RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(Sister OYO MARU, prewar)

MILAN MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2013-2016 Bob Hackett

26 November 1919:
Tsurumi. Laid down at Asano Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. as Yard No. 21, a 5,467-ton cargo ship for the Kokusai Kisen Line.

22 May 1920:
Launched and named MILAN MARU.

3 July 1920:
Completed and placed in Kokusai Kisen Line’s service.

1920-1934:
In Ishihara Gomei’ s service. Their principal business is transporting iron ore from Batu Pahat and Johore, British Malaya to Yawata, Japan.

5 October 1921:
Arrives at Ellis Island, New York.

May 1923:
MILAN MARU departs Australia for Yokohama.

6 December 1934:
Sold to Ishihara Sangyo Kaiun (ISK), Fuchu.

6 July 1935:
Under Government pressure, ISK, Nanyo Yusen and the Japan-Netherland East Indies services of Osaka Shosen (OSK) and Nippon Yusen (NYK) are amalgamated to form a new company, the Nanyo Kaiun K. K. (South Seas Shipping). The previous owners all take a share of the new company.

17 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) as a troop transport/cargo ship. Alloted IJA No. 812.

19 December 1941:
China. MILAN MARU is in a convoy also consisting of IJA transports HOKKO and KAZUURA MARUs. At 1610, the convoy is joined by auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO as escort. At 1910, SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO ends escort.

11 November 1942:
Departs Mutsure in convoy No. 186 also consisting of three unidentified merchant ships escorted by old destroyer WAKATAKE.

16 November 1942:
Arrives at Mako.

26 February 1943:
MILAN MARU departs Saiki for Palau, Carolines in No. 8 Military Movement's convoy "D-2" also consisting of KANJU, KENKOKU and SORACHI MARUs escorted by minelayers NASAMI and NUWAJIMA.

E 27 February 1943:
At 29 N, the escorts are detached.

March 1943:
Convoy "D-2"arrives at Palau.

20 March 1943:
At 1500, MILAN MARU arrives at Rabaul from Palau in a convoy also consisting of ADEN, HAKUSAN (2197 grt), KENKOKU, KANJO, MIYAURA, TATEISHI, ROKKOSAN and SORACHI, MARUs escorted by minesweeper W-20 and subchaser CH-16.

1 May 1943:
At 1430, MILAN MARU departs Rabaul for Palau in a convoy also consisting of TOYU, TEIKAI (ex-German FULDA) and TAIRIN MARUs escorted by subchasers CH-16 and CH-22. Midway CH-16 is detached and returns to Rabaul.

8 May 1943:
At 1030, arrives at Palau.

19 May 1943:
MILAN MARU departs Palau in convoy No. 2502 also consisting of MIYAURA and YONEYAMA MARUs and BANSHU MARU No. 15 and an unidentified merchant escorted by subchaser CH-4.

26 May 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan, Borneo.

11 July 1943:
Java Sea. Billiton Island, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies. At 1800, a convoy consisting of IJA transports MILAN, ANNAN (2940 grt), HAKUSAN and TAMISHIMA MARUs departs for Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar) escorted by subchaser CH-21.

23 July 1943:
South China Sea. The convoy departs Penang, Malaya.

26 July 1943:
MILAN, ANNAN and HAKUSAN MARUs are detached and head for Rangoon.

6 September 1943:
Indian Ocean, S of Rangoon. Ten USAAF Consolidated B-24 “Liberator” heavy bombers attack an unidentified convoy and sink MILAN MARU and transport ANNAN MARU at 16-46N, 96-10E. Casualties are unknown.

Author's Notes:
Thanks go to Erich Muehthaler of Germany.

Bob Hackett

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