20 December 1920:
Kobe. Laid down by Kobeseikosho Harima Zosen Kojo K.K. as a 6,515-tons oil tanker for Iino Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd.
23 July 1921:
Launched and named MANJU MARU. [1]
2 September 1921:
Completed and registered at Tokuyama, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Her gross registered (GRT) tonnage and net registered tonnage (NRT) respectively are 6,515-tons and 3,847-tons. Her registered draft is 7.7. Her call sign is JBNA. [2]
1922:
In service on Iino Kaiun Kaisha’s Manchuria-California route.
1922:
Ownership of MANJU MARU is transferred to Asahi Sekiyu (Oil) Co.
8 December 1922:
Ownership of MANJU MARU is transferred to Asahi Sekiyu K.K.
7 August 1927:
Tokuyama Fuel Depot Pier. While working off shore, strong winds rip MANJU MARU from her buoy. The extent of damage to the ship, if any, is unknown.
30 June 1930:
Arrives at Okha, Sakhalin, Sovjet Union (now Russia).
1 July 1930:
At 2000, begins loading 8,236-tons of heavy oil.
6 July 1930:
At 0000, completes loading 8,236-tons of heavy oil. Departs Okha later this day.
24 July 1930:
Arrives at Ohka.
25 July 1930:
At 1305, begins loading 7,754-tons of heavy oil.
26 July 1930:
At 1840, completes loading 7,754-tons of heavy oil. Departs Okha later that day.
15 August 1930:
Arrives at Okha.
16 August 1930:
At 0800, begins loading 7,754-tons of heavy oil.
17 August 1930:
At 1200, completes loading 7,754-tons of heavy oil.
18 August 1930:
Departs Okha.
1931:
Port of registry is changed to Tokyo.
1935:
Her registered draft changes to 8.0.
9 September 1938:
Arrives at Ryojun (Lushun, former Port Arthur, now Dalian), northern China.
11 September 1938:
Departs Ryojun.
8 August 1941:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads fuel oil. Requistioned by the IJN and chartered to the Kure Naval district.
9 August 1941:
Departs Yokkaichi.
10 August 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges fuel.
12 August 1941:
Departs Yokosuka. Stops at Kawasaki and Kataoka Bay, Kuriles.
28 August 1941:
Arrives at Odomari, Karafuto (Sakhalin) (now Korsakov, Sakhalin, Russia).
29 August 1941:
Departs Odomari.
31 August 1941:
Arrives at Nabilsky (Sakhalin).
12 September 1941:
Departs Nabilsky.
18 September 1941:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
21 September 1941:
Departs Tokuyama. Stops at Kanogawa and arrives at Kure. Probably discharges fuel.
24 September 1941:
Released to her owners.
3 November 1941:
Her owners receive notice of requisition: Third Armed Forces war preparations instruction No. 1346.
7 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a general requisitioned ship (oiler) in the Kure Naval district.
8 November 1941:
Departs Kure. Makes stops at Kanogawa, Hakodate, Otaru, Yokkaichi, Shimotsu, Mako, Takao, Dairen, Tokuyama, Kudamatsu and Mako.
24 November 1941:
Arrives at Kure.
1 December 1941:
Registered as an auxiliary transport ship (oil supply) at the Kure Naval District under order No. 1573. Attached to the Navy Ministry as an auxiliary oiler (Otsu category) belonging to the Kure Guard Office. [3]
5 January 1942:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
6 January 1942:
Departs Tokuyama and later that same day arrives at Kudamatsu.
9 January 1942:
Departs Kudamatsu.
15 January 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
17 January 1942:
Departs Mako.
25 January 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
27 January 1942:
Departs Kure.
6 February 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
13 February 1942:
Departs Truk.
18 February 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
21 February 1942:
Departs Palau in convoy with PALAU and KOKURYU MARUs.
28 February 1942:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles W. Wilkins’ (USNA ’24) USS NARWHAL (SS-167) torpedoes and damages MANJU MARU at 29-15N, 138-15E.
2 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
5 March 1942:
Departs Kawasaki.
11 March 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
13 March 1942:
Departs Mako.
18 March 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
24 April 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
27 April 1942:
Arrives at Aioi.
28 April 1942:
At Harima shipyard. Undergoes repairs.
1 August 1942:
MANJU MARU’s owner Asahi Oil, merges with Hayama Oil Co. and Niitsu Oil Co. to form Showa Oil Co., Ltd.
30 September 1942:
Completes repairs.
1 October 1942:
Departs Aioi.
2 October 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
5 October 1942:
Departs Kure and arrives at Hiro.
7 October 1942:
Departs Hiro.
