Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

(HISHI MARU, prewar - Berend van der Wal Collection)

IJN HISHI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2010-2020 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 5

14 May 1931:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding as a 500-ton coastal tanker for Mitsubishi Shoji K.K.
15 September 1931:
Launched and named MITSUBISHI MARU.
15 October 1931:
Completed and registered at Yokohama with Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) of respectively 492-tons and 305-tons. Her call sign is JCDH. [1]
1932:
Sold to Ogimachi Tanker K.K., Yokohama and renamed HISHI MARU.
1932-1940:
In Ogimachi Tanker's service between Hikoshima, Kawasaki, Nagoya, Osaka, and Saitozaki.
19 December 1940:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
15 October 1941:
Registered in the Kure Naval District as an auxiliary as an Otsu category auxiliary transport (oil supply) under Ordinance intruction No. 1256. Begins conversion. Captain Noma Tsunetaru is appointed Commanding Officer. Assigned to the Combined Fleet. [2]
October 1941:
Attached to the Yokosuka Naval Base, Yokosuka Naval Munitions Department.
11 October 1941:
Conversion for military duty begins.
5 November 1941:
Completes conversion.
Late November 1941:
Departs Tokuyama for Kure.
Early December 1941:
Assigned directly to the Combined Fleet. Sails from Tokuyama to Kure. Refuels 16 ships of the Combined Fleet bound for Palau, Celebes, Java and Timor.
8 December 1941:
At Hashirajima.
12 December 1941:
Departs Kure.
24 December 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
29 December 1941:
Departs Palau.
1 January 1942:
Arrives at Davao.
6 January 1942:
At Davao refuels heavy cruisers NACHI and HAGURO.
9 January 1942:
Departs Davao. Later sails for Celebes, Netherlands East Indies (now Sulawesi, Indonesia) then Java, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) and Timor, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).
26 January 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
5 February 1942:
Departs Kure.
20 May 1942:
Assigned to the Naval Department, belonging to the Kure Naval District.
11 July 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
15 July 1942:
Departs Kure.
19 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
4 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
21 August 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama.
26 August 1942:
Departs Yokohama.
11 September 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama.
13 September 1942:
Departs Yokohama.
18 September 1942:
Arrives at Kobe.
3 October 1942:
Departs Kobe.
4 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gas.
6 October 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
8 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas.
12 October 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
13 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gas.
15 October 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
16 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas.
20 October 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
21 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gas.
24 October 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
25 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas.
3 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama. Later departs port.
6 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gas.
8 November 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
9 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas.
13 November 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
17 November 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
19 November 1942:
Departs Kure.
20 November 1942:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
22 November 1942:
Departs Tokuyama.
26 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably unloads fuel oil.
2 December 1942:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives at Kawasaki.
4 December 1942:
Departs Kawasaki and arrives at Nagoya.
7 December 1942:
Departs Nagoya and arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gas.
9 December 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi and arrives at Shiba.
10 December 1942:
Departs Shiba and arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas.
5 January 1943:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives at Yokohama.
6 January 1943:
Departs Yokohama and later arrives at Nagoya.
9 January 1943:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gas.
13 January 1943:
Departs Yokkaichi.
14 January 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas.
19 January 1943:
Arrives at Kawasaki.
24 January 1943:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
28 January 1943:
Departs Tokuyama and arrives at Yokosuka.
1 February 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
5 February 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
6 February 1943:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gas.
9 February 1943:
Departs Yokkaichi.
10 February 1943:
Arrives Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas. During the month makes calls at Chai and Yokohama.
26 February 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas.
1 March 1943:
Departs Yokosuka and during the month calls at Shiba and Yokohama.
17 March 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
18 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gas.
20 March 1943:
Departs Yokkaichi.
21 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas.
