KYURYOSEN!
(MAMIYA MARU, prewar – Peter Cundall collection)
IJN MAMIYA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2017 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall
10 April 1930:
Hikoshima. Laid down by Mitsubishi Zosen K.K. shipyard as a 361-tons trawler for Kyodo Gyogyo K.K.
28 June 1930:
Launched and named MAMIYA MARU.
23 August 1930:
Completed and registered at Tobata with Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) respectively of 361-tons and 153-tons. [1]
3 October 1930:
Kyodo Gyogyo K.K receives a steamer trawl fishing permit (No. 155) available for 10 years. Operation areas include: (A) Tokai and Yellow Sea, (B) Bering Sea E of 160E, within the line from Cape Olutluski to Cape Nawalin excluding sea level within 60 depths of water, (C) South China Sea.
Harvesting ports are: Tobata, Shimonoseki, Nagasaki, Osaka, Aomori and Hakodate.
Operations in Tokai and Yellow Sea are forbidden: 4 June ~ 31 August.
11 March 1932:
Harvesting ports are changed to: Tobata, Shimonoseki, Nagasaki, Osaka, Aomori, Hakodate and Hong Kong.
1 July 1934:
Kyodo Gyogyo K.K. steamer trawl fishing permit is renewed. Company name is changed to Hiroshi Gyogyo K.K.
16 August 1934:
Trawl fishing permit is renewed. Company name is reverted to Kyodo Gyogyo K.K.
1935:
Her GRT and NRT are respectively changed to 397-tons and 198-tons. [1]
13 January 1936:
Kyodo Gyogyo K.K. steamer trawl fishing permit is renewed. Operation areas include: (A) Tokai and Yellow Sea, (B) South China Sea.
Harvesting ports are: Tobata, Shimonoseki, Nagasaki, Osaka and Hong Kong.
Operations in Tokai and Yellow Sea are forbidden: 1 May ~ 31 August.
7 May 1937:
Ownership is changed to Nippon Suisan K.K.
4 June 1937:
Kyodo Gyogyo K.K steamer trawl fishing permit is transferred to Nippon Suisan K.K.
4 November 1937:
Conversion for military duty starts at the Kawasaki K.K. shipyard. Fitted with one deck gun (unknown type) and two 8 mm MGs.
6 November 1937:
Requisitioned by the IJN and registered as an auxiliary minesweeper attached to the Kure Naval district under instruction No. 796. At 1130, arrives at Kure.
7 November 1937:
Attached to the Second Minesweeping Corps under instruction No. 798.
13 November 1937:
Navy Reserve Lt. Segawa Iwao is appointed CO.
1 December 1937:
Departs Kure for Mid China Waters.
5 April 1938:
Kyodo Gyogyo K.K. steamer trawl fishing permit is renewed.
Harvesting ports are: Tobata, Shimonoseki, Nagasaki, Osaka, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
7 June 1938:
Arrives at Osaka.
18 June 1938:
Removed from the Navy’s list and released to her owners under instruction No. 504.
4 April 1940:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a local chartered stores ship attached to the Second Submarine Fleet.
1 May 1940:
Arrives at Longmen Bay, Pescadores.
4 May 1940:
Replenishes auxiliary survey ship KYODO MARU No. 36 with fresh food.
E 5 ~ 7 May 1940:
Departs Longmen Bay.
8 May 1940:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa (Now Kaoshiung, Taiwan).
11 May 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
20 May 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
25 May 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
E 4 June 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
7 June 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
19 June 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
22 June 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
4 July 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
6 July 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
17 July 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
21 July 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
1 August 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
3 August 1940:
Departs Takao.
11 August 1940:
Replenishes auxiliary survey ship KYODO MARU No. 36 with fresh food.
14 August 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
17 August 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
29 August 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
1 September 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
11 September 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
14 September 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
25 September 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
28 September 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
10 October 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
16 October 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
26 October 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
30 October 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
11 November 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
13 November 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
28 November 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
30 November 1940:
Departs Takao.
12 December 1940:
Replenishes auxiliary survey ship KYODO MARU No. 36 with fresh food.
17 December 1940:
Arrives at Takao.
20 December 1940:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
9 January 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
12 January 1941:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
29 January 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
31 January 1941:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
10 February 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
14 February 1941:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
3 March 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
5 March 1941:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
11 March 1941:
Arrives at Kirun (Keelung), Formosa (now Jilong, Taiwan).
14 March 1941:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
7 April 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
23 April 1941:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
28 April 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
30 April 1941:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
3 May 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
6 May 1941:
Departs Takao for Southern China Waters.
7 May 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
10 May 1941:
Replenishes auxiliary survey ship KYODO MARU No. 36 with fresh food.
31 March 1941:
Ownership is restyled to Nihon Kaiyo Gyogyo Tosei K.K.
26 May 1941:
Released to her owners.
5 August 1943:
Departs Palau in convoy FU-507 also consisting of DAKAR, SHINTO, TOYOOKA, tanker HOKKI and tug HOZU MARUs and SHINTO MARU No. 1 escorted by kaibokan IKI. .
