Japanese Supply Ships

KYURYOKAN!

(IJN HAYASAKI in warime)

IJN KINEZAKI: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2007-2015 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
Revision 5

7 March 1940:
Osaka. Laid down at Hitachi Zosen’s Sakurajima shipyard as a refrigerated stores ship.
20 August 1940:
Designated NANSHIN.
27 June 1940:
Launched.
30 September 1940:
Completed and registered in the IJN as an auxiliary stores ship. Upon completion she was apparently designated as auxiliary stores ship No. 4006.
1 April 1942:
Renamed KINEZAKI.
21 April 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
3 May 1942:
Departs Truk.
6 May 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
15 May 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
20 May 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
21 May 1942:
Departs Saipan.
26 May 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Undergoes repairs for all of June and most of July.
28 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Truk.
4 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
10 August 1942:
Departs Truk.
12 August 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
13 August 1942:
Departs Saipan.
18 August 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
8 September 1942:
Arrives at Jaluit.
9 September 1942:
Departs Jaluit.
10 September 1942:
Arrives at Mille.
11 September 1942:
Departs Mille. later that day arrives at Maloelap.
12 September 1942:
Departs Maloelap and later that day arrives and departs from Tarawa.
13 September 1942:
Arrives at Ocean Island and departs later that day.
14 September 1942:
Arrives at Nauru and departs later that day.
17 September 1942:
Arrives at Kusiae.
19 September 1942:
Departs Kusiae.
20 September 1942:
Arrives at Ponape.
21 September 1942:
Departs Ponape.
23 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
29 September 1942:
Departs Truk.
1 October 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
4 October 1942:
Departs Saipan and later that day arrives at Rota.
5 October 1942:
Departs Rota.
7 October 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
13 October 1942:
Departs Truk in a convoy also consisting of ammunition ships ONOE and HIDE MARUs escorted by destroyer YUZUKI. The convoy splits at some point and YUZUKI and ONOE MARU head to Shortland.
15 October 1942:
At 1721 minesweeper W-22 joins the convoy off Kavieng.
17 October 1942:
At 1005 arrives at Rabaul.
20 October 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
24 October 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
27 October 1942:
Departs Truk.
3 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
6 November 1942:
Transfers from Yokosuka to Yokohama and remains there the rest of the month and all of December.
7 January 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
11 January 1943:
Arrives at Chichi Jima and departs later that day.
14 January 1943:
Arrives at Wake Island.
15 January 1943:
Departs Wake Island.
17 January 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
20 January 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
22 January 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
23 January 1943:
Departs Rabaul.
31 January 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
11 February 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Truk in convoy 3211A/3211B initially consisting also of KAIKO, YOWA, SHINYUBARI, HYUGA, EBON MARUs, EIKO MARU No. 2 GO and unknown SENYO MARU No. 2 GO escorted by destroyer SAWAKAZE.
21 February 1943:
Patrol boat SHONAN MARU No. 11 joins the convoy.
22 February 1943:
KINESAKI splits from the convoy and heads to Kwajalein, arriving later that day.
27 February 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
1 March 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit.
2 March 1943:
Departs Jaluit and arrives at Tarawa, before departing later the same day.
4 March 1943:
Arrives at Nauru.
5 March 1943:
Departs Nauru and later that day arrives at Ocean Island. Departs still later the same day.
7 March 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit.
8 March 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
9 March 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
12 March 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
20 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
21 April 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
30 April 1943:
Arrives at unidentified location (possibly Guam) and departs same day.
2 May 1943:
Arrives at Wake Island and departs later that day.
5 May 1943:
Arrives at Brown Island (Eniwetok).
6 May 1943:
At 0710 departs Brown Island.
7 May 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
11 May 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
12 May 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Kusiae Atoll.
13 May 1943:
At 1600 departs Kusiae Atoll.
15 May 1943:
Arrives at Emidj and departs later that day.
17 May 1943:
Arrives at Taroa and departs later that day.
18 May 1943:
Arrives at Wotje and departs later that day.
19 May 1943:
At 0600 arrives at Kwajalein.
