Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

(SHOYO MARU)

IJN SHOYO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2009-2020 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 6

12 June 1928:
Yokohama. Laid down at Yokohama Dock K.K. as a 7,498-ton tanker for Nippon Tanker K. K., Tokyo.
24 January 1929:
Launched and named SHOYO MARU.
24 March 1929:
Completed and registered at Tokyo with Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) of respectively 7,498-tons and 4,508-tons. Her call sign is JQKB. [1]
11 September 1933:
Departs Oha for Tokuyama.
20 September 1933:
Departs Tokuyama.
30 October 1935:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1938:
Arrives at Jiujiang, China.
28 November 1938:
1010 ~ 1042 alongside to port stern of auxiliary minesweeper tender NIPPONKAI MARU and replenishes light oil.
1940:
Her NRT changes to 4,484-tons. [1]
23 July 1941:
Ownership is transferred to Nitto Kogyo Kisen K. K.
14 August 1941:
Arrives at San Francisco.
2 November 1941:
Departs San Francisco.
19 November 1941:
Arrives at Yokohama.
28 November 1941:
Arrives at Kure after earlier departing Yokohama. That same day, SHOYO MARU is requisitioned by the IJN and attached to the Kure naval District as a charter boat (oil supply). Navy (Resv) Nakamura Akira is appointed Commanding Officer.
December 1941:
Kure. Begins equipment construction.
18 December 1941:
Construction is completed. Departs Kure.
27 December 1941:
Arrives at Truk, Carolines.
2 January 1942:
Departs Truk.
7 January 1942:
Arrives at Jaluit, Marshalls.
11 January 1942:
Departs Jaluit.
14 January 1942:
Arrives at Ponape (now Pohnpei), Carolines.
18 January 1942:
Departs Ponape.
23 January 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
25 January 1942:
Departs Palau.
28 January 1942:
Arrives at Saipan, Marianas.
31 January 1942:
Departs Saipan.
6 February 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
9 February 1942:
Departs Kure.
9 ~ 15 February 1942:
Munitions transport under Transport wireless instruction No.248.
15 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka and calls at Yokohama.
20 February 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
24 February 1942:
Departs Kure.
28 February 1942:
Arrives at Kirun, Formosa (now Keelung, Taiwan) and departs later that day.
7 March 1942:
Arrives at Saigon, French Indochina (now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam).
8 March 1942:
Departs Saigon.
11 March 1942:
Arrives at Singapore, Malaya.
11 ~ 13 March 1942:
Lies alongside auxiliary oiler NICHIEI MARU. Refuels light cruiser SENDAI and destroyer HATSUYUKI.
13 March 1942:
Departs Singapore.
23 March 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
28 March 1942:
Receives Malaya Forces instruction No. 33:
The mission action of destroyers AYANAMI, SHIOKAZE, auxiliary submarine tender HIE MARU, auxiliary oiler TATEKAWA MARU and auxiliary stores ship SURUGA MARU are determined. 1. HIE MARU and SURUGA MARU depart Mergui (Myeik), Burma (now Myanmar) on 30 March and arrive at Port Blair, Andamans on 31 March 1942. On 3 April (or 4 April depending on the situation) after supplying DESDIV 11 and heavy cruiser CHOKAI is completed depart Port Blair for Penang, British Malaya (now Malaysia). Auxiliary oiler NICHIEI MARU loads the 7th South Sea Plane equipment and sails to Singapore.
2. After arriving at Singapore, auxiliary submarine tender HIEI MARU loads heavy oil from auxiliary oiler SHOYO MARU and then waits.
Departs Kure.
9 April 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
16 April 1942:
Departs Singapore.
23 April 1942:
SHOYO MARU pases through Bungo Suido heading north.
26 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
24 May 1942:
Departs Kure.
26 May 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gasoline.
1 June 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
9 June 1942:
Arrives at Saipan. Probably unloads aviation gasoline.
14 June 1942:
Departs Saipan.
21 June 1942:
Arrives at Miri, British Borneo (now Malaysia). Probably loads fuel oil.
24 June 1942:
Departs Miri.
26 June 1942:
Arrives at St. Jacques, French Indochina (now Vung Tau, Vietnam).
29 June 1942:
SHOYO MARU departs St Jacques in convoy No. 416 consisting of MIIKE, KANJU, TATSUWA and TEIKO MARUs and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat TOZAN MARU.
30 June 1942:
KANJU MARU and an unidentified ship are detached from the convoy, the former for Haiphong.