8 October 1942:
Arrives at Kushimoto, Honshu.
9 October 1942:
Departs Kushimoto.
10 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama.
12 October 1942:
Departs Yokohama.
13 October 1942:
Arrives at Kushimoto.
14 October 1942:
Departs Kushimoto.
15 October 1942:
Arrives at Hiro.
19 October 1942:
Departs Hiro and arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
21 October 1942:
Departs Tokuyama. Later that day, arrives at Moji.
22 October 1942:
Departs Moji in convoy No. 178 consisting of MANJU MARU and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer WAKATAKE.
27 October 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores.
2 November 1942:
At 1800 departs Mako in Convoy No. 345 consisting of MANJU MARU and one unidentified merchant ship escorted by auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU.
6 November 1942:
At 11-58N, 112-18E during an anti-submarine sweep KAZAN MARU drops depth charges.
8 November 1942:
At 2345 arrives at St. Jacques, Indochina.
10 November 1942:
Departs St. Jacques.
13 November 1942:
Arrives at Singapore, Malaya. Probably loads fuel oil.
19 November 1942:
Departs Singapore in convoy No. 646 consisting of MANJU MARU and an unidentified merchant ship escorted by auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU.
22 November 1942:
Arrives at St. Jacques and departs later that same day.
1 December 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
2 December 1942:
Departs Mako in convoy No. 201 consisting of MANJU MARU and two unidentified merchant ships without escort.
9 December 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
15 December 1942:
Departs Kure.
19 December 1942:
Arrives at Dairen, Manchuria.
21 December 1942:
Departs Dairen.
24 December 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
27 December 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
31 December 1942:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa.
5 January 1943:
Departs Takao in convoy No. 360 consisting of MANJU MARU and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer FUYO.
11 January 1943:
Arrives at St. Jacques.
12 January 1943:
Departs St. Jacques in convoy No. 550 consisting of MANJU MARU and three unidentified merchant ships without escort. Enroute MANJU MARU is detached for Palembang, Sumatra.
16 January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads fuel oil.
19 January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
21 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges fuel.
28 January 1943:
MANJU MARU departs Singapore in convoy No. 663 also consisting of tanker OGURA MARU No. 2 and cargo ship TAIEI MARU and one unidentified merchant ship without escort.
1 February 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.
3 February 1943:
At 1400 departs St Jacques in convoy No. 470 consisting of tankers MANJU MARU, OGURA MARU No. 2 and SHUNTEN MARU and tanker ex cargo conversion SHOYU MARU and three unidentified ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU.
10 February 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
11 February 1943:
Departs Takao in convoy No. 230 consisting of tankers MANJU MARU, OGURA MARU No. 2 and SHUNTEN MARU and SHINWA and SHOYU MARUs and five unidentified merchant ships without escort. The convoy splits in two shortly after sailing with the slower ships in one section. Auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN ) MARU escorts the convoy briefly before being detached.
15 February 1943:
Attached to the Navy Ministry as an auxiliary oiler (Ko category) belonging to the Kure Guard Office. Merchant Captain Nakagawara Takeichi is appointed Commanding Officer. [3]
18 February 1943:
Arrives at Mutsure and departs and arrives at Kudamatsu later that same day.
19 February 1943:
Departs Kudamatsu and arrives at Kure later that same day.
20 February 1943:
Departs Kure.
21 February 1943:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
23 February 1943:
Departs Tokuyama and arrives at Kure that same day. Probably discharges fuel.
26 February 1943:
Departs Kure.
27 February 1943:
Arrives at Kobe and later the same day departs. Probably discharges fuel.
8 March 1943:
Arrives at Ominato.
9 March 1943:
Departs Ominato and later that day arrives at Nonai.
10 March 1943:
Departs Nonai.
15 March 1943:
Arrives at Shimushiro Island, Kataoka Bay.
16 March 1943:
Kuriles. At sea, transfers 3,799 tons of heavy oil to station tanker TEIYO MARU. At 0725, refuels light cruiser ABUKUMA.
17 March 1943:
Departs Kataoka Bay, Kuriles.
21 March 1943:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Walter G. Ebert’s (USNA ’30) USS SCAMP (SS-277) torpedoes MANJU MARU at 41-41N, 142-20E. USS SCAMP gets two hits that destroy MANJU MARU's engine room and make navigation impossible.
At 1800, destroyer NUMAKAZE begins towing MANJU MARU to Muroran.
23 March 1943:
At 0130, anchors at Date anchorage (northwest Muroran).
25 March 1943:
Departs the Date anchorage, west Monbetsu area and later that day arrives at Muroran.
