Tabular Record of Movement
© 2011-2013 Bob Hackett
11 March 1914:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Zosensho as a 9,519-ton passenger-cargo ship for Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) of Osaka.
5 June 1915:
Launched and named MANILA MARU.
4 September 1915:
Completed. MANILA MARU can accomodate 10 first class and 348 third class passengers. She carries a crew of 106. Placed on OSK Line’s Hong Kong ~ Tacoma, Washington service inaugurated in 1909.
7 February 1916:
Arrives at Seattle, Washington.
20 July 1916:
Arrives at Seattle, Washington.
19 November 1919:
Arrives at Seattle, Washington.
September 1923: The Great Kanto Earthquake:
Following the disaster, MANILA MARU carries relief supplies to the refugees of the Osaka/Kobe area.
1924:
MANILA MARU’s machinery is replaced with diesel fuel equipment.
December 1924:
Departs Kobe on No. 46 Emigrant Voyage.
15 February 1925:
Arrives at Santos, Brazil.
1925:
Departs Kobe on No. 55 Emigrant Voyage.
19 September 1925:
Arrives at Santos.
1926:
Departs Kobe on No. 60 Emigrant Voyage.
18 March 1926:
Arrives at Santos.
1926:
Departs Kobe on No. 68 Emigrant Voyage.
9 September 1926:
Arrives at Santos.
1927:
Departs Kobe on No. 83 Emigrant Voyage.
1 September 1927:
Arrives at Santos.
1928:
Departs Kobe on No. 93 Emigrant Voyage.
14 February 1928:
Arrives at Santos.
March 1928:
Departs Kobe on No. 103 Emigrant Voyage.
16 August 1928:
Arrives at Santos.
1929:
Departs Kobe on No. 114 Emigrant Voyage.
11 February 1929:
Arrives at Santos.
1929:
Departs Kobe on No. 124 Emigrant Voyage.
12 December 1929:
Arrives at Santos.
1930:
Departs Kobe on No. 136 Emigrant Voyage.
7 February 1930:
Arrives at Santos.
1931:
Departs Kobe on No. 167 Emigrant Voyage.
26 August 1931:
Arrives at Santos.
1932:
Departs Kobe on No. 178 Emigrant Voyage.
27 June 1932:
Arrives at Santos.
1932:
Departs Kobe on No. 185 Emigrant Voyage.
26 November 1932:
Arrives at Santos.
11 March 1933:
Moji. Collides with cargo ship TATSUHARU MARU, probably while docking. Extent of damage is unknown, but probably slight.
March 1933:
Kobe. Undergoes inspection and possible repairs.
1933:
Departs Kobe on No. 195 Emigrant Voyage.
14 May 1933:
Arrives at Santos.
1933:
Departs Kobe on No. 204 Emigrant Voyage.
26 September 1933:
Arrives at Santos.
1934:
Departs Kobe on No. 214 Emigrant Voyage.
22 February 1934:
Arrives at Santos.
1934:
Departs Kobe on No. 224 Emigrant Voyage.
26 July 1934:
Arrives at Santos.
1934:
Departs Kobe on No. 234 Emigrant Voyage.
23 December 1934:
Arrives at Santos.
1935:
Departs Kobe on No. 243 Emigrant Voyage.
23 May 1935:
Arrives at Santos.
1935:
Departs Kobe on No. 250 Emigrant Voyage.
26 October 1935:
Arrives at Santos.
January 1937-December 1938:
MANILA MARU’s westbound round-the-world service with OSK includes 1.5 to 2 month
voyages from Kobe, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka and Moji to Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Mombasa, Zanzibar, Dar-es-Salaam, Beira, Lourenço Marques, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Buenos Aires and return voyages via Montevideo, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Lourenço Marques, Zanzibar, Mombasa, Singapore, Hong Kong to Moji, Kobe and Osaka.
7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge (The"First China Incident") Incident:
Hun River, Lukuokiao, China. Japanese troops are on night maneuvers at the Marco Polo Bridge bridge. They fire blank cartridges during their maneuvers. Chinese troops across the river fire back, but do not cause injuries. At morning roll call, the Japanese discover a soldier missing and assume the Chinese have captured him. The Japanese demand entry to the Beijing suburb of Wanping to look for the soldier, but the Chinese refuse. The Japanese then shell the city. An undeclared war on China begins.
2 April 1940:
Departs Kobe for Kirun (now Keelung) and return to Kobe.
April 1940:
Departs Kobe for Kirun and return to Kobe.
