Tabular Record of Movement
28 October 1941: 7 September 1942: 24 January 1943: 26 January 1943: 27 January 1943:
-Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
10 March 1934:
Laid down by Mitsui Bussan K.K. Zosen Tama Kojo shipyard as a 4,575-ton cargo ship for Shimatani Kisen K.K., Kobe.
8 September 1934:
Launched and named KAIHEI MARU.
8 November 1934:
Completed and registered at Kobe. Departs Tama for Osaka.
10 November 1934:
Arrives at Osaka and departs later that day for Kobe.
11 November 1934:
Arrives at Kobe and departs later that day for Moji.
12 November 1934:
Arrives at Moji.
E November 1934:
Departs Moji. Calls at Kirun (Keelung), Anping and Takao (Kaohsiung), Formosa (Taiwan).
13 November 1936:
KAIHEI MARU is chartered to Osaka Shosen K.K. (OSK Line) and placed on their Kobe ~ Anping ~ Takao commercial line.
13 July 1937:
Requisitioned by the IJA. Allocated Army Number 136.
Part of the Third Echelon to carry troops to China in the China Emergency.
E 1938:
Released by the IJA to her owners.
9 May 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
30 August 1941:
Departs Shibaura, Tokyo.
E September-October 1941:
Operates in the South Seas area (Japanese Mandated Islands).
15 October 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Registered in the Yokosuka Naval District as an auxiliary transport, (Otsu) category under internal order No. 1256 and attached to the Yokosuka Naval District. Her home port is Yokosuka Naval Base. [1]
Departs Yokosuka for Kwajalein, Marshalls. Arrives at an unknown date.
Departs Kwajalein for Ponape, Carolines.
3 December 1941:
Arrives at Ponape, Carolines.
11 December 1941:
Departs Ponape for Truk, Carolines.
12 December 1941:
Arrives at Truk. Begins loading ammunition.
17 December 1941:
Ammunition loading is completed.
19 December 1941:
Departs Truk for Roi-Namur, Marshalls.
24 December 1941:
Arrives at Roi-Namur.
25 December 1941:
Departs Roi-Namur and arrives the same day at Kwajalein.
27 December 1941:
Departs Kwajalein and arrives the same day at Roi-Namur.
2 January 1942:
Departs Roi-Namur and arrives the same day at Kwajalein.
5 January 1942:
Departs Kwajalein for Imieji anchorage, Jaluit, Marshalls.
6 January 1942:
Arrives at Imieji anchorage.
7 January 1942:
Departs Imieji anchorage, calls at Jaluit and departs for Taroa, Marshalls.
8 January 1942:
Arrives at Taroa.
9 January 1942:
Departs Taroa and arrives the same day at Wotje, Marshalls.
10 January 1942:
Departs Wotje for Rongelap Atoll (Rongorappu-to), Marshalls.
11 January 1942:
Arrives at Rongelap.
12 January 1942:
Departs Rongelap for Eniwetok (Brown Island), Marshalls.
14 January 1942:
Arrives at Eniwetok and departs the same day for Tinian, Marianas.
18 January 1942:
Arrives at Tinian.
21 January 1942:
Departs Tinian for Saipan, Marianas.
22 January 1942:
Arrives at Saipan and departs later that day for Yokosuka.
28 January 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably undergoes a maintenance and repairs.
22 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Eniwetok.
2 March 1942:
Arrives at Eniwetok.
3 March 1942:
Departs Eniwetok for Kwajalein.
4 March 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
10 March 1942:
Departs Kwajalein and arrives the same day at Roi-Namur.
15 March 1942:
Departs Roi-Namur for Wotje.
16 March 1942:
Arrives at Wotje.
20 March 1942:
Departs Wotje and arrives the same day at Taroa.
23 March 1942:
Departs Taroa for Majuro Atoll, Marshalls.
24 March 1942:
Arrives at Majuro.
25 March 1942:
Departs Majuro and arrives the same day at Imieji.
28 March 1942:
Departs Imieji and arrives the same day at Jaluit.
29 March 1942:
Departs Jaluit for Saipan.
3 April 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
9 April 1942:
Departs Saipan and arrives the same day at Tinian.
12 April 1942:
Departs Tinian for Yokosuka.
17 April 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
28 April 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Kwajalein.
8 May 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
13 May 1942:
Departs Kwajalein and arrives the same day at Roi-Namur.
16 May 1942:
Departs Roi-Namur for Imieji.
17 May 1942:
Arrives at Imieji.
19 May 1942:
Departs Imieji and arrives the same day at Jaluit.
20 May 1942:
Departs Jaluit for Taroa.
21 May 1942:
Arrives at Taroa.
24 May 1942:
Departs Taroa for Wotje.
25 May 1942:
Arrives at Wotje.
26 May 1942:
Departs Wotje for Ponape, Carolines.
29 May 1942:
Arrives at Ponape.
31 May 1942:
Departs Ponape for Tinian, Marianas.
