YUSOSEN!
(SAN PEDRO MARU by Ueda Kihachiro)
IJN SAN PEDRO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2008-2021 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 7
1 November 1926:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Zosen K.K. Nagasaki Zosensho as a 7,269-ton tanker for Mitsubishi Shoji K.K.
4 May 1927:
Launched and named SAN PEDRO MARU.
27 June 1927:
Completed and registered at Tokyo. Her gross registered (GRT) tonnage and net registered tonnage (NRT) respectively are 7,269-tons and 5000-tons. Her call sign is TKRB. [1]
29 June 1927:
Departs Nagasaki. Assigned to transport petroleum from North America. Departs on her first voyage to Port Costa, San Francisco.
25 May 1928:
Off the Tokuyama fuel depot. Runs aground on a breakwater.
1927-1941:
In Mitsubishi’s service.
1934:
Her call sign changes to JPVB.
5 July 1941:
Departs Kirun, Formosa (now Keelung, Taiwan).
30 July 1941:
Arrives at Pulau Sambu, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).
5 August 1941:
Departs Pulau Sambu.
17 August 1941:
Arrives at Kudamatsu.
1 March 1942:
Chartered and registered in the Kure Naval district as an Ippan Choyosen (General requisitioned Tanker) and assigned to the Naval Deparetment.
4 March 1942:
Capt. Nomoura San is appointed Supervisor.
6 March 1942:
Departs Kure and later that day arrives at Tokuyama.
9 March 1942:
Departs Tokuyama and later that day arrives at Kure.
11 March 1942:
Departs Kure for Mako, Pescadores (now Magong, Penghu Islands, Taiwan).
12 March 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure.
17 March 1942:
Arrives at Mako (Pescadores).
20 March 1942:
Departs Mako.
24 March 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
28 March 1942:
Departs Kure.
30 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi.
3 April 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
10 April 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
12 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
14 April 1942:
Departs Kure.
17 April 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
23 April 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
26 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
28 April 1942:
Departs Kure.
30 April 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi
4 May 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
16 May 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
21 May 1942:
Arrives at Mako, then departs for Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia), Tarakan and Balikpapan at Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Kalimantan, Indonesia).
3 June 1942:
At Surabaya bunkers minelayer WAKATAKA, collier ASAKAZE MARU, and light cruiser NATORI.
5 July 1942:
At 1300 sub-chaser CH-3 departs Balikpapan escorting convoy No.005 also consisting of IJN transport KUNISHIMA MARU escorted by subchaser CH-3.
5 July 1942:
S of Palauig, Luzon, Philippines. At about 1000, LtCdr William L. Wright’s (USNA ’25) USS STURGEON (SS-187) fires two torpedoes at SAN PEDRO MARU at 16-07N, 119-13E, but misses.
10 July 1942:
At 1600 arrives at Manila, Philippines.
17 July 1942:
At the entrance to the Sulu Sea, an unidentified submarine torpedoes SAN PEDRO MARU, but causes little damage.
22 July 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
25 July 1942:
Departs Mako.
3 August 1942:
Returns to Mako then steams to Kudamatsu and Kure.
3 August- 22 September 1942:
Kure. Undergoes repairs.
12 August 1942:
Capt. Shinshiro Sato is appointed Supervisor.
22 September 1942:
Departs Kure.
23 September 1942:
Transits the Bungo Straits heading south.
10 October 1942:
Departs Truk, Carolines.
20 October 1942:
Arrives at Tarakan.
17 November 1942:
Arrives at Kirun (Keelung).
22 November 1942:
Departs Kirun (Keelung).
26 November 1942:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
2 December 1942:
Departs Tokuyama. Joined by subchaser CH-36 off Fukajima and escorted south.
E 3 December 1942:
CH-36 is detached 90 degrees off Toi Misaki.
13 December 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
17 December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
1 January 1943:
Arrives at Yokohama.
7 January 1943:
Departs Yokohama.
21 January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).
23 January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
25 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
1 February 1943:
Loads heavy oil. Departs Singapore later that day in convoy No. 664 also consisting of SHOEI MARU (2,764 gt) and four unidentified merchant ships without escort.
4 February 1943:
Arrives at St.Jacques, French Indochina (now Vung Tau, Vietnam) (near Saigon)
7 February 1943:
Departs St. Jacques in convoy No. 471 also consisting of of SHOEI MARU (2,764 gt) and four unidentified merchant ships without escort.
17 February 1943:
Arrives at Mako after detaching from convoy.
18 February 1943:
Departs Mako.