E 13 August 1943:
Auxiliary minesweepers TAKUNAN MARU No. 8 and TAMA MARU No. 7 join the convoy at 31-30N, 134-10E.
14 August 1943:
Arrives at Saeki.
1 December 1943:
Requisitioned again by the IJN.
20 January 1944:
Registered as an auxiliary stores ship attached to the Yokosuka Naval District under instruction No. 156. Attached to Vice Admiral Hara Chuichi’s (39) Fourth Fleet as an auxiliary stores ship (Otsu) category. [2]
13 April 1944:
Departs Saipan. Sails to Japan via Chichijima.
4 May 1944:
Arrives at Yokohama.
6 May 1944:
At 1430, departs Yokohama in convoy No. 3506 also consisting of auxiliary stores ship TAKUNAN MARU, auxiliary transport UNKAI MARU No. 10, IJA transport KAIKO MARU and IJN transport SHOSEI MARU, escorted by auxiliary cable layer OSEI MARU, auxiliary subchasers SHOWA MARU No. 8, CHa-54, CHa-56 and CHa-57.
7 May 1944:
At 2145, arrives at Tateyama.
8 May 1944:
At 0600, departs Tateyama. Auxiliary minesweeper SHOWA MARU No. 7 reinforces the convoy escort.
10 May 1944:
Due to mechanical failure, SHOWA MARU No. 7 straggles behind the convoy.
12 May 1944:
At 0630, arrives at Futami, Chichi.Jima, Ogasawara Gunto (Bonins).
14 May 1944:
At 1130, departs Chichi Jima still in convoy No. 3506 now also consisting of auxiliary stores ship TAKUNAN MARU, auxiliary transports TAITO MARU and UNKAI MARU No. 10, IJA transport KAIKO MARU and IJN transport SHOSEI MARU, escorted by auxiliary cable layer OSEI MARU, auxiliary subchasers SHOWA MARU No. 7 and SHOWA MARU No. 8, CHa-54, CHa-56 and CHa-57 and auxiliary netlayer KISHIN MARU.
15 May 1944:
UNKAI MARU No. 10 is detached and arrives at Iwo Jima, Ogasawara Gunto later that day.
20 May 1944:
At 1030, arrives at Saipan, Marianas in convoy No. 3506.
24 May 1944:
At 1700, departs Saipan in convoy No. 4525 also consisting of TAKUNAN and MANSHU MARUs, escorted by kaibokan AMAKUSA and two unidentified subchasers (probably CH-16 and CH-18).
25 May 1944:
At 0900, arrives at Guam (renamed Omiya Island after its capture).
E 26 ~ 29 May 1944:
Departs Guam.
30 May 1944:
Arrives at Tokyo. Departs later.
11 June 1944:
At 0400, departs Saipan for Tokyo Bay in convoy No. 4611 also consisting of BATAVIA, HINKO, SHINTO (KAMISHIMA), IMIZU, NITCHO, REIKAI, TENRYUGAWA, KEIYO, BOKUYO (MUTSUYO), FUKOKU, MOJI, INARI and TATSUTAKAWA MARUs, NISSHO MARU No. 1 and 16 other unidentified ships, escorted by kaibokan CD-4, torpedo boat OTORI, subchasers CH-33, CH-50 and CH-51 and auxiliary subchasers TAKUNAN MARU No. 8, CHa-20 and CHa-50, auxiliary minesweeper Wa-6 and auxiliary netlayer KOKKO MARU.
12 June 1944:
American Operation “Forager” – The Invasion of Saipan:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond K. Turner’s (USNA '11) Task Force 52 lands Marine LtGen Holland M. Smith’s V Amphibious Corps and the invasion of Saipan begins. Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher’s (USNA '10) Task Force 58 launches aircraft from 15 carriers to attack airfields, defenses and shipping in the Marianas.
At 0935, that same day, at 17-32N, 144-10E, TG 58.4’s carriers USS ESSEX (CV-9), USS LANGLEY (CVL-27), USS COWPENS (CVL-25) and USS BATAAN (CVL-29) find and decimate convoy No. 4611. They sink OTORI, KOKKU, BATAVIA, HINKO (actually sank after air attack 25 June and submarine attack 19 July, nine crewmen and 12 passengers KIA. Nine crewmen and 12 passengers KIA including those KIA when sunk later in month by air attack), SHINTO (KAMISHIMA), IMIZU, NITCHO, REIKAI, TENRYUGAWA, BOKUYO, FUKOKU, MOJI and TSUSHIMA MARUs and damage TATSUTAKAWA MARU, CD-4, CH-33, CH-50 and CH-51, CHa-20 and Wa-6. TATSUTAGAWA MARU is left drifting and is finished off by gunfire from destroyers USS BOYD (DD-544) and USS CHARRETTE (DD-581) at 25-02N, 144-37E three days later. MAMIYA MARU is detached from the convoy.
15 June 1944:
Sunk by USN carrier based aircraft near Iwo Jima. Seven crewmen are KIA.
10 September 1944:
Removed from the Navy’s list under instruction No. 1067.
Authors' Notes:
[1] 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.
[2] There were two categories of Kyuryosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
- Berend van der Wal, Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall.
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