Japanese Army Auxiliary Transports

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(HAVRE MARU, prewar)

IJA HAVRE MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2012- 2016 Bob Hackett
Revision 4

1919:
Innoshima. Laid down at Osaka Iron Works as Yard No. 938, a 5,652-ton passenger-cargo ship for the Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) Line, Kobe.
April 1920:
Launched and named HAVRE MARU. [1]
25 May 1920:
Completed. Departs Kobe on her maiden voyage for OSK to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and London, England.
1920:
Converted from coal to oil fired propulsion.
1921:
In service on OSK’s Far East ~ New York route.
4 August 1921:
Arrives at Singapore.
6 August 1921:
Departs Singapore for San Francisco and New York via the Panama Canal.
15 April 1923:
Arrives at Singapore.
22 April 1923:
Departs Singapore for San Francisco and New York via the Panama Canal.
16 July 1924:
Kobe. Early in the morning, HAVRE MARU and steamship HALLGRIM arrive, but because of a gale are prevented from entering inside the breakwater, and anchor outside. Between 1627 and 1629, both HAVRE MARU and HALLGRIM weigh anchor, but collide while exiting the port.
25 October 1925:
Pier 38, Brooklyn, New York. During a storm, scow United States Lighterage No. 1 breaks loose from her moorings and goes under the stern of anchored HAVRE MARU, damaging both ships.
1930:
Transferred to OSK’s Kobe ~ Bombay ~ Calcutta route.
14 October 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army as a troop transport. Alloted IJA No. 130.
18 December 1941: The Invasion of the Philippines -“M” Operation (M Sakusen):
At 1700, HAVRE MARU departs Mako, Pescadores for Lingayen Gulf, Philippines in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Rear Admiral Hara Kensaburo's (37)(former CO of TAKAO) 1st Lingayen Invasion Unit with 27 other IJA transports escorted by DesRon 5's light cruiser NATORI, DesDiv 5's ASAKAZE, HARUKAZE and MATSUKAZE, DesDiv 22's FUMIZUKI, MINAZUKI, NAGATSUKI and SATSUKI, minesweepers W-15 and W-16 and subchasers CH-1, CH-2, CH-3 CH-13, CH-14 and CH-15.
The Japanese main invasion at Lingayen Gulf consists of three transport echelons and carries the main part of LtGen Homma Masaharu's 80,000-man 14th Army. The first echelon is composed of 27 transports from Takao under Rear Admiral Hara , the second echelon of 28 transports under Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Nishimura Shoji (39) and the third echelon of 21 transports from Keelung under Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto (39).
24 December 1941:
Lingayen Gulf. Between 0110 and 0430, the Lingayen Invasion Convoy lands troops at Lingayen.
14 January 1942:
At 1700, HAVRE MARU departs Moji for Takao, Formosa in a convoy also consisting of TAKAOKA, ADEN, MIYASONO, ASAKA and YAE MARUs escorted by minelayers HIRASHIMA and TSUBAME.
18 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
19 February 1942:
At 0800, 39 transports of Vice Admiral Takahashi's Third Fleet, Eastern Java Invasion Force (Toho Koryaku Butai) depart the anchorage at Jolo Island, Philippines for Java carrying the IJA’s 48th Infantry Division. En route, four more transports carrying the Sakaguchi Detachment (assigned to capture Tjilatjap) join the invasion convoy.
The convoy is escorted by Rear Admiral Shoji's heavy cruisers NACHI and HAGURO, DesRon 2's light cruisers NAKA and JINTSU and DesDiv 16's YUKIKAZE, TOKITSUKAZE, AMATSUKAZE and HATSUKAZE and DesDiv 7's USHIO, SAZANAMI, YAMAKAZE and KAWAKAZE and DesRon 4's light cruiser NAKA, DesDiv 2's YUDACHI, SAMIDARE, HARUSAME, DesDiv 9's ASAGUMO, MURASAME, MINEGUMO, NATSUGUMO.
