Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

(ONDO prewar)

IJN ONDO:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2005-2023 Berend van der Wal, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 6

15 February 1922:
Designated auxiliary vessel ONDO under order No. 22.
15 March 1922:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki Heavy Industies, Ltd.’s shipyard as an ONDO class 14500-tons transport ship for the Ministry of Navy.
15 September 1922:
Assumed homeport is Kure Navy Base under order No. 318.
Rated as a special service ship transport ship under order No. 168.
29 September 1922:
Ondo is alloted call sign GQDV under order No. 173.
21 October 1922:
Launched.
1 November 1922:
Cdr Yoshida Shigeaki (30) is appointed acting Chief Equipping Officer.
1 December 1922:
Captain Yoshida Shigeaki is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
12 March 1923:
Completed and registered as a special service auxiliary vessel in the Kure Naval District under order No. 61. Rated as the 1st reserve special service ship.
Captain Yoshida Shigeaki is appointed CO.
15 March 1923:
Rated as an active special service ship under order No. 68.
6 April 1923:
Receives instructions on addition of equipment: 1 main anchor swivel piece under order No. 1179.
20 October 1923:
Cdr Tsuru Yuzo (30) is appointed CO.
7 May 1924:
Cdr Shikano Hiroshi (31) is appointed CO.
8 July 1924:
Receives approval for the partial remodelling of the boiler smoke channel under order No. 1873-2.
1 December 1924:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Suzuki Giichi (32) is appointed CO. 19 December 1924:
Under order No. 3827 the hoisted tube suspension equipment for refueling at sea were prepared for dispatching and incoroprated during the large scale exercise period. Sasebo Navy Arsenal issued a storage instruction.
15 April 1925:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sezaki Nihei (32) is appointed CO.
1 December 1925:
Rated as the 1st reserve special service ship under order No. 321.
Capt Suzuki Isamu (31) is appointed CO.
1 February 1926:
Rated as the 4th reserve special service ship under order No. 16.
20 February 1926:
Capt Suzuki Isamu is relieved as CO.
No officer is appointed CO.
9 February 1927:
Receives instructions on how to lend 1 28 feet motor boat to the armored cruiser ASAMA for one year from mid February under telegram order No. 30.
1 March 1927:
Rated as the 1st reserve special service ship under order No. 58.
Capt Irie Empei (Enpei, 33) is appointed CO.
31 March 1927:
Lending one motor boat from special service ship IRO to special service ship ONDO until the end of March 1928 under telegram order No. 61.
1 April 1927:
Rated as an active special service ship under order No. 108.
Ordered to return the motor boat currently lent to armored cruiser ASAMA until 20 June under order No. 1735.
6 June 1927:
Receives instructions on lending motor boats to the Second Expeditionary Fleet Headquarters under order No. 1919.
15 October 1927:
Capt Hani Kiyoshi (33) is appointed CO.
2 December 1927:
Receives instructions on a new construction of fresh water storage reinforcement under order No. 3831.
25 December 1927:
Receives approval for the installation of heavy oil intake under order No. 4063.
1 April 1928:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Masaki Katsuji (34) is appointed CO.
20 April 1928:
Returns the lent motor boat to the special service ship IRO.
1 November 1928:
Assigned to attend the grand special fleet review ceromony under order No. 307.
4 December 1928:
Cdr Nohara Shinji (34) is appointed CO.
10 December 1928:
CO Cdr Nohara Shinji is promoted to Captain.
1 May 1929:
Cdr Yoshida Shiro (36) is appointed CO.
30 November 1929:
Capt Ishiki Kennosuke (35) is appointed CO.
20 January 1930:
Departs Tokuyama.
24 January 1930:
Mooring at Kure.
13 March 1930:
Mooring at Los Angeles, USA.
16 March 1930:
Departs Los Angeles.
28 April 1930:
Departs Kure.
2 September 1930:
Departs Kure.
19 September 1930:
Arrives at Kure.
22 September 1930:
Changes mooring.
26 September 1930:
Changes mooring.
27 September 1930:
Mooring.
10 December 1930:
Capt Shishido Yoshinobu (37) is appointed CO.
1 April 1931:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Okawachi Denshichi (37) is appointed CO.
28 August 1931:
Arrives at Kure.
2 October 1931:
Arrives at Kure.
14 November 1931:
Cdr Takagi Yasuo (36) is appointed CO.
10 December 1931:
Departs Kure.
25 December 1931:
Arrives at Kure.
25 February 1932:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sato Seishiro (37) is appointed CO.
1 May ~ 16 May 1932:
Embarks war casualties and loads munitions.
