KOSAKUKAN!

© 2008-2018 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 7

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8 September 1937:
Tsurumi. Laid down at Tsurumi Shipyard as a 6, 777-ton cargo ship for Yamashita Kisen K. K., Kobe.

14 March 1938:
Launched and named YAMASHIMO MARU.

9 June 1938:
Completed.

9 August 1938:
Departs Kobe in Yamashita Kisen’s service on their Kobe-Australia route.

28 August 1941:
Requistioned and registered in the IJN.

5 September 1941:
Departs Kure. Travels to Otaru, then makes calls to Otaru, Rutaka (Aniva), Otaru, Nagoya, Kure, Nagasaki, Sasebo, Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo, Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Kure, Kobe, Osaka, Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo, Saitozaki, Kure, Kobe, Yokosuka, Osaka, Kure, Hikari, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Tama, Kobe, Yokosuka, Sakito, Sasebo.

31 December 1941:
Designated a special transport ship.

1 January 1942:
Departs Sasebo.

8 January 1942:
Arrives at Davao and departs later that day.

10 January 1942:
Arrives at Jolo, Philippines.

16 January 1942:
Departs Jolo.

17 January 1942:
Arrives at Bangka, Celebes.

18 January 1942:
Departs Bangka and later that day arrives Menado, Celebes.

22 January 1942:
Departs Menado and later that day arrives Bangka.

26 January 1942:
Departs Bangka and later that day arrives at Menado.

1 February 1942:
Departs Menado and later that day arrives Bangka.

2 February 1942:
At 0800 patrol boat PB-1 departs Banka with survey ship TSUKUSHI, minelayer AOTAKA, submarine chasers CH-3 and CH-14, PB-2, IKUSHIMA, MATSUE, MONTEVIDEO, SAN CLEMENTE and YAMASHIMO MARUs. IKUSHIMA MARU carries 5th and 6th Construction units.

4 February 1942:
Arrives at Kendari, Celebes.

6 February 1942:
YAMASHIMO MARU departs Kendari in the Macassar invasion force consisting of transports HOKUROKU, NANKAI, KINAI, MONTEVIDEO, MATSUE and IKUSHIMA MARUs carrying Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mori Kunizo's (former CO of SATA) Sasebo No. 1 Combined Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) escorted by Rear Admiral Kubo’s 1st Base Force’s patrol boats PB-1, PB-2 and PB-34, light cruiser NAGARA, MineSweepDiv 21, SubchasDiv 2 and SubChasDiv 1’s CH-1, CH-2 and CH-3.

9 February 1942: The Invasion of Macassar:
Arrives Macassar, Celebes.

16 February 1942:
Departs Macassar.

26 February 1942:
Arrives at Port Campha, Indochina and departs later that day.

4 March 1942:
Arrives at Sana and departs later that day.

13 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama, departs later that day to nearby Kawasaki arriving the same day.

19 March 1942:
Departs Kawasaki and later that day arrives at Tokyo.

27 March 1942:
Departs Tokyo.

7 April 1942:
Arrives at Ponape.

12 April 1942:
Departs Ponape.

14 April 1942:
Arrives at Truk.

12 May 1942:
Departs Truk.

13 May 1942:
YAMASHIMO MARU rescues three survivors from auxiliary cruiser KINJOSAN MARU at 10-18N, 147-02E. The ship was torpedoed and sunk on 3 May 1942 at 09-25N, 151-51E by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Henry C. Bruton’s (USNA '26) USS GREENLING (SS-213).

19 May 1942:
Arrives at Kasado Shima.

22 May 1942:
Departs Kasado Shima for Moji.

25 May 1942:
Arrives at Dairen, Manchuria.

1 June 1942:
Departs Dairen.

2 June 1942:
Arrives at Tokyo.

11 June 1942:
Departs Tokyo.

13 June 1942:
Arrives at Kure.

16 June 1942:
Departs Kure.

17 June 1942:
Arrives at Kasado Drydock, Kasado Shima. Deck guns and depth charge equipment are loaded. The ship arrives back at Kure the same day where installation probably takes place.