27 February 1942: The Battle of the Java Sea:
At 1547, HAGURO and NACHI, DesRon 2's JINTSU with DesDiv 16's YUKIKAZE, TOKITSUKAZE, AMATSUKAZE and HATSUKAZE and DesDiv 7's USHIO, SAZANAMI, YAMAKAZE and KAWAKAZE engage Dutch Rear Admiral Karel W. F. M. Doorman's Strike Force's light cruiser HrMs DE RUYTER (F), heavy cruisers HMS EXETER and USS HOUSTON (CA-30), light cruisers HMAS PERTH and HrMs JAVA, destroyers HMS ELECTRA, ENCOUNTER, JUPITER, HrMs KORTENAER and WITTE de WITH and old destroyers USS ALDEN (DD-211), JOHN D. EDWARDS (DD-216), JOHN D. FORD (DD-228) and PAUL JONES (DD-230).
During this day and the next day’s engagements, Doorman's Strike Force loses HMS EXETER and USS HOUSTON (CA-30), light cruisers HMAS PERTH, HrMs DE RUYTER, HrMs JAVA, destroyers HMS ELECTRA, ENCOUNTER, JUPITER and HrMs KORTENAER to superior Japanese forces. The Allies also lose old four stack USS POPE (DD-225).
1 March 1942: Operation "J" - The Invasion of Java, Netherlands East Indies:
At 0120, 100 miles W of Surabaya, Java. The Eastern Java Invasion Force now consisting of 43 transports including HAVRE MARU enters the roadstead off Kragan village, East Java.
Just before dropping anchor, the ships suffer a fierce air attack. JOHORE MARU is hit and suffers many KIA and WIA. TOKUSHIMA MARU is also hit and has to be beached at 0200. Despite the air attacks, at 0015, the convoy lands the 48th Infantry Division at Kragan village, East Java. Their main objectives are the Surabaya Naval Base on the eastern coast and Tjilatjap harbor on the southern coast.
19 March 1942: "U" transport operation to Burma (U Sakusen):
The First Burma Transport Convoy departs Singapore consisting of 32 ships with main body of the 56th Division: HAVRE, AOBASAN, KAZUURA, KIZAN, GLASGOW, KUSUYAMA, KOTOHIRA, SANKO, SAKITO, SHINAI, SHINRYU, SHUNSEI, SYDNEY, SHINANOGAWA, SUMATRA, GENOA, TATEISHI, TSUYAMA, TOKIWA, NAKO, NAGARA, NICHIRAN, NAPLES, HARUNA, HIBURI, HOFUKU, HOKUMEI, MYOKO, MOMOYAMA, YAE MARUs and two others.
25 March 1942:
The First Burma Transport Convoy arrives at Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar).
16 April 1942:
At 1215, HAVRE MARU departs Singapore for Dairen, Manchuria in an unidentified convoy consisting of ATLAS, FRANCE, GLASGOW, HEIAN, MOMOYAMA, MYOKO, RYUNAN, SANKO, TOKIWA and TSUYAMA MARUs escorted by kaibokan SHIMUSHU, torpedo boats OTORI and HIYODORI, patrol PB-35 and auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7. The convoy is transporting the IJA’s 3rd Tank Corps. The escorts protect the convoy to latitude 16N where the convoy is escorted by unknown units of the IJN's North China Area Fleet.
2 June 1943:
HAVRE MARU departs Takao in convoy No. 396 also consisting of tanker SHOYO MARU, transports MANSHU MARUs and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat CHOJUSAN MARU.
9 June 1943:
Arrives at Saigon, Indochina (now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam).
26 June 1943:
At 0800, HAVRE MARU departs Saeki in convoy O-503 also consisting of NICHIZUI and TATSUMIYA MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-31 and minesweeper W-31.
2 July 1943:
Arrives at Palau, Carolines.
