ZATSUYOSEN!
(NISSHO MARU No. 18, sistership of TOYOSAKA MARU)
IJN TOYOSAKA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2014-2018 Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 2
E 1939:
Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture. Laid down by Mukaishima Dock K.K. shipyard for Hamane Shoten K.K. as a 1, 966-ton cargo ship.
27 January 1940:
Launched and named TOYOSAKA MARU.
22 June 1940:
Completed and registered in Kobe.
4 December 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a general requisitioned transport attached to the Kure Naval District. Starts conversion to military duty that same day.
6 December 1941:
Departs Kure.
7 December 1941:
Arrives at Yawata, Fukuoka Prefecture.
8 December 1941:
Departs Yawata.
11 December 1941:
Arrives at Kenjiho, Chosen (now North Korea).
14 December 1941:
Departs Kenjiho.
17 December 1941:
Arrives at Yawata. Departs later.
22 December 1941:
Arrives at Kure.
E 22 December 1941 ~ 11 January 1942:
Undergoes conversion at the Kure Naval Yard.
12 January 1942:
The conversion is completed.
14 January 1942:
Departs Kure.
23 January 1942:
Arrives at Davao, Mindanao. Departs the same day for Tarakan, Borneo.
26 January 1942:
Arrives at Tarakan.
17 February 1942:
Departs Tarakan.
18 February 1942:
ESE of Mangkalihat Cape, Borneo. Attacked by an unidentified submarine but avoids torpedoes and resumes her course.
19 February 1942:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
20 February 1942:
Departs Balikpapan.
22 February 1942:
Arrives at Macassar, Celebes (now Sulawesi).
23 February 1942:
Departs Macassar in a convoy also consisting of OKITSU, TAITO, and RAKUTO MARUs and HINO MARU No. 3 escorted by DesDiv2.
24 February 1942:
About 120 nms NE Bali. LtCdr Kenneth C. Hurd’s (USNA ’25) USS SEAL (SS-183) sights the convoy. At 0500, Hurd torpedoes and scores one hit on OKITSU MARU at 06-45S, 117-24E. However, the unreliable Mark 14 torpedo is a dud and OKITSU MARU resumes her course, arriving off Bali later that same day.
25 February 1942:
At 0800 arrives at Bali, Dutch East Indies.
13 March 1942:
Departs Bali.
15 March 1942:
Arrives at Macassar.
27 March 1942:
Departs Macassar.
29 March 1942:
Arrives at Kendari, Celebes.
9 April 1942:
Departs Kendari.
10 April 1942:
Registered in the IJN as an auxiliary transport (Otsu) category attached to the Sasebo Naval District with Sasebo as home port under Navy’s instruction No. 663. [1]
14 April 1942:
Arrives at Tabaco, Luzon.
23 April 1942:
Departs Tabaco Gulf.
26 April 1942:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa, (now Kaohsiung, Taiwan).
28 April 1942:
Departs Takao.
1 May 1942:
Arrives at Olongapo, Luzon.
4 May 1942:
Departs Olongapo.
5 May 1942:
Arrives at San Fernando, Luzon. Departs for Takao later in the day.
7 May 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
9 May 1942:
Departs Takao and arrives at Mako, Pescadores later that day.
10 May 1942:
Departs Mako in convoy No. 207 also consisting of auxiliary transports SHIROGANE, HIYOSHI and KIMISHIMA MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer FUYO.
14 May 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
15 May 1942:
Scheduled to be fitted with one Type 92 7.7mm MG and five Type 38 Arisaka rifles under Navy’s secret instruction No. 5990.
20 May 1942:
Departs Sasebo and joins convoy No. 115 that departed Mutsure the day before consisting of six unidentified ships escorted by destroyer FUYO.
24 May 1942:
TOYOSAKA MARU is detached at some point and arrives at Takao.
29 May 1942:
Departs Takao.
31 May 1942:
Arrives at Ishigaki-Jima, Yaeyama Retto (Islands). Departs later that day for Sasebo.
3 June 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
5 June 1942:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and supplies mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 249.
