Japanese Transports

ZATSUYOSEN!
(MONTEVIDEO MARU in wartime by Ueda Kihachiro)

IJN MONTEVIDEO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2013-2024 Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 1

9 September 1925:
Nagasaki. Laid down by Mitsubishi Zosen K.K shipyard for Osaka Shosen K.K. (OSK) as a 7,266-ton refrigerated passenger/cargo ship.
15 April 1926:
Launched and named MONTEVIDEO MARU.
14 August 1926:
Completed and registered in Osaka. Her Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) is 4,386-tons. [1]
August 1926:
Placed on the South America emigrant route. Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 71 Emigrant voyage.
15 October 1926:
Arrives at Santos, Brazil.
1927:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 78 Emigrant voyage.
12 April 1927:
Arrives at Santos.
1927:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 85 Emigrant voyage.
3 October 1927:
Arrives at Santos.
1928:
Departs Japan for Brazil on the No. 95 Emigrant voyage.
22 March 1928:
Arrives at Santos.
1928:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 106 Emigrant voyage.
20 September 1928:
Arrives at Santos.
1929:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 117 Emigrant voyage.
20 March 1929:
Arrives at Santos.
1929:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 126 Emigrant voyage.
9 September 1929:
Arrives at Santos.
1930:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 138 Emigrant voyage.
3 March 1930:
Arrives at Santos.
1930:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 150 Emigrant voyage.
29 August 1930:
Arrives at Santos.
1931:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 158 Emigrant voyage.
13 February 1931:
Arrives at Santos.
1931:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 166 Emigrant voyage.
5 August 1931:
Arrives at Santos.
1932:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 172 Emigrant voyage.
14 January 1932:
Arrives at Santos.
1932:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 179 Emigrant voyage.
2 July 1932:
Arrives at Santos.
1932:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 186 Emigrant voyage.
8 December 1932:
Arrives at Santos.
1933:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 197 Emigrant voyage. Her NRT is changed to 4,377-tons. [1]
2 June 1933:
Arrives at Santos.
1933:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 207 Emigrant voyage.
2 November 1933:
Arrives at Santos.
March 1934:
Placed on OSK’s South America Line. (Kobe ~ Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture ~ Yokohama ~ Kobe ~ Hong Kong ~ Singapore ~ Colombo ~ Durban ~ Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth ~ Cape Town ~ Rio de Janeiro ~ Santos ~ Montevideo ~ Buenos Aires ~ Santos ~ Rio de Janeiro ~ Victoria ~ New Orleans ~ Houston ~ Galveston ~ Cristobal, Panama ~ Los Angeles ~ Yokohama ~ Kobe).
1934:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 217 Emigrant voyage.
2 April 1934:
Arrives at Santos.
1934:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 227 Emigrant voyage.
31 August 1934:
Arrives at Santos.
1935:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 237 Emigrant voyage.
29 January 1935:
Arrives at Santos.
1935:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 246 Emigrant voyage.
29 June 1935:
Arrives at Santos.
1936:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 256 Emigrant voyage.
30 April 1936:
Arrives at Santos.
1936:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 262 Emigrant voyage.
1 October 1936:
Arrives at Santos.
18 November 1936:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Montevideo, Uruguay with 4670 tons cotton and general cargo. Transits the canal the same day and departs for Kobe.
1937:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 267 Emigrant voyage.
28 February 1937:
Arrives at Santos.
3 April 1937:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Montevideo, Uruguay with 4777 tons general cargo.
4 April 1937:
Departs the Panama Canal for Kobe.
16 August 1937:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Rio Grande, Brazil with 3648 tons general cargo.
18 August 1937:
Departs the Panama Canal for Kobe.
24 December 1937:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Montevideo, Uruguay with 1467 tons general cargo.
26 December 1937:
Departs the Panama Canal for Kobe.
1938:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 279 Emigrant voyage.
5 April 1938:
Arrives at Santos.
10 May 1938:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Buenos Aires, Argentina with 3987 tons general cargo.
11 May 1938:
Departs the Panama Canal for Kobe.
17 June 1938:
Departs Kobe.
20 June 1938:
Arrives at Dairen, Manchuria (now Dalian, northern China). Departs later.
25 June 1938:
Arrives at Kobe.
4 September 1938:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Buenos Aires, Argentina with 4409 tons general cargo.
5 September 1938:
Departs the Panama Canal for Kobe.