1940:
Departs Kobe for Kirun and return to Kobe.
1940:
Departs Kobe for Kirun and return to Kobe.
May 1940:
Departs Kobe for Kirun.
29 May 1940:
Arrives at Kobe.
July 1941:
MANILA MARU is at Buenos Aires, Argentina.
July 1941:
In retaliation to Japan’s occupation of French Indochina, the United States closes the Panama Canal to Japanese shipping.
MANILA MARU is forced to return to Japan from Buenos Aires via the Straits of Magellen which lie between the tip of mainland of South America and Tierra del Fuego island.
November 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) as a troop ship (A-APK).
10 December 1941:
Arrives at Moji.
14 December 1941:
Arrives at Shanghai and departs.
15 December 1941:
Arrives at Moji
19 December 1941:
Departs Ujina and later that day arrives at Tsingtao, China
23 December 1941:
Departs Tsingtao.
25 December 1941:
Arrives at Osaka.
26 December 1941:
Departs Osaka.
27 December 1941:
Arrives at Dairen, Manchukuo (Dalian, Manchuria).
28 December 1941:
Departs Dairen.
31 December 1941:
Arrives at Osaka.
4 January 1942:
Departs Osaka.
9 January 1942:
Arrives at Kirun (Keelung), Formosa.
11 January 1942:
Departs Kirun.
15 January 1942:
Arrives at Ujina.
16 January 1942:
Departs Ujina and later that day arrives at Busan, Chosen (Pusan, S Korea).
17 January 1942:
Departs Busan.
19 January 1942:
Arrives at Moji.
20 January 1942:
Departs Moji
22 January 1942:
Arrives at Kirun and later that day departs.
23 January 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
27 January 1942:
Departs Shanghai.
January 1942:
Brazil severs diplomatic relations with Japan.
31 January 1942:
Arrives at Ujina.
4 February 1942:
Arrives at Moji.
5 February 1942:
Arrives at Busan.
14 February 1942:
Departs Busan.
15 February 1942:
Arrives at Ujina. Departs later for Moji.
16 February 1942:
Probably embarks troops. Departs Moji.
20 February 1942:
Arrives at Qinhuangdao, northern China. Probably disembarks troops. Later that
same day, departs and arrives at Moji and then departs.
23 February 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
24 February 1942:
Departs Dairen.
27 February 1942:
Arrives at Ujina. Departs later for Moji.
2 March 1942:
Departs Moji.
4 March 1942:
Arrives at Busan, Chosen .
5 March 1942:
Departs Busan.
7 March 1942:
Arrives at Qinhuangdao. Later that same day, departs.
8 March 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
11 March 1942:
Departs Dairen.
14 March 1942:
Arrives at Ujina. Departs later for Moji.
18 March 1942:
Departs Moji.
25 March 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
3 April 1942:
Departs Dairen.
6 April 1942:
Arrives at Ujina
7 April 1942:
Departs Ujina.
8 April 1942:
Arrives at Busan.
10 April 1942:
Departs Busan.
11 April 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
15 April 1942:
Departs Dalian.
17 April 1942:
Arrives at Qinhuangdao.
18 April 1942:
Embarks patients of the 15h hospital group and departs. Later, arrives at Tsingtao (Qingdao).
20 April 1942:
Departs Tsingtao.
22 April 1942:
Arrives at Moji.
23 April 1942:
Arrives at Ujina. Departs later for Moji.
1942:
At an unknown date, MANILA MARU is converted to an IJA hospital ship Byoinsen (A-AH). She is probably painted white overall with a green stripe around her hull and displays large red crosses on the sides of her funnel and hull.
2 May 1942:
Arrives at Moji.
6 May 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
9 May 1942:
Departs Dairen.
13 May 1942:
Arrives at Ujina. Departs later for Moji.
14 May 1942:
Departs Moji.
17 May 1942:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa.
21 May 1942:
Departs Takao.
22 May 1942:
Arrives at Saigon, Vichy French Indochina (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam).
May 1942:
Departs Saigon.
May 1942:
Arrives at Batavia, Java (Jakarta, Indonesia).
20 May 1942:
As required by the Geneva convention, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs notifies the warring powers of MANILA MARU's designation as a hospital ship.
June 1942:
Departs Batavia.
June 1942:
Arrives at Singapore, Malaya.
3 July 1942:
Departs Singapore.
6 July 1942:
Arrives at Rangoon, Burma (Yangon, Myanmar) and departs that same day for Singapore.