16 May 1932:
Departs Sasebo.
At 2131 colliedes with AMUR MARU in Shimonoseki Strait/Oseto Strait about 10° east and 750m south of Kanenotsuru Point (Misaki). Arrives at Kure later this day.
1 December 1932:
Cdr Ohashi Goro (37) is appointed CO.
16 January 1933:
Departs Tokuyama.
3 February 1933:
Leaves the dock.
6 February 1933:
Departs Kure. Returns later that day.
9 April 1933:
Departs Kure.
14 June 1933:
Receives instructions for maintenance of special service ship boiler pipes under order No. 2825.
26 June 1933:
Arrives at Kure.
27 June 1933:
At 0830 changes mooring.
30 June 1933:
Departs Kure.
3 July 1933:
Departs Kure for Palau.
15 July 1933:
Attached to the Combined Fleet under order No. 235.
17 July 1933:
At 0740 casts off from coast defense ship YAKUMO.
At 1020 shifts anchor.
At 1440 departs from coast defense ship YAKUMO.
At 1530 anchors.
17 ~ 27 July 1933:
Departs Palau for Tokuyama.
27 July 1933:
At 1915 lies alongside the coal pier, Tokuyama.
8 August 1933:
Arrives at Ulithi, Carolines.
12 August 1933:
Departs Ulithi.
26 August 1933:
Detached from the Combined Fleet and rated as an active special service ship under order No. 258.
1 September 1933:
Ordered to replace one 28 feet, 24hp motor boat with a newly built 9 meter 30hp motor boat under order No. 3900.
26 September 1933:
Arrives at Kure.
27 September 1933:
At 0845 changes mooring.
28 September 1933:
At 1015 changes mooring.
18 October 1933:
Her call sign is changed to JWHD under order No. 127.
5 November 1933:
Departs Kure.
15 November 1933:
Cdr. (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Otsuka Miki (39) is appointed CO.
4 December 1933:
Kure. At 1425 changes mooring.
10 December 1933:
Departs Kure.
12 March 1934:
Kure. Changes mooring.
15 March 1934:
Departs Kure.
23 April 1934:
Arrives at Kure.
16 May 1934:
Departs Kure.
18 May 1934:
Arrives at Kure.
20 May 1934:
Departs Kure.
27 June 1934:
Departs Oha Jima, near Kume Jima, Okinawa Islands.
7 July 1934:
Departs Tokuyama.
4 August 1934:
Arrives at Kure.
6 August 1934:
At 0945 mooring.
25 August 1934:
Cdr Nakamura Sueo (38) is appointed CO.
8 November 1934:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
11 November 1934:
Departs Yokosuka.
15 November 1934:
Cdr Kamiyama Tokuhei (38) is appointed CO.
16 November 1934:
Arrives at Kure.
19 November 1934:
At 1335 changes mooring.
6 December 1934:
Departs Kure.
10 February 1935:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
12 February 1935:
Departs Yokosuka for Kure.
22 February 1935:
Kure. Changes mooring.
15 April 1935:
Arrives at Honolulu, Hawai, USA.
27 April 1935:
Embarks the Chief Medical Officer and two others from IJN oiler ERIMO.
28 April 1935:
Disembarks the Chief Medical Officer and two others from IJN oiler ERIMO.
11 May 1935:
Arrives at Kure.
11 ~ 18 May 1935:
Departs Kure.
18 May 1935:
Arrives at Kure.
22 August 1935:
Departs Kure. Returns later this day.
24 August 1935:
Departs Kure.
25 October 1935:
Cdr. (later Vice Admiral) Kudo Kyuhachi (39) is appointed CO.
15 November 1935:
CO Cdr Kudo Kyuhachi is promoted to Captain.
15 February 1936:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Kamata Michiaki (39) is appointed CO.
2 June 1936:
Arrives at Sasebo.
3 June 1936:
Departs Sasebo. Returns later that day.
14 June 1936:
Departs Sasebo.
22 August 1936:
Receives instructions on land storage of cordage machinery under order No. 3943.
25 October 1936:
Arrives at Hyogo 2nd jetty Q, Kobe.
27 October 1936:
Departs Kobe on the 1936 special exercise fleet review ceromony rehearsal. Returns later this day to Hyogo 2nd jetty Q.
29 October 1936:
Departs Kobe on the 1936 special exercise fleet review. Returns later that day to Hyogo 2nd jetty Q.
30 October 1936:
Departs Kobe.
16 November 1936:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ozumi Tokusaburo (40) is appointed CO.
19 January 1937:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
23 January 1937:
Departs Yokosuka.
