Japanese Transports

ZATSUYOSEN!

(KOWA MARU, prewar)

KOWA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2016 Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 2

E 1939:
Osaka. Laid down by Nakata Zosensho K.K. shipyard for Sanko Kisen K.K. as a 1,106-tons cargo ship.
20 November 1939:
Launched and named OKITSUGU MARU.
11 March 1940:
Renamed KOWA MARU on completion and registered in Amagasaki.
2 February 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
20 December 1941:
Registered in the IJN as an auxiliary gunboat attached to the Sasebo Naval District under Navy’s instruction No. 1700. Navy Lt (Reserve) Yasutaka Mori is appointed CO.
30 December 1941:
Hikoshima. Completes her conversion to military duty at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries K.K. shipyard.
31 December 1941:
Assigned to Vice Admiral Sakamoto Ikuta’s (36) Chinkai Guard District in Rear Admiral Owada Yoshinosuke’s (35) Chinkai Guard Force. Assigned that same day to Tsushima Strait patrol duties under Chinkai Naval District secret instruction No. 28.
3 January 1942:
Equipped with eight depth-charges (DCs) under Chinkai Naval District instruction No. 2.
January 1942:
Departs Hikoshima, Shimonoseki Prefecture.
14 January 1942:
Arrives at Chinkai, Chosen (now Jinhae, South Korea).
15 January 1942:
Assigned to Tsushima Strait patrol duties under Chinkai Naval District secret instruction No. 32.
23 January 1942:
Departs Chinkai.
9 February 1942:
Arrives at Chinkai.
10 February 1942:
Assigned to Tsushima Strait patrol duties under Chinkai Naval District secret instruction No. 41.
12 February 1942:
Departs Chinkai.
17 February 1942:
Arrives at Chinkai.
20 February 1942:
Departs Chinkai.
22 February 1942:
Arrives at Chinkai.
28 February 1942:
Departs Chinkai.
12 March 1942:
Arrives at Chinkai.
15 March 1942:
Departs Chinkai.
E 16 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
20 March 1942:
Assigned to Vice Admiral Hosogaya Boshiro’s (36) Fifth Fleet, 2nd Picket Boat Division under Navy’s instruction No. 19.
11 April 1942:
At 0800 departs Yokosuka.
15 April 1942:
Arrives on patrol zone.
18 April 1942: The First Bombing of Japan:
Vice Admiral (later Fleet Admiral) William F. Halsey's (USNA ’04) (former CO of USS SARATOGA, CV-2) Task Force 16's USS HORNET (CV-8), cruisers, destroyers and an oiler accompanied by USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), cruisers, destroyers and another oiler approach Japan. The carriers and cruisers come to within 668 nautical miles of the mainland.
Discovery of his force by auxiliary patrol craft NITTO MARU No. 23 compels Halsey to order Captain (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's (USNA ’10) USS HORNET to launch LtCol (later Gen/Medal of Honor) James H. Doolittle's 16 Army North American B-25 "Mitchell" twin-engine bombers of the 17th Bomb Group earlier than planned. Later, Doolittle's planes strike targets in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya and Kobe.
USS ENTERPRISE's VB-3 and VB-6's Douglas "Dauntless" SBD dive-bombers and VF-6's Grumman "Wildcat" F4F fighters attack the "picket" boats encountered near Task Force 16. They damage auxiliary patrol craft IWATE MARU No. 1, CHOKYU MARU, ASAMI MARU No. 2, KAIJIN MARU, CHINYO MARU No. 3, EIKICHI MARU, NAGATO MARU and NANSHIN MARU No. 26. Auxiliary armed merchant cruiser AWATA MARU receives a near-miss by a bomb dropped by an SBD and suffers minor hull damage.
At 1200, KOWA MARU is hit by a bomb portside bow that causes flooding in several places at 34-00N, 152-00E. Undergoes emergency drainage.