11 July 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
28 July 1942:
Departs Singapore.
3 August 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong.
4 August 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.
18 August 1942:
Arrives at Saigon and departs that same day for Ujina.
18 August 1942:
Departs Saigon.
31 August 1942:
Arrives at Ujina. Departs later for Moji.
6 September 1942:
Departs Moji.
13 September 1942:
Arrives at Manila.
15 September 1942:
Departs Manila.
17 September 1942:
Arrives at Takao and departs.
17 September 1942:
Departs Takao and departs that same day for Manila.
21 September 1942:
Arrives at Manila.
23 September 1942:
Departs Manila.
3 October 1942:
Arrives at Osaka. Departs later for Moji.
10 October 1942:
Departs Moji.
13 October 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
17 October 1942:
Departs Takao.
October 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
26 October 1942:
Embarks patients of the 17th hospital group and departs.
1 November 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong.
5 November 1942:
Embarks patients of the 17th hospital group and departs.
9 November 1942:
Arrives at Ujina.
10 November 1942:
Departs Ujina.
17 November 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
27 November 1942:
Departs Palau.
30 November 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul, New Britain.
2 December 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
9 December 1942:
Arrives at Kokopo (Kokobo), S of Rabaul.
12 December 1942:
Departs Kokopo.
15 December 1942:
Arrives at Manila.
16 December 1942:
Departs Manila.
18 December 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
19 December 1942:
Departs Takao.
20 December 1942:
Arrives at Kirun.
21 December 1942:
Departs Kirun.
24 December 1942:
Arrives at Ujina.
27 December 1942:
Departs Ujina.
31 January 1943:
Arrives at Dalian and departs.
1 February 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
12 February 1943:
Departs Moji.
25 February 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul
26 February 1943:
Departs Rabaul and arrives at Kokopo.
28 February 1943:
Departs Kokopo.
4 March 1943:
SE of Palau. At 1120, an unidentified submarine fires two torpedoes at MANILA MARU at 05-26N, 136-17E, but MANILA MARU escapes by changing course. [1]
12 March 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
14 March 1943:
Departs Palau.
15 March 1943:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa (Taiwan).
18 March 1943:
Departs Takao.
1 April 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
2 April 1943:
Departs Rabaul and arrives at Kokopo.
April 1943:
Departs Kokopo.
25 April 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
26 April 1943:
Departs Rabaul
4 May 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
6 May 1943:
Departs Takao.
21 May 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
22 May 1943:
Departs Rabaul.
28 May 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
6 June 1943:
Departs Takao.
13 June 1943:
Arrives at Kokopo.
3 July 1943:
Departs Kokopo.
9 July 1943:
Arrives at Manila
10 July 1943:
Departs Manila.
15 July 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul and departs.
18 July 1943:
Arrives at Palau and departs.
21 July 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
22 July 1943:
Departs Manila.
24 July 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
1 August 1943:
Departs Takao.
3 August 1943:
Arrives at Ujina. Probably undergoes maintenance and repairs. MANILA MARU is reassigned as an IJA transport and repainted in grey.
4 September 1943:
Departs Ujina.
15 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
18 September 1943:
Departs Singapore.
28 September 1943:
Arrives at Hong Kong.
29 September 1943:
Departs Hong Kong.
2 October 1943:
Arrives at Ujina.
3 October 1943:
Departs Ujina.
12 October 1943:
At 1600, MANILA MARU departs Moji in convoy HI-13
also consisting of transport/cargo ships SANUKI, NANKAI, MIZUHO, AOBASAN, FUSO MARUs and tankers KYOKUEI and AMATSU MARUs escorted by destroyer ASAKAZE and kaibokan TSUSHIMA.
16 October 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
18 October 1943:
Departs Takao.
21 October 1943:
Arrives at Samah, Hainan Island.
24 October 1943:
Departs Samah.
30 October 1943:
At 1546, arrives at Keppel Harbor, Singapore.
2 November 1943:
Departs Singapore.
5 November 1943:
Arrives at Belawan, Sumatra.
6 November 1943:
Departs Belawan.
8 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
10 November 1943:
Departs Singapore.
23 November 1943:
Arrives at Djakarta, Java.
and departs later that day.
26 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
27 November 1943:
Departs Singapore.
4 December 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
19 January 1944:
Departs Takao.
22 January 1944:
Arrives at Ujina.
24 January 1944:
Departs Ujina.
5 March 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
6 March 1944:
Departs Manila. Arrives at Takao at an unknown date.
