ZATSUYOSEN!
(MEITEN MARU prewar)
IJN MEITEN MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2011-2024 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 3
23 April 1938:
Hibi (Tamano 1940), Okayama prefecture. Laid down by Tama Zosensho K.K. shipyard as a 4,474-ton cargo ship for Meiji Kaiun K.K., Kobe.
16 September 1938:
Launched and named MEITEN MARU.
5 December 1938:
Completed and registered at Kobe. Her gross registered (GRT) tonnage and net registered tonnage (NRT) respectively are 4,474-tons and 6,623-tons. Her call sign is JQVM. [1]
January 1940:
Arrives at Ryojun, (formerly Port Arthur, Lushun, Dairen, now Dalian) northern China. Chartered to Mitsui Bussan K.K. and placed on their Kobe ~ Dairen commercial service.
March 1940:
Arrives in the Philippines.
7 April 1940:
Departs Kobe for the Philippines.
2 December 1940:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
16 December 1940:
Registered in the IJN as an auxiliary transport, (Ko) category under internal order No. 980 and attached to the Yokosuka Naval District. Her home port is Yokosuka Naval Base. [2]
18 March 1941:
Departs Yokosuka and departs to the South Seas area. [3]
20 May 1941:
Captain Miyasaka Ichiro (41) (former CO of auxiliary gunboat KAMITSU MARU) is appointed Supervisor.
3 July 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
15 August 1941:
Departs Yokosuka and departs to the South Seas area.
1 September 1941:
Assigned to the Yokosuka Naval Base as a Ko category auxiliary transport.[2]
24 September 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
2 October 1941:
Begins conversion at Yokusuka Naval Yard to her military auxiliary transport role.
23 October 1941:
Departs Yokosuka and operates off the Nanyang district, China. At an unknown date, returns at Yokosuka.
6 December 1941:
Rated as a direct military supply unit under secret Yokosuka Naval Base order No. 14.
10 December 1941:
The conversion is completed.
6 January 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for south seas.
7 January 1942:
At 0755, LtCdr (later Captain) Stanley P. Moseley’s (USNA ‘25) USS POLLACK (SS-180) torpedoes auxiliary collier UNKAI MARU No. 1 off Miko lighthouse; the ship is hit by one torpedo and disabled at 34-27N, 138-59E. Arrives at the disaster site later this day and rescues 53 people including the captain . Later that day, starts towing UNKAI MARU No. 1 but strong wind and high waves break the towing line. UNKAI MARU No. 1 is left drifting. Arrives at Tateyama later that day. The UNKAI MARU No. 1 survivors are brought ashore. Later at an unknown date departs for the South Seas.
15 January 1942:
Arrives at Omiya Jima (Guam), Marianas. Transfers a 13mm machine gun and bulletproof plates for the 6th Torpedo Squadron to the destroyer YAYOI. Thereafter departs Omiya Jima for Truk, Carolines.
23 January 1942:
Departs Truk for Rabaul attached to the then already departed invasion fleet consisting of TAIFUKU, MITO, CLYDE, VENICE, HIBI, MOJI, YOKOHAMA, CHERIBON and CHINA MARUs with auxiliary netlayer SHUKO MARU and auxiliary subchasers KYO MARU No. 8 and KYO MARU No.10 as close escorts for part of the way. MEITEN MARU sails later bringing aircraft reinforcements.
25 January 1942:
Arrives off Rabaul possibly with AZUMASAN MARU, GOYO MARU, Armed merchant cruiser KINRYU MARU, cruisers TATSUTA and TENRYU and destroyers KIKUZUKI, UZUKI and YUZUKI all of which departed Kavieng earlier that day. Unloads aircraft equipment and three disassembled Mitsubishi Type-0 Reisen A6M “Zeke” carrier fighters assigned to the Okamoto-tai, Chitose-Kokutai, 24th Air Flotilla, which is then equipped with obsolete Mitsubishi Type-96 A5M “Claude” carrier fighters.
28 January 1942:
Rated as a Direct Force Unit Supply Unit under Yokosuka Naval Base order No. 45. At 1555 arrives at Rabaul.
29 January 1942:
Receives secret instruction No. 12599:
Scheduled for auxiliary miscellaneous transport armament fitting, related ammunition storage, communication equipment etc.
