KYUSETSUMOKAN!
HOKAKUMOTEI!
(KATSURA MARU, sistership of KOREI MARU, in wartime)
IJN KOREI MARU :
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2020 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall
19 March 1939:
Osaka. Laid down by Sanoyasu Senkyo K.K. for Sanko Kisen K.K. as a 540 GRT cargo ship.
20 May 1939:
Launched and named KOREI MARU. [1]
17 July 1939:
Completed and registered at Amagasaki.
14 December 1940>
Requisitioned by the IJN.
16 December 1940:
Conversion to military duty begins. Registered as an auxiliary netlayer in the Maizuru Naval District under instruction No. 981. That same day, Navy Reserve Lt(jg) Yamaguchi Atsusoshi is appointed CO.
14 January 1941:
The conversion is completed.
15 January 1941:
Attached to Vice Admiral (posthumously Fleet Admiral) Koga Mineichi’s (34) Second Fleet, Second Base Force in SC Div 53 under instruction No. 29.
5 February 1941:
Rated as auxiliary netlayer No. 531.
24 March 1941:
Departs Sasebo.
E 26 ~ 31 March 1941:
Operates in central China waters.
3 April 1941:
Arrives at Tachibana Bay.
10 April 1941:
Attached to Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s (36) Third Fleet in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto’s (39) Second Base Force, SC Div 53.
31 May 1941:
Navy Reserve Lt(jg) Yamaguchi is relieved by Navy Reserve Lt Hirano Susumu as CO.
13 June 1941:
Departs Sasebo.
E 14 ~ 15 June 1941:
Operates in southern China waters.
16 June 1941:
Arrives at Kirun (Keelung), Formosa (now Taiwan).
24 July 1941:
Departs Kirun.
10 August 1941:
At Matsu Island, Formosa (now Nangan Dao, Taiwan), loads confined property onto auxiliary gunboat KISO MARU.
29 August 1941:
Arrives at Maizuru.
15 October 1941:
Attached to SC Div 53 under instruction No. 1251.
7 December 1941:
Departs Takao, Formosa (now Kaoshiung, Taiwan).
E 8 ~ 13 December 1941:
Operates in southern China waters.
14 December 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
17 December 1941:
Departs Takao.
2 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
3 January 1942:
Attached to Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s (36) Third Fleet, 31st Special Base Force, SC Div 53. Rated as auxiliary netlayer No. 234. Tactically assigned to Philippines Forces from 4 Jan ’42 under Southern Forces order No. 48.
4 January 1942:
Departs Takao.
6 January 1942:
Arrives at Lingayen, Luzon. Departs later that same month.
26 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
29 January 1942:
Departs Takao.
21 February 1942:
Auxiliary oiler SAN LUIS MARU runs aground near Santo Tomas (between Lingayen and San Fernando), Philippines. Together with auxiliary gunboat KISO MARU successfully refloat the vessel with help from light cruiser KUMA. Then with KISO MARU, tows SAN LUIS MARU. Attempt to be replenished by SAN LUIS MARU fails.
23 February 1942:
Departs San Fernando.
24 February 1942:
Escorts Army transport No. 4 division reinforcement convoy consisting of MANJU, CELEBES, PANAMA, KAISHO, TOTAI and KUNITAMA MARUs also escorted by auxiliary gunboat DELHI MARU and NAMPO and KISO MARUs (the latter two part way only), torpedo boat KASASAGI and minelayer YAEYAMA (the latter part way only). KOREI MARU and YAEYAMA meet the convoy at sea.
25 February 1942:
Arrives at San Fernando.
1 March 1942:
Replenished by SAN LUIS MARU with 7t fuel and 70t water.
4 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later this day.
5 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that day.
8 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol.
9 March 1942:
Arrives in Lingayen Gulf.
10 March 1942:
Attached to West Philippines Forces under order No. 6.
11 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol.
12 March 1942:
Arrives back in Lingayen Gulf.
16 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later this day.
17 March 1942:
Attached to West Philippines Forces under order No. 8. Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns later this day.
