ZATSUYOSEN!
(KIMPOSAN MARU prewar)
IJN KIMPOSAN MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2012 Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
19 October 1936:
Tama. Laid down by Mitsui Bussan K.K. Zosenbu Kojo shipyard
for Mitsui Bussan K.K. as a 3,261-ton cargo ship.
21 December 1936:
Launched and named KIMPOSAN MARU. [1]
6 February 1937:
Completed and registered in Kobe.
E 1937:
Calls at Yokohama ~ Dairen, Manchuria (now Dalian, China) and
Yingkou, northern China.
E June 1938:
Requisitioned by the IJA as an Army transport with
allotted number No. 94.
E 1939:
Derequisitioned and released to her owners at an unknown
date.
28 January 1940:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a general requisitioned
(Ippan Choyosen) transport and attached to the Yokosuka Naval District.
29 January 1940:
Merchant Captain Orito Isao is appointed Commanding
Officer.
15 October 1941:
Registered in the IJN as an auxiliary transport,
(Otsu) category and attached to the Yokosuka Naval District with Yokosuka as
homeport under internal order No. 1256. [2]
E December 1941:
Departs Ponape, Carolines.
8 December 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
10 December 1941:
Transfers to Tokyo.
19 December 1941:
Transfers to Yokosuka.
26 December 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
E January 1942:
Arrives at Yap, Carolines.
14 January 1942:
Departs Yap.
15 January 1942:
Arrives at Palau, Western Carolines.
E January 1942:
Departs Palau.
3 February 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
14 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
17 February 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima, Ogasawara Gunto (Bonins).
18 February 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
21 February 1942:
Arrives at Saipan, Marianas.
24 February 1942:
Departs Saipan.
27 February 1942:
Arrives at Yap. Departs later in the day for Palau.
28 February 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
6 March 1942:
Departs Palau.
7 March 1942:
Arrives at Angaur, Palau.
9 March 1942:
Transfers to Palau.
10 March 1942:
Departs Palau.
19 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Transfers later that same day to
Yokohama.
22 March 1942:
Departs Yokohama.
24 March 1942:
Arrives at Tama. Docks at Mitsui engineering and
shipbuilding K.K. shipyard for maintenance and repairs.
8 April 1942:
Undocked. Departs Tama.
10 April 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
18 April 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
27 April 1942:
Arrives at Truk, Central Carolines.
10 May 1942:
Departs Truk.
12 May 1942:
Arrives at Ponape.
19 May 1942:
Departs Ponape.
23 May 1942:
Arrives at Ebon Atoll, Marshalls.
10 June 1942:
Departs Ebon.
12 June 1942:
Arrives at Eniwetok, Marshalls.
13 June 1942:
Departs Eniwetok.
21 June 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Transfers later in the day to
Yokohama.
30 June 1942:
Departs Yokohama in convoy also consisting of civilian
(C-AK) YOMEI MARU and government owned BIWA (ex-Dutch BEATRICE) MARU and KARI GO
(ex Chinese KIA LEE) escorted by minesweeper W-18.
1 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture.
4 July 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
7 July 1942:
Arrives at Ominato, Aomori Prefecture.
13 July 1942:
Departs Ominato.
14 July 1942:
Arrives at Otaru, Hokkaido.
15 July 1942:
Departs Otaru.
17 July 1942:
Arrives at Horokishi, Karafuto (now Sakhalin).
19 July 1942:
Departs Horokishi.
24 July 1942:
Arrives at Tokyo.
28 July 1942:
Transfers to Yokosuka.
5 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
6 August 1942:
Arrives at Mikawa Wan (Bay), Aichi Prefecture.
9 August 1942:
Departs Mikawa Wan.
12 August 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
14 August 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
18 August 1942:
Arrives at Guam, Marianas (renamed Omiya-Jima after
its capture).
20 August 1942:
Departs Guam.
24 August 1942:
Arrives at Ponape.
26 August 1942:
Departs Ponape.
29 August 1942:
Arrives at Jaluit Atoll, Marshalls.
1 September 1942:
Departs Jaluit.
2 September 1942:
Arrives at Ebon.
12 September 1942:
Departs Ebon.
23 September 1942:
Arrives at Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture. Departs
later that day for Yokosuka.
24 September 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Transfers later in the day to
Yokohama.
30 September 1942:
Departs Yokohama.
2 October 1942:
Arrives at Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture.
10 October 1942:
Departs Shiogama.
13 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
21 October 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
31 October 1942:
Arrives at Guam.
2 November 1942:
Departs Guam.
5 November 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein, Marshalls.
9 November 1942:
Transfers to Wotje, Marshalls.
12 November 1942:
Transfers to Taroa, Marshalls.
19 November 1942:
Departs Taroa.
20 November 1942:
Arrives at Mili, Marshalls.
21 November 1942:
Departs Mili.
22 November 1942:
Arrives at Imieji (Emiedj) anchorage, Jaluit.
23 November 1942:
Transfers to Jaluit and departs later in the day
for Ebon.
24 November 1942:
Arrives at Ebon.
E November 1942:
Departs Ebon.
6 December 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
19 December 1942:
Transfers to Yokohama.
27 December 1942:
Transfers to Yokosuka.
28 December 1942:
Her owners are restyled to Mitsui Senpaku K.K.
2 January 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Rabaul, New Britain.
16 January 1943:
W of Kavieng, about 8nm NE of Los Reyes island,
Admiralties. KIMPOSAN MARU is spotted by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Henry C.
Bruton’s (USNA ‘26) USS GREENLING (SS-213). At 1800, Bruton attacks and hits the
transport’s engine room. Dead in the water, with her stem raised in the sky, she
rapidly sinks at 02-47S, 149-10E. 31 of her crew are KIA. Subchaser CH-17,
returning to Rabaul after picket duty counterattacks and forces USS GREENLING
deep, then rescues survivors.
1 April 1943:
Removed from the Navy’s list under internal order No.
587.
Authors Notes:
[1] Also known as KINPOSAN MARU.
[2] There were two categories of Zatsuyosen. (Ko) category with an IJN
Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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