RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(Type A Standard Cargo Ship)

YAMAMIYA MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2017 Bob Hackett

1943:
Laid down by Kawaminami Kogyo K. K., Koyagishima as Yard No. A1, a 6,441-ton cargo ship for Yamashita Kisen K.K., Kobe.

1943:
Launched and named YAMAMIYA MARU.

31 October 1943:
Completed.

27 November 1943:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Allotted Army No. 1152.

29 December 1943:
At 1500, YAMAMIYA MARU departs Moji for Takao, Formosa in convoy No. 125 also consisting of HOREI, KANAN, KENZUI, KAZUURA and KOKKO, KOSHIN, MISAKI, SEINAN and TEIHOKU (ex-Vichy French PERSEE) MARUs and SHINYO MARU No. 8 and tanker KYOEI MARU No. 5 escorted by destroyer ASAGAO and minesweepers W-4 and W-5.

4 January 1944:
At 0932, arrives at Takao.

6 January 1944:
At 0900, YAMAMIYA MARU departs Takao for Manila and Halmahera Island, Moluccas in the Rinji (Special) convoy "S" also consisting of KAZUURA, KOSHIN and SEINAN MARUs escorted by minesweepers W-4 and W-5.

9 January 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Manila. SEINAN, KOSHIN and KAZUURA MARUs are detached.

12 January 1944:
At 0952, YAMAMIYA MARU departs Manila for Halmahera in convoy H-13 also consisting of KAZUURA MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 5 escorted by minesweepers W-4 and W-5.

17 January 1944:
At 0704, arrives at Davao

30 January 1944:
At 0800, YAMAMIYA MARU departs Kau for Manila in an "M" convoy also consisting of KAZUURA, ODATSUKI and TSUKIKAWA MARUs escorted by patrol boat P-103, subchaser CH-46 and auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 13.

31 January 1944:
Arrives at Cebu.

2 February 1944:
Departs Cebu.

5 February 1944:
Arrives at Manila.

28 March 1944:
At 0030, YAMAMIYA MARU departs Wasile, Halmahera, Moluccas for Ambon in a convoy also consisting of FUYO, KACHOSAN, RYOCHI, SHINRYU and YAMAMIYA MARUs escorted by minelayer AOTAKA and auxiliary NITTO MARU No. 18.

29 March 1944:
At 1830, AOTAKA is detached.

3 April 1944:
At 2000 arrives at Kendari, Celebes.

23 June 1944:
At 0750, YAMAMIYA MARU departs Wasile in a convoy also consisting of SHINTEN MARU, auxiliaries TONAN MARU and KAIO MARU No. 3 and two unidentified ships escorted by minesweeper W-5.

25 June 1944:
Molucca Sea, NW of Morotai. At 0225, LtCdr Richard E. Nichols' (USNA '34) USS BASHAW (SS-241) torpedoes and damages YAMAMIYA MARU at 03-27N, 127-12E. 42 crewmen are KIA. SHINTEN MARU takes YAMAMIYA MARU under tow.

29 June 1944:
At 1330 SHINTEN and YAMAMIYA MARUs arrive at the Talaud Islands. YAMAMIYA MARU is run aground, then unloaded and abandoned.

2 July 1944:
Fourth Southern Expeditionary Fleet's destroyer HOKAZE departs Ambon for Tahuna, Sangi Island on an emergency run to rescue 118 survivors of torpedoed YAMAMIYA MARU.

5 July 1944:
Celebes Sea. HOKAZE arrives at Tahuna, Sangi Island. Takes on 118 survivors of YAMAMIYA MARU.

6 July 1944:
HOKAZE and minesweeper W-22 depart Tahuna.

20 km S of Tahuma. At 0910, HOKAZE is torpedoed and sunk by USS PADDLE (SS-263) at 03-25N 125-30E. TONAN MARU and KAIO MARU No. 3 rescue 49 of YAMAMIYA MARUs survivors and an unknown number of HOKAZE's crew.

Authors Notes:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.

- Bob Hackett

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