RIKUGUN YUSOSEN
(Sister MOMOHA MARU, prewar)
YASUKUNI MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2014-2017 Bob Hackett
1918:
Londonderry, N Ireland. Laid down by North of Ireland SB Co. Ltd, and named WAR MIST, a 3,143-ton Standard Type C cargo ship for The Shipping
Controller (WWI), London.
1918:
Launched.
January 1920:
Completed as ONEGA for W. Thomson & Co, Leith.
1923:
Sold to Petrograd Steamers Ltd. (W. Thomson & Co), Leith.
1927:
Sold to Hamane Shoten, K. K., Takasago, Japan. Renamed YASUKUNI MARU. [1]
19 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJA to serve as a troop transport. Allotted Army No. 137.
2 October 1942: Oki Transportation Movement:
YASUKUNI MARU departs Saeki for Rabaul in convoy Oki, Part 6, also consisting of EHIME, HAVANA,
SUMIYOSHI and TOYO MARUs escorted by subchasers CH-10, CH-11 and CH-12. [2]
14 October 1942:
LtCdr Lucius H. Chappell's (USNA ’27) USS SCULPIN (SS-190) torpedoes and sinks SUMIYOSHI MARU at 03-15S, 149-50E. Eight crewmen are KIA.
15 October 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
25 January 1943:
YASUKUNI MARU departs Saeki in Military Movement No. 8’s convoy "W" also consisting of EHIME, KOSEI and KUROHIME
MARUs escorted by minelayers NUWAJIMA and YURIJIMA.
E 26 January 1943:
The escorts are detached at 29N.
E 2 February 1943:
The convoy arrives at Palau.
7 February 1943:
YASUKUNI MARU departs Tsingtao, China in the 3rd Transport Echelon also consisting of KIYOKAWA MARU escorted by destroyer
ISONAMI. KIYOKAWA MARU carries 1,067 men, 11 vehicles, 5,506 bundles of supplies.
14 February 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
21 February 1943:
At 0700, YASUKUNI MARU departs Palau in a convoy also consisting of KIYOKAWA and UKISHIMA MARUs escorted by destroyer ISONAMI.
24 February 1943:
At 1220, arrives at Wewak. Disembarks troops.
25 February 1943:
At 0430, departs Wewak.
26 February 1943:
The convoy splits. YASUKUNI MARU steams to Palau, UKISHIMA MARU heads for Truk and KIYOKAWA MARU makes for Kure.
6 April 1943:
YASUKUNI MARU departs Woosung, (near Shanghai) in convoy SHI-2 also consisting of JUNPO, KINRYU, NARUTO, SEISHO and UNKAI
MARUs escorted by minelayer TAKASHIMA.
12 August 1943:
At 0730 (JST), YASUKUNI MARU departs Saeki for Palau in Military Movement No. 8’s convoy O-208 also consisting of FUKKAI, HIBI, MATSUE (SHOKO), MOJI,
SHICHISEI, UMEKAWA and YASUSHIMA MARUs
escorted by patrol boat PB-46, subchaser CH-11 and auxiliary minesweepers TAMA MARU and TAKUNAN MARU No. 3.
At 29N, TAKUNAN MARU and TAMA MARU No. 3 are detached to return to Saeki.
21 August 1943:
At 1320 (JST) arrives at Palau. Later, YASUKUNI MARU departs Palau for Rabaul, while FUKKAI, MOJI and YASUSHIMA MARUs depart for Wewak.
19 September 1943:
YASUKUNI MARU departs Palau in convoy "Wewak No. 9" also consisting of ADEN and TAISEI MARUs escorted by subchasers CH-26 and CH-32.
23 September 1943:
The convoy arrives at Wewak and unloads its cargo.
24 September 1943:
Departs Wewak.
27 September 1943:
On the return to Palau, convoy “Wewak No. 9” is attacked by USAAF North American B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers of the 3rd Bombardment Group that attack at
low level and sink TAISEI MARU in Victoria Bay off W Kairiru Island, New Guinea. Later that day, the convoy is joined by minelayer SHIRATAKA and subchaser CH-34 that escort the convoy back
to Palau. Subchasers CH-26 and CH-32 are detached.
30 November 1943:
At 0700, YASUKUNI MARU departs Palau for Saeki in convoy FU-008 also consisting of HAVRE, HOZUGAWA, IKOMA, MAYA, SHINRYU and
TESHIO MARUs and DAIGEN MARU No. 3 escorted by patrol boat PB-31.
4 December 1943:
High seas force TESHIO MARU to be detached for Manila.
9 December 1943:
Auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 8 joins the escort.
E 9 December 1943:
At 28N, minelayer YURIJIMA and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 8 join the escort of convoy FU-008 that is en route
to Saeki from Palau escorted by patrol boat PB-31.
10 December 1943:
At 1000, YURIJIMA is detached.
11 December 1943:
At 0100, arrives at Saeki.
21 December 1943:
At 0600, YASUKUNI MARU departs Saeki for Palau with escorting convoy No. O-106 consisting of CHIBURI, IKOMA, KOSEI, NICHIAI and UYO
MARUs escorted by light cruiser TAMA, patrol boat PB-31 and auxiliary subchaser TAMA MARU No. 6
Bungo Straits. At 1134, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Robert E. M. Ward‘s (USNA ‘35) USS SAILFISH (SS-192) torpedoes and sinks UYO MARU carrying 950 men of the 202nd Naval
Construction Unit. 192 construction men are KIA. The escorts counter-attack,
dropping 40 depth charges that slightly damage SAILFISH. At about 2200, the convoy returns to Saeki.
23 December 1943:
At 0600, the convoy again departs Saeki.
31 December 1943:
At 1730, arrives at Palau.
3 January 1944:
YASUKUNI MARU departs Palau for Hollandia and Wewak in convoy "Hollandia /Wewak No. 7" also consisting of IKOMA and KAYO
MARUs escorted by subchaser CH-32 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-10
En route, YASUKUNI and IKOMA MARUs are detached and escorted to Hollandia
by auxiliary subchaser CHa-10.
20 January 1944:
At 0800, YASUKUNI and IKOMA MARUs depart Palau for Hollandia "Wewak No. 8" escorted by subchaser CH-32 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-47. IKOMA MARU
is carrying a 611 man section of an Indian mixed brigade. She is also loaded with ammunition, gasoline, foodstuffs and mail for the brigade.
21 January 1944:
At 2137, Cdr (later Captain) Slade D. Cutter's (USNA ’35) USS SEAHORSE (SS-304) fires three torpedoes and scores hits on two ships. YASUKUNI MARU sinks at 03-25N, 137-06E.
62 troops and 6 crewmen are KIA.
SEAHORSE attacks IKOMA MARU again with four torpedoes, but all miss. At 2142, on Cutter's third attack, a torpedo hits IKOMA MARU in her number three hold which contains gasoline. KOMA MARU erupts in a brilliant sheet of flame and within minutes sinks by the stern also at 03-25N, 137-06E. 418 Indian soldiers and 43 crewmen are KIA.
Authors’ Notes:
[1] Not be be confused with IJN submarine tender YASUKUNI MARU (11,933-tons) or civilian cargo YASUKUNI MARU (5,794-tons).
[2] Oki is the unit code of the 17th Army in charge of the recapture of
Guadalcanal.
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.
Bob Hackett
Back to IJA Transports