27 July 1943:
HAVRE MARU departs Takao in convoy No. 311 consisting of IJA transports TAIJIN, SUGIYAMA, HOKUYO and SHOTO MARUs, auxiliary collier/oiler TONEI MARU and IJN tanker TAKETOYO MARU without escort.
31 July 1943:
Arrives at Samah, Hainan Island, China.
1 August 1943:
Departs Samah.
3 August 1943:
Arrives at Yulin, Hainan Island, China.
4 August 1943:
Departs Yulin.
8 August 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
10 August 1943:
Departs Takao.
11 August 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
18 August 1943:
HAVRE MARU departs St Jacques in convoy No. 416 also consisting of KYOKUYO, SHOTO, KINMON, SAINAN and GYOYU MARUs and one unidentified ship escorted by auxiliary gunship CHOHAKUSAN MARU.
22 August 1943:
N of the Paracel Islands. At about 0817, LtCdr Russell Kefauver's (USNA ’33) USS TAMBOR (SS-198) attacks the convoy. Kefauver fires five Mark 14-3A torpedoes at KYOKUYO MARU at 16-44N, 113-38E and gets three hits amidships, but they are duds and bounce off. but she suffers little, if any, damage.
25 August 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
29 September 1943:
At 1300, HAVRE and TEIFU (ex-Vichy French BOUGAINVILLE) MARUs depart Miike and later join convoy No. 102 en route from Mutsure to Takao and consisting of TEIRYU (ex-German AUGSBURG), SUEZ, BELGIUM, CHIYODA, MISAKI, TAIAN, FRANCE and YUBAE MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-36.
3 October 1943:
At 1925, arrives at Takao.
13 October 1943:
HAVRE MARU departs Palau in convoy FU-310 also consisting of IJA transports DAKAR, BRAZIL, CHIYO, CLYDE, FUKUYO, KIBI, PACIFIC and YURI MARUs escorted by minesweeper W-18.
20 October 1943:
auxiliary minesweepers AOI and YACHIYO MARUs and TOKUHO MARU No. 10. join the convoy’s escort.
22 October 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
13 November 1943:
HAVRE MARU departs Saeki in convoy O-306 consisting of BRAZIL, CLYDE, TEIYU (ex-Italian CARIGNANO), UCHIDE and YURI MARUs escorted by destroyer HARUKAZE, minelayer YURIJIMA, auxiliary minesweepers OI and TAMA MARUs
E 15 November 1943:
YURIJIMA, OI and TAMA MARUs are detached at 28N.
30 November 1943:
At 0700, HAVRE MARU departs Palau for Saeki in convoy No. FU-008 also consisting of IKOMA, MAYA, SHINRYU, YASUKUNI, TESHIO, HOZUGAWA MARU and DAIGEN MARU No. 3 escorted by patrol boat PB-31.
4 December 1943:
High seas force TESHIO MARU to detach for Manila.
9 December 1943:
Auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 8 joins the escort.
11 December 1943:
At 0100, arrives at Saeki.
26 December 1943:
At 0920, HAVRE MARU departs Sasebo for Takao in convoy No. 124 also consisting of HIDA, NICHIYO, HAKUSHIKA, MOJI and FUJI MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-36.
31 December 1943:
The convoy arrives at Takao less FUJI and HAKUSHIKA MARUs detached earlier.
16 January 1944:
At 1500, HAVRE MARU departs Manila in convoy No. 3103 also consisting of tankers CHIYODA and RIKKO MARUs escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU.
21 January 1944:
Arrives at Miri, Borneo where the convoy is dissolved.
9 March 1944:
HAVRE MARU and supply ship ARASAKI are en route from Balikpapan, Borneo to Palau, escorted by PB-102 (ex-USS STEWART, DD-224). At 2336, an unidentified submarine attacks the convoy. One torpedo passes 20 meters behind PB-102’s stern; the second hits port side aft of the bridge, but does not explode.
14 March 1944:
Arrives at Palau.