As soon as the opportunity arises one Armstrong type 8cm/40cal. gun with 50 rounds of ammunition, one type 92 7.7mm machine gun with 3000 regular ammunition packages and one set of light weight anti mine equipment will be fitted at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal.
For testing the 8cm gun will be equipped with one standard charge practice round and the 7.7mm machine gun will be equipped with up to 30 rounds.
In lieu of firing towing test will be carried out on the anti torpedo equipment.
Late Jan/Early Feb 1942:
Arrives at Truk. Later departs at an unknown date.
10 April 1942:
Rated as a Direct Force Unit Supply Unit under Yokosuka Naval Base order No. 74.
10 ~17 April 1942:
Scheduled for transport of personnel and munitions under secret Reinforcement order No. 140.
17 April 1942:
Departs Nagaura for the South Seas.
1 May 1942:
Rated as a Direct Force Unit Supply Unit under Yokosuka Naval Base order No. 78.
7 May 1942:
Departs Kwajalein, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshalls for Wotje, Wotje Atoll, Marshalls.
10 May 1942:
Auxiliary patrol boat ASHITAKA MARU No. 5 comes alongside and supplies fresh water.
15 June 1942:
Rated as a Direct Force Unit Supply Unit under Yokosuka Naval Base order No. 99.
15 ~ 23 June 1942:
Scheduled for transport of personnel and munitions under secret Reinforcement order No. 234.
23 June 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Palau.
26 June 1942:
Departs Palau for Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago towed by a tugboat and escorted by auxiliary gunboat SAIKYO MARU.
28 June 1942:
About 435 km northwest of Yap Lt.Cdr. R.J. Moore’s USS STINGRAY (SS-186) sights two merchants and a destroyer. Moore fires four torpedoes at the lead ship of which one hits the SAIKYO MARU. She sinks at 12-34N, 136-20E.
29 June 1942:
Receives South Seas wireless No. 230:
At 1925 on 28th SAIKYO MARU and MEITEN MARU were attacked by an enemy subamarine at 12-34N, 136-20E.
The commander of the 29th Destroyer Division orders the destroyer YUNAGI to rush to the scene, rescue the crew and engage in enemy submarine sweeping, and then to search for the tugboat that had been towing the MEITEN MARU and sail to Palau.
15 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Kendari, Celebes, Netherlands East Indies (now Sulawesi Indonesia) and then Kupang area, Timor, Netherlands East Indies (now East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia).
15 ~ 16 August 1942:
Loads secret books bound for Kure and items bound for Sasebo and Ryojun under secret Transportation wireless No. 388.
16 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka (via Futtsu) for Kure, Sasebo and then Ryojun.
At 1030, off Futtsu together with auxiliary oiler KYOEI MARU No. 6 meets up with auxiliary gunboat DELHI MARU that escorts them west till 1930.
26 August 1942:
A fault is discovered in the steering gear while anchored in Sasebo. Emergency repairs are carried out at the Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
10 September 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Captain Kamo Teisa (39) is appointed Supervisor.
19 September 1942:
Assigned to assist the rapid transport mission of Army Corps from Hong Kong to the Solomon Islands under instruction No. 136.
Departs Yokosuka for Hong Kong.
25 September 1942:
Rated as a supply unit under secret Yokosuka Naval Base order No. 126.
25 ~ 30 September 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.
29 September 1942:
The former Supervisor Captain Miyasaka is posted Supervisor of auxiliary transport (ex-minelayer) NICHIYU MARU.
30 September 1942:
Receives Naval Command instruction No. 141:
Completes the transport mission according to Naval Command instruction No. 136 .
15 October 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai, China.
18 October 1942:
At 1000 departs Shanghai and returns at an unknown date.
3 November 1942:
Departs Shanghai.
5 November 1942:
Arrives at Mille (Mili) Atoll, Marshalls. 500 men of Shanghai Special Navy Landing Force (SNLF) disembark.
7 November 1942:
Departs Mille.
20 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Elements of the 3rd Yokosuka SNLF disembark.
24 November 1942:
Assigned to engage in transport missions in the same manner as Ministry of the Navy supply unit ships.
