Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

(Oiler by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings of Japanese Warships")

IJN KINREI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2009-2020 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

Revision 4

17 September 1940:
Shimonoseki- Hikoshima. Laid down at Mitsubishi Jukogyo K.K. Hikoshima Zosensho as a 867-ton tanker for Asahi Sekiyu K. K.
25 July 1941:
Launched and named KINREI MARU. [1]
10 October 1941:
Navy (Resv) Udamura Senkichi is appointed Commanding Officer.
15 October 1941:
Completed and registered at Tokyo with Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) of respectively 867-tons and 588-tons. Her call sign is JAPR. [2]
19 October 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
1 December 1941:
Registered in the Kure Naval District as an auxiliary transport ship (oil supply).
10 December 1941:
Completes conversion.
10 ~ 19 December 1941:
Assigned to the Naval Department as an Otsu category auxiliary transport belonging to the Kure Naval District. [3]
19 December 1941:
Arrives at Dairen, Manchuria (now Dalian, northern China).
21 December 1941:
Departs Dairen.
27 December 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
29 December 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
30 December 1941:
Arrives at Kawasaki.
1 January 1942:
Departs Kawasaki.
3 January 1942:
Arrives at Shimotsu.
4 January 1942:
Departs Shimotsu.
10 January 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
12 January 1942:
Departs Dairen.
15 January 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
17 January 1942:
Departs Kure.
20 January 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama.
22 January 1942:
Departs Yokohama.
24 January 1942:
Arrives at Shimotsu.
25 January 1942:
Departs Shimotsu.
26 January 1942:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
28 January 1942:
Departs Tokuyama and later that day arrives at Hikoshima.
30 January 1942:
Departs Hikoshima.
4 February 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
8 February 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
10 February 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
12 February 1942:
Departs Dairen.
15 February 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
17 February 1942:
Departs Kure.
19 February 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
21 February 1942:
Departs Dairen.
24 February 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
1 March 1942:
Departs Kure.
3 March 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
4 March 1942:
Departs Dairen.
7 March 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
9 March 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
12 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
16 March 1942:
Transfers to Yokohama.
17 March 1942:
Departs Yokohama.
18 March 1942:
Arrives at Shimotsu.
19 March 1942:
Departs Shimotsu.
20 March 1942:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Loads fuel oil.
22 March 1942:
Departs Tokuyama.
23 March 1942:
Arrives at Shimotsu.
26 March 1942:
Departs Shimotsu.
27 March 1942:
At 1900 departs Mutsure.
28 March 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
31 March 1942:
Departs Sasebo for Maizuru.
1 April 1942:
Arrives at Maizuru.
2 April 1942:
Departs Maizuru.
4 April 1942:
Arrives at Funakawa.
5 April 1942:
Departs Funakawa.
8 April 1942:
Arrives at Saitozaki.
9 April 1942:
Departs Saitozaki.
10 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
11 April 1942:
Departs Kure and soon after arrives at Onomichi.
13 April 1942:
Departs Onomichi.
15 April 1942:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
16 April 1942:
Departs Tokuyama and later that day arrives at Osaka.
17 April 1942:
Departs Osaka.
19 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
20 April 1942:
Departs Kure.
21 April 1942:
Arrives at Hikoshima.
26 April 1942:
Departs Hikoshima.
1 May 1942:
Arrives at Akkeshi.
4 May 1942:
Departs Akkeshi.
5 May 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
8 May 1942:
Departs Ominato.
E 10 May 1942:
Arrives at Odomari.
E 12 May 1942:
Departs Odomari.
15 May 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
E 16 May 1942:
Departs Ominato.
E 18 May 1942:
Arrives at Odomari.
E 20 May 1942:
Departs Odomari.
E 23 May 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
27 May 1942:
Departs Ominato.
1 June 1942:
Departs Ominato with stops at Niigata, Kataoka Bay, Kurils (now Zaliv Kozyrevskogo, Russia), and Hiroshi.
18 June 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
20 June 1942:
Departs Ominato for Kataoka Bay, Shimushu Island, Kuriles.
2 July 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
4 July 1942:
Departs Ominato with stops at Kataoka Bay and Ominato.
20 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
22 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Nonai and then returns to Yokosuka.
1 August 1942:
Ownership changes to Showa Nippon Oil K. K. Arrives at Miyako.
3 August 1942:
Departs Miyako for Nonai and Dairen.
20 August 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
22 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
25 August 1942:
Arrives at Hikoshima.
30 August 1942:
Departs Hikoshima for Tokuyama.
1 September 1942:
Arrives at Shimotsu. Reassigned to the Combined Fleet’s Eighth Fleet.
