RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(TENKAI MARU, prewar)

TENKAI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2017 Bob Hackett

16 December 1916.:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Zosen Kaisha, as Yard No. 272, a 3,203-ton cargo ship for Koyanagi H. & Co., Amagasaki.

2 September 1917:
Launched and named TENKAI MARU.

22 September 1917:
Completed.

1917:
Sold to Shoichiro Koyanagi, Amagasaki.

1921:
Sold to Meiji Boyeki K. K, Amagasaki.

1922:
Sold toToyo Seito K. K, Takao, Formosa (Kaoshiung, Taiwan).

1923:
Sold to Formosa Seito K. K, Takao Formosa (Kaoshiung, Taiwan).

1927:
Sold to Meiji Kaiun K. K., Tokyo.

31 March 1933:
Sold to Shimatani Kisen K. K.

24 July 1943:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) and converted to a troop transport. Allotted IJA ship No. 1078.

6 December 1942:
TENKAI MARU departs Tateyama in the 60th northbound convoy consisting of IJA transports GOZAN and JOGU MARUs and civilian ore carrier (C-AC) TSUKUSHI MARU escorted by gunboat HIYOSHI MARU No. 2 GO.

E 9 December 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.

24 July 1943:
TENKAI MARU departs Saeki escorting convoy O-406 consisting of FUKUYAMA, UCHIDE, KINE, KAZUURA, NISHIYAMA (SEIZAN) MARUs escorted by kaibokan IKI, minelayer YURIJIMA and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 8 .

E 26 July 1943:
At 29N, YURIJIMA and TAKUNAN MARU No. 8 are detached.

2 August 1943:
At 11N, torpedo boat HATO joins the escort. Later that day, the convoy arrives at Palau.

2 September 1943:
At 0600, TENKAI MARU departs Palau for Wewak, New Guinea in convoy "Wewak No. 8" also consisting of SHINSEI MARU escorted by subchaser CH-33. TENKAI MARU is carrying 60 troops and a cargo of ammunition, gasoline and automobiles.

5 September 1943:
At 1312, LtCdr (later Captain) Frank M. Parker's (USNA ’32) USS SWORDFISH (SS-193) fire four torpedoes at TENKAI MARU and gets one hit portside amidships. TENKAI MARU is set afire. At 1420, she sinks at 01-10N, 142-10E. Three passengers and three crewmen are KIA. CH-33 counterattacks and drops 10 depth charges, but without effect.

Authors Notes:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.

- Bob Hackett

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