YUSOSEN!
(TENNAN MARU in wartime)
IJN TENNAN MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2016 Berend van der Wal, Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall
Revision 3
E 1942:
Tokyo, laid down and built by Ishikawajima-Harima H.I. for Nippon Seitetsu K. K. as a 5.407-tons wartime K type ore carrier. While on the stocks converted to a tanker.
February 1943:
Completed and named TENNAN MARU.
29 March 1943:
Transfers from Tokyo to Yokosuka.
1 April 1943:
At 1057 departs Yokosuka escorted by minesweeper W-24 and at 1250, arrives at Yokohama. At 1527, departs Yokohama with SEITAI, TERUKUNI, KIYOTADA (SEICHU) and ZUIYO MARUs in convoy No. 7401 escorted by W-24 bound for Inland Sea ports.
2 April 1943:
At 1400, breaks down. Auxiliary patrol boat KAZUMI MARU escorts her into Ise Wan (Bay).
3 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
4 April 1943:
Departs Kure.
5 April 1943:
Arrives at Shimotsu and departs later that day.
6 April 1943:
Arrives at Kobe. Undergoes repairs.
22 April 1943:
Departs Kobe.
23 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
28 April 1943:
Departs Kure.
2 May 1943:
At 1300, departs Moji in convoy No. 157 also consisting of KOFUKU and TOFUKU MARUs and one unidentified merchant ship escorted by torpedo boat HAYABUSA.
6 May 1943:
At 1250, arrives at Takao. Transfers that same day to Mako.
8 May 1943:
Departs Mako.
16 May 1943:
Arrives at Tarakan.
21 May 1943:
Departs Tarakan.
25 May 1943:
At 2300, departs Cebu.
27 May 1943:
At 1000, due to arrive at Zamboanga.
1 June 1943:
Arrives at Tarakan.
6 June 1943:
Departs Tarakan.
8 June 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
15 June 1943:
Departs Balikpapan.
17 June 1943:
Arrives at Tarakan.
23 June 1943:
Departs Tarakan.
25 June 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
11 July 1943:
Departs Balikpapan.
13 July 1943:
Arrives at Tarakan.
22 July 1943:
At 0700, departs Tarakan with SHINYU MARU and four unidentified ships in the Rinsen convoy escorted by IJN second class destroyer FUYO.
27 July 1943:
At 1240, arrives at Palau.
30 July 1943:
Departs Palau as only ship in convoy No. 8301 escorted by subchaser CH-28. Sails at 10 knots.
4 August 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
14 August 1943:
At 1430, departs Truk with IJN auxiliary oilers KENYO, HOKUAN and SHINSHU MARUs in convoy No. 7144 escorted by destroyers TAMANAMI and MAIKAZE. The convoy sails at 10 knots.
19 August 1943:
At 0930, arrives at Palau.
20 August 1943:
Departs Palau in convoy No. 2508 also consisting of HOKUAN, KENYO and SHINSHU MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HAYABUSA. The convoy sails at 9.5 knots.
26 August 1943:
TENNAN MARU is detached from convoy and arrives at Tarakan.
5 September 1943:
Departs Tarakan.
7 September 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
19 September 1943:
TENNAN MARU departs Balikpapan, possibly in convoy.
26 September 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
1 October 1943:
At 1530, departs Palau with IJN auxiliary transport CHOAN MARU No. 2 GO in convoy No. 8011 escorted by destroyer ASANAGI. The convoy sails at 9.5 knots.
6 October 1943:
At 1200, arrives at Truk.
9 October 1943:
At 1800, departs Truk with IJN auxiliary transport OKITSU MARU in convoy No. 1092 escorted by subchaser CH-30. The convoy sails at 9 knots.
13 October 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
20 October 1943:
At 1445, departs Rabaul via Palau for Moji with IJA transports JOHORE, KAZAN, HOZUKAWA, BUNZAN and KOSEI MARUs in convoy O-006 escorted by subchasers CH-24 and CH-22. The convoy sails at 8.5 knots.
22 October 1943:
At 2253, CH-22 opens fire on an enemy submarine spotted on the surface.
23 October 1943:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) John S. Coye's (USNA ’33) USS SILVERSIDES (SS-236) attacks the convoy. At 2245, Coye torpedoes and sinks TENNAN MARU. Five passengers and 42 crewmen are KIA. USS SILVERSIDES also torpedoes and damages JOHORE and KAZAN MARUs at 02-30N, 144-44E.
24 October 1943:
KAZAN MARU sinks as the result of her damage. Four guards and three crewmen are KIA. CH-24 attempts to scuttle immobilized JOHORE MARU, but fails. Later, USS SILVERSIDES finishes off JOHORE MARU by gunfire. 79 passengers and five crewmen are KIA.
Author’s notes:
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
- Berend van der Wal, Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall.
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