Later, auxiliary patrol craft NITTO MARU No. 23 and NAGATO MARU, damaged by the SBDs and F4Fs, are sunk by gunfire by USS NASHVILLE (CL-43).
22 April 1942:
At 1600 arrives at Yokosuka.
6 May 1942:
Equipped with nine motor boats under Navy’s secret instruction No. 5497-1.
24 May 1942:
At 1400 departs Yokosuka.
13 June 1942:
Arrives at Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture. Departs later.
18 June 1942:
At 1200 departs Yokosuka.
2 July 1942:
Recalled from patrol zone under Yokosuka Naval District telegram No. 288.
8 July 1942:
At 1300 arrives at Yokosuka.
17 July 1942:
At 1500 departs Yokosuka.
31 July 1942:
At 1700, sights and detonates a large Soviet looking drifting mine.
2 August 1942:
At 1600 arrives at Hakodate, Hokkaido. Enters drydock.
12 August 1942:
Undocked.
13 August 1942:
At 1800 departs Hakodate.
17 August 1942:
Arrives in ‘Tare’ picket line area.
18 August 1942:
Assigned to search for US plane that ditched near Soviet Union under Patrol Forces telegram No. 43.
20 August 1942:
Proceeds to 155-00E to search for ditched US plane.
25 August 1942:
Aborts search and returns to the picket line. That same day, due to a typhoon warning, the picket line is moved to 148-00E.
28 August 1942:
Departs the picket line area.
30 August 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Yokosuka.
10 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka on patrol duties.
25 September 1942:
At 1230 arrives at Yokosuka.
3 October 1942:
Loads provisions.
4 October 1942:
Departs Yokosuka on patrol duties.
5 October 1942:
Engages in DCs drill.
7 October 1942:
Reduces navigation to half speed due to engine main cooling pipe corrosion.
9 October 1942:
At 1825, meets up with auxiliary gunboat KAMITSU MARU.
10 October 1942:
At 0715, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft FUKUYOSHI MARU No. 2 Go.
12 October 1942:
At 0830, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KAIRYU MARU. At 0840, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KAINAN MARU No. 7. At 0900, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft EIKICHI MARU.
13 October 1942:
At 0710, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft FUKUYOSHI MARU No. 2 Go and KOMPIRA MARU No. 2 Go. At 1425, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft TENJIN MARU No. 2 Go.
14 October 1942:
At 0905, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft TENJIN MARU No. 2 Go.
15 October 1942:
At 0655, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KAIJIN MARU.
20 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Departs and arrives later that day at Nagaura, Chiba Prefecture.
22 October 1942:
Loads fresh water.
25 November 1942:
Released from Picket Boat Forces under instruction No. 193. Attached that same day to Fifth Fleet, 22nd Squadron.
27 November 1942:
At 1345 departs Nagaura.
28 November 1942:
At 1400 arrives at Yokosuka.
29 November 1942:
At 1200 departs Yokosuka.
15 December 1942:
At 1500 arrives at Yokosuka. Departs later.
17 January 1943:
Arrives on ‘Le’ picket line.
27 January 1943:
Arrives on patrol zone.
30 January 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Departs later.
1 February 1943:
Attachment is changed to Yokosuka Naval District under instruction No. 105. Assigned that same day to Fifth Fleet, 22nd Squadron, 3rd Picket Boat Division under instruction No. 106.
3 February 1943:
Loads 120-tons of fresh water.
15 February 1943:
Loads canteen goods. The same Soshin-Type 1 TM receiver-transmitter than auxiliary gunboat ANSHU MARU is transferred to auxiliary gunboat HINO MARU No. 2.
17 February 1943:
Loads 130-tons of fresh water.
22 February 1943:
Borrows from auxiliary gunboat UNYO MARU No. 1 two other Soshin-Type 1 TM receiver-transmitters.
24 February 1943:
Loads 200-tons of fresh water.
