Japanese Oilers

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN!

(KAISOKU MARU, prewar)

IJA KAISOKU MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2013-2016 Bob Hackett

1 September 1931:
Yokohama. Laid down at Yokohama Dock Co., Ltd. as yard No. 194, a 1,126-ton tanker for Nippon Yusosen (Japan Tanker), K. K.
26 November 1931:
Launched and named KAISOKU MARU.
23 December 1931:
Completed.
April 1940
Chartered to the Nitto Mining and Steam Ship Co., Ltd.
15 May 1940
Chartered by the Yokosuka Naval District and attached to Yokosuka as an oil supply ship.
January 1941:
Chartered to the Nitto Mining and Steam Ship Co., Ltd.
March 1942:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Alloted IJA No. ???
2 March 1942:
Departs Ujina and arrives at Moji.
3 March 1942:
Departs Moji.
8 March 1942:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa.
9 March 1942:
Departs Takao.
31 March 1942:
Arrives at Singapore, Malaya.
4 April 1942:
Departs Singapore.
April 1942:
Departs Palembang, Sumatra.
9 April 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores.
28 April 1942:
KAISOKU MARU departs Mako, Pescadores in convoy No. 201 also consisting of troop transports CALCUTTA, SYDNEY and GENKAI MARUs and BOKO MARUs and two unidentified ships escorted by torpedo boat SAGI.
1 May 1942:
East China Sea. E of Wenchow, China. E of Wenzhou. At 0812 (I), LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles C. Kirkpatrick’s (USNA ’31) USS TRITON (SS-201) encounters a convoy of six large freighters escorted by two OTORI class torpedo boats and making 9-10 knots. Kirkpatrick fires four unreliable Mark 14-3A steam torpedoes; two each at two of the ships. They all miss or premature.
TRITON fires two more torpedoes. One misses, but at 0852 the other hits CALCUTTA MARU and causes heavy damage to the engine room and radio room. No. 3 hold starts flooding. At 0902, Abandon Ship is ordered, but the ship does not sink. TRITON fires at a freighter, but misses. At 1425, Kirkpatrick fires two more torpedoes CALCUTTA MARU. The first one passes under the ship, but the second hits and sinks CALCUTTA MARU sinks at 1645 at 28-11N, 123-55E. Fifty troops and four crewmen are KIA. The survivors are rescued by KAISOKU and BOKO MARUs.
4 May 1942:
The remainder of convoy arrives at Dairen, Manchuria (Dalian, China).
6 May 1942:
Arrives at an unknown location.
6 May 1942:
Arrives at Palembang, Sumatra.
May 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
7 July 1942:
Departs Singapore.
4 July 1942:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu, Sumatra and loads fuel oil.
5 July 1942:
Departs Pangkalan Susu.
5 July 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
7 July 1942:
Departs Singapore.
30 July 1942:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu, Sumatra. Loads fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Singapore, discharges fuel oil and departs.
31 July 1942:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
August 1942:
Departs Pangkalan Susu.
9 August 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
August 1942:
Departs Singapore.
30 August 1943:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu Loads fuel oil and departs that day. Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
31 August 1942:
Departs Singapore.
2 September 1942:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
September 1942:
Departs Pangkalan Susu.
15 September 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
September 1942:
Departs Singapore.
15 September 1942:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
16 September 1942:
Departs Pangkalan Susu.
9 October 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
October 1942:
Departs Singapore.
4 November 1942:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
5 November 1942:
Departs Pangkalan Susu. Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
November 1942:
Departs Singapore.
28 November 1942:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu, loads fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
29 November 1942:
Departs Singapore. Arrives at Pangkalan Susu. Loads fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
25 December 1942:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu, loads fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Singapore. Discharges fuel oil.
December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
26 December 1942:
Arrives at Port Sweetenham, Malaya and discharges fuel oil.
1 January 1943:
Departs Port Sweetenham.
3 January 1943:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
21 January 1943:
Departs Pangkalan Susu.
22 January 1943:
Arrives at Port Sweetenham and discharges fuel oil.
January 1943:
Departs Singapore for Japan.
February 1943:
Arrives at Japan and discharges fuel oil, possibly at Tokuyama Fuel Depot.
11 February 1943:
KAISOKU MARU departs Ujina for Singapore in a convoy also consisting of tankers KOSHIN and PALEMBANG MARUs, cargo ship NISHI MARU and an unknown escort.
15 February 1943:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa.
19 February 1943:
Departs Takao.
22 February 1943:
Arrives at Manila, Philippines.
24 February 1943:
Departs Manila.
28 February 1943:
Arrives at Biri, Northern Samar, Philippines.
1 March 1943:
Departs Biri.
4 March 1943:
Arrives at Cap St Jacques (now Vung Tao), Vichy French Indochina.
7 March 1943:
Departs Cap St Jacques.
8 March 1943:
Arrives at Belawan, Sumatra and loads fuel oil.
9 March 1943:
Departs Belawan.
21 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
31 March 1943:
Departs Singapore.
26 September 1943:
Re-requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Departs Singapore.
21 September 1943:
At 1700, departs Singapore for Medan.
23 September 1943:
Departs Medan.
26 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
27 September 1943: - Australian "Operation Jaywick":
KAISOKU MARU is among at least 45 vessels in port at Singapore when the anchorage is attacked by three 2-man canoe crews of the Royal Australian Z Special Unit of Special Operations Australia (Services Reconnaissance Department). Six men left Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia on 2 Sep '43 in the KRAIT, disguised as a Japanese fishing boat. Three 2-man canoes were landed at Panjang Island on 17 Sep from which they paddled to islands south of Singapore. KAISOKU MARU is undamaged in the raid.
28 September 1943:
1 October 1943:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu. Loads fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Singapore, discharges fuel oil and departs that day.
4 October 1943:
Arrives at Pulau Sambu (Poeloe Samboe) near Singapore and departs. Arrives at Singapore. [1]
October 1943:
Departs Singapore.
6 October 1943:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu, loads fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
October 1943:
Departs Singapore.
9 October 1943:
Arrives at Pulau Sambu, loads fuel oil and departs.
10 October 1943:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu via Medan, loads fuel oil and departs.
11 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
October 1943:
Departs Singapore.
16 October 1943:
Arrives at Pulau Sambu, loads fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Singapore, discharges fuel oil and departs.
17 October 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel oil.
October 1943:
Departs Palembang.
23 October 1943:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
24 October 1943:
Departs Pangkalan Susu and arrives at Singapore. Discharges fuel oil.
30 October 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel oil.
31 October 1943:
Departs Palembang.
2 November 1943:
Arrives at Port Dickson, Malaya. Discharges fuel oil.
3 November 1943:
Departs Port Dickson.
4 November 1943:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
7 November 1943:
Departs Pangkalan Susu and arrives at Pulau Samboe. Loads fuel oil.
10 November 1943:
Departs Pulau Samboe.
12 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
14 November 1943:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
16 November 1943:
Departs Pangkalan Susu.
20 November 1943:
Arrives at Belawan, loads fuel oil and departs.
22 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
24 November 1943:
Departs Singapore.
27 November 1943:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu, loads fuel oil and departs.
29 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
29 November 1943:
Departs Singapore and arrives at Pulau Sambu. Loads fuel oil.
30 November 1943:
Departs Pulau Sambu.
1 January 1944:
Arrives at Singapore, discharges fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel oil.
January 1944:
Departs Palembang.
31 January 1944:
Arrives at Singaporea and departs.
1 February 1944:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel oil and departs.
3 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
4 February 1944:
Departs Singapore.
5 February 1944:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
February 1944:
Departs Pangkalan Susu.
10 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore, discharges fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Pulau Sambu and loads fuel oil.
11 February 1944:
Departs Pulau Sambu.
19 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore, discharges fuel oil and departs.
20 February 1944:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu and loads fuel oil.
23 February 1944:
Arrives at Port Sweetenham and departs.
27 February 1944:
Arrives at Belawan, Sumatra, loads fuel oil and departs.
28 February 1944:
Departs Belawan.
29 February 1944:
Arrives at Pangkalan Susu, loads fuel oil and departs.
7 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel oil.
10 May 1944:
Departs Palembang.
12 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil and departs.
21 May 1944:
Arrives at Belawan, loads fuel oil and departs. Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil. That same day, operation of the ship transfers to Offshore Tanker Co., K. K.
22 May 1944:
Departs Singapore.
31 May 1944:
Arrives at Port Sweetenham, loads fuel oil and departs.
1 June 1944:
Departs Port Sweetenham.
16 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
29 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
2 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel oil.
4 July 1944:
Departs Palembang.
5 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
6 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
9 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel oil and departs.
10 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore, discharges fuel oil and departs.
12 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel oil.
13 July 1944:
Departs Palembang.
15 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
16 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
18 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel oil and departs.
20 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
21 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
23 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel oil and departs.
25 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
26 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
28 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel oil and departs.
31 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore, discharges fuel oil and departs.
1 August 1944:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel oil and departs.
31 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
22 September 1944:
Departs Singapore.
5 October 1944:
Arrives at Eran Bay, Philippines.
6 October 1944:
Departs Eran bay and arrives at St. Paul, Philippines.
7 October 1944:
Departs St. Paul.
8 October 1944:
Arrives at Lubang island, Philippines.
9 October 1944:
Departs Lubang island.
10 October 1944:
Arrives at Manila, Philippines.
31 October 1944:
Departs Manila.
1 November 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
November 1944:
Departs Takao.
30 November 1944:
Arrives at Kirun, Formosa (Keelung, Taiwan).
1 December 1944:
Departs Kirun.
11 December 1944:
Arrives at Shanghai, China.
December 1944:
Departs Shanghai.
29 December 1944:
Arrives at Dongdao.
21 April 1945:
Arrives at Shanghai and departs.
22 April 1945:
Arrives at Tsingtao (Qingdao), China and departs,
3 May 1945:
Arrives at Pusan, Chosen (Korea).
12 May 1945:
Departs Pusan.
15 May 1945:
Arrives at Ujina.
3 May 1945:
Departs Ujina.
15 July 1945:
Arrives at Shimokamagari-jima and departs. Arrives at Ujina.
16 July 1945:
Departs Ujina and arrives at Omishima.
20 July 1945:
Departs Omishima.
25 July 1945:
Off NE Shimokamagari-jima, near Hiro. Carrier aircraft of Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) John S. McCain's (USNA ’06) Task Force 38 bomb and sink KAISOKU MARU.

Author's Note:
[1] Pulau Sambu, an island in the Riau Archipelago, S of Singapore was, and is, the site of an oil terminal with loading wharves at the SW coast.
As used throughout the TROM, loading and discharging of fuel oil at various locations is speculative, but probable.
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany for help in translating and locating Pulau Sambu.

- Bob Hackett

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