18 March 1944:
HAVRE MARU departs Pusan, Korea for Ujina in convoy Higashi-Matsu ("East Pine") No. 4 carrying the IJA 2nd Expeditionary Unit, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 9th Division, 3rd Battalion, 19th Infantry, 9th Division, 1st Battalion, 49th Artillery, 9th Division, 3rd Company, 9th Engineer Regiment, 9th Division, 3rd Company, 1st Battalion, 25th AAA Regiment.
19 March 1944:
Arrives at Ujina, disembarks troops, returns to Pusan and embarks more troops.
20 March 1944:
HAVRE MARU departs Pusan, Korea for Ujina in convoy Higashi-Matsu No. 4 carrying the 1st Co, 9th Independent Engineer Regiment, 3rd Company, 25th AAA Regiment and one platoon, Shipping Engineer Regiment.
21 March 1944:
Arrives at Ujina and disembarks troops.
1 April 1944:
At 1100, convoy Higashi-Matsu No. 4 departs Tokyo Bay. The ships and their destinations are:
Truk: HAVRE, SHOZUI, TATEBE (KEMBU), SHIMA and SHINYO MARUs.
Saipan: SHOUN, TOKO, TAKASAN, AKIKAWA KOKO, SHIRAMINE, TAIKAI, KAKOGAWA and MAKASSAR (MACASSAR) MARUs.
Guam: MIMIASAKA, TOAN, AZUCHISAN and NISSU MARU s and UNYO MARU No. 8
Palau: Fleet supply ship MAMIYA, TENRYUGAWA, TAIAN and TOSEI MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 5 and fleet supply ship KINESAKI.
Yap: SHINSEI MARU.
HAVRE MARU carries the IJA 2nd Engineer Unit and 9th Independent Engineer Regiment.
Rear Admiral Kiyota Takahiko (former CO of NACHI) is the convoy commander in destroyer SAMIDARE. The other escorts include destroyer ASANAGI, torpedo-boat HIYODORI, kaibokan AMAKUSA, MIKURA, FUKUE, OKI, CD-2, CD-3 and subchaser CH-50.
3 April 1944:
5 miles S of Tori-Shima. At about 1457, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen's (USNA ’31) USS POLLACK torpedoes and sinks TOSEI MARU at 30-14N, 139-45E. One passenger is KIA. The escorts counter-attack USS POLLACK and drop 55 depth charges unsuccessfully.
8 April 1944:
N of Saipan. At 0228 (JST), LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Frederick J. Harlfinger's (USNA ’37) USS TRIGGER (SS-237) fires four torpedoes at the convoy, but fails to get any hits. While the troopships are diverted to the west, OKI and SAMIDARE counter-attack with depth-charges. Harlfinger runs at 300 feet or more for 17 hours as six escorts dog his trail and rain down numerous depth charges. Six DCs explode extremely close by and damage TRIGGER.
9 April 1944:
62 miles WNW of Saipan. At 1625, LtCdr (later Captain) Slade D. Cutter's (USNA ’35) USS SEAHORSE (SS-304) torpedoes and hits MIMASAKA MARU at 15-30N, 145-00E. MIMASAKA MARU is taken in tow by TOAN MARU. The escorts counterattack SEAHORSE unsuccessfully. Later that day, the convoy arrives at Saipan where it is split into four echelons bound for Truk, Guam, Yap and Palau.
10 April 1944:
At about 0100 (JST), MIMASAKA MARU founders. She is carrying over 1,000 Naval personnel, most of whom are rescued. Seven from the Naval party, one escort and ten crewmen are KIA. The convoy arrives at Saipan, then is split into separate groups that continue on to their respective destinations.
29 May 1944:
At dawn, HAVRE MARU departs Tokyo in convoy No. 3530 also consisting of KASIMASAN, KATORI, KATSUKAWA, SHINROKU, SUGIYAMA, TAKAOKA, and TAMAHIME MARUs and two unidentified ships escorted by torpedo boat OTORI and subchasers CH-17 CH-33 and CH-50. The convoy is carrying troops of the 43rd Infantry Division and the 115th Airfield Battalion.