8 June 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
10 June 1942:
Arrives off Wusong (entrance of Shanghai, southern China).
11 June 1942:
Departs Wusong and arrives at Shanghai later in the day.
12 June 1942:
Scheduled to be fitted with one 8cm/40cal deck gun under Navy’s secret instruction No. 7246.
14 June 1942:
At 0700 departs Shanghai. The ship sails alone.
16 June 1942:
At 1500 arrives at Sasebo.
17 June 1942:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and supplies mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 262. That same day assigned to transport propelled crafts No. 3524, 3525 and ?508 under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 263.
22 June 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
24 June 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
1 July 1942:
At 0700 departs Shanghai. The ship sails alone.
2 July 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
6 July 1942:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 284.
10 July 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
12 July 1942:
Arrives at Seito (Tsingtao) outer harbor, southern China.
13 July 1942:
Departs Seito outer harbor and arrives at Seito later in the day.
15 July 1942:
Departs Seito.
17 July 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
21 July 1942:
Departs Shanghai.
23 July 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
3 August 1942:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 284.
4 August 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
6 August 1942:
Arrives at Seito.
8 August 1942:
Departs Seito.
10 August 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
14 August 1942:
Departs Shanghai.
17 August 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
24 August 1942:
Assigned to transport propelled crafts No. 3528, 3529 and 3530 under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 329.
30 August 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
1 September 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
5 September 1942:
Departs Shanghai.
7 September 1942:
Arrives at Seito.
8 September 1942:
Departs Seito.
9 September 1942:
Arrives at Ryojun (Port-Arthur), Manchuria, (now Lushun, northern China).
14 September 1942:
Departs Ryojun.
18 September 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
20 September 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
21 September 1942:
Arrives at Fukuoka Wan (Bay).
22 September 1942:
Departs Fukuoka Wan and arrives at Wakamatsu, Fukuoka Prefecture later that same day.
24 September 1942:
Departs Wakamatsu.
25 September 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
26 September 1942:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 362.
30 September 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
2 October 1942:
Arrives at Seito.
4 October 1942:
Departs Seito.
6 October 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
10 October 1942:
Departs Shanghai.
12 October 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
15 October 1942:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 389.
20 October 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
21 October 1942:
Arrives at Chinkai, Chosen (now Jinhae, South Korea).
22 October 1942:
Departs Chinkai.
25 October 1942:
Arrives at Seito.
28 October 1942:
Departs Seito.
31 October 1942:
Arrives at Mutsure. Departs later and arrives at Moji that same day.
1 November 1942:
Departs Moji.
2 November 1942:
Arrives at Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture.
E 3 ~ 17 November 1942:
Undergoes maintenance and repairs.
18 November 1942:
Departs Onomichi.
19 November 1942:
Arrives off Hesaki coast. Then, departs the area and arrives off Taura later that same day.
20 November 1942:
Departs Taura and arrives at Sasebo later in the day.
22 November 1942:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 425.
25 November 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
29 November 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
1 December 1942:
Departs Mako.
4 December 1942:
Arrives at Samah, Hainan Island, southern China.
16 December 1942:
Departs Samah.
19 December 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
21 December 1942:
Departs Takao and arrives at Mako later that day.
23 December 1942:
Departs Mako possibly in convoy No. 212 consisting of auxiliary transport RAKUTO MARU and five unidentified merchant ships without escort.
27 December 1942:
Arrives near Kabashima, Nagasaki Prefecture.
28 December 1942:
Departs Kabashima and arrives at Sasebo later that day.
2 January 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
3 January 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
5 January 1943:
Departs Yawata.
6 January 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
7 January 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 9. Assigned that same day to transport gunboat crafts No. 1357, 1294, 1296 and 1297 under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 10.
10 January 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
13 January 1943:
Arrives at Bell Buoy (near Wusong).
14 January 1943:
Departs Bell Buoy and arrives at Shanghai later that day.
20 January 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
22 January 1943:
Arrives at Wakamatsu.
26 January 1943:
Departs Wakamatsu.
27 January 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
29 January 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 41.
1 February 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
3 February 1943:
Arrives at Seito.