24 May 1943:
At 0330 departs Kwajalein.
29 May 1943:
Arrives at Saipan.
30 May 1943:
Departs Saipan.
3 June 1943:
Arrives at Shibaura.
4 June 1943:
Transfers from Shibaura to Yokosuka.
21 June 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
29 June 1943:
At 1731 arrives at Kwajalein.
30 June 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
1 July 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit.
2 July 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
3 July 1943:
At 1040 arrives at Kwajalein.
7 July 1943:
At 0920 departs Kwajalein.
8 July 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit and departs later that day.
9 July 1943:
Arrives at Makin.
10 July 1943:
Departs Makin.
11 July 1943:
Arrives at Tarawa.
12 July 1943:
Departs Tarawa.
13 July 1943:
Arrives at Emidj and departs later that day.
14 July 1943:
Arrives at Nauru and departs later that day.
15 July 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
30 July 1943:
At 1600 departs Kwajalein.
3 August 1943:
Arrives at Saipan.
4 August 1943:
Departs Saipan.
8 August 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
21 August 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
27 August 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
6 October 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
8 October 1943:
Departs Kwajalein and later that day arrives at jaluit.
9 October 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
10 October 1943:
Arrives at Makin.
11 October 1943:
Departs Makin.
12 October 1943:
Arrives at Tarawa.
13 October 1943:
Departs Tarawa.
14 October 1943:
Arrives at unknown location (Naval code RNT) and departs later that day.
15 October 1943:
Arrives at Nauru and departs later that day.
17 October 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit.
18 October 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
19 October 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
28 October 1943:
Transfers from Kwajalein to Roi.
29 October 1943:
Departs Roi and later that day arrives at Wotje.
30 October 1943:
Departs Wotje.
31 October 1943:
Arrives at Taroa. Departs Taroa and later that day arrives Mille.
1 November 1943:
Departs Mille.
2 November 1943:
Arrives at unknown location (Naval code PYI).
3 November 1943:
Departs unknown location.
4 November 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein. Remains there the rest of the month.
4 December 1943:
Marshall Islands. Aircraft from Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall's Task Force 50's USS LEXINGTON (CV-16) and light carrier USS INDEPENDENCE (CVL-22) attack Kwajalein and Wotje Atolls. They damage KINEZAKI, light cruisers NAGARA and ISUZU, auxiliary FUJIKAWA MARU and transports EIKO and KENBU MARUs and MIKAGE MARU No. 18 and sink collier ASAKAZE MARU (19 crewmen KIA), cargo ship TATEYAMA MARU (5 crewmen KIA), auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 7 (unknown losses) and guardboat MIKUNI MARU No. 5 (unknown losses).
5 December 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
6 December 1943:
Arrives Wotje and departs later the same day.
7 December 1943:
Arrives Mille and departs later the same day.
8 December 1943:
Arrives Jaluit and departs later the same day.
9 December 1943:
Arrives Emidj.
10 December 1943:
Departs Emidj and later that day arrives at Kwajalein.
28 December 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
1 January 1944:
Arrives at Truk.
19 January 1944:
KINEZAKI departs Truk for Yokosuka in convoy 4119 also consisting of KEMBU, HOKOKU MARUs and MIKAGE MARU No. 18 and an unidentified merchant ship escorted by kaibokan AMAKUSA, auxiliary subchaser CHa-23, auxiliary netlayer KOKKO MARU, auxiliary minesweeper NOSHITO MARU No. 2 GO and auxiliary gunboat CHOAN MARU No. 2 [1]
20 January 1944:
At 0900 NOSHIRO MARU No. 2 GO and KOKKO MARU detach from convoy.
