Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

(KOSHIN MARU, pre-war)
KOSHIN MARU
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2011-2018 Bob Hackett and Gilbert Casse

Revision 1

E 1923:
Hiroshima. Laid down at Osaka Iron Works Innoshima shipyard as a 5,485-ton passenger-cargo ship for Hiroumi Shoji, K. K., Osaka.
April 1924:
Launched and named KOSHIN MARU. [1]
15 June 1924:
Completed.
1924-1941:
In Hiroumi Shoji’s service.
2 November 1941:
Arrives at Osaka and departs that day. Requisitioned by the IJN.
3 November 1941:
Arrives at Kure Navy yard. Begins conversion to an auxiliary transport.
22 November 1941:
Completes conversion.
10 November 1941:
Registered in the Kure Naval District as an auxiliary transport (charter).
22 November 1941:
Departs Kure.
25 November 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1 December 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
9 December 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
16-17 December 1941: The Occupation of Davao, Mindanao, Philippines:
KOSHIN MARU departs Palau in t he Davao Occupation Convoy. The convoy carries the Sakaguchi Detachment (56th Mixed Infantry Corps, 146th Infantry Regiment, 1st Field Artillery Battalion), the Miura Detachment (part of the 16th Army Division) and the Kure No. 1 Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF).
The convoy is organized into three subdivisions:
1st subdivision: KIRISHIMA (IJN), YAMATSUKI (IJA), TAITO (IJN), KINUGASA (IJN) and AMAGISAN (IJN) MARUs.
2nd subdivision: TONAN MARU No. 2 (IJN), TEIRYU (IJA) (carrying the 3rd Munitions Unit & the 103rd Aerial Field Repair Shop), KURETAKE (IJA) and TENRYU (IJN) MARUs, escorted by minelayer SHIRATAKA and destroyers AMATSUKAZE and OYASHIO.
3rd subdivision: IJN KOSHIN, TATSUKAMI and EIKO MARUs and IJA HANKOW and HAVANA MARUs.
16 December 1941:
At 1600, the 3rd subdivision departs Palau.
17 December 1941:
At 0700, the 2nd subdivision departs Palau. At 1300, the 1st subdivision departs Palau.
20 December 1941:
At 0145, the 1st subdivision arrives at Tibungko Anchorage (15 km NNE of Davao). At 0320, the 3rd subdivision arrives at Talomo Anchorage (6 km SW of Davao). At 0440, the 2nd subdivision arrives at Tibungko Anchorage.
The 2nd subdivision arrives at Davao, Philippines transporting the No. 1 Kure Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF).
22 December 1941:
Departs Davao.
25 December 1941:
Arrives at Jolo, Philippines. Lands troops.
1 January 1942:
Departs Jolo.
3 January 1942:
Arrives at Davao. Attached to Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s [36] Eastern Seizure Force.
9 January 1942: Operation "H" - The Invasion of Celebes, Netherlands East Indies:
KOSHIN MARU departs Davao, Philippines with transports HOKUROKU, NANKAI, KINAI, AMAGISAN, SHOKA, KATSURAGI and CHOWA MARUs in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kubo Kuji's 1st Base Force escorted by light cruiser NAGARA, patrol boats PB-1, PB-2 and PB-34, MineSweepDiv 21's W -11, W-7, W-8, W-9 and W-12 and SubChasDiv 1's CH-1, CH-2, CH-3.
The transports are carrying Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mori Kunizo's (former CO of SATA) Sasebo No. 1 Combined Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF).
11 January 1942:
At 0300, the SNLF lands on Kema, Celebes. At 0400, they land on Menado. Later, 334 men of Cdr (later Captain) Horiuchi Toyoaki's (later XO of TAKAO) Yokosuka No. 1 SNLF (Air) are dropped successfully from Mitsubishi G3M1-L Nell converted transport aircraft in the Menado-Kema area. The paratroops seize Langoan airfield.
17 January 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
19 January 1942:
Departs Kure.
27 January 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
29 January 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
