2 Combined Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) aboard MYOKO MARU.
The convoy’s escort consists of light cruiser NAGARA (F), heavy cruiser ASHIGARA, destroyers TOKITSUKAZE, YUKIKAZE, KAWAKAZE, SUSUKAZE, UMIKAZE, YAMAKAZE, minelayer AOTAKA, minesweepers W-7 and W-8, auxiliary gunboat/minelayer IKUSHIMA MARU, auxiliary gunboats BUSHO, KEIKO, KANKO and MYOKEN MARUs, auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 17 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 5 and auxiliary netlayer FUKUEI MARU No. 15.
The Invasion Force departs Koniya, Amami Oshima for Lamon Bay, Quezon (P.I.). GORYU MARU departs there later that day.
24 December 1941:
The Invasion Force arrives at Lamon Bay. The landings proceed without strong opposition. Arrives at Lamon Bay, Southern Luzon. At 1330, replenishes patrol boat PB-1 with water.
30 December 1941:
Departs Lamon Bay with transport MYOKO MARU.
3 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa (now Kaoshiung, Taiwan).
6 January 1942:
Departs Takao.
14 January 1942:
Arrives at Davao, Mindanao. Replenishes hospital ship ASAHI MARU with 350t water.
18 January 1942:
Departs Davao.
22 January 1942:
Arrives at Palau, Western Carolines.
26 January 1942:
Departs Palau.
31 January 1942:
Arrives at Banka anchorage, NE Celebes (now Sulawesi).
4 February 1942:
Departs Banka anchorage.
8 February 1942:
Arrives at Jolo, Sulu Archipelago.
25 February 1942:
Departs Jolo.
3 March 1942:
At Staring Bay, Celebes, replenishes patrol boat PB-1 with water.
17 March 1942:
Arrives at Kendari, Celebes.
24 March 1942:
Departs Kendari.
26 March 1942:
Arrives at Macassar, Celebes.
25 April 1942:
Departs Macassar.
28 April 1942:
Arrives at Surabaya, Java. Departs later.
15 May 1942:
Scheduled to be fitted with one Type 92 7.7mm mod. A MG and 5 type 38 Arisaka rifles under Navy’s secret instruction No. 5990.
27 June 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores.
1 July 1942:
Departs Mako.
2 July 1942:
Arrives at Kirun, Formosa (now Keelung, Taiwan).
13 July 1942:
Departs Kirun.
20 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama.
18 August 1942:
Departs Yokohama in a convoy also consisting of KYOWA, YAMAHAGI, KOSHU, YAMASHIRO, SHICHISEI and YOMEI MARUs escorted by destroyer SAWAKAZE. The convoy assembles off Futtsu and leaves at 1030 at 9 knots.
21 August 1942:
Arrives at Moji.
23 August 1942:
Departs Moji.
25 August 1942:
Attached directly to the Combined fleet.
E 30 August 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
3 September 1942:
Departs Manila in convoy No. 908 consisting only of GORYU MARU escorted by auxiliary gunboat KISAO MARU but only to the Basilan Strait, Philippines.
24 September 1942:
Departs Palau in a convoy with IJN auxiliary transport MUKO MARU with unknown escort.
29 September 1942:
Off Ulul Atoll, Carolines, auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU joins the convoy.
30 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk, Central Carolines.
24 October 1942:
At Kwajalein, Marshalls, replenishes auxiliary patrol boat SHINSHU MARU with 2t water.
29 October 1942:
At Wotje, Marshalls, replenishes auxiliary patrol boat ASHITAKA MARU No. 5 with 7t water.
19 November 1942:
Separates with ASHITAKA MARU No. 5 and returns to Wotje anchorage.
20 November 1942:
At Wotje, replenishes auxiliary patrol craft FUKUYOSHI MARU No. 5, NICHIEI MARU (5 tons of water) and KAZU MARU No. 5 with fresh water.
22 November 1942:
At Wotje, replenishes auxiliary patrol craft HIGASHINIHON MARU with 14t water.
15 February 1943:
Assigned to Marshall defense troops, water supply unit under secret instruction No. 1.
28 March 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein escorted by auxiliary subchasers SHOWA MARU and SHONAN MARU No. 3.
30 March 1943:
Departs Kwajalein escorted by auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 3.
9 April 1943:
Departs Jaluit, Marshalls in convoy with IKUTA MARU escorted by auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 6.
11 April 1943:
At 1104, arrives at Tarawa, Gilberts.
14 April 1943:
Departs Tarawa escorted by auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 6.
16 April 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit escorted by by auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 6.
28 April 1943:
At 0500 departs Emidji, Marshalls escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser KYO MARU No. 7.
2 May 1943:
At 0720 arrives at Ponape, Eastern Carolines. The next days, supplies fresh water.
6 May 1943:
At 0735 departs Ponape still escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser KYO MARU No. 7.
10 May 1943:
At 0730 arrives at Jaluit.
5 June 1943:
At 1000, departs Jaluit in convoy with IKUTA MARU escorted by auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 6.
7 June 1943:
At 0900, arrives at Tarawa.
13 June 1943:
Departs Tarawa.
September 1943:
Calls at Jaluit and Kwajalein.
October 1943:
Assigned to Marshall defense troops, water supply unit under secret instruction No. 10.
2 October 1943:
Departs Jabor, Marshalls.
4 October 1943:
Arrives at Tarawa.
14 October 1943:
Departs Tarawa.
15 October 1943:
Arrives at Makin, Gilberts.
18 October 1943:
Departs Makin.
19 October 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit.
22 October 1943:
Departs Jaluit and arrives at Emidji later that day.
21 November 1943:
Sustains an air attack. A bomb hits the engine room on starboard, another hits directly the engine room. 17 crewmen and one gunner are KIA. GORYU MARU starts to sink in the lagoon and probably runs aground that same day on the north side of Aineman Island.
E December 1943:
GORYU MARU’s wreck is targeted by numerous American aircraft, subjected to additional bombing when mistaken for an active ship.
4 February 1944:
A PV-1 Ventura aircraft bombs and hits again the wreck.
7 February 1944:
USAAF A-24 Banshees, P-40 Warhawks, and P-39 Airacobras attack Japanese shipping at Jaluit. The P-39s damage the transport CHOSEN MARU. GORYU MARU’s wreck receives further damage.
30 June 1945:
Removed from the Naval list under internal order No. 577.
Authors notes :
[1] There were two categories of Kyusuisen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
Berend van der Wal, Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall.
Back to
IJN Transports Page