25 February 1943:
Loads diesel fuel.
26 February 1943:
Loads canteen goods.
27 February 1943:
At 1000 departs Nagaura on patrol duties.
March 1943:
Arrives at ‘Te’ picket line and begins assigned patrol.
7 March 1943:
At 2250, joins auxiliary gunboat UNYO MARU No. 1.
18 March 1943:
At 0950 arrives at Nagaura.
20 March 1943:
Undergoes construction of a new diesel tank.
22 March 1943:
Loads 130-tons of fresh water.
23 March 1943:
Loads diesel fuel.
28 March 1943:
Departs Nagaura on trials and arrives back there later in the day.
31 March 1943:
Departs Yokohama and arrives at Yokosuka later that day, tethering at quay No. 1.
2 April 1943:
Loads 70-tons of fresh water. At 1200 departs Yokosuka on patrol duties.
7 April 1943:
At 0920, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHOEI MARU No. 7 Go. At 1258, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft HOEI MARU No. 5. At 1455, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHOWA MARU No. 3 Go.
8 April 1943:
At 0745, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft MYOJIN MARU No. 7.
9 April 1943:
At 0738, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5. At 0818, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KAIKO MARU. At 1040, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft MYOJIN MARU No. 7. At 1336, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINAGAWA MARU.
10 April 1943:
At 0415, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHOWA MARU No. 3 Go.
15 April 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Yokosuka. Departs later for Nagaura.
19 April 1943:
Loads 120-tons of fresh water.
23 April 1943:
Loads provision and replenishes diesel fuel.
24 April 1943:
Loads 150-tons of fresh water and provisions.
25 April 1943:
At 1400 departs Nagaura on patrol duties with UNYO MARU No. 1 and SHOKO MARU who are heading to different patrol zones.
28 April 1943:
At 1253, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KANNO MARU No. 3. At 1525, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5.
29 April 1943:
At 0545, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU. At 0840, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KYOWA MARU No. 3. At 1150, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU.
30 April 1943:
At 0647, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5. At 0810, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KANNO MARU No. 3.
1 May 1943:
At 0652, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KYOWA MARU No. 3. At 1215, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU. At 1505, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5. At 1550, meets up with auxiliary gunboat UNYO MARU No. 1.
2 May 1943:
At 1140, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KANNO MARU No. 3. At 1230, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5. At 1608, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU.
3 May 1943:
At 0750, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KYOWA MARU No. 3. At 0930, meets up with auxiliary merchant cruiser AWATA MARU. At 1006, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU. At 1550, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5.
4 May 1943:
At 0447, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KANNO MARU No. 3. At 0907, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5. At 1030, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU. At 1400, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KYOWA MARU No. 3.
5 May 1943:
At 0500, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KANNO MARU No. 3. At 0910, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5. At 1245, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU. At 1557, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KYOWA MARU No. 3.
6 May 1943:
At 0443, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KANNO MARU No. 3. At 0815, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5. At 1120, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU. At 1525, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KYOWA MARU No. 3.
7 May 1943:
At 0845, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5. At 1050, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU. At 1535, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KYOWA MARU No. 3.
8 May 1943:
At 0600, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KANNO MARU No. 3. At 0805, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5. At 1035, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHINYO MARU. At 1535, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KYOWA MARU No. 3.
9 May 1943:
At 0608, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KANNO MARU No. 3. At 0750, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SASAYAMA MARU No. 5.
11 May 1943:
At 2340, arrives at Tateyama Wan (Bay).
12 May 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Nagaura.
15 May 1943:
Loads 125-tons of fresh water and replenishes diesel fuel.
18 May 1943:
Loads provisions.
19 May 1943:
Loads 65-tons of fresh water.
21 May 1943:
Attached to the 1st Picket Boat Division with auxiliary gunboats FUKUEI MARU No. 10 and UNYO MARU No. 1. Assigned to patrol duties.