1 April 1937:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Osugi Morikazu (41) is appointed CO.
24 June 1937:
Receives approval for the construction of a new voice pipe from the search lighthouse to the 1st and 2nd high angle guns under order No. 3294-2.
31 July 1937:
Receives instructions on the new installation of intermediate piece for heavy oil corrugated pipes under order No. 3996.
12 August 1937:
Arrives at Sasebo.
15 August 1937:
Departs Sasebo.
18 August 1937:
Arrives at Wusong (Woosong), Shanghai, China.
21 August 1937:
Shifts anchor.
27 August 1937:
Arrives at Sasebo. Departs later this day.
28 August 1937:
Arrives at Sasebo.
30 August 1937:
Departs Sasebo for Raffles Island (Sijao Island or Ssu Chiao Shan), China.
3 September 1937:
Departs Raffles Island. Returns later that day.
6 September 1937:
At 0800 lies alongside the seaplane tender KAMOI.
At 0830 supplies heavy oil and fresh water to KAMOI.
At 1512 casts off from KAMOI.
6 ~ 18 September 1937:
Departs Raffles Island.
18 September 1937:
Arrives off the coast of Shidongkou, China.
At 1740 destroyer MURASAME lies alongside.
At 1800 destroyer HARUSAME lies alongside.
At 1913 MURASAME casts off.
At 1926 HARUSAME casts off.
19 September 1937:
At 0908 lies alongside seaplane tender KAMOI. Supplies heavy oil and coal to KAMOI.
At 1235 Casts off from KAMOI.
Departs off the coast of Shidongkou later this day for Sasebo.
25 September 1937:
Departs Sasebo. Returns later that day.
15 November 1937:
Cdr. (later Rear Admiral) Shoji Yoshikichi (41) is appointed CO.
14 November 1937:
Departs Sasebo.
1 December 1937:
CO Cdr Shoji Yoshikichi is promoted to Captain.
9 February 1938:
Arrives at Ryojun (Port-Arthur), Manchuria (now Lushun and part of Dalian, northern China).
12 February 1938:
Departs Ryojun.
28 July 1938:
Attached to the 3rd Fleet under order No. 369.
25 September 1938:
Deattached from the 3rd Fleet under order No. 644.
1 November 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kurose Hiroshi (41) is appointed CO.
15 November 1939:
In service as the 4th reserve special service ship under order No. 851.
Capt Kurose Hiroshi is relieved as CO.
No officer is appointed CO.
15 November 1940:
Rated as special service ship under order No. 840.
The CO of light cruiser KUMA, Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Eguchi Matsuro (40) assumes command of ONDO as an additional duty.
20 December 1940:
Capt Ura Koichi (46) is appointed CO.
1 February 1941:
Rated as an active service ship under order No. 116.
24 February 1941:
Capt Ofuji Masanao (39) is appointed CO.
15 October 1941:
Attached to the Combined Fleet Sixth Fleet Refueling Ships.
1 November 1941:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Sugimoto Michio (41) is appointed CO.
10 November 1941: The Hawaii Operation:
Saeki Bay. ONDO is in Vice Admiral Shimizu Mitsumi's (36) (former CO of ISE) Sixth Fleet's Refueling Unit with fleet oiler TOA MARU.

1 December 1941:
Her call sign changes to JGIQ.
5 December 1941:
Arrives at Kwajalein, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshalls.
8 December 1941: The Opening of Hostilities with Western Powers:
Based at Kwajalein, Marshall Islands with with IJN oiler TOA MARU.
January 1942:
Rated as an advanced force supply unit.
19 January 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
31 January 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
3 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
6 February 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
4 March 1942:
Departs Kure.
13 March 1942:
Arrives at Truk, Carolines.
30 April 1942:
Departs Truk.
5 May 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
25 May 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
3 June 1942:
At 1300 arrives at Yokosuka.
13 June 1942:
At 1200 departs Yokosuka.
24 June 1942:
At 0900 arrives at Kwajalein.
9 August 1942:
At 1500 departs Kwajalein.
13 August 1942:
At 1030 arrives at Truk. Spends all September, October, November and December at Truk.
20 September 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Matsura Tadayuki (40) is appointed CO.
26 December 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ikeuchi Masamichi (40) is appointed CO.
15 March 1943:
Joined by minesweeper W-31 and two other unidentified escorts at 30-53N, 134-03E and escorted to Fukajima.
20 May 1943:
Departs Singapore for Yokkaichi, Japan.
10 June 1943:
Departs Shimotsu.
11 June 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
14 June 1943:
Departs Kure.