3 June 1942:
Arrives at Tinian.
7 June 1942:
Departs Tinian and arrives the same day at Saipan.
9 June 1942:
Departs Saipan for Yokosuka.
13 June 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
14 June 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
18 June 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama. Departs later and arrives the same day at Yokosuka.
23 June 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Chichi-Jima, Ogasawara Gunto (Bonins).
25 June 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
27 June 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Marcus Island (Minami Torishima).
30 June 1942:
Arrives at Marcus Island.
5 July 1942:
Departs Marcus Island for Chichi Jima.
8 July 1942:
Arrives at Chichi Jima.
18 July 1942:
Departs Chichi Jima for Yokosuka.
20 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
27 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Saipan.
1 August 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
3 August 1942:
Departs Saipan, calls at Tinian and departs the same day for Rabaul, New Britain.
8 August 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
16 August 1942:
Departs Rabaul for Palau, Carolines.
21 August 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
22 August 1942:
Departs Palau for Truk.
26 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
29 August 1942:
Departs Truk for Garasumao, Babeldaob (Babelthuap), Palaus.
2 September 1942:
Arrives at Garasumao.
Departs Garasumao and arrives the same day at Palau.
Departs Palau for Yokosuka.
16 September 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
28 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Truk.
7 October 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
17 October 1942:
Departs Truk for Ponape.
19 October 1942:
Arrives at Ponape.
24 October 1942:
Departs Ponape and arrives the same day at Metalanim, Ponape E coast.
29 October 1942:
Departs Metalanim and arrives the same day at Ponape.
2 November 1942:
Departs Ponape for Saipan.
6 November 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
8 November 1942:
Departs Saipan for Zeelanda Bank (Papaungan), Marianas.
10 November 1942:
Arrives at Zeelanda Bank.
17 November 1942:
Departs Zeelanda Bank for Yokosuka.
27 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka and departs the same day for Truk.
7 December 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
21 December 1942:
Departs Truk for Rabaul in convoy with auxiliary transport YOSHINOGAWA MARU. The convoy was possibly escorted part way by subchaser CH-16.
25 December 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
20 January 1943:
Departs Rabaul for Truk in a convoy also consisting of TAIFUKU and NANKAI MARUs escorted by subchasers CH-18 and CH-22.
22 January 1943:
Steffen Straits. At 1200, subchaser CH-12 joins the escort. Shortly thereafter, CH-18 and CH-22 are detached and take over escort of convoy “D” that departed Truk 20 ‘J, inbound to Rabaul , consisting of KAMO, TAIMEI, SHINRYU, MACASSAR and SHICHISEI MARUs initially escorted by destroyer HAMAKAZE, auxiliary gunboat CHOKO MARU No. 2 and subchaser CH-12. [2]
Arrives at Truk.
Departs Truk for Saipan in convoy with ASAYAMA (CHOZAN) MARU with subchaser CH-12 as escort. Steams via the south channel.
At 1500 in position 08-28N, 117-13E, CH-12 is detached and returns to Truk.
Arrives at Saipan.
2 February 1943:
Departs Saipan and arrives the same day at Tinian.
5 February 1943:
Departs Tinian and arrives the same day at Saipan.
13 February 1943:
Departs Saipan for Yokosuka.
21 February 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
3 March 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Wake (renamed Otori (Bird) Island after its capture by the Japanese).
11 March 1943:
Arrives at Wake.
12 March 1943:
Departs Wake for Kwajalein.
15 March 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
21 March 1943:
Departs Kwajalein and arrives the same day at Roi-Namur.
24 March 1943:
Departs Roi-Namur for Ponape.
27 March 1943:
Arrives at Ponape.
30 March 1943:
Departs Ponape for Truk.
1 April 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
4 April 1943:
Departs Truk for Saipan with aircraft transport LYONS MARU.
7 April 1943:
Arrives at Saipan.
12 April 1943:
Departs Saipan for Marcus Island (Minami Torishima).
15 April 1943:
About 160 nms S of Marcus Island, Marianas. LtCdr (later Cdr) Royce L. Gross' (USNA ‘30) USS SEAWOLF (SS-197) intercepts the transport. At 1856, Gross torpedoes and sink KAIHEI MARU at 21-13N, 152-24E.
Four crewmen are KIA.
10 June 1943:
Removed from the Navy List under internal order No. 1162.
Authors Notes:
[1] There were two categories of Zatsuyosen. (Ko) category
with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
[2] Convoy D was actually Part D (the equipment/baggage convoy) of Convoy
No. 35 that departed Shanghai to transport the IJA’s 6th Infantry Division via
Truk to Guadalcanal (after the decision is made to evacuate Guadalcanal, the
convoy’s destination was changed to New Guinea). Part D departed Truk on 20 Jan
'43 and arrived at Rabaul on 24 Jan '43 escorted by CH-18, CH-12 and CH-22 and
CHOKO MARU No. 2 (and possibly destroyer HAMAKAZE part way).
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