24 February 1943:
Arrives at Marifu.
27 February 1943:
Departs Marifu and joins convoy No. 8228 also consisting of KIJA transports KOKURYU, IKOMA, MISHIMA and KARYO (CHIALING) MARUs, IJN transport HAKUTETSU MARU No.15 and civilian cargo ship (C-AK) MICHI MARU escorted by patrol boat PB-101.
2 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokohama. Enters dock and undergoes annual service and repairs.
11 April 1943:
Departs Yokohama in convoy No. 7411 also consisting of TOHO, KURETAKE MARUs and OGURA MARU No.2 escorted by auxiliary gunboat KEISHIN MARU from a location around Omaezaki to Tokyo Bay.
13 April 1943:
Arrives at Shimotsu.
15 April 1943:
Departs Shimotsu.
22 April 1943:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa (now Kaoshiung, Taiwan).
27 April 1943:
Departs Takao.
7 May 1943:
Arrives at Palembang.
9 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
12 May 1943:
Arives at Singapore.
16 May 1943:
At 0850 departs Singapore in convoy No. 690 also consisting of TATSUWA MARU and two unidentified merchant ships without escort.
19 May 1943:
Arrives at St. Jacques. TATSUWA MARU detaches and heads towards Saigon, French Indochina (now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam).
23 May 1943:
Departs St. Jacques in convoy No. 497 also consisting of IJA transports TOUN, SYDNEY, BATAVIA, WALES, TOSEI and SAINEI MARUs, tanker SEISHIN MARU and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by subchaser CH-9.
30 May 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
31 May 1943:
Departs Mako.
5 June 1943:
Arrives at Kudamatsu.
13 June 1943:
Departs Kudamatsu.
21 June 1943:
Ownership is transferred to Mitsubishi Kisen K.K.
15 July 1943:
Departs Singapore in convoy No. 605 also consisting of TAMAHOKO, GYOSAN, SAMARANG, NICHIWA, KIYO, TACHIBANA MARUs and JUNGEN GO and one other unidentified merchant ship escorted by Vichy French frigate LA PEROUSE.[2]
18 July 1943:
Arrives St Jacques.
3 August 1943:
Arrives at Mutsure.
7 August 1943:
Departs Mutsure.
1 September 1943:
Registered in the Kure Naval District as an auxiliary transport (refueling ship) under ordinance order No. 1820. Assigned to the Naval Department as an Otsu category auxiliary transport belonging to the Kure Naval District. [3]
6 September 1943:
At 0900, departs Mako in convoy No. 321 also consisting of AWA, KOKUEI, ANYO, CEYLON, SYDNEY, YAMAZURU (YAMATSURU) MARU and tanker KOSHIN MARU and HINO MARU No. 1 escorted by torpedo boat HAYABUSA.
13 September 1943:
Arrives at Saigon.
18 October 1943:
At 1420, departs Moji for Takao transporting 300 cans gasoline in convoy No. 107 also consisting of MURORAN, JINZAN, MANTAI, KENSEI (ex-British HINSANG), NITTATSU (2732 gt), NICHINAN, HOKOKU, KOHOKU and SHOEI (2764 gt) MARUs, OGURA MARU No. 3 and SHINSEI MARU No. 1 escorted by patrol boat PB-36.
23 October 1943:
Of the coast of Anping, Formosa (now Taiwan) patrol boat PB-36 ends escort.
24 October 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
3 December 1943:
Departs Takao in convoy No. 224 also consisting of auxiliary oiler SAN LUIS MARU, civilian (C-AK) INARI and GETSUYO MARUs, IJA transports KOSHIN, YUBAE, MYOGI, MURORAN and MIIKESAN MARUs, IJN stores ship MANKO MARU and possibly others with torpedo boat MANAZURU as escort.
10 December 1943:
Arrives at Mutsure.
13 December 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
December 1943:
Osaka. Drydocked at Hitachi Zosensho's Honsha Zosensho K.K dockyard.
28 December 1943:
Capt. Nakajima Shichitaro is appointed Commanding Officer.
30 December 1943:
Undocked. At 1200, departs Osaka.
31 December 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
3 January 1944:
At 1600 departs Moji for Takao in combined convoy SA-19/No. 126 also consisting of cargo ships SHORYU and KUROGANE MARUs and tankers MEDAN, KAIKO and CHIYODA MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer KURETAKE and cable layer escort ODATE.
9 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao. SHORYU, CHIYODA and SAN PEDRO MARUs are detached from the convoy.