26 November 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
29 November 1942:
Arrives at Osaka.
1 December 1942:
MEITEN MARU shifts from the Zatsuyosen (Ko) category to the Zatsuyosen (Otsu) category. Departs Osaka for Yawata. [2]
3 December 1942:
Arrives at Yawata.
5 December 1942:
Navy comissioned officer Miyata Torao is appointed CO. Departs Yawata for Tamano.
6 December 1942:
Arrives at Tamano.
14 December 1942:
Enters dock at Mitsui shipbuilding for maintenance and repairs.
17 December 1942:
Undocked.
20 December 1942:
Departs Tamano for Kure.
21 December 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
22 December 1942:
Departs Kure for Miike.
24 December 1942:
Arrives at Miike.
26 December 1942:
Departs Miike for Truk.
6 January 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
10 February 1943:
Departs Truk for Palau.
15 February 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
23 February 1943:
Departs Palau for Niihama, Shikoku with an unidentified escort.
3 March 1943:
An unidentified auxiliary minesweeper from 31st Group [likely TAKUNAN MARU No. 8] joins the convoy at 30-34N, 131-16E and escorts it to Saeki.
4 March 1943:
Arrives at Niihama.
7 March 1943:
Departs Niihama and arrives the same day at Kure.
9 March 1943:
Departs Kure for Miike.
10 March 1943:
Arrives at Miike.
13 March 1943:
Departs Miike for Palau.
20 March 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
31 March 1943:
Departs Palau for Truk.
5 April 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
20 April 1943:
At 1200, departs Truk for Palau in a convoy also consisting of SANSEI MARU (3266 gt) and IJN oiler KYOEI MARU escorted by subchaser CH-33.
26 April 1943:
At 0800, the convoy arrives at Palau.
6 May 1943:
MEITEN MARU departs Palau and arrives the same day at Angaur, Palaus.
9 May 1943:
Departs Angaur for Hakodate, Hokkaido in convoy P-509 that is bound for Saeki, also consisting of KIMISHIMA, TOKO, EHIME, TOUN, BUNZAN, SHUNSHO, TAIYU and CHIHAYA MARUs, escorted by minelayer YURIJIMA.
16 May 1943:
Around noon, Minesweeper W-18 joins the convoy at 26-56N, 133-26E.
18 May 1943:
The convoy arrives at Saeki.
22 May 1943:
Arrives at Hakodate.
25 May 1943:
Departs Hakodate for Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture.
27 May 1943:
Arrives at Shiogama.
30 May 1943:
Departs Shiogama for Muroran, Hokkaido.
31 May 1943:
Arrives at Muroran.
1 June 1943:
Departs Muroran for Yokosuka.
5 June 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
9 June 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Saipan as the sole ship in convoy No. 3609 for Saipan, Marianas escorted by auxiliary gunboat SHOTOKU MARU.
16 June 1943:
Arrives at Saipan.
18 June 1943:
Departs Saipan in convoy No. 3609 with some passengers, a deck loaded with landing-craft and a cargo of ammunition, escorted by auxiliary gunboat SHOTOKU MARU. They arrive at Omiya Jima later this day.
20 June 1943:
Departs Omiya Jima in convoy No. 3609 still escorted by auxiliary gunboat SHOTOKU MARU.
About 225 nms WNW of Saipan, she is intercepted by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) William B. Sieglaff’s (USNA ‘1931) USS TAUTOG (SS-199). At 0515, Sieglaff torpedoes and hits MEITEN MARU port side in her engine room at 15-57N, 140-57E. She goes dead in the water and is abandoned. At 1500, MEITEN MARU sinks. Auxiliary gunboat SHOTOKU MARU conducts a rescue operation but the number of cassualties and survivors if any are unknown.
1 December 1943:
Removed from the Navy List under internal order No. 2564.
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 Zatsuyosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
[3] The Japanese called the 1919 WW1 mandated islands of Truk, Yap, Palau, Saipan etc. the Nanyo (South Seas) area.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan. Thanks go also to the late Luke G.A. Ruffato of Italy for providing additional information on Chitose-Kokutai aircraft. Thanks also go to the late Matthew Jones of Mississipi for IJN COs' info.
Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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