5 February 1943:
Departs Seito.
7 February 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
12 February 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
16 February 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
19 February 1943:
Departs Osaka.
20 February 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
21 February 1943:
Departs Yawata.
22 February 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
23 February 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 65.
25 February 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
27 February 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
3 March 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
7 March 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
10 March 1943:
Departs Osaka.
11 March 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
12 March 1943:
Departs Yawata.
13 March 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
14 March 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 99.
17 March 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
19 March 1943:
Arrives at Seito.
21 March 1943:
Departs Seito.
23 March 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
27 March 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
30 March 1943:
Arrives at Moji. Departs later in the day for Osaka.
31 March 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
4 April 1943:
Departs Osaka, arrives off Mikage, Hyogo Prefecture. Then, departs the area and arrives off Sakate, Mie Prefecture later that day.
5 April 1943:
Departs Sakate.
6 April 1943:
Arrives off Hesaki. Departs there and arrives at Yawata later in the day.
7 April 1943:
Departs Yawata, calls at Mutsure. Then, departs for Sasebo later that same day.
8 April 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
9 April 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 135.
11 April 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
12 April 1943:
Arrives at Chinkai.
14 April 1943:
Departs Chinkai.
16 April 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
20 April 1943:
At 1700, departs Shanghai in convoy SHI-6 also consisting of IJN shared cargo ship (B/C-AK) TANGO (ex-Dutch TOENDJOEK) MARU, IJA transports TAITO, JUNYO, KOKO and FRANCE MARUs, IJA shared transports (A/C-AK) MIKAGE and SHINWA MARUs, civilian cargo ship (C-AK) RYUTO MARU and civilian collier (C-AC) MIYAZAKI MARU escorted by minelayer TSUBAME. At 2000 departs Bell Buoy.
22 April 1943:
Arrives at Tomie, Goto Retto where the convoy is dissolved.
24 April 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
27 April 1943:
Departs Osaka.
28 April 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
29 April 1943:
Departs Yawata.
30 April 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
5 May 1943:
Departs Sasebo and arrives at Imari Wan later in the day.
6 May 1943:
Departs Imari Wan for Shanghai in convoy SA-16 also consisting of IJA transports SEISHO and SHINWA (1915 GRT) MARUs escorted by subchaser KAII (ex Chinese HAI WEI).
8 May 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
13 May 1943:
Departs Shanghai and arrives at Wusong later in the day. At 1400, departs in convoy SHI-17 also consisting of IJN requisitioned ore carrier (B-AC) HIDAKA MARU, IJN requisitioned collier (B-AC) YASUKUNI MARU, IJA transports NANKA and JUNYO MARUs and IJA shared transport (A/C-AK) UGA MARU escorted by minelayer TSUBAME.
17 May 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
21 May 1943:
Departs Osaka and arrives at Yawata later that day.
23 May 1943:
Departs Yawata and arrives at Sakito, Nagasaki Prefecture later in the day.
24 May 1943:
Departs Sakito and arrives at Sasebo later that same day.
26 May 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 191.
30 May 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
1 June 1943:
Arrives at Koriyama-Jima anchorage.
2 June 1943:
Departs Koriyama-Jima.
3 June 1943:
Arrives at Seito.
5 June 1943:
Departs Seito.
7 June 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
13 June 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
15 June 1943:
Arrives at Mutsure.
16 June 1943:
Departs Mutsure.
17 June 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
20 June 1943:
Departs Osaka.
21 June 1943:
Arrives at Yawata. Departs later in the day for Sasebo.
22 June 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
24 June 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 224.
27 June 1943:
Departs Sasebo. At Aizaki-sedo, joins convoy SHI-706 also consisting of IJA transports RYUKO (5626 GRT) and NARUO (ex Panamanian ESTERO) MARUs, civilian ore carrier (C-AC) USA MARU, IJA shared transport (A/C-AK) SHORI (ex-Chinese SHENG LEE) MARU and IJN shared tanker (B/C-AO) TAKATORI MARU No. 1 escorted by minelayer HIRASHIMA. The convoy arrives at Tomie, Nagasaki Prefecture later that day.
