Japanese Transports

ZATSUYOSEN!

(TOYO MARU No. 2, prewar)

IJN TOYO MARU No. 2:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2011-2015 Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

Revision 2

30 March 1937:
Aioi. Laid down by Harima K.K. Zosensho shipyard as a 4,162-ton cargo ship for Sawayama Kisen K.K., Kobe.
28 June 1937:
Launched and named TOYO MARU No. 2.
21 September 1937:
Completed and registered at Kobe. Her Net Registered Tonnage is 2,470-tons.
E September 1937:
Chartered to Osaka Shosen Kaisha on their Tokyo ~ Takao, Formosa (now Kaohsiung, Taiwan) line. Calls at Tokyo 's Keihin region (Tokyo – Kawasaki – Yokohama), Nagoya, Hanshin region (Osaka – Kobe area), Moji, Kirun (now Keelung), Anping, and Takao Formosa (now Taiwan).
E 1941:
TOYO MARU No. 2's Net Registered Tonnage is changed to 2,480-tons.
13 April 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a transport (Ippan Choyosen). [1]
15 October 1941:
Registered in the IJN as an auxiliary transport under internal order No. 1256. TOYO MARU No. 2 is attached to Yokosuka Naval District as an auxiliary transport, (Otsu) category. Her home port is Yokosuka Naval Base. [2]
E November 1941:
Civilian Captain Hayakawa Goro is appointed commanding officer (CO).
1 December 1941:
Arrives at Saipan, Marianas.
2 December 1941:

Departs Saipan for Namonuito Island (Ororu or Orolok), Ororu Shoto, Central Carolines.
4 December 1941:
Arrives at Namonuito.
5 December 1941:
Departs Namonuito for Mortlock Islands, Carolines.
6 December 1941:
Arrives at Mortlock Islands.
8 December 1941:
Departs Mortlock Islands and arrives the same day at Lamotrek Island (Namochikku), Central Carolines.
9 December 1941:
Departs Lamotrek for Sorol (Sororu) Atoll, Western Carolines.
10 December 1941:
Arrives at Sorol.
11 December 1941:
Departs Sorol for Palau, Western Carolines.
12 December 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
19 December 1941:
Departs Palau and arrives the same day at Peleliu, Palaus.
21 December 1941:
Departs Peleliu for Fais (Fuhaesu), Western Carolines.
23 December 1941:
Arrives at Fais.
24 December 1941:
Departs Fais for Yokosuka.
29 December 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
30 December 1941:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives the same day at Yokohama.
2 January 1942:
Departs Yokohama and arrives the same day at Yokosuka.
13 January 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Chichi-Jima, Ogasawara Gunto (Bonins).
15 January 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
19 January 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Saipan.
22 January 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
29 January 1942:
Departs Saipan, calls at Tinian and departs later that day for Palau.
1 February 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
6 February 1942:
Departs Palau and arrives the same day at Angaur, Palaus.
7 February 1942:
Departs Angaur for Chichi-Jima.
12 February 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
13 February 1942:
Recoals auxiliary gunboats MAGANE and YOSHIDA MARUs.
16 February 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Yokosuka.
18 February 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
19 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives the same day at Yokohama.
20 February 1942:
Departs Yokohama and arrives the same day at Yokosuka.
27 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Saipan.
4 March 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
8 March 1942:
Departs Saipan for Tinian.
9 March 1942:
Arrives at Tinian. Departs later for Palau.
12 March 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
14 March 1942:
Departs Palau for Truk, Eastern Carolines.
19 March 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
30 March 1942:
Departs Truk for Guam (renamed Omiya Island by the Japanese after its capture), Marianas.
1 April 1942:
Arrives at Guam. Departs later for Saipan.
2 April 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
6 April 1942:
Departs Saipan and arrives the same day at Tinian.
9 April 1942:
Departs Tinian for Yokosuka.
15 April 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Departs later that day.
18 April 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama. Departs later and arrives the same day at Yokosuka.
23 April 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Chichi-Jima.
25 April 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
26 April 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Marcus Island (Minami Torishima), Ogasawara Gunto (Bonins).
29 April 1942:
Arrives at Marcus.
2 May 1942:
Departs Marcus for Chichi-Jima.
5 May 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
11 May 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Yokosuka.
12 May 1942:
Survey vessel KOMAHASHI is detached from auxiliary transport MUKO MARU, enroute to Rabaul, and provides escort to inbound auxiliary transport TOYO MARU No. 2, meeting ship at 0200 off Mikura Jima. At 1200, both ships arrive at Yokosuka.
15 May 1942:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives the same day at Yokohama.
17 May 1942:
Departs Yokohama and arrives the same day at Yokosuka.
22 May 1942:
At 1430, departs from Futtsu, near Yokosuka, for Chichi-Jima in a convoy also consisting of large tanker KYOKUYO MARU and KAIRYU MARU escorted by auxiliary gunboat HIYOSHI MARU No.2 GO.
23 May 1942:
Detached from above convoy and joins a faster convoy consisting of SAIPAN MARU escorted by auxiliary minelayer TAKACHIHO MARU.
25 May 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
27 May 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Marcus Island (Minami Torishima).
30 May 1942:
Arrives at Marcus.
8 June 1942:
Departs Marcus for Chichi-Jima.
11 June 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
20 June 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Iwo Jima, Ogasawara Gunto, (Bonins).
21 June 1942:
Arrives at Iwo Jima.
22 June 1942:
Departs Iwo Jima for Chichi-Jima.
23 June 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
26 June 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Yokosuka.
28 June 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture in a convoy also consisting of KURETAKE, GOSEI and MATSUYAMA MARUs escorted by survey ship KOMAHASHI.
2 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi.
4 July 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi for Nonai, Aomori Prefecture.
7 July 1942:
Arrives at Nonai.
10 July 1942:
Departs Nonai for Ominato, Aomori Prefecture.
11 July 1942:
Arrives at Ominato. Departs later and arrives at Muroran, Hokkaido.
14 July 1942:
Departs Muroran for Tokyo.
16 July 1942:
Arrives at Tokyo.
19 July 1942:
Departs Tokyo and arrives the same day at Yokosuka.
24 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Chichi-Jima.
26 July 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
27 July 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Marcus Island.
31 July 1942:
Arrives at Marcus.
2 August 1942:
Departs Marcus for Chichi-Jima.
5 August 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
15 August 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Yokosuka.
17 August 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
25 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Yawata, Fukuoka Prefecture.
29 August 1942:
Arrives at Yawata.
30 August 1942:
Departs Yawata for Aioi, Hyogo Prefecture.
31 August 1942:
Arrives at Aioi. Probably enters Harima Shipyard for maintenance and repairs.
19 September 1942:
Departs Aioi for Saitozaki, S of Nagasaki, Kyushu.
20 September 1942:
Arrives at Saitozaki.
23 September 1942:
Departs Saitozaki for Hong Kong.
28 September 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong.
29 September 1942:
Departs Hong Kong for Samah, Hainan Island, China.
1 October 1942:
Arrives at Samah.
5 October 1942:
Departs Samah for Saipan.
13 October 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
15 October 1942:
Departs Saipan for Kwajalein, Marshalls.
20 October 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
23 October 1942:
Departs Kwajalein for Saipan.
28 October 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
3 November 1942:
Departs Saipan for Yokosuka.
8 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
10 November 1942:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives the same day at Yokohama.
14 November 1942:
Departs Yokohama and arrives the same day at Yokosuka.
19 November 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Rabaul, New Britain in convoy also consisting of aircraft transport LYONS MARU, and from Palau, TAIFUKU MARU and an unidentified ship later escorted (from Palau to Rabaul) by auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU. TOYO MARU No. 2 carries the 25th Field Operations Machine Cannon Company (six Type 98, two-wheeled, single-barrel 20mm machine cannons).
30 November 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul and lands the 25th Field Operations Machine Cannon Company. Departs later for Truk.
4 December 1942:
Arrives at Truk. Departs later that day for Rabaul in a convoy also consisting of tanker TOEI MARU escorted part way by destroyer YUNAGI.
8 December 1942:
At 0800, arrives at Rabaul.
24 December 1942:
Departs Rabaul for Truk.
27 December 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
4 January 1943:
Departs Truk for Saipan.
7 January 1943:
Arrives at Saipan.
9 January 1943:
Departs Saipan and arrives the same day at Rota, Marianas.
19 January 1943:
Departs Rota for Yokosuka.
22 January 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
23 January 1943:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives the same day at Yokohama.
30 January 1943:
Departs Yokohama and arrives the same day at Yokosuka.
2 February 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Chichi-Jima.
5 February 1943:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
8 February 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima for Marcus Island.
11 February 1943:
Arrives at Marcus.
2 March 1943:
Departs Marcus for Chichi Jima.
5 March 1943:
Arrives at Chichi Jima.
13 March 1943:
Departs Chichi Jima for Yokosuka.
16 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
23 March 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Saipan.
28 March 1943:
Arrives at Saipan.
30 March 1943:
Departs Saipan for Truk as the only merchant ship in an unidentified convoy escorted by an unidentified destroyer. [3]
2 April 1943:
About 5 nms W of Puluwat Island (Endabi Shoto), Central Carolines. In the late afternoon, LtCdr (later Cdr) John A. Scott’s (USNA ’28) USS TUNNY (SS-289) makes radar contact with the convoy. Scott closes range and fires three torpedoes at the distance of 960 yards. One hit is observed before diving to 300 feet, to avoid attack by the escorting destroyer. Minutes later, a series of nine depth charges tumble down in search of the submarine, but explode at too shallow a depth to achieve their purpose.
About 15 minutes later, USS TUNNY is jolted by a deep-set depth charge at 260 feet, but causes only minor damage. Hit in her forward hold, TOYO MARU No. 2 sinks at 07-22N, 149-18E taking down 51 crewmen and passengers. Only one survivor is picked-up by the escort.
1 May 1943:
Removed from the Navy List under internal order No. 835.

Authors Notes:
[1] See Zatsuyosen home page for full explanation.
[2 There were two categories of Zatsuyosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
[3] USS TUNNY’s patrol report mentions “a MOMO (sic) Class destroyer”.

Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan. Thanks also go to John Whitman of Virginia, USA for troop info.

-Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

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