22 May 1943:
Replenishes diesel fuel and departs Nagaura later that same day at 1400.
26 May 1943:
At 1455, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft FUKUKYU MARU No. 1.
27 May 1943:
At 0403, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft FUKUKYU MARU No. 1. At 1200, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft LUZON MARU. At 1715, meets up again with auxiliary patrol craft LUZON MARU.
28 May 1943:
At 0350, meets up with fleet submarine I-175.
29 May 1943:
At 0645, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KOEI MARU No. 10. At 1047, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KAIKO MARU. At 1100, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft EIFUKU MARU No. 2.
1 June 1943:
At 0825, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KAIKO MARU. At 1240, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KOEI MARU No. 10.
2 June 1943:
At 0350, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KAIKO MARU. At 0408, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KOEI MARU No. 10. At 1157, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft EIFUKU MARU No. 2.
3 June 1943:
At 0340, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KOEI MARU No. 10.
5 June 1943:
At 0535, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KAIKO MARU and EIFUKU MARU No. 2.
8 June 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Yokosuka.
9 June 1943:
Loads 100-tons of fresh water.
11 June 1943:
Enters Yokosuka Naval Yard drydock No. 4 for maintenance and repairs.
17 June 1943:
Undocked.
18 June 1943:
Loads provisions.
19 June 1943:
Loads canteen goods and 120-tons of fresh water.
21 June 1943:
Loads 100-tons of fresh water. At 1200 departs Yokosuka and arrives at Tateyama later that same day.
22 June 1943:
Sustains a mechanical breakdown.
23 June 1943:
Departs Tateyama and arrives at Yokosuka later in the day at 1100.
29 June 1943:
Navy Captain Yasutaka Mori is confirmed as CO.
1 ~ 2 July 1943:
Undergoes hull and superstructure coating.
6 July 1943:
Loads fresh water.
9 July 1943:
Loads 100-tons of fresh water and provisions.
10 July 1943:
Loads provisions.
11 July 1943:
Loads 50-tons of fresh water.
12 July 1943:
At 1400 departs Yokosuka on patrol duties.
13 July 1943:
At 1600, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft SHIRATORI MARU.
17 July 1943:
At 1100, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft EIKICHI MARU. At 1110, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KIHO MARU No. 1. At 1115, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft MYOJIN MARU No. 3.
19 July 1943:
At 0605, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft EIKICHI MARU. At 0610, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft KIHO MARU No. 1. At 0615, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft MYOJIN MARU No. 3.
21 July 1943:
At 0705, meets up with auxiliary patrol craft EIKICHI MARU. At 1715, meets up again with EIKICHI MARU.
23 July 1943:
At 1359, meets up with EIKICHI MARU.
26 July 1943:
At 1030, meets up with EIKICHI MARU.
27 July 1943:
At 0715, meets up with EIKICHI MARU.
29 July 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
30 July 1943:
Loads 150-tons of fresh water.
5 August 1943:
Assigned to Fifth Fleet, 22nd Squadron, 3rd Picket Boat Division.
24 August 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
25 August 1943:
Arrives at Ominato, Aomori Prefecture. Assigned that same day to reinforce rescue team led by auxiliary patrol craft KAIGYO MARU No. 8, searching for a missing person under Ominato Guard District telegram No. 24.
30 August 1943:
Departs Ominato.
1 September 1943:
Navy Lt (Reserve) Harada Shichiro is appointed CO.
5 September 1943:
Arrives at Paramushiro-To, Kuriles.
12 September 1943:
Sustains an airstrike. Fires 7 8cm deck gun shells, 470 13mm MG rounds and 80 rifle bullets.
17 September 1943:
Departs Paramushiro.
E 22 September 1943:
Arrives at Hakodate. Departs later.
23 September 1943:
Arrives at Ominato. Departs later.
28 September 1943:
Scheduled to begin conversion to new military role under Navy’s secret instruction No. 4917-1.