4 July 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pecadores (now Magong, Penghu Islands, Taiwan).
5 July 1942:
SHOYO MARU departs Mako in convoy No. 230 consisting of HAKUBASAN, TAIBUN, TEIHOKU, WAKATSU, SHOGEN, NAGANO, MURORAN, RYUUN, HAMBURG, TAIKA, BRAZIL, NORFOLK and GINYO MARUs and MIKAGE MARU No. 3 and one unidentified merchant ship escorted by auxiliary gunboats CHOHAKUSAN and PEKING MARUs.
11 July 1942:
The convoy arrives at Moji. SHOYO MARU continues towards Yokohama.
13 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama.
23 July 1942:
Departs Yokohama.
25 July 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
26 July 1942:
Departs Kure.
27 July 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure.
30 July 1942:
SHOYO MARU departs Mutsure in convoy No. 143 consisting of four unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer MIKAZUKI.
4 August 1942:
Arrives at Mako and departs later that day.
6 August 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong.
9 August 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.
16 August 1942:
Arrives at Palembang, Sumatra, Netherlands Indies (now Indonesia). Probably loads fuel oil.
18 August 1942:
Departs Palembang.
19 August 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably unloads fuel oil.
23 August 1942:
Departs Singapore.
24 August 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads fuel oil.
28 August 1942:
Departs Palembang.
29 August 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably unloads fuel oil.
4 September 1942:
Departs Singapore.
5 September 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads fuel oil.
7 September 1942:
Departs Palembang.
10 September 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably unloads fuel oil.
16 September 1942:
SHOYO MARU departs Singapore in unescorted convoy No. 632 consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.
19 September 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.
20 September 1942:
Departs Saigon and later that day arrives St Jacques. SHOYO MARU then departs St Jacques in convoy No. 437 also consisting of RASHIN MARU, FUSHIMI MARU No. 2 and three unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer ASAGAO.
26 September 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
27 September 1942:
Departs Mako. [2]
4 October 1942:
Arrives at Genzan, Chosen (Kunsan, now Wonsan, North Korea).
8 October 1942:
Departs Genzan.
10 October 1942:
Arrives at Chinkai, Chosen (now Jinhae, South Korea).
13 October 1942:
Departs Chinkai.
15 October 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
21 October 1942:
Departs Kure. Minelayer NATSUSHIMA joins as escort off Fukajima.
E 23 October 1942:
NATSUSHIMA is detached at 31N.
28 October 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
30 October 1942:
Departs Saipan in convoy with NIPPO MARU and unknown escort.
2 November 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
6 November 1942:
Departs Truk.
19 November 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads fuel oil.
21 November 1942:
Departs Palembang.
23 November 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably unloads fuel oil.
26 November 1942:
SHOYO MARU departs Singapore in unescorted convoy No. 648 consisting of one other unidentified merchant ship.
29 November 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.
1 December 1942:
SHOYO MARU departs Saigon and later that day arrives at St Jacques immediately before departing in convoy No. 454 consisting of three unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer KURETAKE.
9 December 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
10 December 1942:
Departs Mako in convoy No. 205 also consisting of one unidentified merchant ship escorted by destroyer MIKAZUKI.
15 December 1942:
Arrives at Kobe.
16 December 1942:
Departs Kobe.
17 December 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gasoline.
21 December 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
23 December 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
26 December 1942:
Departs Kure and arrives at Kudamatsu.
31 December 1942:
Departs Kudamatsu and arrives at Tokuyama. Probably unloads aviation gasoline.
1 January 1943:
Departs Tokuyama and arrives at Kure.
7 January 1943:
Departs Kure and arrives at Tokuyama. Probably loads fuel oil.
11 January 1943:
Departs Tokuyama. Later that day, arrives at Kure. Probably unloads fuel oil.
17 January 1943:
Departs Kure.
18 January 1943:
Arrives at Shimotsu.
21 January 1943:
Departs Shimotsu.
23 January 1943:
Arrives at Yokohama. Enters dock at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ shipyard. Undergoes repairs.
21 February 1943:
Undocked. Departs Yokohama and arrives at Yokosuka.
22 February 1943:
Capt Nakamura Akira’s commission ends. Departs Yokosuka.
24 February 1943:
Minesweeper W-17 ends escort off Kinkazan.
26 February 1943:
Her Owners are restyled to Nitto Kisen K. K.
