RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(SHUNKO MARU by Ueda Kichachiro)

SHUNKO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2014-2016 Bob Hackett

18 March 1936:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki Zosensho, K. K as Yard No. 599, a 4,027 ton cargo ship for Yamamoto Shoji Co., Ltd., Osaka.

17 August 1936:
Launched and named SHUNKO MARU [1]

10 October 1936:
Completed

1940:
Sold to Yamato Kaiun K. K. of Kobe.

June 1941:
As the result of a merger, ownership is transferred to Datong shipping of Kobe.

17 November 1941:
Requisitoned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Allotted IJA No. 532.

19 November 1943:
SHUNKO MARU departs Manila in convoy No. 874 also consisting of HINODE, MURORAN, ROKKO, SHONAN and TACHIBANA MARUs and OGURA MARU No. 2 and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by kaibokan ETOROFU.

24 November 1943:
Arrives at Takao.

26 November 1943:
SHUNKO MARU departs Takao in convoy No. 222 also consisting of AKITSU, HAKONE, HAWAII, HOTEN, NITTATSU and ROKKO MARUs and tankers SEINAN MARU and OGURA MARU No. 2 escorted by torpedo boat TOMOZURU.

27 November 1943:
SE of Foochow, China. Three 14th Air Force B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers attack the convoy and sink HAKONE MARU. No casualties are sustained.

3 December 1943:
Arrives at Moji.

27 December 1943:
At 0630, SHUNKO MARU departs Saeki in convoy O-708 also consisting of BOKUYO, HOZUGAWA, KANKYO, MURORAN, OYASHIMA, TATSUMI and SHIROGANESAN, escorted by torpedo boat SAGI, minelayer YURIJIMA and auxiliary minesweeper TAMA MARU No. 7.

28 December 1943:
At 2000, YURIJIMA and TAMA MARU No. 7 are detached.

9 January 1944:
At 0730, SHUNKO MARU departs Palau for Rabaul via Truk in convoy O-904 also consisting of IJA transports HOZUGAWA and KOSEI (1,943 GRT) MARUs escorted by subchasers CH-24 and CH-39. .

E 12 January 1944:
Arrives at Truk.

E 13 January 1944:
SHUNKO MARU departs Truk for Rabaul in convoy O-905 also consisting of KOSEI, HOZUGAWA and MEISHO MARUs escorted by subchasers CH-24 and CH-29.

16 January 1944:
45 miles NW of New Hanover. At about 0230, nine PBY "Catalina" flying boats attack convoy O-905 with bombs and torpedoes. They sink SHUNKO MARU off Queen Charlotte Island at 02-30S, 149-46E. 30 passengers and 20 crewmen are KIA.

The planes also sink HOZUGAWA and MEISHO MARUs at 02-20S, 149-42E, but KOSEI MARU and CH-24 and CH-29 escape undamaged.

Author's Note:
[1] Not be be confused with IJA transport SHUNKO MARU of 6,781-tons built in 1919.

[1] Also known as SYUNKO MARU.

Bob Hackett

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