26 February 1939:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Buenos Aires, Argentina with 3768 tons general cargo.
27 February 1939:
Departs the Panama Canal for Yokohama.
16 April 1939:
No. 290 Emigrant voyage timetable: Departs Kobe and arrives at Yokkaichi later that day.
17 April 1939:
Departs Yokkaichi and arrives at Yokohama later in the day.
20 April 1939:
Departs Yokohama and arrives at Kobe later that same day.
22 April 1939:
Departs Kobe for Hong Kong.
27 April 1939:
Departs Hong Kong for Singapore.
3 May 1939:
Departs Singapore for Colombo.
9 May 1939:
Departs Colombo for Durban.
20 May 1939:
Departs Durban for Cape Town.
24 May 1939:
Departs Cape Town for Rio de Janeiro.
4 June 1939:
Departs Rio de Janeiro for Santos.
6 June 1939:
Departs Santos for Montevideo.
9 June 1939:
Departs Montevideo.
10 June 1939:
Arrives at Buenos Aires.
13 July 1939:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Montevideo, Uruguay with 3656 tons general cargo.
14 July 1939:
Departs the Panama Canal for Kobe.
4 March 1940:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Kobe with 3338 tons general cargo.
5 March 1940:
Departs the Panama Canal for Buenos Aires, Argentina.
4 July 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
15 July 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
27 July 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
3 August 1940:
Departs Dairen and arrives later at Kobe.
8 August 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
20 August 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
1 September 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
12 September 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
25 September 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
6 October 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
18 October 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
30 October 1940:
Departs Dairen for Kobe. (schedule)
21 November 1940:
Departs Japan for Brazil on No. 302 Emigrant voyage.
22 December 1940:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Kobe with 2700 tons general cargo.
27 December 1940:
Departs the Panama Canal for Buenos Aires, Argentina.
15 January 1941:
Arrives at Santos.
1941:
Her NRT is changed to 4,371-tons. [1]
18 February 1941:
Arrives at the Panama Canal from Buenos Aires, Argentina with 4204 tons general cargo.
19 February 1941:
Departs the Panama Canal for Kobe.
21 May 1941:
Departs Kobe for Brazil on No. 305 Emigrant voyage.
10 July 1941:
Arrives at Santos.
25 September 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a general requisitioned transport attached to the Kure Naval District with Kure as home port.
15 December 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
20 December 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
22 December 1941:
Arrives at Kure.
26 December 1941:
Departs Kure.
31 December 1941:
Registered in the IJN as an auxiliary transport attached to the Kure Naval District with Kure as home port under Navy’s instruction No. 1775.
9 January 1942:
Arrives at Davao, Mindanao. Departs later.
16 January 1942:
Departs Jolo, Philippines.
17 January 1942:
Arrives at Menado, Celebes (now Sulawesi).
1 February 1942:
Departs Menado and arrives at Bangka later in the day.
2 February 1942:
At 0805, departs Bangka with auxiliary minesweeper tender IKUSHIMA MARU, auxiliary transports SHOKO (MATSUE) and YAMASHIMO MARUs, auxiliary oiler SAN CLEMENTE MARU escorted by minelayer AOTAKA, patrol boat PB-2, hydrographic survey ship TSUKUSHI and subchasers CH-3 and CH-14.
4 February 1942:
At 0630, arrives at Staring Bay, Celebes.
5 February 1942:
Assigned to Makassar Invasion Force.
6 February 1942: The Invasion of Makassar, Celebes:
The Makassar invasion convoy consists of six IJN transports: MONTEVIDEO, SHOKO (MATSUE), KINAI, NANKAI, HOKUROKU and YAMASHIMO MARUs. The transports are accompanied by auxiliary oiler SAN CLEMENTE MARU, acting as a replenishing vessel.
The convoy is organized in two echelons:
The first echelon, with KINAI, NANKAI and HOKUROKU MARUs carrying the Makassar Occupation Force under command of Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mori Kunizo’s (40) Sasebo Combined Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF).
The second echelon, with MONTEVIDEO, SHOKO (MATSUE) and YAMASHIMO MARUs carrying the 5th and 6th Naval Construction Units (Setsueihan).
Both echelons depart successively Staring Bay; starting at 2100 with SAN CLEMENTE MARU escorted by light cruiser NAGARA, DesDiv 8’s ASASHIO, MICHISHIO, ARASHIO and OSHIO, DesDiv 15’s HAYASHIO, KUROSHIO, OYASHIO and NATSUSHIO, DesDiv 21’s WAKABA, HATSUSHIMO and NENOHI and SubChasDiv 2’s CH-13, CH-14 and CH-15. Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Fujita Ruitaro (38)'s (former CO of FUSO) CarDiv 11's CHITOSE, MIZUHO and SANUKI MARU provide distant support.
8 February 1942:
At 1330, arrives at Makassar, Celebes and proceeds to landings.
