RIKUGUN YUSOSEN
(Sister MIKASA MARU, prewar)
IJA MAYA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2013-2016 Bob Hackett
Revision 3
24 December 1924:
Laid down at Yokohama Dock Co., Ltd. as Yard No.
130, a 3,145-ton passenger-cargo ship for the Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) Line.
11 July 1925:
Launched and named MAYA MARU.
29 August 1925:
Completed. She can accommodate 43 first-class
passengers and 82 other passengers.
1925-1939:
In NYK’s service.
28 January 1932: The "First Shanghai Incident":
Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) of about 2,500 troops is dispatched to evict two divisions of the Chinese 19th Route Army from Shanghai. The Japanese attack the forts of Wusong and Chapei (Zhabei). That night, seaplane tender NOTORO's seaplanes drop flares to frighten the opposition. The Chinese think they are being attacked and retaliate. There are many Japanese casualties.
29 January 1932:
Huangpu (Whangpoa) River, Shanghai. NOTORO, anchored in the Yangtze River, launches an aerial attack on Chinese military positions in Shanghai in foggy weather. NOTORO’s E1Y3 floatplanes make ten low-level attacks on Chinese positions that result in a heavy loss of civilian lives and property. The Chinese unify against the Japanese who are unable to capture Shanghai. Large-scale fighting breaks out.
10/11 February 1932:
Chartered by the Imperial Army (IJA) as an emergency troop transport.
10/11 February 1932:
MAYA MARU departs Ujina in a troop convoy also consisting of AMUR, FRANCE, IKOMA, IWATE, MIKASA (Div HQ), TSUKUBA, URASIO and YAKUMO MARUs.
The convoy carries the IJA 9th division to China.
13 February 1932:
Arrives at Shanghai in the evening.
E February 1932:
Released back to her owners.
July 1937:
The Second Sino-Japanese War begins.
21 November 1937:
Departs Ujina to transport wounded .
24 November 1937:
Arrives at Dairen, Manchuria (now Dalian, China).
25 November 1937:
Departs Dairen.
28 November 1937:
Arrives at Moji and then departs to transport wounded .
29 November 1937:
Arrives at Osaka.
5 January 1938:
Departs Ujina to transport wounded .
6 January 1938:
Arrives at Moji and then departs to transport wounded .
9 January 1938:
Arrives at Qinhuangdao.
11 January 1938:
Departs Qinhuangdao:
14 January 1938:
Arrives at Moji and departs.
15 January 1938:
Arrives at Osaka.
6 May 1938:
MAYA MARU departs Wusung carrying the 14th Division's 2nd Battalion (less 5th and 6th Companies), 50th Infantry Regiment and 59th Infantry Regiment (less 1st and 2nd Battalions)
9 May 1938:
Arrives at Dalian, Manchuria.
E 1938:
Released back to her owners.
12 August 1939:
Sold to Toa Kaiun, K. K., Tokyo.
26 October 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) and converted to a troop transport. Alloted IJA No. 76.
12 March 1942:
At 0900, MAYA MARU departs Mutsure for Mako, Pescadores
in a convoy also consisting of FUKKAI, KOCHI, RYUZAN, SEIYO, TAIKAI and TEIKAI (ex-German FULDA)
MARUs and YOSHIDA MARU No. 1 escorted by minelayers HIRASHIMA and UKISHIMA and
auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU. The ships are carrying about 4,500 personnel of
an unidentified aviation group.
16 March 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
1 September 1942:
MAYA MARU departs Manila for Shanghai. She carries
captured Life Magazine photo-journalists.
28 March 1943:
At 2000, MAYA MARU departs Rabaul for Palau in a convoy
also consisting of DENMARK, KUROHIME, NAGANO, TAIKO, and YAMATO MARUs escorted
by subchasers CH-16 and CH-24.
29 March 1943:
Late afternoon. LtCdr (later Captain) Arnold H. Holtz's
(USNA ’31) USS TUNA (SS-203) sights the convoy with two escorts and two aircraft
overhead. Holtz tracks the convoy into and through the night.
30 March 1943:
NE of Manus Island. At 0750, Holtz fires three
torpedoes at the largest ship. Two hit and sink KUROHIME MARU at 00-35N,
147-55E. 27 passengers and nine crewmen are KIA.