1 October 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Removed from the Navy’s list under instruction No. 2038 and registered again as an auxiliary transport, (Otsu) category attached to the Yokosuka Naval District with Yokosuka as home port under instruction No. 2041. Assigned to Southeast Fleet Area. [2]
27 October 1943:
At 0700, arrives at Tennei, Etorofu-To (now Burevestnik, Iturup), Kuriles.
16 November 1943:
At 0530, departs Tennei for Ominato.
27 December 1943:
Departs Ominato and arrives at Muroran, Hokkaido later that day.
29 December 1943:
Departs Muroran.
1 January 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
2 January 1944:
Navy Captain Okada Eikichi is appointed CO.
13 January 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives at Tokyo later in the day.
15 January 1944:
Departs Tokyo and arrives at Yokosuka later that day.
20 January 1944:
Departs Yokosuka for Truk, Central Carolines in convoy No. 3120 also consisting of auxiliary transport HOKI (ex-British HAURAKI) MARU and IJA transports SAN FRANCISCO MARU and UNKAI MARU No. 6 escorted by kaibokan OKI. The convoy arrives at Tateyama later in the day.
21 January 1944:
Kaibokan MANJU departs Yokosuka and arrives the same day at Tateyama. Joins as escort for convoy No. 3120 and departs the same day for Truk.
22 January 1944:
MANJU discovers enemy submarine and drops 20 depth charges, results unknown.
23 January 1944:
MANJU performs several anti-sub attacks.
27 January 1944:
Convoy is still tracked by a persistent enemy sub. Therefore, a decision is made to shelter at Saipan, Marianas.
29 January 1944:
Convoy arrives and shelters at Saipan MANJU guards anchorage.
31 January 1944:
Departs Saipan for Truk.
1 February 1944:
MANJU discovers and attacks enemy sub with gunfire and depth charges, results unknown.
3 February 1944:
MANJU drops depth charges.
4 February 1944:
he convoy arrives at Truk.
10 February 1944:
Departs Truk in convoy No. 1123 also consisting of IJN requisitioned cargo ship (B-AK) (ex-auxiliary transport) KOKAI MARU escorted by destroyers YUZUKI carrying 70 passengers and MG ammunition, and MINAZUKI and subchaser CH-20.
13 February 1944:
Arrives at Kavieng, New Ireland.
20 February 1944:
Departs Kavieng and joins convoy O-003 that departed Rabaul, New Britain earlier that same day, bound for Palau, Western Carolines and consisting of IJN requisitioned cargo ship (B-AK) (ex-auxiliary transport) KOKAI MARU and fleet tug NAGAURA evacuating 751st Naval Air Group (Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” bomber) maintenance personnel to Japan, escorted by subchasers CH-37 and CH-38 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-48.
21 February 1944:
N of New Hanover, New Ireland Province. At 1320, the convoy is attacked by 15 North American B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers of the 5th Air Force's 345th Bomb Group's 500th and 501st Bomb Squadrons that bomb, strafe and sink KOWA (22 crewmen KIA) and KOKAI MARUs (7 passengers and 19 of the crew KIA), and CHa-48 and damage CH-38 heavily at 02-30S, 150-15E. NAGAURA effects repairs then rescues some of the survivors and continues on her voyage north.
Eight of the B-25s are damaged by AA fire and one has to ditch off Finschafen, New Guinea. All five crew-members escape. Some 19 hours later, they are picked up from their life rafts by Australian auxiliary patrol boat HMAS PALUMA.
10 December 1944:
Removed from the Navy’s list under instruction No. 1348.

Authors notes :
[1] Not to be confused with IJA transport No. 482 (3,217 GRT, ’09) or civilian tanker (884 GRT, ’45).
[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.Thanks also go to Jeff Donahoo of Iowa for officers info. Thanks also go to Erich Muethlthaler of Germany.

Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

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