Japanese Army Auxiliary Transports

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(A Standard 2A Class underway)

KAKOGAWA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2017 Bob Hackett

1943:
Tamano. Laid down by Mitsui Zosen K. K. as a 6,886-ton cargo ship for Nanyo Kaiun K.K., Tokyo.
E 1943:
Launched and named KAKOGAWA MARU.
February 1944:
Completed.
1 April 1944:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Allotted Army No. 1193.
1 April 1944:
At 1100, convoy “Higashi-Matsu” No. 4 departs Tokyo. The ships and their destinations are:
Truk: KINESAKI and SHOZUI, KEMBU (TATEBE), SHIMA, SHINYO and HAVRE MARUs.
Saipan: KAKOGAWA, AKIKAWA, SHOUN, TOKO, TAKASAN, KOKO, SHIRAMINE, TAIKAI and MACASSAR MARUs.
Guam: MIMASAKA, TOAN, AZUCHISAN and NISSHU MARUs and UNYO MARU No. 8.
Palau: Fleet supply ships MAMIYA, TENRYUGAWA, TAIAN and TOSEI MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 5.
Yap: SHINSEI MARU.
The convoy commander is Rear Admiral Kiyota Takahiko (former CO of NACHI) in destroyer SAMIDARE. The other escorts are destroyer ASANAGI, kaibokan AMAKUSA, FUKUE, OKI, MIKURA, CD-2 and CD-3, torpedo-boat HIYODORI, 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) old USS POLLACK (SS-180) torpedoes and sinks TOSEI MARU carrying ammunition and rations at 30-14N, 139-45E. One passenger is KIA. The escorts counter-attack 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 drop numerous DCs. Six explode close by.
When USS TRIGGER surfaces, her forward torpedo room is flooded to her deck plates, her hull air induction and most compartments are in about the same condition. The bow planes, trim pump, sound gear and both radars are all dead. Her radio antenna is grounded and USS TRIGGER cannot transmit. TRIGGER's crew spends the next four days making repairs.
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 USS SEAHORSE unsuccessfully.
10 April 1944:
At about 0100 (JST), MIMASAKA MARU founders. She is carrying 1,146 naval personnel, most all of whom are rescued, but 7 naval troops, one soldier and ten sailors are KIA.
The convoy arrives at Saipan, then is split into separate groups that continue on to their respective destinations.
15 April 1944:
At 0400, KAKOGAWA MARU departs Saipan for Tokyo as part of the escort of convoy Higashi-Matsu No. 4 consisting of MAKASSAR, NISSHU, SHIRAMINE, TAKAI, TAKASAN and TOKO MARUs and UNYO MARU No. 8 escorted by destroyer ASANAGI. torpedo-boat HIYODORI and subchaser CH-50.
23 April 1944:
The convoy arrives at Tokyo.
29 May 1944:
At dawn, KAKOGAWA MARU departs Tokyo in convoy No. 3530 consisting of TAKAOKA, SHINROKU, TAMAHIME, KASHIMASAN, HAVRE, SUGIYAMA, KATSUKAWA, KATORI MARUs and two other unidentified ships carrying troops of the 43rd Infantry Division escorted by torpedo boat OTORI and subchasers CH-33, CH-17 and CH-50.
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. 77 crewmen and 38 troops are KIA.
5 June 1944:
At 1645, Blakely torpedoes and sinks TAKAOKA MARU at 18-40N, 140-35E. She was carrying about 3,500 reinforcments to Saipan. 25 crewmen and 115 soldiers are KIA. Blakely also torpedoes and sinks TAMAHIME MARU in the same position. 52 crewmen are KIA.
6 June 1944:
At 1000, LtCdr (later Admiral, CINCPACFLT) Bernard A. Clarey's (USNA ‘34) USS PINTADO (USS-387) torpedoes and sinks KASHIMASAN MARU at 16-28N, 142-16E. She was carrying drummed aviation gas, weapons, ordnance and small craft for reinforcements to Saipan. 43 crewmen are KIA. At 1010, Clarey also torpedoes and sinks HAVRE MARU in the same position. She was carrying 2,816 troops 91 crewmen and seven soldiers are KIA.