9 February 1942:
Makassar Strait. During the landing of the Sasebo Combined SNLF invasion force, DesDiv 15's NATSUSHIO is torpedoed and sunk by Lt (later Rear Admiral) James C. Dempsey (USNA ’31)'s old submarine USS S-37. NATSUSHIO is the only loss suffered by IJN in the action.
E 16 February 1942:
Departs Makassar.
27 February 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
March 1942:
Assigned to ammunition and troop transport mission under Navy’s telegram No. 379.
3 March 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
5 March 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
10 March 1942:
Departs Kure.
20 March 1942:
Arrives at Ambon, Moluccas.
23 March 1942:
Departs Ambon.
25 March 1942:
Arrives at Davao.
3 April 1942:
Departs Davao.
8 April 1942:
Arrives at Saipan, Marianas.
9 April 1942:
Departs Saipan.
10 April 1942:
Arrives at Pagan, Marianas. Departs later that same day for Japan.
15 April 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Departs later for Yokohama.
26 April 1942:
Embarks troops. Departs Yokohama and arrives later that day at Yokosuka.
27 April 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
29 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure. Fitted with MGs and embarks troops.
30 April 1942:
Departs Kure.
2 May 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo. Loads bombs, aircraft weapons and other sundries.
5 May 1942:
Embarks troops.
6 May 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
10 May 1942:
Arrives at Manila, Luzon and disembarks troops.
12 May 1942:
Departs Manila.
15 May 1942:
Arrives at Davao. Disembarks troops.
16 May 1942:
Departs Davao.
18 May 1942:
Arrives at Menado.
19 May 1942:
Departs Menado.
20 May 1942:
Arrives at Balikpapan, Borneo. Disembarks troops and departs later that day.
22 May 1942:
Arrives at Makassar and disembarks troops.
23 May 1942:
Departs Makassar.
25 May 1942:
Arrives at Surabaya, Java. Disembarks troops and unloads cargo.
28 May 1942:
Departs Surabaya.
3 June 1942:
Arrives at Manokwari, New Guinea.
4 June 1942:
Departs Manokwari.
9 June 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul, New Britain. Disembarks troops and unloads cargo.
21 June 1942:
Embarks 27 guards. Loads one aircraft fuselage, 10 cars and related spare parts.
22 June 1942:
Embarks 1,157 POWs and civilian internees. Departs Rabaul for Samah, Hainan Island without escort. [2]
30 June 1942:
Off northern Philippines. LtCdr William L. Wright’s (USNA ’25) USS Sturgeon (SS-187) running on surface, sights the transport steaming at about 17 knots, too fast for the submarine to approach. Wright decides to pursue MONTEVIDEO MARU.
1 July 1942:
About midnight, MONTEVIDEO MARU’s speed slows to 12 knots as she expects to meet with two destroyers en route to join her as escorts. At 65 miles W of Cape Bojeador, Luzon, about 0326, Wright, unaware of the POWs and civilians aboard, fires a spread of four torpedoes. Two hits are scored on the No. 4 heavy oil tank hold, on starboard. At 0337, MONTEVIDEO MARU sinks by the stern at 18-35N, 120-25E, with the loss of nine crewmen, 11 guards and all POWs and civilian internees. [2] [3]
2 July 1942:
About 70 Japanese survivors in two lifeboats land near Cape Bojeador.
3 July 1942:
The survivors arrive at Bobon Village. Then, guided by a native, they head for a Japanese outpost located at Laoag.
4 July 1942:
Morning. The survivors are attacked by natives and scatter, sustaining heavy casualties with 55 KIA.
5 July 1942:
One survivor arrives at Laoag.
20 July 1942:
Removed from the Navy’s list under instruction No. 1331.
25 July 1942:
A Japanese rescue party recovers a total of 25 exhausted and starving survivors.

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] According to some sources, a total of 853 POWs and 208 civilian internees were aboard. A nominal list made available by the Japanese government in 2012 revealed that a total of 1054 prisoners (178 non-commissioned officers, 667 soldiers and 209 civilians) died on MONTEVIDEO MARU.
[3] In a TV interview in 2003 a sailor from the ship (aged 81 in 2003) Yoshiaki Yamaji stated that about 100 prisoners were allowed on deck, given sailors lifejackets and were later seen in the water together singing “Auld Lang Syne” and that he was told by Osaka Shosen that these men had been rescued by a destroyer and taken to Japan. The sea was calm at the time of sinking allowing rescue. There is a further suggestion from some uncorroborated sources that the surviving prisoners were sent to Sado where they worked in a mine and were killed at war’s end, all of which sounds extremely fanciful. It seems more logical that the POWs were locked below deck and drowned in the sinking given the absence of any further records, bodies or survivors.

Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan

Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

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