3 September 1942:
Departs Shimotsu.
4 September 1942:
Arrives at Nagoya.
6 September 1942:
Departs Nagoya. Arrives at Yokkaichi.
9 September 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gasoline.
12 September 1942:
Departs Chichi Jima, Bonins in a convoy consisting of IJN auxiliary storeship CHOKO MARU escorted by auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU and arrives at Haha Jima, Bonins later that day.
13 September 1942:
Departs Haha Jima and later proceeds towards Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. Probably unloads aviation gasoline. KINREI MARU departs Haha Jima in a convoy consisting of transport CHOKO MARU escorted by auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU.
14 September 1942:
Arrives at Iwo Jima. Departs Iwo Jima. The convoy is augmented by AZUSA, UJIGAWA and KISARAGI MARUs and TAMA MARU No. 2.
18 September 1942:
Near Saipan AZUSA, UJIGAWA and KISARAGI MARUs and TAMA MARU No. 2 are detached.
23 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk, Carolines. Departs Truk for Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands, Australia (now Papua New Guinea) later this day.
17 October 1942:
Rabaul. At 1157 comes alongside to starboard of minesweeper W-22.
1205 ~ 1225 Supplies 16-tons of heavy oil to minesweeper W-22.
29 October 1942:
Rabaul. Refuels minesweeper FUMI MARU No. 2.
2 November 1942:
Rabaul. KINREI MARU refuels auxiliary oiler KYOEI MARU.
29 December 1942:
Assigned to the 25th Special Base Force’s Supply Unit.
30 December 1942:
Reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet’s north section patrol unit.
31 December 1942:
Resupplied by fleet oiler TSURUMI.
3 January 1943:
Refuels auxiliary oiler KYOEI MARU with heavy oil.
1 February 1943:
Departs Rabaul.
4 February 1943:
Arrives at Hollandia (now Jayapura), New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Jayapura or Port Numbay, New Guinea, Indonesia) and departs.
5 February 1943:
Arrives at Wakde, New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia) and departs.
7 February 1943:
Arrives at Manokwari, New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia).
8 February 1943:
Departs Manokwari.
11 February 1943:
Arrives at Ambon, Maluku Islands (Moluccas), Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).
20 February 1943:
Departs Ambon.
22 February 1943:
Arrives at Sorong, New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia).
February 1943:
Sorong. Loads various oil types from auxiliary oiler KAIJO MARU.
23 February 1943:
Departs Sorong and later that day arrives at Manokwari.
2 March 1943:
Departs Manokwari. Later that day arrives at Nabire, New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia) and then departs.
4 March 1943:
Arrives at Serui, Yapen Island and later that day departs.
5 March 1943:
Arrives at Miai, New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia) and later that day departs.
6 March 1943:
Arrives at Nabire and later that day departs.
7 March 1943:
Arrives at Korido on Biak Island, New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia). Departs Korido later this day.
8 March 1943:
Arrives at Bosnik, Biak Island.
9 March 1943:
Departs Bosnik.
10 March 1943:
Arrives at Manokwari.
13 March 1943:
Departs Manokwari.
16 March 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
23 March 1943:
Departs Palau.
27 March 1943:
Arrives at Manokwari.
16 April 1943:
Departs Manokwari.
17 April 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
24 April 1943:
Departs Sorong.
26 April 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
28 April 1943:
Departs Ambon.
30 April 1943:
Arrives at Kokas, MacCluer (McCluer) Gulf, New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia) and departs later that day.
1 May 1943:
Arrives at Patipi Bay (near Fak Fak), New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia).
2 May 1943:
Departs Patipi Bay.
3 May 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
1 June 1943:
Departs Sorong.
3 June 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
7 June 1943:
Departs Ambon.
9 June 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
16 June 1943:
Departs Sorong.
20 June 1943:
Departs Ambon.
26 June 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
29 June 1943:
Departs Sorong for Fak Fak, New Guinea, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).
5 July 1943:
Departs Fak Fak escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10.
7 July 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
11 July 1943:
Departs Sorong.
12 July 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
15 July 1943:
Departs Sorong and arrives at Kaboei (Kabui) Waigeo, Rajat Ampat Islands, New Guinea, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia) later this day likely escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-104 (ex Royal Netherlands Navy DJEMBER).
16 July 1943:
Arrives at Fam, New Guinea, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) likely escorted by Wa-104.
18 July 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
29 July 1943:
Departs Ambon escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10.
31 July 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
1 August 1943:
Departs Sorong escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10 and arrives at Kaboei Baai (Bay) later that day.
7 August 1943:
Departs Kaboei Baai escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10 and arrives at Sorong later this day.
