Japanese Army Tankers

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN!

(IRIS, later KIKUSUI MARU, in ballast)

KIKUSUI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2010-2017 Bob Hackett
Revision 1

E 1917:
Bolnes, Netherlands. Laid down at NV Scheepsbouwerf, Gebroeders Pot as a 3,887-ton tanker for La Corona (Royal Dutch Shell's trading name) of the Hague.
E 1917:
Launched and named IRIS.
February 1918:
Completed. Assigned call sign: POLT
1918-1936:
Netherlands. In service with La Corona.
1919:
Call sign changed to PEXO.
1936-1942:
Dutch East Indies. In service with the Nederlandsche Indische Tankstoomboot (N.I.T.) Maatschappij lines of the Hague. [1]
8 December 1941:
On behalf of Dutch East Indies Governor-General Alidius W. L. Tjarda van Starkenborgh-Stachouwer, the commander of the Goevernementsmarine (GM) militarizes some ships, including IRIS, and they become part of the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN). She is put in service as a stationary depot and transhipment tanker for the RNN.
15 February 1942:
Singapore falls to the Japanese. IRIS and tanker SEMIRAMIS are at anchor off Palembang. The authorities decide it is no longer possible to escape from the Japanese Navy. IRIS’ and SEMIRAMIS’s crews are ordered to scuttle their ships.
June 1942:
Palembang. The Imperial Army (IJA) confiscates the hulk of IRIS.
14 October 1942:
IRIS is refloated, repaired and renamed KIKUSUI MARU. Assigned call sign JAFS.
6 November 1942:
Requisitioned by the IJA, attoted IJA No. 2047 and operated by the Mitsui Steam Ship Co., Ltd.
4 December 1942:
Departs Amagasaki.
17 December 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong.
23 December 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.
27 December 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel. [2][3]
11 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
13 January 1943:
Departs Singapore.
14 January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
16 January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
January 1943:
Departs Singapore.
January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
January 1943:
Departs Singapore.
January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
1 February 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 February 1943:
Departs Singapore. Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel, then departs.
25 February 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
28 February 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel, then departs.
1 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
4 March 1943:
Departs Singapore.
5 March 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
7 March 1943:
Departs Palembang.
9 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
11 March 1943:
Departs Singapore.
12 March 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
16 March 1943:
Departs Palembang.
18 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
21 March 1943:
Departs Singapore.
22 March 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
24 March 1943:
Departs Palembang.
26 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
28 March 1943:
Departs Singapore.
29 March 1943:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel and departs.
30 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
4 April 1943:
Departs Singapore.
5 April 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
6 April 1943:
Departs Palembang.
8 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
10 April 1943:
Departs Singapore.
11 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
13 April 1943:
Departs Palembang.
15 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
22 April 1943:
Departs Singapore.
23 April 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
25 April 1943:
Departs Palembang.
27 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
29 April 1943:
Departs Singapore.
30 April 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
2 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
4 May 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
5 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
7 May 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
8 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
13 May 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
15 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
19 May 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
20 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
26 May 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 June 1943:
Departs Singapore.
3 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
6 June 1943:
Departs Palembang.
7 June 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
9 June 1943:
Departs Singapore.
10 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
12 June 1943:
Departs Palembang.
13 June 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
13 June 1943:
Departs Singapore.
14 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
4 July 1943:
Departs Palembang.
26 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
27 July 1943:
Departs Singapore.
31 July 1943:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel and departs.
1 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 August 1943:
Departs Singapore and later arrives at Surabaya.
30 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
31 August 1943:
Departs Singapore and arrives at Surabaya.
30 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and then departs.
2 October 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya. Probably undergoes repairs and maintenance.
30 October 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
1 November 1943:
Departs Palembang.
22 November 1943:
Arrives at Belawan, Sumatra, then departs and arrives at Singapore.
December 1943:
Departs Singapore.
December 1943:
Arrives at St. Jacques, Indochina.
16 January 1944:
Departs St. Jacques.
28 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
31 January 1944:
Departs.Takao.
1 February 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
16 February 1944:
At 0730, KIKUSUI MARU departs Manila for Miri, Borneo in convoy MAMI-02 consisting of transport TEIKO (ex-Vichy French liner D'ARTAGNAN) and tanker SAN DIEGO MARUs and five unidentified ships escorted by destroyer KURETAKE.
21 February 1944:
KIKUSUI and TEIKO MARU are detached before arrival at Miri and head for Singapore. TEIKO MARU is carrying 857 IJA troops and 49 IJN personnel and military cargo. At 1704, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Frank G. Selby’s (USNA’ 28) USS PUFFER fires four stern torpedoes at the transport and gets two hits. The Japanese abandon ship, but the big ship does appear to be sinking. At 1724, Selby fires two bow torpedoes that hit the transport's bow and stern. At 1735, TEIKO MARU sinks by the stern at 03-10N, 109-15E. 192 military and seven crewmen are KIA. Also lost are 800-tons of cargo.
24 February 1944:
Convoy MAMI-02 arrives at Singapore.
February 1944:
KIKUSUI MARU departs Singapore.
5 March 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
31 March 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
1 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
April 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
28 April 1944:
Arrives at Belawan.
1 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
5 May 1944:
Departs Singapore.
7 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel and departs.
31 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
1 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
6 June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
7 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
14 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
15 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
16 June 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
21 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
22 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
28 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
29 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
4 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
5 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
6 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
11 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
12 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
July 1944:
Departs Palembang.
18 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
19 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
20 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel and departs.
25 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
27 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
1 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 August 1944:
Departs Singapore.
3 August 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
9 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore. Discharges fuel oil.
10-11 August 1944: Operation "Boomerang":
Thirty-one Boeing B-29 “Super Fortress” heavy bombers of the USAAF’s Twentieth (XXth) Bomber Command’s 58th Bomb Wing at Chengtu, China stage through Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and attack the refinery at Palembang. Eight B-29's also sow mines in the Musi River near Palembang. One B-29 is lost 90 miles from Ceylon on return due to fuel shortage, but all except one crewmen are rescued.
10 August 1944:
KIKUSUI MARU departs Singapore.
August 1944:
Departs Palembang.
25 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 August 1944:
Departs Singapore.
28 August 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
5 September 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
6 September 1944:
Departs Singapore.
22 September 1944:
Arrives at Miri, Borneo and loads fuel.
30 September 1944:
Departs Miri in convoy MI-18.
2 October 1944:
Arrives at Gaya Bay, northern Borneo.
3 October 1944:
Departs Gaya Bay.
October 1944:
Arrives at Eran Bay, Palawan Island, Philippines.
6 October 1944:
Arrives at St Paul’s Bay.
7 October 1944:
Departs St Paul’s Bay.
8 October 1944:
Arrives at Lubang island.
9 October 1944:
Departs Lubang island.
10 October 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
11 October 1944:
Departs Manila and arrives at Bacuit Bay, Palawan Island.