25 April 1943:
Auxiliary transport TAMASHIMA MARU takes MANJU MARU under tow from Muroran.
26 April 1943:
Arrives at Hakodate, Hokkaido.
April 1943:
At Hakodate dock. Enters dock for repair to hull damage.
23 August 1943:
Receives derequistion announcement: Third Armed Forces war preparations, instruction No. 18-8-37, scheduled for 31 August 1943.
31 August 1943:
Removed from the Navy List under instruction No. 1776.
1 September 1943:
Requisitioned by the IJN. Attached to the Kure Naval District as a naval supply ship.
11 December 1943:
Released to her owners. CO Nakagawara Takeichi’s contract ends.
12 December 1943:
Requisitioned again as an auxiliary Navy Distributor transport attached to the Kure Naval District. Designated ship No. 26. Captain Sukezi Mori assumes command.
16 December 1943:
Departs Hakodate.
24 December 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
13 January 1944:
Departs Kure.
20 January 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1 February 1944:
Departs Yokosuka.
5 February 1944:
Inland Sea. W of Ushijima, 1.25 miles off Bizan Seto. At 0253, MANJU MARU collides with hospital ship ASAHI MARU at 34-21N, 133-46E. [4]
7 February 1944:
Arrives at Aioi.
February 1944:
Enters dock at Harima shipyard. Undergoes collision repairs.
3 March 1944:
Departs Harima.
4 March 1944:
Arrives at Osaka.
5 March 1944:
Departs Osaka.
11 March 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
14 March 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and later that day arrives at Tsurumi.
17 March 1944:
Departs Tsurumi.
18 March 1944:
Arrives at Osaka.
20 March 1944:
Departs Osaka.
21 March 1944:
Arrives at Kure.
22 March 1944:
Departs Kure and later that day arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
24 March 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
29 March 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges fuel.
1 April 1944:
Departs Yokosuka.
3 April 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
5 April 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
14 April 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges fuel.
17 April 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and transfers to Yokohama.
April 1944:
Undergoes repairs.
20 April 1944:
Departs Yokohama.
23 April 1944:
Engages in anti-submarine actions.
26 April 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo.
28 April 1944:
Departs Sasebo.
29 April 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably discharges fuel.
3 May 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
4 May 1944:
Arrives at Aioi.
5 May 1944:
Undergoes repairs at Harima.
20 May 1944:
Completes repairs and departs Aioi.
21 May 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
22 May 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
27 May 1944:
Arrives at Ominato. Probably discharges fuel.
1 June 1944:
Departs Ominato.
5 June 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
7 June 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
13 June 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably discharges fuel. That same day, ownership of the ship changes to Nippon Yusosen (Oil Tanker) K.K.
17 June 1944:
Departs Yokosuka.
24 June 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
28 June 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
29 June 1944:
Arrives at Kure. Probably discharges fuel.
30 June 1944:
Departs Kure and later that day arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
2 July 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
5 July 1944:
Arrives at Ominato. Probably discharges fuel.
8 July 1944:
Departs Ominato.
9 July 1944:
Arrives at Otaru. Probably discharges fuel.
11 July 1944:
MANJU MARU departs Otaru in convoy RA-303 consisting of tankers MITSU and HAKUEI MARUs escorted by destroyer NOKAZE, minesweeper W-23 and subchaser CH-15.
13 July 1944:
Arrives at Wakkanai, northern Hokkaido and at 2000 departs.
16 July 1944:
At 0200, at 50-12N, 146-24E minesweeper W-23 detaches and heads towards the attack position of general requisitioned transport NIPPO MARU (1,942 GRT, ’44). Subchaser CH-15 also detaches . The rest of the convoy proceeds to Okha. [5]
E 17 July 1944:
At latitude 50N, both W-23 and CH-15 are detached while the rest of the ships proceed to Okha, Karafuto (Sakhalin) Island. Arrives at Okha.
25 July 1944:
Departs Okha.
28 July 1944:
Arrives at Wakkanai and later that day departs.
1 August 1944:
Arrives at Ominato.
4 August 1944:
Departs Ominato.
10 August 1944:
Arrives at Wakkanai. At 1804, MANJU MARU departs Wakkanai, Hokkaido for Okha (Oha), Karafuto (Sakhalin) Island in convoy KIRA-003 also consisting of KOSHO and MAYACHI MARUs escorted by kaibokan FUKUE and minesweeper W-24.
12 August 1944:
At about 2300, LtCdr (later Captain) Stephen H. Gimber‘s (USNA ’35) USS POMPON (SS-267) torpedoes and sinks MAYACHI MARU at 50-35N, 144-02E. Ten crewmen and nine passengers are KIA.