18 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later in the day.
19 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that same day.
20 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that day.
21 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later this day.
22 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that same day.
23 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that day.
28 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that same day.
1 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later this day.
2 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that day.
3 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol.
5 April 1942:
Arrives back in Lingayen Gulf.
6 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol.
7 April 1942:
Arrives back in Lingayen Gulf.
10 April 1942:
Attached to Vice Admiral Sugiyama Rokuzo’s (38) Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet, 31st Special Base Force.
15 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later this day.
16 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that day.
17 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that same day.
20 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later in the day.
21 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later this day.
22 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that day.
23 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later that same day.
24 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later in the day.
25 April 1942:
Near the mouth of Lingayen Gulf, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) James C. Dempsey's (USNA '31) USS SPEARFISH (SS-190) torpedoes IJA transport TOBA MARU with the loss of two crewmen. Departs Lingayen Gulf escorting and towing TOBA MARU.
26 April 1942:
10 km W of Cape Candon, TOBA MARU's captain beaches her to prevent sinking. Thereafter returns to Lingayen Gulf.
29 April 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf on patrol and returns there later this day.
9 May 1942:
Attached to West Philippines Forces under order No. 10.
12 May 1942:
Attached to West Philippines Forces under order No. 14. Departs Lingayen Gulf, calls at San Fernando and departs there later this day.
13 May 1942:
Arrives at San Fernando.
31 May 1942:
SC Div 53 is disbanded under internal instruction No. 980. Attached to Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet, 31st Special Base Force.
12 June 1942:
Anti-submarine attack at 200 degrees and 5 nautical miles from Capon Grande (Capones Island), Philippines. Drops two depth charges.
15 June 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores.
E 21 June 1942:
Joins a convoy with auxiliary gunboat KISO MARU, consisting of transports RAKUTO and NICHIYU MARUs bound for Manila.
23 June 1942:
At 0000, at 16-05N, 119-26E both escorts detach and return to Mako.
29 June 1942:
Departs Mako.
17 July 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
21 July 1942:
Departs Takao.
1 December 1942:
Escorts IJA auxiliary transport ROKKO MARU from near the west entrance of the Verde passage, Philippines and arrives at the entrance of Manila Bay, Philippines later that day.
13 February 1943:
At 0730 off Corregidor sights torpedo tracks and attacks and enemy submarine.
20 February 1943:
Attached to Vice Admiral Ota Taiji’s (37) Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet, 31st Special Base Force.
8 May 1943:
Sights and attacks an enemy submarine in the Sulu Sea.
5 June 1943:
Escorts a Navy requisitioned ship enroute via route 6 from Manila via Takao to Hong Kong until 20-00N, 119-00E.
19 June 1943:
At 0400, coming from Manila joins patrol boat PB-103 (ex-USS FINCH (AM-9) outside Subic Bay, Philippines. Arrives back at Manila later this day.
25 June 1943:
Departs Manila escorting a convoy consisting of auxiliary oiler MATSUMOTO and YAWATA MARUs.
E 26 June 1943:
Patrol Boat PB-103 joins the convoy but detaches later that day and returns to Cebu.
E 28 June 1943:
At 07-30N 116-10E near Balabac Island, Philippines detaches and reconnaissances Balabac Island. Thereafter joins a convoy from Tarakan,Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) bound for Manila consisting of Naval oilers SATA and SHIRIYA. Meanwhile YAWATA MARU detaches for Balikpapan.
1 July 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
2 July 1943:
Assigned by Philippines North Command order No. 4:
1 – Assist and rescue survivors of sinking Army transport ISUZU MARU torpedoed at 0503 that same day by LtCdr (KIA) Albert H. Clark’s (USNA ‘33) USS TROUT (SS-202) off Marinduque Island, with the loss of five crewmen and four gunners.
2 – Patrol related zone.
3 – Conduct with auxiliary small minesweeper CHOUN MARU No. 21 anti-submarine sweep in cooperation with IJNAF to search and destroy any latent enemy.