1 March 1943:
Arrives at Paramushiro, Kuriles (now Paramushir, Russia). At Kataoka Bay (now Zaliv Kozyrevskogo), transfers 2,905-tons of No. 1 grade heavy oil to station tanker TEIYO MARU.
6 March 1943:
In the Kabutosan area. Transfers 601 tons of No. 2 grade heavy oil to TEIYO MARU and 1,800 tons in fuel cans. Departs Paramushiro.
12 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
16 March 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
19 March 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
21 March 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs Moji in convoy No. 139 also consisting of auxiliary oiler SHUNTEN MARU and HOKUTAI, MIE and KAISHO MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-39. Later that day cargo ship KOSEI MARU joins convoy from Sasebo.
26 March 1943:
Arrives at Mako. Later that day, departs in unescorted convoy No. 380 consisting of SHOYO, HAKKO MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships.
1 April 1943:
Arrives at Saigon.
2 April 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs Saigon and later that day arrives at St Jacques and departs in unescorted convoy No. 569 also consisting of two unidentified merchant ships.
6 April 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads fuel oil.
9 April 1943:
Departs Palembang.
10 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
14 April 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs Singapore in unescorted convoy No. 682 also consisting of one unidentified merchant ship.
17 April 1943:
Arrives at Saigon.
21 April 1943:
Departs Saigon.
27 April 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
30 April 1943:
Departs Mako very likely in convoy No. 257. [3]
5 May 1943:
At 0800, arrives at Moji.
6 May 1943:
Arrives at Kobe.
7 May 1943:
Departs Kobe.
9 May 1943:
Arrives at Yokohama.
18 May 1943:
Departs Yokohama.
20 May 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
24 May 1943:
Departs Moji in convoy No. 160 possibly also consisting of HAVRE MARU escorted by destroyer FUYO.
25 May 1943:
TAKETSU (BUTSU) MARU joins the convoy from Sasebo.
29 May 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
2 June 1943:
At 1500 SHOYO MARU departs departs Mako in convoy No. 396 also consisting of MYOGI, TACOMA, MANSHU, HAVRE and TEIBI MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat CHOJUSAN MARU.
9 June 1943:
At 0745 arrives at St Jacques.
10 June 1943:
Departs Saigon. Later that day SHOYO MARU arrives at St Jacques. At 0900, departs in unescorted convoy No.585 also consisting of auxiliary oilers PALEMBANG MARU and UNKAI MARU No. 5 and transport/cargo ships NICHIRAN, TACOMA and MANSHU MARUs and an unidentified ship. UNKAI MARU No. 5 is towing No. 23 special tanker.
13 June 1943:
SHOYO MARU is detached and heads to Palembang.
14 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang.
17 June 1943:
Departs Palembang.
18 June 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
21 June 1943:
Departs Singapore.
22 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads fuel oil.
25 June 1943:
Departs Palembang.
26 June 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Unloads oil.
29 June 1943:
Departs Singapore.
30 June 1943:
At 1400, arrives at Musi River and later that day arrives Palembang. Probably loads fuel oil.
3 July 1943:
Departs Palembang.
5 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Unloads oil.
7 July 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs Singapore in unescorted convoy No. 603 also consisting of tanker MATSUMOTO MARU and an unidentified merchant ship.
9 July 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.
13 July 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs St Jacques in unescorted convoy No. 410 also consisting of tanker MATSUMOTO MARU and two unidentified ships.
19 July 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
23 July 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs Mako in convoy No. 285 also consisting of HAWAII, ROKUSAN, YAMAHAGI, TEIBI (ex French BERNARDIN DE SAINT PIERRE), JOGU MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships escorted by minesweeper W-20.
28 July 1943:
At 0900 arrives at Moji. Later that day arrives at Tokuyama. Probably unloads fuel oil.
2 August 1943:
Departs Tokuyama and later that day arrives Moji.
4 August 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs Moji in convoy No. 183 also consisting of ammunition ship KOGYO MARU, transports NIKKO, SAIHO, MANSHU MARU, tankers OGURA MARU No. 1 and OGURA MARU No. 2 and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer ASAGAO.
9 August 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
11 August 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs Mako in the "U" convoy also consisting of tankers OGURA MARU No. 1, OGURA MARU No. 2 and three unidentified merchant ships escorted by patrol boat PB-36.
12 August 1943:
PB-36 is detached and returns to Mako.
18/19 August 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.
20 August 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs St Jacques in unescorted convoy No. 503 also consisting of of tankers OGURA MARU No. 1, OGURA MARU No. 2, TAKETOYO MARU and two unidentified merchant ships for Singapore. At some point SHOYO MARU and OGURA MARU No. 2 are detached.