28 June 1943:
Departs Tomie.
30 June 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
6 July 1943:
Departs Shanghai and arrives at Wusong later that same day.
7 July 1943:
Departs Wusong.
11 July 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
14 July 1943:
Departs Osaka.
15 July 1943:
Arrives at Matoyama, Oshima.
16 July 1943:
Departs Matoyama and arrives at Nagasaki later that day.
18 July 1943:
Departs Nagasaki and arrives at Sasebo later in the day.
20 July 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 256.
21 July 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
22 July 1943:
Arrives at Chinkai. Departs later that day.
23 July 1943:
Arrives off Imari Wan.
24 July 1943:
Departs Imari Wan.
26 July 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
2 August 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
6 August 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
10 August 1943:
Departs Osaka.
11 August 1943:
Arrives off Fukuma. Departs later that same day for Sasebo.
12 August 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
14 August 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 286.
16 August 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
17 August 1943:
Arrives at Yamagawa, Kagoshima Prefecture. Departs there and arrives at Kagoshima later that day.
22 August 1943:
Departs Kagoshima in convoy ROKU-204 also consisting of three unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary netlayer SHINTO MARU No. 2.
24 August 1943:
Arrives at Nago-Wan, Sukuta, Okinawa.
25 August 1943:
Departs Nago-Wan and arrives at Naha, Okinawa later that day.
27 August 1943:
Departs Naha.
29 August 1943:
Arrives at Kirun (now Keelung), Formosa.
31 August 1943:
Departs Kirun.
1 September 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
4 September 1943:
Departs Takao.
5 September 1943:
Arrives at Kirun.
9 September 1943:
Departs Kirun.
13 September 1943:
Arrives at Nagasaki.
15 September 1943:
Departs Nagasaki and arrives at Sasebo later that day.
18 September 1943:
Assigned to a transport of personnel and ammunition mission under Sasebo Naval District secret instruction No. 338.
25 September 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
26 September 1943:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Departs later in the day.
27 September 1943:
Arrives at Koniya, Amami-Oshima. Departs later that day.
28 September 1943:
Arrives at Naha.
13 October 1943:
Departs Naha.
14 October 1943:
Arrives at Minami Daito-Jima, Daito Shoto.
16 October 1943:
Departs Minami Daito-Jima.
17 October 1943:
Arrives at Nago-Wan.
18 October 1943:
Departs Nago-Wan and arrives at Naha later that same day.
25 October 1943:
Departs Naha.
26 October 1943:
Arrives at Naze, Amami-Oshima. Departs later that day.
30 October 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
1 November 1943:
Departs Osaka.
2 November 1943:
Arrives at Tokuyama, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
12 November 1943:
Departs Tokuyama.
13 November 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
20 November 1943:
Confirmed as auxiliary transport attached to the Sasebo Naval District under secret instruction No. 50.
22 November 1943:
Departs Sasebo and arrives at Mikuriya, Imari Wan. Departs later that day.
26 November 1943:
Arrives at Fuku-Haruka.
30 November 1943:
Departs Fuku-Haruka.
2 December 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
7 December 1943:
At 1600, departs Takao in convoy No. 225 also consisting of auxiliary transport TARUSHIMA MARU, IJA transport YASUKUNI MARU, civilian tanker (C-AO) TOKUWA MARU and seven unidentified merchant ships with unknown escort.
14 December 1943:
At 1600, arrives at Moji.
15 December 1943:
Departs Moji.
16 December 1943:
Arrives at Taguma, Fukuoka Prefecture.
E 17 ~ 21 December 1943:
Undergoes hull repairs.
22 December 1943:
Departs Taguma and arrives at Tokuyama later that day.
27 December 1943:
Departs Tokuyama.
28 December 1943:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
1 January 1944:
Departs Kagoshima.
2 January 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo.
8 January 1944:
Departs Sasebo and arrives at Kagoshima later that day. Departs there in Toyosaka Maru convoy as sole merchant ship escorted by minelayer TSUBAME.
10 January 1944:
Arrives at Naha.
