YUSOSEN!


(Type 2TL by Ueda Kihachiro)

MITSUSHIMA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2010-2013 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

20 September 1944:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Jukogyo K. K. Zosensho as a 10,045-ton Type 2TL wartime Standard Merchant Tanker for Mitsubishi Shoji K.K.

20 November 1944:
Launched and named MITSUSHIMA MARU.

15 December 1944:
Completed.

31 December 1944:
At 0820, MITSUSHIMA MARU departs Moji for Singapore on her maiden voyage in convoy HI-87 also consisting of fleet oiler KAMOI and tankers HASHIDATE, TENEI, KAIHO, KUROSHIO, MATSUSHIMA, MIRI, MUNAKATA and SARAWAK MARUs and passenger-cargoman TATSUWA MARU escorted by destroyers SHIGURE, HATAKAZE and DesDiv17’s HAMAKAZE and ISOKAZE and kaibokan KURAHASHI, MIKURA and CD-13. Light carrier RYUHO provides air cover.

7 January 1945:
East China Sea. The convoy is sighted by "Loughlin's Loopers" submarine wolf pack consisting of Cdr (later Rear Admiral/MOH) Eugene R. Fluckey's USS BARB (SS-220) and LtCdr Evan T. Shepard's PICUDA (SS-382), later joined by Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles E. Loughlin's QUEENFISH (SS-393).

At 0905, in high seas, Shepard's PICUDA heavily damages MUNAKATA MARU in the bow. She is assisted by KURAHASHI then proceeds separately to Kirun (Keelung). The convoy anchors at Shinchiku roadstead, Formosa.

At 1300, the convoy is sighted by the wolfpack and tracked. RYUHO and SHIGURE are detached and proceed to Kirun. MITSUSHIMA MARU suffers an engine breakdown and is detached to Takao escorted by destroyer HATAKAZE.

14 January 1945:
Takao. MITSUSHIMA MARU shifts to Quay No. 13 to allow for engine repairs.

15 January 1945:
There is a major air attack on on Takao, but MITSUSHIMA MARU is only slightly damaged. Her gunners fire 240 25-mm and 150 13-mm rounds.

21 January 1945:
A further air raid on Takao. Two bombs fall off the starboard side of MITSUSHIMA MARU still berthed at Quay No. 13. Her gunners fire 1725 rounds of 25-mm and 1955 of 13-mm.

E 27 January 1945:
Departs Takao and heads towards Amoy.

29 January 1945:
MITSUSHIMA MARU is attacked by a large aircraft at 23-08N, 119-28E. The plane drops incendiary bombs that cause slight damage.

30 January 1945:
MITSUSHIMA MARU joins convoy HI-91 also consisting of TOJO and EIYO MARUS escorted by kaibokan SHONAN, CD 25 and CD 53.

1 February 1945:
At 2150 arrives Hainan Island.

2 February 1945:
At 1500, departs Hainan Island.

3 February 1945:
At 1915, arrives Qui Sande Bay. CD 53 is detached.

4 February 1945:
At 2100, departs Qui Sande Bay.

8 February 1945:
Arrives at Singapore.

14 February 1945:
Singapore. When MITSUSHIMA MARU starts loading oil, leaks are found everywhere. She is docked for repairs. She loads 60 tons of tin ore and zircon. After repairs are completed, MITSUSHIMA MARU loads 3,000 tons of heavy fuel oil and 12,000 tons of crude oil. She also embarks 73 civilian passengers including women.

22 February 1945:
MITSUSHIMA MARU departs Singapore for Moji in convoy HI-96 consisting of AMATO and FUJISAN MARUs escorted by kaibokan INAGI, CD-66 and CD-81.

27 February 1945:
Off Camranh Bay, Indochina. At 0035, LtCdr William H. Hazzard’s USS BLENNY (SS-324) torpedoes and sinks tanker AMATO MARU at 11-56N, 109-18E.

28 February 1945:
Near Hainan Island. At 2025, a B-29 is spotted and air raid preparations are made by the convoy.

1 March 1945:
Hainan Strait. At 1430, an air attack by B-24 “Liberator” heavy bombers begins. On the third attack, at 1540, MITSUSHIMA MARU is damaged and forced to jettison 2,500 tons of crude. She is detached for repairs at Hong Kong escorted by kaibokan CD-66.

7 March 1945:
MITSUSHIMA MARU escorted by CD-66 arrives at Hong Kong.

18 March 1945:
MITSUSHIMA MARU departs Hong Kong in the “Mitsushima Maru” convoy escorted by kaibokan MIKURA and CD-33.

22 March 1945:
Amoy Sea. At 0100, the “Mitsushima Maru” convoy is joined by cargo ship AKISHIMA MARU and her escorts kaibokan UKU and SHINNAN.

23 March 1945:
Anchors at Shushan Islands.

27 March 1945:
At 0600, arrives at Moji, and shortly thereafter arrives at Tokuyama where she discharges her fuel oil and crude oil. This is the last oil carried to Empire from Southeast Asia. The fuel oil is used by battleship YAMATO and her consorts on their ill-fated 7 April sortie towards Okinawa.

15 August 1945:
Hostilities cease.

1948:
MITSUSHIMA MARU engages in transporting oil from the Persian Gulf.

Late 1959:
Sold for scrapping.

26 December 1959:
Scrapping begins at Sakai.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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