16 June 1943:
Departs Moji in convoy No. 167 also consisting of auxiliary oiler OGURA MARU No. 1, ore carrier YASUKUNI MARU (5794 gt), passenger-cargo ship NEKKA MARU and seven unidentified ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat KAZAN MARU.
21 June 1943:
At 24-15N 120-15E during an anti-submarine sweep KAZAN MARU drops depth charges.

22 June 1943:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa (now Kaoshiung, Taiwan).
29 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia). Probably loads a cargo of oil at the IJA-controlled facility.
2 July 1943:
Departs Palembang.
3 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably off loads oil for transhipment.
July 1943:
Departs Singapore for Japan.
21 August 1943:
Departs Saeki with IJN tanker KUMAGAWA MARU.
28 August 1943:
At 1600, arrives at Manila, Philippines with KUMAGAWA MARU. Later, proceeds to Tarakan, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) to load fuel oil and then departs for Singapore.
26 September ~ 4 October 1943:
At Balikpapan, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).
5 October 1943:
ONDO departs Balikpapan in convoy No. 2608 consisting of oiler TSURUMI and and IJA transports ASUKA, RYOYO and TAJIMA MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer SANAE and subchaser CH-5. Soon after leaving, TSURUMI encounters machinery problems and is forced to turn back.
10 October 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
21 October 1943:
At 1200, arrives at Truk.
15 October 1943:
Capt Tsujita Shoichi (38) is appointed CO.
7 November 1943:
At 1600, ONDO and subchaser CH-33 depart through Truk's S channel in convoy No. 7071. Later that day, CH-33 is detached and diverted to assist tanker GENYO MARU and destroyer YAKAZE that collided. CH-33 escorts GENYO MARU and YAKAZE to Truk. CH-33 then sails on to Palau and joins up with ONDO en route.
13 November 1943:
ONDO arrives at Palau escorted by CH-33.
15 November 1943:
ONDO departs Palau in convoy No. 2513 escorted by destroyer SANAE enroute to Balikpapan.
18 November 1943:
Celebes Sea, 90 miles S of Basilan Island, Philippines. At about 2300, LtCdr (later Cdr) George E. Porter’s (USNA ’32) USS BLUEFISH (SS-222) attacks ONDO on the surface. She is being escorted by destroyer SANAE. Short on torpedoes, Porter fires three bow torpedoes by radar bearings at SANAE, of which at least one hits and sinks her at 05-00N, 122-00E. Her CO, LtCdr Sakai Shinichi (63) and an unknown number of crewmen are KIA. Sakai is promoted Commander, posthumously. Porter fires another torpedo that hits, damages and slows ONDO. He swings USS BLUEFISH around and fires his last two torpedoes from USS BLUEFISH’s stern tubes at the oiler, but they miss. USS BLUEFISH’s crew opens fire with her deck gun, but ONDO fires back. Porter breaks off the attack.
That same day, Allied codebreakers intercept a message from ONDO that says "At 2340, November 18, in position 05-00 N, 122-00 E, this ship and SANAE received torpedo attack. SANAE sunk. My engine rooms are flooded and am unable to proceed. Am engaging submarine with gunfire.” [1]
Later, ONDO is towed to Zamboanga, Mindanao, Philippines.
25 November 1943:
Rated as a Combined Fleet Refueling Ship.
17 December 1943:
Instructed to camouflage the ship by using two paint colors under transport ship camouflage painting instruction No. 6258.
21 December 1943:
Departs Cebu, Philippines towed by rescue/salvage tug MIHO MARU.
25 December 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
19 October 1944:
Manila. Vice Admiral (Admiral posthumously) John S. McCain’s (USNA ’06) TG 38.1 and Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Ralph E. Davison’s TG 38.4 attack shipping in Manila harbor. Carrier planes bomb and set ONDO on fire. She is beached near Cavite, Philippines.
10 November 1944:
Rated as the 4th reserve special service ship under order No. 1253.
13 November 1944:
Cavite. The acting CO of TF 38, Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Frederick C. Sherman’s (USNA ’10) TG 38.1, TG 38.3 and TG 38.4 attack shipping in Manila harbor. Carrier planes bomb and sink ONDO (unknown casualties), destroyers AKEBONO (48 KIA) and AKISHIMO (15 KIA) and IJA shared transport (A/C-AK) DAITOKU MARU (unknown casualties) at 14-29N, 120-55E.
20 December 1944:
Removed from the Navy List under order No. 1372.

Authors' Note:
[1] Slow moving ONDO generally steamed alone, or with only a single escort. Thanks to Gilbert Casse of France for general assistance. Thanks also go to Mr. Gengoro Toda of Japan.
- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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