5 April 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
8 May 1943:
MAYA MARU departs Palau for Wewak, New Guinea in troop
convoy “Wewak No. 4” also consisting of ARATAMA, TEIRYU (ex-German AUGSBURG) and TOHO MARUs and
YOSHIDA MARU No. 3 escorted by destroyers AMATSUKAZE and URAKAZE and subchaser
CH-34. The convoy is carrying units of the IJA 41st Division.
17 May 1943:
Arrives back at Palau.
23 May 1943:
MAYA MARU departs Palau for Hansa Bay, New Guinea in
troop convoy “Hansa No. 3” also consisting of DENMARK, HOFUKU, HAKUTETSU and
SHINSEI MARU No. 1 and SHINYU MARU MARU No. 13 escorted by destroyers AMATSUKAZE
and URAKAZE. The convoy is carrying units of the IJA 20th Division.
2 June 1943:
Arrives back at Palau.
5 June 1943:
MAYA MARU departs Palau for Wewak, New Guinea in troop
convoy “Wewak No. 5” also consisting of BENGAL and HAKKA MARUs and YOSHIDA MARU
No. 3 escorted by destroyers AMATSUKAZE and URAKAZE . The convoy is carrying
units of the IJA 41st Division.
June 1943:
Auxiliary gunboat KAZAN MARU joins the convoy for the
return voyage,
15 June 1943:
Arrives back at Palau.
21 June 1943:
MAYA MARU departs Palau for Hansa Bay, New Guinea in
troop convoy “Hansa No. 4” also consisting of DENMARK, KANKO, NAGANO, SHINYU and
YUBAE MARUs escorted by destroyers AMATSUKAZE and URAKAZE. The convoy is
carrying units of the IJA 20th Division.
2 July 1943:
Arrives back at Palau.
5 July 1943:
MAYA MARU departs Palau for Wewak, New Guinea in troop
convoy “Wewak No. 6” also consisting of BENGAL and TOHO MARUs and SHINSEI MARU
No. 1 and YOSHIDA MARU No. 3 escorted by destroyers AMATSUKAZE and URAKAZE and
minelayer SHIRATAKA. The convoy is carrying units of the IJA 41st Division.
10 July 1943:
Arrives at Wewak. At 2300, the convoy departs except for
MAYA and TOHO MARUs and AMATSUKAZE. Later, they catch up with the convoy. At
2250, TOHO MARU experiences engine difficulty and drops behind. URAKAZE towed
disabled TOHO MARU back to Palau.
17 July 1943:
Arrives back at Palau.
24 September 1943:
MAYA MARU departs Palau for Wewak in convoy "Wewak No. 10" also consisting of BENGAL and YAMAGATA MARUs escorted by minelayer SHIRATAKA and subchaser CH-34.
27 September 1943:
Convoy “Wewak No. 9” is attacked by American aircraft that sink TAISEI MARU. Minelayer SHIRATAKA and subchaser CH-34 arrive and escort the convoy back to Palau. CH-26 and CH-32 are released from escorting “Wewak No. 9” to escort
convoy “Wewak No. 10.”
28 September 1943:
Convoy "Wewak No. 10" arrives at Wewak, New Guinea.
29 September 1943:
Convoy "Wewak No. 10" departs Wewak.
4 October 1943:
Convoy "Wewak No. 10"arrives at Palau.
17 October 1943:
MAYA MARU departs Palau for Wewak, New Guinea in
troop convoy “Wewak No. 11” also consisting of ASO, NISSHIN and YASUKUNI, MARUs
escorted by subchasers CH-26 and CH-35.
21 October 1943:
NISSHIN MARU is detached for Hollandia, New Guinea.
22 October 1943:
Arrives at Wewak. The convoy unloads its cargo.
23 October 1943:
Departs Wewak for Palau.
28 October 1943:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) William B. Sieglaff's
(USNA ’31) USS TAUTOG (SS-199) attacks the convoy. Sieglaff fires six unreliable
Mark XIV torpedoes and fails to get any hits. CH-26 and CH-35 counterattack and
drop eight depth charges, but without damage to TAUTOG. At 1800, convoy "Wewak
No. 11" arrives at Palau.
30 November 1943:
At 0700, MAYA MARU departs Palau for Saeki in convoy No. FU-008 also consisting of HAVRE, HOZUGAWA, IKOMA, SHINRYU, TESHIO and YASUKUNI MARUs and DAIGEN MARU No. 3 escorted by patrol boat PB-31.