31 January 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Remains at Yokosuka for all of February and March.
1 April 1944:
At 1100, KINEZAKI departs Tokyo as part of convoy “Higashi-Matsu” No. 4. The ships and their destinations are: Truk: KINESAKI and SHOZUI, KEMBU (TATEBE), SHIMA, SHINYO and HAVRE MARUs, Saipan: SHOUN, TOKO, TAKASAN, AKIKAWA, KOKO, SHIRAMINE, TAIKAI, KAKOGAWA and MAKASSAR MARUs, Guam: MIMASAKA, TOAN, AZUCHISAN and NISSHU MARUs and UNYO MARU No. 8, Palau: Fleet supply ship TENRYUGAWA, TAIAN and TOSEI MARUs, and SHINSEI MARU No. 5 and MAMIYA, Yap: SHINSEI MARU.
Rear Admiral Kiyota Takahiko (42)(former CO of NACHI) in destroyer SAMIDARE is the convoy commander. The other escorts include old destroyer ASANAGI, torpedo-boat HIYODORI, kaibokan AMAKUSA, FUKUE, OKI, MIKURA, CD-2, CD-3 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) USS POLLACK torpedoes and sinks TOSEI MARU at 30-14N, 139-45E. Only one passenger is KIA. The escorts counter-attack USS POLLACK and drop 55 depth-charges, but without effect.
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. OKI and SAMIDARE counter-attack unsuccessfully.
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 counter-attack USS SEAHORSE unsuccessfully.
10 April 1944:
At about 0100 (JST), MIMASAKA MARU founders. She is carrying over 1,000 Naval personnel, most of whom are rescued. 11 crewmen and seven sailors are KIA.
The convoy arrives at Saipan, then is split into separate groups that continue on to their respective destinations.
16 April 1944:
KINEZAKI arrives at Truk.
22 April 1944:
At 0400 departs Truk in a convoy consisting of TATEBE (KEMBU), SHOZUI, auxiliary storeship SHINYO, CHIYO and SHIMA MARUs, and possibly others escorted by submarine chaser CH-28. En route CH-28 is detached to rescue shipwrecked crews.
26 April 1944:
At 0900 arrives at Saipan. TATEBE (KEMBU) and SHOZUI MARUs are detached.
27 April 1944:
At 0300 departs Saipan still in convoy. The escort is unknown.
4 May 1944:
At 2100 arrives at Yokohama. Soon after transfers to Yokosuka.
11 June 1944:
At 1800, KINEZAKI departs Saipan in unnumbered convoy consisting of KATORI, EDOGAWA and HAGIKAWA MARUs and NISSHO MARU No. 1 and tanker KYOEI MARU escorted by auxiliary subchaser CHa-67.
19 June 1944:
In a storm KYOEI MARU loses contact with the convoy and continues alone.
21 June 1944:
Arrives at Koniya. Provisions auxiliary oiler KYOEI MARU.
22 June 1944:
Arrives at Seso. KYOEI MARU is detached.
29 June 1944:
Departs Seso.
1 July 1944 :
At 1500, KINEZAKI departs Naha, Okinawa in convoy TAKA-604 consisting of TAISHIN, NICHIRIN, MATSUURA, DAIRIN, RYUUKYU, AMAKUSA and MIYAKO MARUs and NISSHO MARU No.1 escorted by subchaser CH-17, auxiliary subchaser CHa-67, auxiliary subchaser CHIKUTO MARU, auxiliary YUKO MARU, auxiliary minesweepers HIMESHIMA and HOEI MARUs and BANSHU MARU No. 51, torpedo boat MANAZURU and minelayer SARUSHIMA.
3 July 1944:
At 0300, departs Koniya, Amami Oshima. At 1322, Lt Cdr Charlton L. Murphy's (USNA ‘32) veteran USS STURGEON (SS-187) attacks the convoy. Murphy torpedoes and sinks DAIRIN MARU at 28-53N, 129-51E. 19 crewmen are KIA. The convoy shelters in Kasari Bay, Amami Oshima.
5 July 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
10 July 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo. Remains there for the rest of the month and August.
8 September 1944:
KINEZAKI departs Keelung in convoy TAKA-808 consisting of KENJO, SHINTEN, NICHIAN, SHOKEI, BUSHU, NICHIMAN MARUs and DAIBOSHI MARU No. 6 and TOYO MARU No. 1 escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU, auxiliary NITTO MARU, and auxiliary netlayer SHINTO MARU No. 2. At 2205, the convoy is attacked by LtCdr (later Cdr) Gordon W. Underwood's (USNA ’37) USS SPADEFISH (SS-411). Underwood torpedoes and sinks NICHIAN MARU at 24-45N, 123-20E. 51 crewmen are KIA. Underwood also torpedoes and sinks NICHIMAN MARU at 24-45N, 123-20E. 53 crewmen are KIA.