7 June 1944:
At about 2300, LtCdr (later Captain) James B. Grady's (USNA ’33) USS WHALE (SS-239) y makes a night surface radar attack on the convoy's largest ship, transport SUGIYAMA MARU. He fires a three-torpedo spread, then and fires another three-torpedo spread at a second freighter. He gets a hit under the stack of the first target and two hits on the second target. Depth charges begin to drop immediately. WHALE clears the area to the SE. SUGIYAMA MARU escapes the area and is towed back to Yokosuka. Later that day, the remaining ships arrive at Saipan.
11 June 1944:
At 1530, KAKOGAWA MARU departs Moji in convoy MI-07 also consisting of GYOKUYO, KAMO, KOKKO, MATSUURA, MINO, MYOGI, NISHI (ex-British KALGAN), OYO, SHIMPO, SHINKOKU, TAIKAI and YULIN MARUs and tankers and tankers KOEI, TAIEI, CHIHAYA, RYUSHO, SAKURA and SAN LUIS MARUs, landing ship KORYU (SS 1) and seven unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyers ASAGAO and ASAKAZE, kaibokan YASHIRO, CD-2 and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 3. .
After leaving port, KOEI MARU develops engine problems and returns.
15 June 1944:
At 1040, anchors at Oshima Strait, Amami-Oshima.
16 June 1944:
Departs Oshima Strait.
17 June 1944:
MATSUURA and KAMO MARUs are detached with destroyer ASAGAO for Kirun, Formosa (Keelung, Taiwan).
18 June 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Takao. Later, ASAGAO rejoins convoy. At 1955, the convoy departs Takao.
23 June 1944:
At 1800, arrives at Manila. ASAGAO and CD-2 are detached.
27 June 1944:
At 0600, KAKOGAWA MARU departs Manila in convoy MI-07 also consisting of KAMO, KENEI, MATSUURA, MINO, NISHI, NITTETSU, OEI, OYO, SHIMPO, SHINKOKU, TAIKAI and MYOGI MARUs and tankers KOEI, TAIEI, CHIHAYA, RYUSHO, SAN LUIS and SHIROGANESAN MARUs, TAKETSU (BUTSU) and YAMAKO (SANKO) MARUs and seven unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer ASAKAZE, kaibokan YASHIRO and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 3.
2 July 1944:
At 1700, arrives at Miri.
19 July 1944:
At 1000, convoy MI-10 departs Miri consisting of tankers HAKUBASAN, SHUNTEN, TAKETSU (BUTSU), MATSUMOTO, NICHINAN (1945 grt) CHIYODA, KOSHIN and SHIMOTSU MARUs and DAIZEN, HIDA, HINAGA, KENZUI, TEIFU (ex-French BOUGAINVILLE) and FUYUKAWA MARUs, WAKO GO (ex-Chinese HOHSING) and 11 unidentified ships escorted by destroyer ASAKAZE, kaibokan YASHIRO, CD-3, , auxiliary gunboats PEKING and KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARUs.
24 July 1944:
At 2030, convoy MI-10 arrives at Manila. KAKOGAWA MARU joins the convoy with OEI, TSUKUBASAN, ROKKO, MYOGI MARUs, KYOEI MARU No. 6 and UNYO MARU No.7.
27 July 1944:
At 1100, reconstituted convoy MI-10 departs Manila.
28 July 1944:
At 1305, LtCdr Francis D. Walker's (USNA '35) USS CREVALLE (SS-291) torpedoes and sinks HAKUBASAN MARU carrying 7351-tons of oil and 710-tons of rubber at 16-28N, 119-38E. Three crewmen are KIA.
E 30 July 1944:
Kaibokan CD-20 joins the escort, having departed Takao two days before.
2 August 1944:
Arrives at Takao. NICHINAN (1945 grt) and MATSUMOTO MARUs are detached as are ASAKAZE and YASHIRO. SEIGA and HAKOZAKI MARUs join the convoy.
4 August 1944:
At 1300, KAKOGAWA MARU departs Takao in convoy MI-10 with SHUNTEN, CHIYODA SHIMOTSU , DAIZEN, HIDA, FUYUKAWA , SEIGA , HAKOZAKI, KENZUI, TEIFU (ex-Vichy French BOUGAINVILLE), KOSHIN and WAKO GO (ex HOHSING) MARUs and 6 other unidentified merchants escorted by destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-3, CD-17 and CD-20, minelayer MAESHIMA, auxiliary gunboats PEKING, HUASHAN (KAZAN) and CHOJUSAN MARUs.
10 August 1944:
At 0200, CD-20 is detached and heads for Sasebo. At 0730, KURETAKE is detached and heads for Sasebo. At 1130, the convoy arrives at Moji.
22 October 1944:
At 1220, KAKOGAWA MARU departs Moji for Manila with in convoy MOMA-06 also consisting of ATLAS, DAIKEN, DAITOKU, GASSAN, SHINSHO, SEKIHO, SEIWA, SHINFUKU and MIKAGE MARUs and an unidentified ship escorted by kaibokan CD-1, CD-3 and CD-7. ATLAS MARU carries about 3500 troops and a deck cargo of many IJN Shinyo suicide explosive motor boats (EMB).
23 October 1944:
At about 0400, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) John E. Lee’s (USNA ’30) USS CROAKER (SS-246) torpedoes and damages GASSAN MARU. Later, she is towed to Saishu Island by SHINFUKU MARU where 3,500 troops are landed.
24 October 1944:
At about 0400, CROAKER torpedoes and sinks MIKAGE MARU.
27 October 1944:
At 1600, arrives at Keelung.
30 October 1944:
At 0600, departs Keelung.
31 October 1944:
At 1952, arrives at Takao. The convoy is reorganized. Some ships from convoy MOTA-27 join MOMA-06. The reconstitued convoy consists of KAKOGAWA, ASOKAWA, ATLAS, EIWA, DAITOKU, HAMBURG, SEKIHO, SEIWA, SHIMOTSU, SHINSHO and TOTTORI MARUs and fleet supply ship KURASAKI escorted by destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-1, CD-3 and CD-7, mineweeper W-27 and subchaser CH-41.
1 November 1944:
At 1800, KAKOGAWA MARU departs Takao for Manila in convoy MOMA-06 also consisting of 11 other ships escorted by destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-1, CD-3 and CD-7, minesweeper W-27 and subchaser CH-41.
2 November 1944:
Off Sabtang Island, Bashii Strait, Philippines. At 2305, LtCdr John B. Hess’s (USNA ’37) USS POMFRET (SS-391) torpedoes and damages ATLAS MARU.Two crewmen and 79 members of the 13th Shinyo Squadron aboard are KIA. She is beached and her cargo unloaded.
3 November 1944:
At 0500, POMFRET also torpedoes and damages HAMBURG MARU. At 1850, one of the escorts scuttles her.
4 November 1944:
Torpedo boat SAGI arrives from Takao and joins the escort.
8 November 1944:
Off Cape Bolinaro, Luzon. LtCdr Guy E. O'Neil, Jr’s (USNA ’37) USS GUNNEL (SS-253) torpedoes and sinks SAGI. The convoy later arrives at Santa Cruz, Philippines. Warned of a typhoon in the area, the convoy departs the same day and arrives at Manila Bay at 2238.
13 November 1944:
Manila. More than 350 carrier planes of Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Frederick C. Sherman’s (USNA ’10)(former CO of LEXINGTON, CV-2) Task Force 38’s carrier task groups 38.1's USS HORNET (CV-12), MONTEREY (CVL-26) and COWPENS (CVL-25), TG 38.3's ESSEX (CV-9), TICONDEROGA (CV-14) and LANGLEY (CVL-27) and TG 38.4's ENTERPRISE (CV-6) and SAN JACINTO (CVL-30) attack shipping and port facilities.
The planes sink light cruiser KISO, destroyers HATSUHARU and OKINAMI and auxiliary subchaser CHa-116 and damage destroyer USHIO.
The planes also sink KAKOGAWA at 14-35N-120.55E, and Army cargo ships EIWA, KINKA, SEKIHO and TEIYU MARUs and merchant cargo ships, HATSU, SEIWA, SHINKOKU and TAITOKU MARUs.

Author's Notes:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.

Bob Hackett

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