RIKUGUN YUSOSEN
(HOYEISAN MARU, prewar)
IJA Transport HOEISAN MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2013-2016 Bob Hackett
1918:
Innoshima. (Hiroshima). Laid down at Osaka Yogyo K.K. (Osaka Iron
Works) as as Yard No. 928, a 6,037 ton cargo ship for Mitsui Bussan K. K.
(Mitsui Line), Kobe.
July 1918:
Launched and named HOYEISAN MARU.
October 1918:
Completed and placed in service on Mitsui Line's routes.
24 December 1925:
HOYEISAN MARU arrives at San Francisco, CA.
5 January 1932:
At 2315, HOYEISAN MARU departs Fremantle, Western
Australia for the United Kingdom carrying a cargo of wheat.
23 October 1937:
HOYEISAN MARU transits the Panama Canal.
7 December 1937:
Sold to Yamashita Kisen K. K., Kobe. Renamed HOEISAN MARU and
chartered back.
8 July 1938:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) as a troop transport. Allotted Army No. 576.
19 January 1939:
Released by the IJN back to her owners.
27 July 1940:
Re-requisitioned by the IJA.
7 December 1940:
Released by the IJN back to her owners.
23 September 1941:
Re-requisitioned by the IJA.
18 December 1941: The Invasion of the Northern Philippines:
At 1200,
HOEISAN MARU departs Mako, Pescadores for Lingayen Gulf, Philippines in Rear
Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Rear Admiral Nishimura Shoji's (39)(former CO of
HARUNA) 2nd Lingayen Invasion Unit with 27 other IJA transports escorted by
DesRon 2's light cruiser NAKA, DesDiv 9's ASAGUMO, MINEGUMO, NATSUGUMO,
minesweepers W-9, W-10, W-11, W-12, W-17 and W-18 and subchasers CH-4, CH-5,
CH-6, CH-10, CH-11, CH-12, CH-16 , CH-17 and CH-18.
The Japanese main invasion at Lingayen Gulf consists of three transport
echelons. The first is composed of 27 transports from Takao under Rear Admiral
Hara Kensaburo, the second of 28 transports under Rear Admiral Nishimura and the
third of 21 transports from Keelung under Rear Admiral Hirose Sueto. This force
of 76 transports carries the main part of LtGen Homma Masaharu's 80,000-man 14th
Army.
24 December 1941:
HOEISAN MARU and Rear Admiral Nishimura's 2nd
Lingayen Invasion Unit arrive at Lingayen Gulf between 0110 and 0430. At 0530,
LtGen Dobashi's 2nd Lingayen Invasion Unit begins landing troops.
21 January 1942:
HOEISAN MARU departs Mutsure with transports ATSUTA,
BRAZIL, COLUMBIA, DAINICHI, FUSHIMI, GENOA, KIZZAN, MAEBASHI, MOTOYAMA, PACIFIC,
REIYO, SOMEDOMO, SYDNEY, TAKETOYO, TATSUNO, TOFUKU, TOKIWA, and TSUYAMA MARUs
escorted by CruDiv 9's light cruiser OI and DesDiv 32's FUYO, ASAGAO and
KARUKAYA. The transports are carrying the 2nd Infantry Division.
26 January 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores.
9 December 1942:
HOEISAN MARU departs Saeki in Military Movement No.
8’s convoy “G” also consisting of ANNAN, BUNZAN, KOSO, MOMOYAMA, TAIMEI and
TOKO, MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-46 and subchasers CH-39 and CH-37.
E 10 December 1942:
CH-39 is detached at 28N.
E 12 December 1942:
PB-46 and CH-37 are detached at 23N.
13 January 1943:
HOEISAN MARU departs Palau in a convoy also
consisting of GENOA, KENZAN and SHIRAHA MARUs escorted by subchaser
CH-20 and auxiliary subchasers SHOWA MARU and GANJITSU MARU No. 1.
14 January 1943:
At 1150, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Hiram
Cassedy's (USNA ’31) USS SEARAVEN (SS-196) torpedoes and sinks SHIRAHA MARU and
auxiliary subchaser GANJITSU MARU No. 1 at 09-32N, 130-42E. SHIRAHA MARU was
carrying 137 passengers of whom 16 are KIA in addition to three gunners and
eight crewmen.
18 January 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
11 February 1943:
HOEISAN MARU departs Manila Bay for Singapore. At
about 1400, off Corregidor Island, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) John E. Lee’s
(USNA ’30) USS GRAYLING (SS-209) fires two torpedoes at HOEISAN MARU and gets
one hit and a dud hit in the engine room at 14-16N, 120-28E. Four crewman are KIA.
The ship is towed to Sissiman Cove and beached.
20 April 1943:
Released by the IJN back to her owners.
At an unknown date, the wreck is refloated and converted to a floating AA battery at Manila.
18 October 1944:
Vice Admiral (Admiral posthumously) John S. McCain’s
(USNA '06) Task Force 38’s Task Groups 38.1 and 38 attack Manila harbor. TF 38’s
carrier aircraft bomb and sink HOEISAN MARU. Casualties are unknown.
Author’s Note:
[1] Also known as HOEIZAN MARU.
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.
-Bob Hackett
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