4 December 1943:
TESHIO MARU is detached for Manila because of high seas.
9 December 1943:
Auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 8 joins the escort.
11 December 1943:
At 0100, arrives at Saeki.
December 1943-January 1944:
Japan. MAYA MARU probably undergoes maintenance and repair at an unknown location, possibly at Yokohama Dock Co.
19 January 1944:
At 0730, MAYA MARU departs Moji for Takao, Formosa in
convoy No. 130 also consisting of tankers SAN DIEGO MARU and OGURA MARU No. 1,
transport TERUKUNI MARU, cargo ships ATSUTA, PANAMA and YASUKUNI MARUs and IJN
hospital ship ASAHI MARU escorted by auxiliary guard boat MYOJIN MARU No. 2,
small auxiliary patrol boat SHINEI MARU and salvage and repair tug KASASHIMA.
23 January 1944:
China coast. 14th Air Force North American B-25
"Mitchell" medium bombers attack the convoy at 27-15N 120-45E. PANAMA MARU is
sunk and ATSUTA and YASUKUNI MARUs damaged.
24 January 1944:
The convoy anchors off Incog Island. B-25's bomb and
sink escort MYOJIN MARU No. 2. Guard boat SHINEI MARU is hit and damaged.
Lighthouse tender RYUSEI (ex-Chinese LIU HSING), nearby, but not part of the
convoy, is also sunk.
25 January 1944:
Formosa Straits. At 0620, MAYA MARU and oiler OGURA
MARU No. 1 are in a collision. MAYA MARU is moderately damaged. Tug KASASHIMA
and auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1, that is in the area, steam to render
assistance, but are attacked by five B-25 bombers. At 1347, KASASHIMA sinks. The
rest of the convoy is diverted from Takao and arrives at Kirun (Keelung) later
that day.
February 1944:
MAYA MARU undergoes collision damage repairs in an unknown Formosan yard for an unknown period of time.
13 June 1944:
MAYA MARU departs Camranh Bay, Indochina (Vung Tau, Vietnam) with convoy MASA-06 also
consisting of BEIJU, HAKUBASAN, HAKUSHIKA, KAIJUN, KUROGANE, TATSUBATO and
TENSHIN MARUs and JUNGEN GO escorted by subchaser CH-19.
20 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
25 June 1944:
At 1240, MAYA MARU departs Saigon in convoy SAMA-08 also
consisting of MATSUKAWA and YAMABUKI MARUs escorted by subchaser CH-19 and
CH-43.
26 June 1944:
Off Nha Trang Bay, TSURUSHIMA MARU joins the convoy.
30 June 1944:
Off Manila Bay. At 0312, LtCdr (later Captain) Arthur E.
Krapf's (USNA ’34) USS JACK (SS-259) torpedoes and sinks TSURUSHIMA MARU at
14-15N, 119-40E. 44 crewmen, 18 gunners and 15 of her 330 passengers are KIA.
The convoy scatters, but at 0422, JACK torpedoes and sinks MATSUKAWA MARU
at 14-25N, 119-45E. 15 soldiers, nine passengers five gunners and two crewmen
are KIA. Later that day, the remaining ships arrive at Manila.
12 July 1944:
MAYA MARU departs Manila for Zamboanga with subchaser
CH-31 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-84 escorting convoy C-124 also consisting of
NATSUKAWA, SHIROUMA (HAKUBA) and TATEISHI MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-105.
14 July 1944:
At 1050, arrives at Cebu and departs later that day.
MAYA MARU is carrying 36 passengers and war supplies.
16 July 1944:
At 1731, LtCdr William C. Thompson's (USNA ’35) USS
CABRILLA (SS-288) torpedoes and sinks an unknown tanker at 08-15N, 122-50E. The
escort counter-attacks and drops 24 depth charges that slightly damage CABRILLA.
17 July 1944:
Celebes Sea. At 0230, CABRILLA torpedoes and sinks MAYA
MARU at 07-40N, 122-03E. Six passengers, two gunners and 13 crewmen are KIA.
CABRILLA also torpedoes and damages transport NATSUKAWA MARU.
Authors' Note:
Thanks go to the late John Whitman and to Fonessa-san of Japan for info about 1932. Thanks also to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.
Bob Hackett
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