15 January 1944:
Departs Naha.
16 January 1944:
Arrives at Ishigaki.
18 January 1944:
Departs Ishigaki and arrives at Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture later that day.
20 January 1944:
Confirmed as auxiliary transport attached to the Sasebo Naval District under secret instruction No. 53.
24 January 1944:
At 0900, departs Miyakojima with IJA transport NANKA MARU.
25 January 1944:
At 0800, arrives at Naha.
28 January 1944:
Departs Naha.
29 January 1944:
Arrives at Koniya.
30 January 1944:
Departs Koniya.
1 February 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo.
9 February 1944:
Departs Sasebo.
10 February 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
16 February 1944:
Departs Kagoshima.
17 February 1944:
Arrives at Koniya.
19 February 1944:
Departs Koniya.
20 February 1944:
Arrives at Naha.
26 February 1943:
Departs Naha.
27 February 1944:
Arrives at Ishigaki.
29 February 1944:
Departs Ishigaki and arrives at Miyakojima later that day.
1 March 1944:
Confirmed as auxiliary transport attached to the Sasebo Naval District under secret instruction No. 57.
2 March 1944:
Departs Miyakojima and arrives at Ikema, Okinawa Prefecture later in the day.
3 March 1944:
Departs Ikema.
4 March 1944:
Arrives at Naha.
13 March 1944:
Departs Naha and arrives at Sesoko, Okinawa Prefecture later that day.
14 March 1944:
Departs Sesoko and arrives at Koniya later that same day.
15 March 1944:
Departs Koniya.
16 March 1944:
Arrives at Yukinoura, Nagasaki Prefecture.
17 March 1944:
Departs Yukinoura and arrives at Sasebo later in the day.
22 March 1944:
Departs Sasebo and arrives at Kagoshima later that day.
25 March 1944:
Departs Kagoshima and arrives off Yamakawa later that same day.
26 March 1944:
Departs Yamakawa and arrives off Kuchi mouth later that same day.
27 March 1944:
Departs Kuchi.
28 March 1944:
Arrives at Koniya.
30 March 1944:
Departs Koniya and arrives at Sesoko later in the day.
31 March 1944:
Departs Sesoko and arrives at Naha later that day.
7 April 1944:
Departs Naha and arrives at Seso, Kakeroma-Jima, Amami Gunto later that same day.
8 April 1944:
Departs Seso.
10 April 1944:
Arrives at Miike, Fukuoka Prefecture.
12 April 1944:
Departs Miike and arrives at Sasebo later in the day.
25 April 1944:
Departs Sasebo.
26 April 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
6 May 1944:
Departs Kagoshima.
7 May 1944:
Arrives at Koniya.
9 May 1944:
Departs Koniya and arrives at Nago-Wan later in the day.
10 May 1944:
Departs Nago-Wan and arrives at Naha later that day.
22 May 1944:
Departs Naha.
23 May 1944:
Arrives at Koniya.
25 May 1944:
Departs Koniya.
26 May 1944:
Arrives at Yukinoura.
27 May 1944:
Departs Yukinoura and arrives at Sasebo later in the day.
4 June 1944:
Departs Sasebo.
5 June 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
6 June 1944:
Departs Kagoshima in convoy KATA-614 also consisting of auxiliary netlayer IWATO MARU, IJA shared transports (A/C-AK) SAKISHIMA and DAISHIN MARUs, IJA shared tanker (A/C-AO) NANSHIN MARU No. 18, civilian tanker (C-AO) YAEI MARU No. 5, civilian cargo ships (C-AK) SANYO, TOSHU MARUs and SHINTAI MARU No. 2 and five unidentified merchant ships, escorted by minelayer TSUBAME, minesweeper W-15, auxiliary minesweepers HAKATA MARU No. 6, TOSHI MARU No. 7 and SHIMPO MARU and auxiliary patrol boat CHOUN MARU No. 13. TOSHU MARU is towing hyoteki HA-5.
7 June 1944:
The convoy arrives at Koniya. SANYO MARU is detached to Naze and TOYOSAKA MARU to Seso.