4 – Patrol boat No. 103 and auxiliary patrol craft No. 18 are on standby at Manila.
16 July 1943:
Assigned by Philippines North Command order No. 31:
1 – Enemy submarines have been reported at 2210 15 Jul ’43 near Manila Bay entrance.
2 – IJNAF and KOREI MARUmust strictly patrol the bay entrance.
3 – Auxiliary patrol craft No. 7 is on standby after ending auxiliary cable layer HARUSHIMA MARU (ex-USAMP COLONEL F.E. HARRISON) escort.
4 – Auxiliary patrol craft No. 8 and No. 18 will join after one hour delay.
23 July 1943:
Assigned by Philippines North Command order No. 34:
Escort Army transport UGO MARU and another ship scheduled to depart Manila 26 Jul ‘43.
26 July 1943:
Departs Manila escorting UGO MARU and an unknown ship (possibly MIHO MARU) bound for Cebu.
E 27 July 1943:
Arrives at Cebu.
28 August 1943:
At 2216 in 12.51N 121.41E sights and attacks an enemy submarine.
11 October 1943:
Assigned by Philippines North Command order No. 34:
Escort convoy H-2 bound to Kau, Halmahera, Moluccas, Netherlands East Indies and Cebu.
12 October 1943:
At 1250, departs Manila with PB-103 escorting convoy H-2 to Kau consisting of HAMBURG, SUEZ, WAKATSU (ex- Greek ANDREAS) and YUBAE MARUs.
14 October 1943:
At 1620, arrives at Cebu, Philippines with convoy H-2. PB-103 detaches.
1 December 1943:
Attached to Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet, 31st Special Base Force.
13 February 1944:
Assigned by Philippines North Command order No. 136:
Escort of H-18 convoy will also consist of auxiliary gunboat KISO MARU and auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 8.
30 March 1944:
Assigned by Philippines North Command order No. 284:
1 – Escort of convoy H-23 bound for Cebu and scheduled to depart Manila 31 Mar ‘44 will also consist of patrol boats PB-103 and PB-105 (ex-Philippines' customs cruiser ARAYAT) and auxiliary subchaser CHa. 24.
2 – Patrol craft No. 45 will join at Cebu 2 Apr ’44.
31 March 1944:
At 0358, departs Manila for Kau, Halmahera Island with PB-103, PB-105 and auxiliary subchaser CHa. 24 escorting convoy H-23 consisting of BUNZAN, TATSUJU, MIYAURA and TAIYU MARUs.
2 April 1944:
Arrives with convoy H-23 at Cebu.
1 May 1944:
At 0400, departs Manila with PB-102 (ex-USS STEWART (DD-224) and PB-104 (ex-GM ss VALK), subchaser CH-38, minelayer SHIRATAKA and destroyers ASAKAZE, FIJINAMI and SHIRATSUYU escorting convoy Take No. 1 consisting of ADEN, TAJIMA, AMATSUSAN, YOZAN, TEIKAI (ex-German FULDA), KAZUURA, BRAZIL and MITSUKI MARUs. Tanker JAMBI MARU apparently also joins for part of the way.
6 May 1944:
N Celebes Sea, Netherlands East Indies. About 0800, lookouts aboard LtCdr Charles H. Andrews’ (USNA ’30) USS GURNARD (SS-254) spot SHIRATAKA's coal-burning smoke at 19 miles. By 1300, Andrews completes an "end-around" and gains an attack position on convoy Take No. 1. At 1402, FUJINAMI discovers a submarine. Andrews sets up carefully and fires two three-torpedo salvos at the transports. TAJIMA, ADEN and AMATSUSAN (TENSHINZAN) MARUs are hit. TAJIMA and ADEN MARUs sink quickly. AMATSUSAN (TENSHINZAN) MARU is set on fire but remains afloat. TAJIMA MARU takes down 58 of 2701 troops, three crewmen and nine gunners. ADEN MARU takes down 499 troops, 12 crewmen and four gunners.