HAVRE MARU carries elements of the 118th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Division consisting of 44 officers, 1,025 enlisted men, 420 cubic meters of unit gear and eElements of the 43rd Division Intendance Duty Unit consisting of 2 officers, 619 men and 500 cubic meters of unit gear. She also carries the 4th Independent Tank Company consisting of 125 men, 11 light tanks and 4 trucks and one-half of the 115th Airfield Battalion consisting of 200 men, 7 trucks and one-half of the 14th Independent Mortar Battalion consisting of 12 officers, 313 enlisted men, 4 trucks, 145 cubic meters of unit clothing. In addition, she carries the 17th Independent Mortar Battalion consisting of 634 men, the 9th Independent Maintenance Unit of the 14th Field Air Repair Depot, 14th Field Air Supply Depot and elements of the 29th Division Sea Transport Unit consisting of 3 landing craft, 26 collapsible boats, provisions, clothing, lumber and fuel.
TAKAOKA MARU carries elements of the 118th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Division consisting of 160 officers, 3,885 enlisted men, 1,100 cubic meters of unit gear, 3rd Independent Tank Company consisting of 10 officers, 84 enlisted men, 11 light tanks, 4 trucks and one-half of the 115th Airfield Battalion consisting of 200 enlisted men, 7 trucks and One-half of the 23rd Field Airfield Construction Unit consisting of 10 officers, 200 enlisted men, 3 trucks, 1,150 bales of unit gear and elements of the 29th Division Sea Transport Unit consisting of 100 enlisted men, 3 landing craft, provisions, limber, cement and fuel.
KATSUKAWA MARU carries one-half of the 14th Independent Mortar Battalion consisting of 324 men, 20th Independent Mortar Battalion, elements of the 43rd Division Intendance Duty Unit and one-half of the 23rd Field Airfield Construction Unit consisting of 43 trucks, provisions, lumber and fuel.
That same day, the convoy arrives at Tateyama Fuel Depot for refueling.
31 May 1944:
The convoy departs Tateyama for Saipan.
4 June 1944:
At 1530, LtCdr (later KIA) Edward N. Blakely's (USNA ’34) USS SHARK (SS-314) (later lost on patrol) torpedoes and sinks KATSUKAWA MARU at 19-45N, 138-15E. The transport is carrying 2,884 soldiers of the IJA's 43rd Infantry Division to bolster Saipan's defenses. About half of them are KIA.
5 June 1944:
At 1645, Blakely torpedoes and sinks TAKAOKA MARU at 18-40N, 140-35E. Immediately afterwards, Blakely torpedoes and sinks TAMAHIME MARU in the same position.
6 June 1944:
200 nms NW of Saipan. At 1010, LtCdr (later Admiral, CINCPACFLT) Bernard A. Clary's (USNA ’34) USS PINTADO (USS-387) fires six torpedoes at overlapping targets and gets three hits that sink KASIMASAN MARU at 16-28N, 142-16E. She was carrying a cargo of gasoline and landing craft. 43 crewmen are KIA.
PINTADO's other three torpedoes hits and sink HAVRE MARU in the same position. Seven troops and 91 crewmen are KIA, but HAVRE MARU's Captain Honda Sadakichi and the remaining crew members and troops survive. They are picked up and landed at Saipan that same day.
15 June 1944: American Operation "FORAGER" - The Invasion of Saipan:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond K. Turner's (USNA ’08) (former CO of ASTORIA, CA-34) Task Force 52 lands Marine LtGen Holland M. Smith's V Amphibious Corps and the invasion begins.
18 July 1944:
Saipan. Captain Honda and his crewmen are awaiting repatriation, but all are KIA as infantrymen in the fighting.

Authors' Note:
[1] Not to be confused with HAVRE MARU (5467 tons), IJA No. 606.

Bob Hackett

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