15 March 1944:
At 1200, MANILA MARU departs Takao in convoy TAMO-11 consisting of TAITO, MUTSU, HINODE, MANKO, ASAHI, KANO, BELGIUM, KOTO, SORACHI, KOHO, TARUYASU, KENWA, KENZUI, BRAZIL and KENNICHI MARUs and UNKAI MARU No. 12 and oilers SAN DIEGO TACHIBANA, NITTETSU and SANKO MARUs and OGURA MARU No. 1 escorted by destroyers SHIGURE and NOKAZE, minesweeper W-17 and subchasers CH-37 and CH-38.
16 March 1944 March 1944:
At 1600, TOYO and TEIKO (ex-French) D’ARTAGNAN) MARUs join the convoy.
21 March 1944:
At 0430, MANKO, ASAHI, and TOYO MARUs are detached from the convoy.
22 March 1944:
Arrives at Moji. MANILA MARU departs later for Ujina.
24 March 1944:
Arrives at Ujina.
14 May 1944:
Departs Osaka.
17 May 1944:
Arrives at Busan.
19 May 1944:
Departs Busan.
28 May 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
29 May 1944:
At 0600, MANILA MARU departs Moji in convoy HI-65 consisting of transports ARIMASAN, KASHII and TATSUWA MARUs and troop landing craft depot ship SHINSHU MARU, oilers SHIRETOKO, ITSUKUSHIMA, OMUROSAN, ZUIHO
and TOHO MARUs escorted by escort carrier SHINYO, light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan AWAJI, CHIBURI and CD-11 and subchasers CH-19 and CH-60.
E 30 May 1944:
Light minelayer TSUBAME from Kagoshima joins the convoy's escort.
2 June 1944:
Formosa Straits. AWAJI is torpedoed by LtCdr Albert L. Raborn's (USNA '34) USS PICUDA (SS-382) and sinks near Yasho Island at 22-48N, 121-24E. Raborn fires two torpedoes at ARIMASAN MARU that cause her to collide with SHINSHU MARU's stern. KASHII takes SHINSHU MARU in tow. ARIMASAN MARU is lightly damaged in the attack and heads for Kirun with KASHII and SHINSHU MARU.
4 June 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
11 June 1944:
MANILA MARU and cargo ships/transports ARIMASAN, MIIKESAN and USSURI MARUs and tankers SAN DIEGO MARU and KYOEI No. 8 and JINEI MARU escorted by minelayer MAESHIMA and auxiliary subchaser CHa-95 from Takao
join convoy MI-05 that left Imari Bay on 3 Jun ’44.
MI-05 consists of fleet oiler NOTORO and tankers TACHIBANA, SAN DIEGO, NITTETSU, AYANAMI, BAIEI, CERAM, YAMASACHI, AYAGIRI, KENZUI, OEI, TOKUWA, MARIFU and YAMAMIZU MARU No. 2 and cargo/transports KENEI, HINAGA, NIPPO (ex-Chinese NINGPO), FUYUKAWA, SURAKARUTA, and TATSUJU MARUs and probably TAKETSU MARU and thirteen unidentified merchant ships escorted by kaibokan CD-14, CD-18, torpedo
boat SAGI, patrol boat PB-38, minesweeper W-17, auxiliary subchaser CHa-22 and two unidentified warships.
13 June 1944:
LtCdr John D. Crowley's (USNA '31) USS FLIER (SS-250) torpedoes and
damages MARIFU MARU at 15-57N, 119-42E. She is taken in tow by MIIKESAN MARU.
15 June 1944:
The convoy arrives Manila. MIIKESAN MARU and damaged MARIFU MARU arrive later. MARIFU MARU is detached.
18 June 1944:
Departs Manila.
23 June 1944:
At 1257, arrives at Miri.
25 June 1944:
At 1915, MANILA MARU departs Miri for Singapore in convoy MISHI-03 consisting of fleet oiler NOTORO and SAN DIEGO, JINEI, NICHIYO, HIDA, FUYUKAWA, AYANAMI, KYOEI No. 8, BAIEI, NIPPO (ex-Swedish NINGPO), DAIZEN, TEIFU
(ex-French BOUGAINVILLE), SEIWA, SURAKARTA, HINAGA, , ARIMASAN, ROKKO, TATSUTAMA
(ex-American SS Admiral Y. S. WILLIAMS), TOA and KENZUI MARUs escorted by kaibokan CD-18, torpedo boat SAGI, subchaser CH-21, minesweeper W-17 and auxiliary minesweepers CHOUN MARU No. 6 and TOSHI MARU No. 2.