8 August 1943:
Departs Sorong escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10 and arrives at Kaboei Baai later that day.
24 August 1943:
Departs Kaboei and returns later this day. Scheduled for a supply mission in Kaboei Bay until 26 September 1943.
26 September 1943:
At 1635, departs Sorong.
27 September 1943:
At 1705, arrives at Kaboei-Baai (Teluk Kabui), a bay on the south coast of Waigeo at 00-22S, 130-38E.
28 September 1943:
At 2120, departs Kaboei-Baai.
30 September 1943:
At 1010, arrives at Kokas and at 2020 departs escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10.
8 October 1943:
At 1730, arrives at Rembang, Java, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia) escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10.
10 October 1943:
At 2155, departs Rembang.
11 October 1943:
At 1530, arrives at Surabaya, Java, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia) escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10. Enters drydock and undergoes repairs.
2 November 1943:
Completes repairs.
9 November 1943:
Departs Surabaya.
15 November 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
19 November 1943:
Departs Ambon in a convoy also consisting of IJA transports AMAGI, KOAN and TAIYU MARUs escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-4.
21 November 1943:
At 0230 auxiliary minesweeper Wa-4 carries out an anti submarine attack and drops two depthcharges. Arrives at Kau Bay, (now Kaoe) Bay, Maluku Islands, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) later this day.
22 November 1943:
Auxiliary minesweeper Wa-4 arrives at Kau.
26 November 1943:
Departs Kau Bay.
28 November 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
30 November 1943:
Departs Sorong.
2 December 1943:
Arrives at Kau Bay.
26 December 1943:
Departs Kau Bay escorted by auxiliary patrol boat NITTO MARU No. 18.
27 December 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
29 December 1943:
Departs Sorong escorted by auxiliary patrol boat NITTO MARU No. 18.
31 December 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
January 1944:
Scheduled for a supply mission in Kau Bay.
7 January 1944:
Departs Ambon in convoy consisting of KINREI, TSUSHIMA and OAKITA MARUs escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-9 and auxiliary submarine chaser SHONAN MARU No. 17.
9 February 1944:
Arrives at Kau Bay.
10 February 1944:
At 0700 departs Kau Bay escorted by auxiliary netlayer HINOKI MARU.
11 February 1944:
Arrives at Kaboei Bay.
12 February 1944:
Departs Kaboei Bay escorted by auxiliary netlayer HINOKI MARU and later that day at 1700 arrives at Sorong.
13 February 1944:
At 1200 departs Sorong escorted by auxiliary netlayer HINOKI MARU.
14 February 1944:
At 1700 arrives at Boela (Bula), Ceram.
15 February 1944:
At 0700, departs Boela escorted by auxiliary netlayer HINOKI MARU.
16 February 1944:
At 1600, arrives at Sorong.
17 February 1944:
At 1300 departs Sorong escorted by auxiliary netlayer HINOKI MARU.
20 February 1944:
At 1800, arrives at Kau Bay.
21 March 1944:
Departs Kau Bay.
23 March 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day.
25 March 1944:
Arrives at Ambon.
28 March 1944:
Departs Ambon escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-3.
30 March 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-3.
1 April 1944:
Arrives at Ambon. Wa-3 arrives the following day.
4 April 1944:
Departs Ambon escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10.
6 April 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10.
8 April 1944:
Arrives at Ambon escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-10.
25 April 1944:
Departs Ambon escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-104 (ex Netherlands HMS DJEMBER).
26 April 1944:
Arrives at Sorong escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-104.
27 April 1944:
Departs Sorong escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-104.
29 April 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-104.
30 April 1944:
Arrives at Ambon escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-104. Wa-104 detaches. Departs Ambon later this day.
2 May 1944:
Arrives at Kau Bay.
1 May 1944:
Reassigned to the Combined Fleet’s Southwest Area Fleet.
7 May 1944:
Departs Kau Bay.
9 May 1944:
Arrives at Sorong.
10 May 1944:
Departs Sorong.
11 May 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day.
15 May 1944:
Arrives at Kau Bay. Assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet’s Northern Force Sixth Security Unit Main Unit under Sixth Security Unit Command Instruction No. 7.
19 May 1944:
Departs Kau.
22 May 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day.
24 May 1944:
Arrives at Ambon.
29 May 1944:
Departs Ambon.
30 May 1944:
Arrives at Boela.
31 May 1944:
Departs Boela escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-116.
2 June 1944:
Arrives at Batjan, Halmahera Island, Maluku Islands, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).
4 June 1944:
Departs Batjan still escorted by CHa-116.