The escorts launch a heavy counterattack against USS GURNARD. Andrews evades 98 depth charges, after which the escorts break off their attack. USS GURNARD surfaces and finds one of the transports burning, but still afloat. About midnight, USS GURNARD shells the transport with her four-inch deck gun, but she still does not sink. Andrews then fires another torpedo that finally sinks AMATSUSAN (TENSHINZAN) MARU. 95 out of 212 soldiers on board are killed.
7 May 1944:
Arrives with the remaining ships of convoy Take No. 1 at Bangka anchorage, NE Celebes.
8 May 1944:
At 0500, departs Bangka with the convoy. At 1555, PB-102 sights an enemy periscope. She starts an anti-submarine attack and drops 3 depth charges. At 1800, patrol boat PB-102 and subchaser CH-38 continue anti-submarine sweep.
9 May 1944:
The remnants of convoy Take No. 1 arrive at Wasile Bay, Halmahera.
13 May 1944:
At 0355, departs Wasile Bay, Halmahera, with patrol boats PB-102 and PB-104, minelayer SHIRATAKA, and subchaser CH-38 escorting the remnants of convoy Take No. 1 consisting of TEIKAI (ex-German FULDA), MITSUKI, KAZUURA, BRAZIL MARUs, newly joined ATLAS MARU and one unidentified ship (possibly YOZAN MARU).
14 May 1944:
Arrives with convoy Take No. 1 at Lembeh anchorage, Celebes.
20 May 1944:
At 2105, arrives with convoy Take No. 1 at Manila.
28 May 1944:
At 1300, departs Manila with PB-102 and PB 104, destroyer TSUGA and subchaser CH-38 escorting convoy H-27 consisting of SHINNO, KOHOKU, KOSEI, MURORAN, SHIROGANESAN, TAIYU, TEIYU (ex-Italian CARIGNANO) and JUZAN MARUs and KOSHU MARU No. 1.
1 June 1944:
Departs Jolo, Philippines with convoy H-27.
3 June 1944:
At 2044, arrives with convoy H-27 at Bangka anchorage, NE Celebes.
7 June 1944:
At 0544, departs Bangka with convoy H-27.
8 June 1944:
At 1606, arrives with convoy H-27 at Wasile, Halmahera.
11 June 1944:
At 1614 departs Kau Bay, Halmahera with old destroyer TSUGA, PB-102 and PB-104, subchasers CH-21 and CH-38 and auxiliary gunboat KAZAN MARU escorting convoy M-22 consisting of AKAGISAN, KOAN, SORACHI, SHIROGANESAN, YOZAN and TAIYU MARUs and YOSHIDA MARU No. 3.
12 June 1944:
TSUGA and CH-38 are detached for Davao, Philippines.
14 June 1944:
At 1003, LtCdr Willard R. Laughon's (USNA ’33) USS RASHER (SS-269) torpedoes and sinks KOAN MARU at 04-33N, 122-23E. One ship's gunner and 13 crewmen are killed. The ship’s Captain remained on the bridge as the ship sank and the fore-post mast pulled him below the surface.
15 June 1944:
At 0304, arrives with convoy M-22 at Jolo.
17 June 1944:
At 0807, departs Jolo with convoy M-22 for Manila.
20 June 1944:
At 0925, arrives with convoy M-22 at Manila.
10 September 1944:
Arrives at Gigantes Islands, Philippines escorting a convoy. Currently attached to Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi’s (37) Southwestern Area Fleet, Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet, 31st Special Base Force with Navy Reserve Lt Hirano as CO.
11 September 1944:
Departs Gigantes Islands.
12 September 1944:
Arrives at Cebu. About 50 carrier aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher’s (USNA ‘10) Task Force 38’s TG 38.1, TG 38.2, and TG 38.3 attack shipping in and outside of Cebu harbor and sink KOREI MARU (22 crewmen KIA) and 14 other ships.
10 November 1944:
Removed from the Navy’s list under internal order No. 1258.
Authors' Notes:
[1] Not to be confused with IJA transport No. 507 (2,487 GRT, ‘04).
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
- Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall.
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