28 June 1944:
South China Sea, off Singapore. At 2100, Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Rueben T. Whitaker’s (USNA '34) USS FLASHER’s (SS-249) radar picks up the convoy. Whitaker, operating in relatively shallow water (150 feet), decides to wait until after the moon sets to make a surface attack on the convoy’s two largest ships.
29 June 1944:
At 0111, Whitaker torpedoes freighter NIPPO MARU. Then he torpedoes NOTORO. At 0117, two or three torpedoes hit NIPPO MARU and two or three torpedoes hit NOTORO. NIPPO MARU breaks in two and sinks by the bow. 12 crewmen and 75 out of total of 598 troops and 30 passengers are KIA.
NOTORO remains afloat, but goes dead in the water. The escorts begin blindly dropping depth charges. Whitaker, still on the surface, leaves the area on four engines.
30 June 1944:
At 1650, arrives at Singapore.
14 July 1944:
At 0730, MANILA MARU departs Singapore via Manila for Moji in convoy HI-68 also consisting of transports KIYOKAWA MARU and tankers TOA, SHIMPO, NICHINAN No. 2, TOHO and OTORISAN MARUs escorted by minelayer
SHIRATAKA and kaibokan KURAHASHI, HIRADO, CD-13, CD-20 and CD-28.
20 July 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Manila. MANILA MARU is detached.
23 July 1944:
At 1545, MANILA MARU departs Manila for Moji in convoy
MI-08 consisting of MIZUHO, CHIHAYA, SAN DIEGO, SAN LUIS, MIRI, SANKO (YAMAKO),
ARABIA, TATSUBATO, RYUSHO, HAKUROKU (HAKUSHIKA), TAKETSU (BUTSU) MARUs and NITTETSU MARUs
escorted by kaibokan CD-1, CD-18, CD-28, torpedo boat SAGI, minesweeper W-17, minelayer ENOSHIMA and subchaser CH-61. The convoy's speed is 8 knots.
27 July 1944:
At 0920, auxiliary subchaser CHa-74 and auxiliary transport OYO MARU join the escort. At 1605, the convoy arrives at Takao and is again reorganized.
30 July 1944:
At 1800, MANILA MARU departs Takao in convoy MI-08 now consisting of ZUIHO, CHIHAYA, SAN DIEGO, SAN LUIS, BOKO, MIRI, SANKO (YAMAKO), TSUYAMA, ARABIA, RYUSHO, TATSUBATO, NITTETSU, YAGI, TOUN and EIHO MARUs escorted by kaibokan CD-1, CD-18, torpedo boat SAGI, minesweeper W-17 and auxiliary netlayer KISHIN MARU. The convoy's speed is 7 knots.
1 August 1944:
At 1400, after it is suspected that American submarines have gained contact, the convoy arrives at Keelung.
4 August 1944:
At 1600, the convoy departs Keelung and heads up the Ryukyu Islands bound for Kyushu.
9 August 1944:
N of Okinoshima. LtCdr Robert A. Keating's (USNA '33) BARBEL
(SS-316) torpedoes and sinks IJA cargo ship YAGI MARU with the loss of 34 crewmen and passengers, and merchant cargo ship
BOKO MARU (ex-British SAGRES) at 27-56N, 128-47E. W-17 and CD-1 carry out an antisubmarine sweep and drop 21 depth-charges that cause some damage to BARBEL.
Afterwards, the convoy heads out of the area at full speed making evasive movements. At 1200. the convoy arrives at Koniya, Amami-O-Shima, Ryukyu Islands.
11 August 1944:
At 0400, the convoy departs Koniya.
13 August 1944:
Arrives at Moji. MANILA MARU departs later for Osaka.
17 August 1944:
Arrives at Osaka
18 August 1944:
Departs Osaka.
3 September 1944:
Arrives at Takao. Departs later and arrives at Moji at an unknown date.
11 September 1944:
At 1500, MANILA MARU departs Moji for Takao in
convoy MOTA-26 consisting of GASSAN, SEIZAN, HAKUSAN, HOTEN, MURORAN, MACASSAR,
DAIKU, DAIKYO, NANKING, FUYUKAWA, PEKING, DAIZEN, HIDA and JUNHO MARUs and
NICHIYU MARU No. 2 and tanker DAISHO MARU escorted by destroyer HARUKAZE,
kaibokan CD-9 and CD-26 and subchaser CH-56.