11 January 1944:
Departs Takao.
14 January 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
16 January 1944:
At 1500, departs Manila in convoy No. 3103 also consisting of IJA transport HAVRE MARU, and tankers IJN oiler CHIYODA MARU and IJA oiler RIKKO MARU escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU.
21 January 1944:
Arrives at Miri, Borneo, British Malaya, (now Malaysia) where the convoy is dissolved.
26 January 1944:
Departs Miri.
31 January 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
2 February 1944:
At 0800 departs Manila in convoy MATA-01 also consisting of two unidentified ships (likely IJA Landing Craft Depot Ships KIBITSU and MAYASAN MARUs) escorted by destroyer WAKATAKE.
4 February 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Takao.
6 February 1944:
Arrives at Mako.
9 February 1944:
Departs Mako.
13 February 1944:
Arrives at Satsugawa Bay, Amami Oshima.
14 February 1944:
Departs Satsugawa Bay.
17 February 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
22 February 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
23 February 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
26 February 1944:
Departs Moji in convoy MOTA-06 also consisting of GOZAN, ISHIKARI, NICHIYO, NICHIAN, TOYOKUNI LONDON, DAISEI and SHIRAHAMA MARUs escorted by the kaibokan AWAJI and fleet storeship MUROTO.
29 February 1944:
Anchors off Ssu Chiao Shan.
1 March 1944:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan.
4 March 1944:
At 1200 arrives at Takao.
11 March 1944:
Departs Takao in convoy TAMA-10 also consisting of IJA transports ATLAS, BANSHU, KUROMASAN and MITO MARUs, IJN transport ANSHU MARU and possibly others escorted by auxiliary gunboat SHINKYO MARU and auxiliary subchasers CHa-45, CHa-55, CHa-70, HINODE MARU No. 15 and MISAGO MARU No. 2.
14 March 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
20 March 1944:
Departs Manila in convoy MAMI-05 also consisting of IJN oilers CHIYODA and KONSAN MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer KARUKAYA and auxiliary subchasers CHa-45, CHa-55 and CHa-70. Removed from the Navy List that same day under internal order No. 464.
25 March 1944:
Arrives at Miri.
30 March 1944:
Departs Miri in convoy MIMA-06 also consisting of IJN oiler KONSAN MARU and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer KARUKAYA.
23 April 1944:
Released to her owners. That same day requisitioned again by the IJN as an Ippan Choyosen (B-AO) (general requisitioned tanker) attached to the Kure Naval District with Kure as homeport.
25 April 1944:
Kobe. Repairs begin at the Mitsubishi Kogyo K. K. Kobe Zosensho.
1 May 1944:
Her owners receive a ship transfer announcement: The transfer is at Kobe on 5 May 1944.
5 May 1944:
Repairs are completed. Registered in the Kure Naval District as a naval auxiliary transport.
11 May 1944:
Rated as the 43rd navy designated ship.
13 June 1944:
Departs Singapore in convoy SHIMA-01 also consisting of IJN oiler KONSAN MARU and IJA oiler MEDAN MARU and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by kaibokan ETOROFU and CD-17. [4]
22 June 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
24 June 1944:
At 0630, departs Manila for Keelung carrying 12,250 tons of heavy oil and 36 passengers in convoy MATA-23 also consisting of tankers, MEDAN, KONSAN and RIKKO MARUs and cargo ships KAMO, USSURI, NICHIZUI, TASMANIA, KAZAN, DAITEN and TOUN MARUs and four unidentified ships escorted by kaibokan ETOROFU, CD-8 and CD-17.
25 June 1944:
S China Sea, off Cape Bolinao, Luzon. LtCdr (later Captain) Arthur E. Krapf's (USNA ’34) USS JACK (SS-259) attacks the convoy. At 0430, Krapf torpedoes and sinks SAN PEDRO MARU at 16-17N, 119-41E. Eight crewmen, two gunners and 25 passengers are KIA. Escorting aircraft drive off JACK. NICHIZUI MARU rescues survivors.
Author's 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] LA PEROUSE is known to have departed Singapore 0730 on 15 July 1943 for Saigon at 8.5 knots that was the likely convoy speed. It seems likely the ship would have escorted part or all of the convoy in the circumstances.
[3] There were two categories of Yusosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
[4] Some ships of MATA-23 (24 Jun '44) probably make up some of the five unidentified ships of convoy SHIMA-01.
Thanks to Gilbert Casse of France, Berend van der Wal of the Netherlands and Gengoro Toda of Japan.
- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
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