14 June 1944:
Departs Seso and arrives at Koniya later that day.
16 June 1944:
Departs Koniya and arrives at Naha later that same day escorted by minelayer NIIZAKI.
21 June 1944:
Departs Naha.
23 June 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo.
30 June 1944:
Departs Sasebo.
1 July 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
9 July 1944:
At 1000, departs Kagoshima and joins convoy KATA-910 also consisting of IJA shared transport (A/C-AK) TERUKUNI MARU, civilian cargo ship (C-AK) NANKAI MARU No. 1 and ten unidentified merchant ships escorted by minelayer NUWAJIMA, auxiliary minesweepers BANSHU MARU No. 51, SHIMPO MARU, KAIYO MARU No. 1, and auxiliary patrol boats TAIAN MARU, CHIKUTO MARU and HOKOKU MARU No. 3 Go.
11 July 1944:
Arrives at Naha.
19 July 1944:
Departs Naha in convoy NAKA-909 also consisting of IJA shared transport (A/C-APK) TERUKUNI MARU and seven unidentified ships escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU, minelayer TSUBAME, auxiliary minesweeper BANSHU MARU No. 51, auxiliary patrol boats HOKOKU MARU No. 3 Go, CHIKUTO, TAIAN and RYUSEI MARUs.
22 July 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo.
26 July 1944:
Departs Sasebo and arrives at Miike later that day.
28 July 1944:
Departs Miike.
29 July 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
6 August 1944:
At 0900, departs Kagoshima in convoy KATA-926 also consisting of IJA transports TAIKEN, EIJIRI and DAII MARUs, IJA shared transports (A/C-AK) SHINTON, TAIYO, SEIZAN, ARISAN, NAKAGAWA, TAKUSAN, FUKUURA, TETSUZAN, KENJO, DAITOKU and DAIIKU MARUs, civilian cargo ship (C-AK) NISSHO MARU, escorted by torpedo boats TOMOZURU and MANAZURU, minelayers NUWAJIMA, NIIZAKI and TSUBAME, auxiliary minesweepers SHONAN MARU No. 16, HAKATA MARU No. 6, TAIAN, HIMESHIMA and SEKI MARUs and subchasers CH-18 and CH-17.
KATA-626 carries lead elements of the Manchurian-based 28th Division. Division headquarters, 3rd Infantry, 28th Mountain Artillery and engineer and signal regiments. DAITOKU MARU, a 6,923-ton Type 2A transport, on her maiden voyage, carries 3,428 soldiers, baggage, and supplies.
Troops, baggage, and supplies are also packed in the other marus.
Non-divisional units include the 334-man 14th Independent Machine Gun Battalion and the 103rd, 104th and 105th Machine Gun Battalions (20mm cannons with 336, 338, and 337 men respectively). The 79th, 80th, and 81st Field Antiaircraft Battalions (eighteen 75mm guns each with 513, 517, and 514 men respectively), 181-man 215th and 182-man 259th Independent Automobile Companies and 711 men of the 72nd Land Duty Company and 496 men of the 103rd Sea Duty Company.
8 August 1944:
TOYOSAKA and SHINTON MARUs are detached from the convoy. Arrives at Miura Wan, Seso.
17 August 1944:
Departs Miura Wan, Seso and arrives at Koniya later in the day.
25 August 1944:
Departs Koniya.
26 August 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
28 August 1944:
Departs Kagoshima and arrives at Hayashi-Jima later that same day.
30 August 1944:
Departs Hayashi-Jima and arrives at Ushibuka, Kukamoto Prefecture later in the day.
31 August 1944:
Departs Ushibuka and arrives at Sasebo later that day.
3 September 1944:
Departs Sasebo and arrives at Sakito later that same day.
4 September 1944:
Departs Sakito.
5 September 1944:
Arrives off Itsukushima coast, Hiroshima Prefecture.
6 September 1944:
Departs Itsukushima and arrives at Kure later in the day.
10 September 1944:
Departs Kure and arrives at Tokuyama later that day.
13 September 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.
14 September 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo.
18 September 1944:
Departs Sasebo.