16 September 1944:
GASSAN, SEIZAN and HAKUSAN MARUs split from the
convoy and later that day arrive at Keelung.
17 September 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Takao.
27 September 1944:
Departs Takao.
E October 1944:
Departs Manila. Arrives at Manila at an unknown date.
17 October 1944:
Departs Manila
17 October 1944:
At 1820, MANILA MARU departs Manila in the "Taihi"
(Refugee) convoy also consisting of TEIFU (ex-Vichy French BOUGAINVILLE) EIMAN,
DAIIKU, KENEI, DAIMEI, SHIRANESAN, ARABIA, SHINSEI and DAIKAI (TAIKAI) MARUs and NICHIYU
MARU No. 2 and tanker KYOEI MARU No. 6 escorted by destroyer SHIOKAZE, torpedo
boat HIYODORI, subchaser CH-21 and auxiliary gunboats CHOUN and KAZAN (HUASHAN)
MARUs.
18 October 1944:
At 0716, LtCdr (later Captain) Eric L. Barr's (USNA '34) USS
BLUEGILL (SS-242) torpedoes and damages ARABIA MARU carrying 3,500 men of the
IJA's 20th Infantry Division at 14-4N, 119-52E. At 1208, BLUEGILL again
torpedoes ARABIA MARU. She sinks taking down 1,658 troops and 89 crewmen and
gunners. At 2210, LtCdr Maurice W. Shea's (USNA '37) USS RATON (SS-270) torpedoes and sinks
SHIRANESAN MARU with 1,318 soldiers, 63 crewmen and 47 gunners KIA, and DAIKAI MARU with 445 soldiers and 101 crewmen and gunners KIA, at 12-30N, 119-10E. and TAIKAI MARUs at 12-30N, 119-10E.
20 October 1944:
At 1220, arrives at Bacuit Bay, Palawan Island,
Philippines.
21 October 1944:
At 0855, the convoy departs Bacuit Bay now consisting of MANILA, TEIFU, EIMAN, DAIIKU, KENEI, TAIMEI, SHINSEI MARUs and NICHIYU MARU No. 2 and tanker KYOEI MARU No. 6 escorted by destroyer SHIOKAZE, auxiliary
gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU and torpedo boat HIYODORI.
22 October 1944:
Attacked by B-24 "Liberator" heavy bombers.
23 October 1944:
Attacked by B-24 bombers.
24 October 1944:
Arrives at Gaya Bay, north Borneo. Some ships separate at this point.
26 October 1944:
At 0635, departs Gaya Bay and at 1835 arrives at Labuan Island, Borneo.
27 October 1944:
At 1045, departs Labuan.
28 October 1944:
At 1650, arrives Miri. Only MANILA, TEIFU, SHINSEI and KENEI MARUs and KYOEI MARU No. 6 are in the convoy at this point.
30 October 1944:
At 0600, MANILA MARU departs Miri in convoy MISHI-12 consisting of TEIFU, SHINSEI, EIMAN and DAIIKU MARUs and NICHIYU MARU No. 2 and tankers SAN LUIS MARU and KYOEI MARU No. 6 and three unidentified ships escorted by patrol boat PB-104 and auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU.
3 November 1944:
At 1030, arrives at Singapore. MANILA MARU loads 6,000 drums of automobile gasoline,
20,000 drums of aviation gasoline, ammunition and 10 Daihatsu landing craft and carries 199 crewmen and gunners.
18 November 1944:
At 0645, MANILA MARU departs Singapore for Manila in convoy SHIMA-05 also consisting of SHINSEI and TASMANIA MARUs and tanker AYANAMI MARU escorted by kaibokan KURAHASHI, CD-31, CD-32, patrol boat PB-104 and subchaser CH-56.
24 November 1944:
The convoy arrives at Miri, Sarawak, Borneo and departs at 1710.
25 November 1944:
90 miles NW of Miri. At 0535, LtCdr John R. Madison's (USNA '37) USS MINGO (SS-261) torpedoes MANILA MARU and gets three hits. MANILA MARU explodes and sinks in four minutes at 05-42N, 113-15E. Captain Uike Matsuichi, 97 crew and 51 gunners are KIA.
MINGO survives depth-charging by KURAHASHI and escapes.
Author's Notes:
[1] According to COMSUBPAC’s Office of Strategic Planning (SORG) report, the submarine was USS TRIGGER (SS-237), lost in action on her 12th War Patrol, probably on 28 March 1945.
Thanks go to Gilbert Casse of France for general assistance.
Bob Hackett