6 June 1944:
Arrives at Kau.
7 June 1944:
At 0827 minesweeper W-22 comes alongside. Refuels W-22 with 32-tons of heavy oil.
10 June 1944:
Assigned to the 25th Special Base force under Fourth Southern Expeditionary Fleet Decree No. 20. Assingned to the Sixth Guard Unit under Kita Northern Force order No. 8. At 0300 departs Kau escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-116.
13 June 1944:
The ownership of the ship changes to the Japanese Oil corporation.
15 June 1944:
At 0900 arrives at Batjan and departs later that day at 1800 still escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-116.
20 June 1944:
At 2100 arrives at Kau.
26 June 1944:
Embarks the Marifud Air Defense Force, then departs Kau escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-116.. Engages in anti aircraft combat. The machine guns fire 25 rounds.
30 June 1944:
Arrives at Batjan and departs later that day at 0300 escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-116.
2 July 1944:
Departs Boela escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-116.
5 July 1944:
Undergoes an air attack at 1.25N 1288.45E. Engages in anti aircraft combat. The 25 mm guns fire 612 rounds. One bomb hit on the upper deck 3m behind the second machine gun. At 2000 arrives at Kau. Disembarks the Marifud Air Defense Force.
11 July 1944:
At 0300 departs Kau escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-116.
16 July 1944:
At 2000 arrives at Ambon.
25 July 1944:
Assigned to the Sixth Guard Unit under Kita Northern Force order No. 14 . Hull and engine repair begins at the 102 Naval Construction and Repair Department’s Ambon branch.
7 August 1944:
At 1300 departs Ambon in a convoy also consisting of TATEBE, TAIAN MARUs and UNKAI Maru No. 12 escorted by minelayer WAKATAKA, submarine chasers CH-26 and CH-60 and auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-116.
9 August 1944:
At 1330 arrives at Staring Bay, Kendari, Celebes, Netherlands East Indies (now Sulawesi, Indonesia).
22 August 1944:
Departs Staring Bay in a convoy consisting of KINREI and TAIAN MARUs with auxiliary subchaser CHa-116 as escort.
24 August 1944:
Arrives at Macassar.
25 August 1944:
Assigned to the Army under Kita Northern Force Command instruction No. 16.
1 September 1944:
Assigned to East Indies Forces.
2 September 1944:
At 1700 departs Makassar in concoy with minesweeper W-5, auxiliary netlayer NAGARA MARU, auxiliary submarine chasers CHa-113 and SHONAN MARU No. 2 and auxiliary minesweeper KEINAN MARU in a convoy also consisting of IJA transports KURAMASAN, KANTO and TATSUYASU MARUs, and auxiliary oiler UNKAI MARU No. 12.
4 September 1944:
At 0200 off Laut Strait, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Kalimantan, Indonesia) the auxiliary oilers KINREI MARU and UNKAI MARU No. 12 detach and head to Balikpapan.
6 September 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Kalimantan, Indonesia).
8 September 1944:
Departs Balikpapan.
9 September 1944:
Arrives at Tarakan, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Kalimantan, Indonesia).
7 October 1944:
Departs Balikpapan.
12 October 1944:
Arrives at Macassar.
28 October 1944:
Departs Macassar.
31 October 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
2 November 1944:
Departs Balikpapan.
13 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
14 November 1944:
Singapore. Undergoes hull and system repairs and servicing.
10 February 1945:
Reassigned to the Combined Fleet’s Tenth Area.
26 April 1945:
At 1100, KINREI MARU departs Singapore for Saigon in a convoy consisting of tanker TAKASAGO MARU with three unidentified escorts.
6 May 1945:
At about 0500, LtCdr Frank M. Smith’s (USNA ’35) USS HAMMERHEAD (SS-364) torpedoes and KINREI MARU. Hit by two of eight torpedoes fired by radar bearings, she blows up and sinks at 08-15N, 102-15E. 18 crewmen and two gunners are KIA.
10 June 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Notes:
[1] Not to be confused with cargo ship (5.947 GRT, ’42).
[2] NRT is a ship's cargo volume capacity expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3). It is calculated by subtracting non-revenue-earning spaces i.e. spaces not available for carrying cargo, for example engine rooms, fuel tanks and crew quarters, from the ship's gross register tonnage (GRT). Net register tonnage (NRT) is not a measure of the weight of the ship or its cargo, and should not be confused with terms such as deadweight tonnage or displacement.
[3] There were two categories of Yusosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
Thanks for assistance goes to Gilbert Casse of France, Sander Kingsepp of Estonia, Berend van der Wal of Netherlands and Erich Muehlthaler of Germany. Thanks also go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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