19 September 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
24 September 1944:
Departs Kagoshima in convoy KATA-411 also consisting of IJA shared transports (A/C-AK) HORAI (3138 GRT), DAIKO, SHOKA and MALAY MARUs and civilian cargo ship (C-AK) TETSUZAN MARU with auxiliary netlayer SHINTO MARU No. 2 as escort.
26 September 1944:
Arrives at Naha. HORAI and TOYOSAKA MARUs are detached.
27 September 1944:
Departs Naha and arrives at Kerama Retto later in the day.
28 September 1944:
Departs Kerama Retto.
29 September 1944:
Arrives at Miyakojima.
10 October 1944:
Departs Miyakojima.
14 October 1944:
Arrives at Oshima.
18 October 1944:
Departs Oshima.
19 October 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
22 October 1944:
Departs Kagoshima and arrives off Hayashi-Jima coast later in the day.
23 October 1944:
Departs Hayashi-Jima and arrives at Ushibuka later that same day.
24 October 1944:
Departs Ushibuka and arrives at Sasebo later in the day.
25 October 1944:
Enters drydock for maintenance, hull and engine repairs.
E 25 October ~ 21 November 1944:
Under repairs.
22 November 1944:
Repairs are completed. Undocked. Departs Sasebo and arrives at Ushibuka later that day.
23 November 1944:
Departs Ushibuka and arrives at Kagoshima later in the day.
26 November 1944:
Departs Kagoshima in convoy KATA-614 also consisting of IJA shared transports (A/C-AK) DAISHIN, NAZE MARUs and HAKUTETSU MARU No. 11, civilian tanker (C-AO) KINYU MARU No. 3, civilian passenger ship (C-AP) RYUKYU MARU, civilian cargo ship (C-AK) KEIUN MARU, IJN shared tankers (B/C-AO) HOEI MARU No. 3 and HOEI MARU No. 5 and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU, kaibokan CD-44, auxiliary minesweepers TAKUNAN MARU No. 3, TOSHI MARU No. 7 and HIMESHIMA MARU and auxiliary patrol boat CHIKUTO MARU.
28 November 1944:
KEIUN MARU is detached off Kerama Retto. Arrives at Satsukawa Wan. Departs later.
30 November 1944:
Arrives at Naha. Departs there and arrives at Kerama Retto later that day. Departs later.
15 December 1944:
Departs Ishigaki and arrives at Miyakojima later in the day.
22 December 1944:
Departs Miyakojima.
23 December 1944:
Arrives at Naha.
E January 1945:
Departs Kagoshima.
E February 1945:
Arrives at Tomie.
26 February 1945:
Departs Tomie in convoy SA-11 also consisting of IJA transport DAIKEN MARU, auxiliary transport NICHIRIN (ex-British MATA HARI) MARU and IJN requisitioned (B-AK) EDOGAWA MARU (1,972 GRT) escorted by minelayers NUWAJIMA and TSUBAME, subchaser CH-49, kaibokan FUKUE and auxiliary subchaser SANKYO MARU.
E February-March 1945:
Calls at Naha and Miyakojima.
1 March 1945:
Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher’s (USNA ‘10) TF 58 aircraft pound Japanese ground installations, airfields, and shipping in the Okinawa area. 20 nautical miles S of Miyakojima, convoy SA-11 is strafed and bombed. TOYOSAKA MARU sinks at 24-46N, 125-30E with the loss of four of her crew. DAIKEN MARU sinks at 24-45N, 125-15E with the loss of 42 passengers and 16 crewmen. EDOGAWA MARU is damaged. NICHIRIN MARU escapes south, but is sunk the following day with the loss of 17 crewmen.
Off Ishigaki Shima. Task Force 58 aircraft damage NUWAJIMA and kaibokan FUKUE and sink TSUBAME (casualties unknown) at 24-23N, 124-12E.
10 May 1945:
Removed from the Navy’s list under instruction No. 417.
Authors Notes:
[1] There were two categories of Zatsuyosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan. Thanks go also to the late John Whitman of Virginia for information on troops carried aboard Marus in various convoys.
Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
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