23 July 1942:
Departs Kure. Later that day, arrives at Tsukumi.

26 July 1942:
Departs Tsukumi.

27 July 1942:
Arrives at Moji.

31 July 1942:
Departs Moji.

1 August 1942:
Arrives at Osaka.

4 August 1942:
Departs Osaka.

15 August 1942:
Arrives at Mille Atoll.

22 August 1942:
Departs Mille Atoll.

25 August 1942:
Arrives at Ponape.

29 August 1942:
Departs Ponape.

31 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk.

13 September 1942:
Departs Truk.

15 September 1942:
Arrives at Mereyon (Merir).

21 September 1942:
Departs Mereyon.

24 September 1942:
Arrives at Garasumao, Palau.

3 October 1942:
Departs Garasumao.

10 October 1942:
Arrives at Shimizu, Japan.

13 October 1942:
Departs Shimizu.

14 October 1942:
Arrives at Shibaura.

19 October 1942:
Departs Shibaura. Later that same day, arrives at Yokosuka.

21 October 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.

31 October 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.

3 November 1942:
Departs Rabaul.

5 November 1942:
Arrives at Buin.

12 November 1942:
Departs Buin.

14 November 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.

19 November 1942:
Departs Rabaul in convoy with SHINI (KAMOI) and HOUN MARUs escorted by destroyer HAKAZE.

21 November 1942:
At 1345 arrives at Buin.

27 November 1942:
At 0400 departs Shortland with CHIHAYA MARU escorted by destroyers HAKAZE sand KUROSHIO and patrol boat PB-2. Carries reinforcements from Buin/Shortland to Munda, New Georgia where the Japanese have constructed an airfield. Arrives later that day.

28 November 1942:
USAAF B-17s bomb the return convoy enroute from Munda to Shortland. Cargo ship CHIHAYA MARU is damaged and becomes unnavigable. YAMASHIMO MARU takes CHIHAYA MARU under tow to Shortland, Bougainville.

13 January 1943:
At 1730 departs Rabaul with KAGU MARU escorted by submarine chaser CH-26.

15 January 1943:
At 0300 arrives at Shortlands, Bougainville. Departs Shortlands that same day at 1030 for Balalle Island and Buin.

16 January 1943:
YAMASHIMO MARU carries AA units to Kolombangara escorted by torpedo boat HIYODORI. The ship is damaged by air attack while sailing between Munda and Buin. Later that day, arrives at Buin.

15 February 1943:
YAMASHIMO MARU departs Rabaul for Kavieng escorted by destroyer HATSUYUKI.

17 February 1943:
Arrives at Kavieng.

2 March 1943:
Departs Truk for Yokosuka in a convoy also consisting of auxiliary transports KIMISHIMA and TATSUHARU MARUs, auxiliary storeships HOKO MARU (1,504 GRT) and TENYO MARU NO. 2 GO, water tanker ASAYAMA MARU and IJA transport MIKAGE MARU No. 20, escorted by destroyer YUNAGI and submarine chasers CH-11 and CH-12. CH-11 is detached sometime into the voyage north.

5 March 1943:
KIMISHIMA MARU and YUNAGI are detached at 11-18N, 142-38E. KIMISHIMA MARU later arrives at Fais, Eastern Carolines. Detaches with ASAYAMA MARU. Later that day the convoy arrives at Saipan, Marianas. Departs Saipan that same day.

11 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

19 March 1943:
Kobe. Begins conversion to a specially installed auxiliary repair ship at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding.

20 March 1943:
Recalled Captain-Ret. Kashiwagi Ei (36)(former CO of KAKO) assumes command.

31 March 1943:
Arrives at Kure.

10 June 1943:
Reassigned directly to the Combined Fleet.

17 June 1943:
Undergoes brief conversion at Kure Naval Base. Late that day, departs Kure.

19 June 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

23 June 1943:
Departs Yokosuka in convoy No. 3623 with ARATAMA MARU escorted by destroyer MATSUKAZE and auxiliary gunboat CHOAN MARU No. 2 GO.