2 February 1942:
Arrives at Amoy.
2 February 1942:
Departs Amoy.
6 February 1942:
Arrives at Camranh Bay.
9 February 1942:
Departs Camranh Bay.
10 February 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.
24 February 1942:
Departs Saigon.
26 February 1942:
Arrives at Anambas archipelago.
1 March 1942:
Departs Anambas.
2 March 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
7 March 1942:
Departs Singapore.
9 March 1942:
Arrives at Kuching, Borneo.
17 March 1942:
Departs Kuching.
19 March 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
25 March 1942:
Departs Singapore.
31 March 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong.
5 April 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.
10 April 1942:
Removed from the Navy List.
16 April 1942:
Arrives at Osaka.
20 April 1942:
Departs Osaka.
2 October 1942:
At 0915 KOSHIN MARU sights an enemy submarine while sailing alone in 26-08N 124-43E.
1 December 1942:
Requisitioned by the IJN. Registered in the Kure Naval District. Begins conversion to an emergency oiler at the Osaka Iron Works dockyard.
3 February 1943:
Completes conversion. Departs Osaka.
4 February 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
7 February 1943:
Departs Kure.
9 February 1943:
A rrives at Miike.
11 February 1943:
KOSHIN MARU departs Ujina for Singapore in a convoy also consisting of tankers KAISOKU and PALEMBANG MARUs and cargo ship NISHI MARU and an unknown escort.
15 February 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
19 February 1943:
At 1100, departs Takao in convoy No. 737 also consisting of Army transport ERIE MARU and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU.
22 February 1943:
At 1530 arrives at Manila.
24 February 1943:
Departs Manila.
28 February 1943:
Arrives at Miri.
1 March 1943:
Departs Miri.
4 March 1943:
Arrives at Cap St Jacques.
7 March 1943:
Departs Cap St Jacques in convoy No. 478 with ATAGO and GYOKO MARUs without surface escort.
14 March 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
16 March 1943:
Departs Takao in convoy No. 241 with ATAGO and GYOKO MARUs and one unidentified merchant ship escorted by destroyer SANAE.
21 March 1943:
Arrives at Kudamatsu.
25 March 1943:
Departs Kudamatsu.
26 March 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
12 April 1943:
Departs Osaka.
13 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
23 April 1943:
Departs Kure.
25 April 1943:
Arrives at Miike.
29 April 1943:
Departs Miike.
3 May 1943:
Arrives at Shonai.
4 May 1943:
Departs Shonai and later that day, arrives at Takao.
9 May 1943:
Departs Takao.
13 May 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
23 May 1943:
Departs Manila.
27 May 1943:
Arrives at Miri.
29 May 1943:
Departs Miri.
1 June 1943:
Arrives at Cap St. Jacques, Indochina.
4 June 1943:
Departs Cap St. Jacques.
10 June 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
12 June 1943:
Departs Takao.
18 June 1943:
Arrives at Motoyama (Genzan).
22 June 1943:
Departs Motoyama (Genzan).
24 June 1943:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
25 June 1943:
Departs Tokuyama.
26 June 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
30 June 1943:
Departs Kure.
2 July 1943:
Arrives at Miike.
7 July 1943:
At 1400, KOSHIN MARU departs Moji in convoy No. 173 also consisting of tankers ZUIYO MARU and KYOEI MARU No. 2 and MURORAN, ASAKA, RYUKO, TAIYU, HIROTA, NACHISAN, GYOKUREI, KYOKKO and escorted by torpedo boat HAYABUSA and patrol PB-36.
13 July 1943:
At 0950, arrives at Takao.
14 July 1943:
KOSHIN MARU departs Takao in convoy No. 760 also consisting of an unidentified merchant ship escorted by destroyer WAKATAKE.
17 July 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
23 July 1943:
Departs Manila.
27 July 1943:
Arrives at Miri.