At 2320, USS SPADEFISH again attacks and Underwood torpedoes and sinks SHINTEN MARU with a full load of rice and canned goods. Eight crewmen and two gunners are KIA. Underwood also torpedoes and sinks SHOKEI MARU. Two crewmen are KIA.
E 14 September 1944 :
Arrives at Moji.
21 October 1944:
At 1200, KINEZAKI Departs Kagoshima for Naha, Okinawa in convoy KATA-916 consisting of CHOJUSAN, TOMITSU, EDOGAWA, BANSEI, TENSHO, AMAKUSA, SHINTON, SANKA, HAKKA, HAYAMA, TORAI, TAIKYU, SAKISHIMA, RYUKYU, KANKYO, SANJIN and AMOY MARUs, HAKUTETSU MARU No. 11 and fleet stores ship MUROTO escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU, kaibokan CD-30, subchaser CH-49, minesweeper W-15, auxiliaries KIKU MARU No. 7, HIMESHIMA MARU and auxiliary minesweeper SHONAN MARU No. 16.
22 October 1944:
At 0730, LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Vernon L. Lowrance’s (USNA ‘30) USS SEA DOG (SS-401) torpedoes and sinks MUROTO at 29-18N, 129-44E. Lowrance also torpedoes and damages TOMITSU MARU. The convoy’s escorts and aircraft subject USS SEA DOG to a long and heavy counterattack in which 109 depth-charges are dropped, but Lowrance evades and USS SEA DOG escapes.
25 October 1944:
Arrives at Naha.
24 February 1945:
At 2330, KINEZAKI departs Kagoshima for Naha in convoy KATA-604 consisting of KINZAN, DAISHIN and DAIA MARUs and HOSHI MARU No. 11 (JUICHISEI MARU) escorted by torpedo boat TOMOZURU, auxiliary minesweeper SEKI MARU and an unidentified warship. Soon after departure, information is received that an American carrier task force is operating in nearby waters. The convoy returns to Sakurajima, Kagoshima Bay.
27 February 1945:
At 2330, the convoy again departs Kagoshima.
1 March 1945:
At 0700, convoy KATA-604 arrives at Kuji Bay, Amami-O-Shima, Ryukyus. At 0810, aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's (USNA ‘10)(former CO of USS HORNET, CV-8) Task Force 58 attack the convoy. At 0815, DAIA MARU is strafed heavily and hit by a bomb in the stern that causes fires At 0825, HOSHI MARU No. 11 (JUICHISEI MARU) and torpedo boat TOMOZURU are strafed heavily. HOSHI MARU No. 11 is damaged by a near-miss of a bomb. At 0840, DAISHIN MARU carrying the 30th Sea Raiding Battalion (2 crewmen and 60 passengers KIA) and KINZAN MARU loaded with fuel (two gunners KIA), are hit by bombs and sink.
At about 1400, the convoy is attacked by 30 more aircraft. KINEZAKI is hit by a bomb. Her bow rises up until the ship is vertical, then she sinks at 28-10N, 129-05E.
At 1427, HOSHI MARU No. 11 (JUICHISEI MARU), carrying ammunition and 837 drums of oil and gasoline as well as 82 Army Maru-Re crash boats (of the 30th Sea Raiding Battalion) and 73 depth charges for them, is hit by several bombs. Set afire, she burns all day. Later that night, she explodes and sinks.
1 May 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors’ Notes:
[1] No data were found detailing KINEZAKI's movements during 1941 and 1942. Readers with access to such data are requested to post the information on the Discussion and Questions board or j-aircraft.org's IJN Ship Message Board

Thanks for assistance go to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.
- Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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