20 October 1944:
At 2340, KIKUSUI MARU departs Manila for Takao in convoy MATA-30 consisting of KOKURYU, KIMIKAWA, FUYUKAWA, TENSHIN, SHIKISAN, EIKAI, ARISAN and RYOFU MARUs and DAITEN MARU No. 1, TOYO MARU No. 3 and SHINSEI MARU No. 1 escorted by destroyers HARUKAZE, TAKE and KURETAKE, fleet supply ship KURASAKI and subchaser CH-20.
23 October 1944:
South China Sea, WNW of Cape Bojeador, Luzon, Philippines. About 1730 (JST), Cdr Alan B. Banister’s (USNA '28) USS SAWFISH (SS-276) attacks ex-seaplane tender KIMIKAWA MARU. She is hit by four of five torpedoes and sinks at 18-58N, 118-46E.
24 October 1944:
The convoy comes under a combined wolfpack attack by five submarines. At 0050, SHINSEI MARU No. 1 is damaged by a dud torpedo at 19-32N, 118-37E. At 0100, KOKURYU MARU is torpedoed and sunk at 19-58N, 118-33E
NW of Luzon. At 0315, KIKUSUI MARU is torpedoed and sunk by LtCdr George H. Brown's (USNA '34) USS SNOOK (SS-279) at 19-46N, 118-30E. Ten crewmen including Captain Yamaguichi Kazue are KIA.

Authors' Notes:
[1] N.I. T. (Netherlands Indies Tank Steamboat Co.) was founded in 1904 for inter-island traffic in the Dutch East Indies. P>
[2] "Fuel" as used in this TROM means refined product such as various grades of naval fuel oil, diesel, aviation gasoline and automotive gasoline.
[3] The loading and discharging of fuel oil as used throughout the TROM is speculative, but highly probable.
Thanks go to John O'Keefe of Littleton, CO for info in Rev 1.

- Bob Hackett

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