25 August 1943:
The ships arrives at Palembang. Probably loads fuel oil.
28 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
31 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
1 September 1943:
Registered as an auxiliary oiler, (Otsu) category under internal order No 1820 and attached to the Kure Naval District with Kure as homeport. [4]
5 September 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs Singapore in unescorted convoy No. 618 also consisting of tankers KIYO MARU, OGURA MARU No. 1, OGURA MARU No. 2, Naval oiler SHIRIYA, and cargo ship HOKUYO MARU without escort.
8 September 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.
11 September 1943:
SHOYO MARU departs St Jacques in convoy No. 425 also consisting of auxiliary oilers MATSUMOTO, KIYO MARUs, OGURA MARU No. 1 and OGURA MARU No.2, auxiliary transports ARGUN, MANTAI, GINYO and HOKUYO MARUs, fleet oiler SHIRIYA and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by the destroyer ASAGAO.
13 September 1943:
TEIKA MARU (ex-Vichy French CAP VARELLA) departs Haikow and joins convoy No. 425.
18 September 1943:
At 0620, GINYO MARU reports an unsuccesful torpedo attack. Later, the convoy arrives at Mako.
20 September 1943:
At 1800, SHOYO MARU, carrying 3000 tons of crude oil, departs Mako for Moji in convoy RINJI-B (Special-B) consisting of fleet oiler SHIRIYA, tankers KIYO MARU, OGURA MARU No. 1 and freighters ARGUN, MANTAI, KIYO, GYOKU and HOKUYO MARUs escorted by second class destroyer ASAGAO.
21 September 1943:
East China Sea. NE of Keelung, Formosa. LtCdr (later Captain) Robert E. Dornin's (USNA ’35) USS TRIGGER (SS-237) is patrolling submerged 30 miles N of the Hoka Sho light. At 2058, Dornin makes a visual surface attack. At 1500 yards, he fires three torpedoes at the lead oiler and three at the second oiler. One hits the lead ship, SHIRIYA carrying aviation gasoline. She explodes and sinks at 26-27N, 122-40E. The second ship, freighter ARGUN MARU is hit by a torpedo amidships, breaks in half and sinks immediately with the loss of two crewmen and 8,295-tons of rice.
LtCdr Dornin brings USS TRIGGER about. He fires three stern tubes at OGURA MARU No. 1, but misses. Dornin crash-dives to escape gun fire from a third oiler. He comes to periscope depth and fires two bow torpedoes at SHOYO MARU that hit her to starboard and send her down by the bow. SHOYO MARU sinks at 26-33N, 123-10E. Five crewmen are KIA.
Dornin makes two more attacks on a freighter, but all of his Mark 14 torpedoes either miss or are duds, but GYOKU MARU is damaged in the attacks. The remainder of the convoy arrives at Moji. USS TRIGGER returns safely to Midway Island for refit.
1 December 1943:
Removed from the Navy List under internal order No. 2564.

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] On 27 September 1942, SHOYO MARU probably departed Mako in convoy No. 268 with six unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat TOZAN MARU. It seems improbable the Japanese would have sent a fully laden tanker in the calm summer months to Genzan unescorted; therefore, SHOYO MARU most probably was in this convoy most of the way to Moji before she was detached.
[3] SHOYO MARU was probably part of convoy No. 257 also consisting of TAMON and USSURI MARUs and tanker MATSUMOTO MARU and 8 unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer ASAKAZE. One Japanese source claims that only TAMON and USSURI MARUs were in this convoy, but other such sources say 12 merchant ships. The latter appears more likely given the size of slow northbound convoys. Both MATSUMOTO and SHOYO MARUs left Takao and Mako respectively on 30 April and arrived at Kobe and Yokosuka after the convoy arrivede at Moji on 5 May. Although unconfirmed, MATSUMOTO and SHOYO MARUs were almost certainly part of this convoy.
On 1 May 1943, at 0230, USSURI MARU was slightly damaged by a torpedo attack at 27-18N, 121-50E. but after stopping to repair damage was able to resume the journey.
On 2 May 1943, at 1435, TAMON MARU was torpedoed and sunk by USS STINGRAY at 27-18N, 121-38E after falling behind with engine trouble.
[4] There were two categories of Yusosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
Thanks for assistance goes to Sander Kingsepp of Estonia, Berend van der Wal of Netherlands and Gilbert Casse of France. Thanks also go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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