23 March 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
30 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1 April 1943:
Departs Yokosuka and during the month calls at Shiba and Yokohama.
30 April 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka and during the month calls at Shiba, Yokohama, Yokkaichi and Kawasaki.
31 May 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
6 June 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
17 June 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
21 June 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
29 June 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
10 July 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
11 July 1943:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gas.
13 July 1943:
Departs Yokkaichi.
15 July 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges aviation gas.
16 July 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
30 July 1943:
Yokosuka.
21 August 1943:
Ownership changes to Mitsubishi Sekiyu K.K. (Mitsubishi Oil Co., Ltd.).
1 December 1943:
Ownership changes to Mitsubishi Kisen, K. K. (Mitsubishi Steam Ship Co., Ltd.).
6 December 1943:
Departs Yokosuka and makes calls at Gobo, Tokuyama and Sumoto, then returns to Yokosuka.
12 December 1943:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives at Moji.
23 December 1943:
HISHI MARU is being escorted westward by auxiliary minesweeper KEIJIN MARU No. 1.
30 December 1943:
Arrives at Konan (Hungnam), Chosen (now North Korea) .
3 January 1944:
Departs Konan.
5 January 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
8 January 1944:
Arrives Konan.
10 January 1944:
Departs Konan.
13 January 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
20 January 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
29 January 1944:
Departs Tokuyama and makes calls at Konan, Kushimoto, Matoya and returns to Yokosuka. Probably unloads fuel oil.
January 1944:
Departs Yokosuka.
28 February 1944:
Arrives at Takasaki.
29 February 1944:
Departs Takasaki and later arrives at Kaminato, Hachijo Jima. Then proceeds to Borawasawa, Hachijo Jima, Yaene, Hachijo Jima, Chichi Jima, Bonins and Iwo Jima Bonin before sailing back to Chichi Jima.
14 March 1944:
At 1058 departs Chichi Jima en route to Iwo Jima escorted by the auxiliary minesweeper KEINAN MARU. Later returns to Chichi Jima.
15 March 1944:
At 1330 arrives at Iwo Jima.
22 March 1944:
At 1135 departs Chichi Jima in convoy with UNKAI MARU No. 7 and SURUGA MARU escorted by auxiliary minesweeper KEINAN MARU and auxiliary patrol boat SHINKO MARU No. 8.
23 March 1944:
At 0804 arrives at Iwo Jima.
24 March 1944:
Early am departs Iwo Jima escorted by the auxiliary minesweeper KEINAN MARU and late that evening arrives back at Chichi Jima.
27 March 1944:
Departs Chichi Jima for Yokosuka.
30 March 1944:
Captain Noma Tsunetaru’s comission extended and continues.
April 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and makes calls at Shimizu, Tokuyama, Sasebo, and Konan.
27 April 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
1 May 1944:
Departs Tokuyama for Konan (Hungnam).
26 May 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
20 May 1944:
Ownership changes to Kinkai Yusosen K.K.
30 May 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
2 June 1944:
Arrives at Genzan, Chosen (Kunsan, now Wonsan, North Korea).
3 June 1944:
Departs Genzan for Shimotsu, Tokuyama, Busan (Fusan/Pusan), Chosen (also known as Katoku To, Kadoku To or Kadong To, now Gadeongdo, Busan, South Korea).
30 June 1944:
Arrives at Niihama.
1 July 1944:
Departs Niihama for Yokkoichi, Konan and Tokuyama.
4 July 1944:
At 0700 scheduled to pass eastbound through Ichiezaki and then Yokkaichi.
8 July 1944:
At 1710 scheduled to pass westbound through Ichiezaki, then Konan and Tokuyama.
26 July 1944:
Arrives at Hikoshima. Enters dock for repairs.
16 August 1944:
Repairs are completed. Departs Hikoshima. Makes calls at Tokuyama, Genzan and Konan.
31 August 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
4 September 1944:
Departs Tokuyama. Makes calls at Niihama, Kobe, Yokkaichi , Tokuyama and Genzan.
19 September 1944:
At 2030 scheduled to pass westbound with IBUKI MARU through Ichiezaki but they are delayed. Cause of the delay is unknown.
20 September 1944:
At 1100 scheduled to pass westbound with IBUKI MARU through Ichiezaki.
30 September 1944:
Arrives at Konan.
3 October 1944:
Departs Konan. Makes calls at Urusan (Ulsan), Chosen (now South Korea), Tokuyama and Genzan.
29 October 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
2 November 1944:
Departs Tokuyama. Makes calls at Kure, Tokuyama and Konan.
23 November 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
29 April 1945:
Off loads 100-tons of aviation gasoline.
30 April 1945:
Off loads 161-tons of aviation gasoloine.
3 May 1945:
Departs Maizuru.
13 May 1945:
Auxiliary subchaser No. 184 pilots HISHI MARU through Maizuru Bay to Maizuru. At 1450 arrives at Maizuru.
15 May 1945:
At 1026 arrives at Maizuru escorted by destroyer YUKIKAZE and cable layer escort HASSHIMA.
30 June 1945:
Removed from the Navy List. That same day requisitioned again as an auxiliary transport.
15 August 1945:
Remains in service. Her SCAJAP No. is X-005.
April 1949:
Released to her owners.
1950:
Sold to Heiwa Kisen K.K., Yokohama.
1954:
Sold to Tabuchi Kaiun K.K., Osaka and renamed TAISEI MARU.
16 May 1966:
Onomichi. Begins scrapping.

Author's 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.
[2] There were two categories of Yusosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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