KYUSETSUMOKAN!
BOSEMMOTEI!
(KASHIMA MARU, prewar)
IJN KASHIMA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2019 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall
1937:
Osaka. Laid down by Mihara Zosen K.K. Tekkosho for Kashima Kisen K.K. as a 876-tons cargo ship.
24 December 1937:
Launched and named KASHIMA MARU. [1]
28 February 1938:
Completed and registered at Kobe.
30 November 1940:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
9 September 1941:
Conversion to military duty begins at the Yokosuka Naval Yard.
20 September 1941:
Registered as an auxiliary netlayer in the Yokosuka Naval District under instruction No. 1093. That same day, Navy (Rsv.) Lt. Matsui Takao is appointed CO.
15 October 1941:
Attached to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Inoue Shigeyoshi’s (37) Fourth Fleet in Rear Admiral (later KIA, posthumously Vice Admiral) Yatsushiro Sukeyoshi’s (40) 6th Base Force, 64th Subchaser Division also consisting of auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 10 and SHONAN MARU No. 11 under instruction No. 1251.
31 October 1941:
Conversion is completed.
16 November 1941:
Departs Yokosuka for southern Chinese waters.
1 December 1941:
Scheduled to be rated as Sixth Base Force, 64th Subchaser Division, 1st ship. Assigned to Marshalls Defense, Taroa Force.
2 December 1941:
Arrives at Kwajalein, Marshalls.
5 December 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
6 December 1941:
Arrives at Taroa, Marshalls.
26 December 1941:
Departs Taroa and arrives at Jaluit, Marshalls later this day.
27 December 1941:
Departs Jaluit.
28 December 1941:
Arrives at Taroa.
31 December 1941:
Officially rated as Sixth Base Force, 64th Subchaser Division, 1st ship.
2 January 1942:
Departs Taroa.
3 January 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
4 January 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
5 January 1942:
Assigned to Marshalls Headquarters Defense Unit.
6 January 1942:
At 0700, at unknown location (probably off Mellu Island, Marshalls) discovers an enemy submarine. Carries out a depth charge attack.
7 January 1942:
Arrives at Otorishima (Wake).
15 January 1942:
Departs Otorishima.
19 January 1941:
Arrives at Taroa.
21 January 1941:
Departs Taroa.
22 January 1942:
Arrives at Wotje, Marshalls.
1 February 1942:
Vice Admiral (later Fleet Admiral) William F. Halsey Jr. (USNA ’04) TF 8, formed around carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Frank J. Fletcher (USNA ’06) TF 17, formed around carrier USS YORKTOWN (CV-5) raid the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. TF 8 concentrates on Kwajalein and Wotje, with heavy cruiser USS CHESTER (CA-27) bombarding Maleolap atoll; TF 17 targets enemy installations on Jaluit, Makin, and Mili. At Kwajalein, Douglas “Dauntless” SBDs (VB 6 and VS 6) and “Devastators” TBDs (VT 6) from USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) aircraft attack and sink KASHIMA MARU at 09-22N, 170-12E, 292° and one nautical mile of Wotje. Casualties are unknown. IJN requisitioned transport (B-AK) BORDEAUX MARU is also sunk in the same attack with two crewmen and one gunner KIA.
In the bombing of shore installations, Rear Admiral Yatsushiro Sukeyoshi (40) (Commander 6th Base Force) becomes the first Imperial Navy flag officer to die in combat when a Douglas “Dauntless” SBD scores a direct hit on his headquarters. He is promoted posthumously Vice Admiral.
15 February 1942:
Removed from the Navy list under instruction No. 295. That same day, the 64th Subchaser Division is dissolved under instruction No. 283.
Authors' Notes:
[1] Not to be confused with Wartime Std. 2D Type (2,211 GRT, 44), Wartime Std. 2E Type (873 GRT, 44), Wartime Std. 3E Type (886 GRT, 45) and Army shared transport No. 5074 (9,908 GRT, ’13).
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
- Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall.
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