29 July 1943:
Departs Miri.
2 August 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
6 August 1943:
KOSHIN MARU departs Manila in convoy No. 862 also consisting of an unidentified merchant ship escorted by destroyer FUYO.
9 August 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
13 August 1943:
KOSHIN MARU departs Takao escorting convoy No. 292 also consisting of KUNISHIMA and HAKUBASAN MARU’s and six unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer ASAGAO.
E 16 August 1943:
ASAGAO is detached and turns towards Takao to escort another convoy.
19 August 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
23 August 1943:
Departs Moji.
25 August 1943:
Arrives at Miike.
29 August 1943:
Departs Miike.
31 August 1943:
Removed from the Navy List.
1 September 1943:
Requisitioned by the Sempaku-Uneikai (Civilian Shipping Administration) and is allotted to the IJN as a Kaigun-haitosen. Registered in the Kure Naval District. [2]
6 September 1943:
At 0900, KOSHIN MARU departs Mako in convoy No. 321 also consisting of AWA, ANYO, CEYLON, KOKUEI, SYDNEY, YAMAZURU (YAMATSURU) MARU and tanker SAN PEDRO MARU and HINO MARU No. 1 escorted by torpedo boat HAYABUSA.
13 September 1943:
Arrives at St. Jacques, Indochina.
27 September 1943:
An unidentified submarine launches a torpedo attack at 11-36N, 109-52E, but no damage is sustained.
8 October 1943:
KOSHIN MARU departs Takao for Moji in convoy No. 210 also consisting of MALTA, HOKKO, NORWAY, KOKKO, YULIN, TOKUSHIMA, SHINNO and YAMABATO MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-36 and destroyer HASU.
E 11 October 1943:
Off Niu Shan Islands HASU is detached.
13 October 1943:
At 1200 the kaibokan SADO relieves PB-36.
15 October 1943:
Arrives at Moji less SHINNO, and YAMABATO MARUs detached earlier.
22 October 1943:
At 1100, KOSHIN MARU departs Moji for Takao in convoy No. 108 also consisting HAKUSAN, RYUSEI, KENAN, FUKUJU, NARITA and ODATSUKI MARUs escorted by kaibokan MATSUWA.
26 October 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
3 December 1943:
Departs Takao for Mutsure in convoy No. 224 also consisting of SAN PEDRO, SAN LUIS, MANKO, INARI, GETSUYO, YUBAE, MYOGI, MIIKESAN and MURORAN MARUs (and possibly others) escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU.
29 December 1943:
At 1500, departs Moji for Takao, in convoy No. 125 also consisting of SEINAN and KOKKO MARUs escorted by destroyer ASAGAO and minesweepers W-4 and W-5.
4 January 1944:
At 0932, arrives at Takao.
6 January 1944:
At 0900, departs Takao for Manila in the Rinji (Special S convoy escorted by minesweepers W-4 and W-5.
9 January 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Manila.
13 January 1944:
At 1500, KOSHIN MARU departs Manila in convoy No. 3102 also consisting of tankers RONSAN, SEINAN, NITTATSU and TAKETOYO MARUs and cargo ships TEIRYU (ex-German AUGSBURG) and NITTAI MARUs escorted by destroyer WAKATAKE.
17 January 1944:
Arrives at Davao.
20 January 1944:
At 1500 arrives at Miri .
21 January 1944:
At 1200, KOSHIN MARU departs Miri escorting convoy No. 3202 also consisting of tankers RONSAN, SEINAN and NITTATSU MARUs escorted by destroyer WAKATAKE.
22 January 1944:
At 1736, LtCdr Donald F. Weiss' USS TINOSA (SS-283) attacks the convoy. Weiss torpedoes and sinks KOSHIN MARU at 07-27N, 115-07E. 22 crewmen are KIA. Weiss' also torpedoes and sinks SEINAN MARU at 07-19N, 116-52E. 29 crewmen and 16 gunners are KIA. WAKATAKE drops 17 depth charges, but USS TINOSA escapes.

Author's Notes:
[1] Also known as KOSIN MARU.
[2] See the YUSOSEN! home page for an explanation of Sempaku-Uneikai, Kaigun-Haitosen, etc.
Photo credit goes to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.

- Bob Hackett and Gilbert Casse.

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