At 2323 kaibokan FUKUE discovers a surfaced enemy submarine and spots 3 torpedo wakes coming at her. She is able to evade these torpedoes.
14 August 1944:
Convoy KIRA-003 arrives at Oha. Unloads and departs at 2315.
22 August 1944:
Convoy No. KIRA-003 arrives at Wakkanai.
23 August 1944:
Arrives at Otaru.
24 August 1944:
Departs Otaru.
25 August 1944:
Arrives at Ominato.
29 August 1944:
Departs Ominato.
4 September 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
11 September 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
15 September 1944:
Arrives at Ominato. Probably discharges fuel.
18 September 1944:
Departs Ominato and later that day, arrives at Hakodate.
21 September 1944:
Enters dock.
28 September 1944:
Undocked.
4 December 1944:
Departs Hakodate.
6 December 1944:
Arrives at Niigata.
9 December 1944:
Departs Niigata.
10 December 1944:
Arrives at Maizuru. Loads 1,000 tons of oil sludge.
11 December 1944:
Loads 1,564 tons of oil sludge.
12 December 1944:
Loads 108 tons of oil sludge.
13 December 1944:
Departs Maizuru.
15 December 1944:
Arrives at Kudamatsu.
18 December 1944:
Departs Kudamatsu and arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil then departs.
19 December 1944:
Arrives at Kure. Probably discharges fuel.
24 December 1944:
Departs Kure.
26 December 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo. Probably discharges fuel.
30 December 1944:
Departs Sasebo.
31 December 1944:
Arrives at Mutsure.
1 January 1945:
At 0715, MANJU MARU departs Moji for Takao in convoy MOTA-30 also consisting of ANYO, HISAGAWA, MEIHO, RASHIN, SANYO, HIKOSHIMA, DAIGA and TATSUYO MARUs escorted by kaibokan CD 26, CD-36, CD-67 and probably CD-39.
8 January 1945:
At 1830, Cdr (later Rear Admiral/MOH) Eugene B. Fluckey's (USNA ’35) USS BARB (SS-220) torpedoes TATSUYO MARU. Loaded with munitions, she explodes and sinks instantly will the loss of all 63 crewmen. At 2020, LtCdr (later Cdr) Evan T. Shepard's (USNA ’35) USS PICUDA (SS-382) torpedoes and sinks ANYO MARU with the loss of 138 crewmen and many troops. At 2120, Fluckey's USS BARB torpedoes and damages SANYO MARU. At 2230, while avoiding numerous torpedoes, HIKOSHIMA MARU runs aground in Tunghsiao Bay and is abandoned apparently without casualties. At 2315, Cdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Charles E. Loughlin's (USNA ’33) USS QUEENFISH (SS-393) torpedoes and damages MANJU MARU. At 2330, SANYO MARU is run aground to prevent sinking.
9 January 1945:
At 0040, MANJU MARU is deliberately run aground at 24-27 N, 120-32E, about 10km northwest of DAAN harbor, Formosa (now Taiwan). 13 armed guards and 30 crew and an unknown number of passengers are killed. At 0430, SANYO MARU breaks in two and sinks. 12 Armed Guards, two Instructors, three Watchmen and 29 out of 46 of the crew are killed during the attack. HISAGAWA MARU and two escorts head south. At about 0600, they join RASHIN MARU and another escort and head for Takao. MEIHO and DAIGA MARUs head for Keelung. At 0915, HISAGAWA and RASHIN MARUs are attacked by aircraft. HISAGAWA MARU is damaged severely and lags behind. The group heads for Mako, Pescadores, but at about 1255, HISAGAWA MARU sinks taking down 2117 men of the IJA's 19th Infantry Division's 3rd Transport Unit, together with 84 gunners and all 86 crewmen.
20 January 1945:
Planes of Vice Admiral (Admiral posthumously) John S. McCain’s (USNA ’06) Task Force bomb beached MANJU MARU. The wreck is abandoned as a total loss.
Authors' Notes: [1] Also known as MANZYU MARU.
[2] 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.
[3] There were two categories of Yusosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
[4] On 24 Feb 44, ASAHI MARU's hull breaks. She is abandoned as a constructive total loss.
[5] Transport NIPPO MARU (1,942 GRT, ’44) was torpedoed and sunk 16 July 1944 by Cdr. W.P. Gruner, Jr’s USS SKATE (SS-305), east of South Sakhalin, Sea of Ochotsk in position 48-29N, 147-36E.
Thanks for assistance goes to Sander Kingsepp of Estonia, Mr. Berend van der Wal of Netherlands, Mr. Gilbert Casse of France and Mr Gengoto Toda of Japan.
- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