1 July 1943:
Met at sea by destroyer ARIAKE.

2 July 1943:
At 1950 arrives at Truk.

19 October 1943:
Truk. Repair Ship HAKKAI MARU provides repairs for YAMASHIMO MARU.

22 October 1943:
At 0800 departs Truk for Ponape, Carolines in convoy No. T3-1 also consisting of auxiliary transport EIKO MARU No. 2 GO, auxiliary water carrier NIPPO MARU and auxiliary collier/tanker MIKAGE MARU No. 18 escorted by light cruiser TATSUTA and destroyers YUZUKI, SUZUNAMI, FUJINAMI and HAYANAMI.

YAMASHIMO MARU is detached at some point and steams independently to Ponape.

23 October 1943:
At 0600 arrives at Ponape. Departs later that same day at 1500 for Truk.

24 October 1943:
At 1300 arrives at Truk.

26 October 1943:
At 0800 departs Truk for Ponape in convoy No. T3-2 also consisting of auxiliary transport EIKO MARU No. 2 GO, auxiliary water carrier NIPPO MARU and auxiliary collier/tanker MIKAGE MARU No. 18 escorted by light cruiser TATSUTA and destroyers SUZUNAMI, FUJINAMI and HAYANAMI.

27 October 1943:
At 0600 arrives at Ponape. At 1415 departs Ponape.

28 October 1943:
At 1300 arrives back at Truk.

4 December 1943:
Kwajalein. Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall’s Task Force 50 attacks Kwajalein and Wotje Atolls, Marshalls. Aircraft from USS LEXINGTON (CV-16) and USS INDEPENDENCE (CVL-22) sink ASAKAZE and TATEYAMA MARUs, auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 7 and guardboat MIKUNI MARU No. 5. The planes also damage light cruisers NAGARA and ISUZU, stores ship KINEZAKI, auxiliary vessel FUJIKAWA MARU and transports EIKO, KENBU and MIKAGE MARU No. 18.

5 December 1943:
Kwajalein. YAMASHIMO MARU provides repairs for light cruiser NAGARA, damaged by the bombing, until 9 December.

7-9 December 1943:
Kwajalein. Light cruiser ISUZU, also damaged by the bombing, goes alongside YAMASHIMO MARU that performs repairs.

24 December 1943:
At Truk hospital ship TAKASAGO MARU supplies to YAMASHIMO MARU 12 medical kits and embarks 4 patients.

22 February 1944:
YAMASHIMO MARU departs Saipan for Yokosuka in an unidentified convoy consisting of freighter FUKUYAMA MARU, another freighter and two or more unknown escorts. At about 1500, LtCdr Robert J. Foley’s USS GATO (SS-212) makes attacks the convoy, but Foley’s torpedoes hit a reef instead of his targets.

Later that evening, LtCdr (later MOH/Rear Admiral-Ret.) Richard H. O’Kane’s (USNA '34) USS TANG (SS-306) also finds the convoy. At about 2200, O’Kane closes to 1,500 yards on the surface and fires four torpedoes at FUKUYAMA MARU, which blows up and sinks.

23 February 1944:
At about 0100, O’Kane maneuvers USS TANG for a second close-range attack. The lead ship, YAMASHIMO MARU’s escort, moves from its covering position on the port bow. At 0120, O’Kane slips in and fires four torpedoes. The first hits YAMASHIMO MARU’s stern, the second hits aft of the stack, and the third strikes forward of the bridge and causes a huge secondary explosion. The blast damages USS TANG, but she remains on patrol. YAMASHIMO MARU sinks by the stern at 14-45N, 144-32E. 07-13N, 151-38E.

Captain Kashiwagi and three crewmen are KIA. Kashiwagi is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.

10 July 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors' Note:
Photo credit goes to Gilbert Casse of France.

- Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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