Japanese Army Tankers

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN!

(JUNO prewar, later YUNO MARU)

YUNO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2010-2016 Bob Hackett

E 1911:
Amsterdam, Netherlands. Laid down at Nederlandsch Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (N.S.M.) as 2,086 GRT tanker for Nederlandsch Indische Tankstoomboot (N.I.T.) Maatschappij of the Hague.
1912:
Launched and named JUNO.
November 1912:
Completed. Registered in Batavia, Java (Jakarta, Indonesia). Assigned call sign TCSV.
1912-1939:
In N.I.T’s service in Javaese waters.
1934:
Call sign changed to PKMQ. Chartered by Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd., London.
3 March 1935:
Departs Balikpapan, Borneo and makes stops at Tarakan, Borneo, Hong Kong and Fuzhou (Fuso).
24 March 1935:
Hong Kong. Takes on fresh water.
5 April 1935:
Stops for fresh water.
6 April 1935:
Stops for fresh water.
7 April 1935:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores. JUNO’s captain is arrested by Formosan (Japanese) military police on suspicion of an unknown violation by the ship.
9 April 1935:
Mako. IJN destroyer SHIMAKAZE “escorts” Dutch JUNO to Takao.
16 April 1935:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa. Berthed at Pier No. 9.
27 April 1935:
The Takao independent judiciary branch fines JUNO’s captain 2,000 Yen and orders the ship forfeited.
1 May 1935:
The verdict is appealed.
10 June 1935:
The Taipei branch judiciary decides to reduce the penalty to a fine of 500 Yen. The trial counsel does not appeal the decision.
E 1935:
Requisitioned by the Royal Netherlands Navy as an oiler and designated TAN 2.
8 December 1941:
The Pacific War begins.
2 March 1942:
Surabaya. Scuttled by her crew to avoid seizure by the Japanese.
1942:
Refloated at an unknown date, then undergoes repairs. Renamed YUNO MARU.
1 November 1942:
Departs Surabaya.
3 November 1942:
Arrives at Batavia (Jakarta).
6 November 1942:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army and alloted IJA No. 2053. Operation of the ship is contracted to Mitsubishi’s Ship Division.
10 November 1942:
Departs Batavia.
12 November 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
25 November 1942:
Departs Singapore.
27 November 1942:
Arrives at Palembang, Sumatra. Loads fuel. [1][2]
30 November 1942:
Departs Palembang.
7 December 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
21 December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
22 December 1942:
Arrives at Palembang,loads fuel and departs.
27 December 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
13 March 1943:
Arrives at Palembang,loads fuel and departs.
18 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
4 May 1943:
Arrives at Palembang,loads fuel and departs.
10 May 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
25 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
27 May 1943:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel and departs.
30 May 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
4 June 1943:
Departs Singapore.
6 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
8 June 1943:
Departs Palembang.
10 June 1943:
Arrives at Seletar Naval Base, Singapore. Discharges fuel oil.
15 June 1943:
Departs Seletar.
16 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
18 June 1943:
Departs Palembang.
20 June 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 June 1943:
Departs Singapore.
27 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
29 June 1943:
Departs Palembang.
1 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
8 July 1943:
Departs Singapore.
9 July 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
12 July 1943:
Departs Palembang.
14 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
20 July 1943:
Departs Singapore.
21 July 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
24 July 1943:
Departs Palembang.
25 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
1 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
3 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
4 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
6 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
14 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
15 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
17 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
19 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
25 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
27 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
31 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
7 September 1943:
Departs Singapore.
9 September 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
13 September 1943:
Departs Palembang.
15 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
23 September 1943:
Departs Singapore.
25 September 1943:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel and departs.
29 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
10 October 1943:
Departs Singapore.
12 October 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
13 October 1943:
Departs Palembang.
15 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
23 October 1943:
Departs Singapore.
25 October 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel oil.
26 October 1943:
Departs Palembang.
28 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
4 November 1943:
Departs Singapore.
5 November 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
8 November 1943:
Departs Palembang.
10 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
10 November 1943-23 January 1944:
Singapore. Probably undergoes repairs and maintenance.
23 January 1944:
Departs Singapore.
24 January 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
26 January 1944:
Departs Palembang.
29 January 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
4 February 1944:
Departs Singapore.
6 February 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
8 February 1944:
Departs Palembang.
10 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
February-March 1944:
Singapore. Probably undergoes repairs and maintenance.
6 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
7 April 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
11 April 1944:
Departs Palembang.
13 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
19 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
04.21 April 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
22 April 1944:
Departs Palembang.
24 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
30 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
3 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang, loads fuel and departs.
5 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
11 May 1944:
Departs Singapore.
13 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 May 1944:
Departs Palembang.
16 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
22 May 1944:
Departs Singapore.
24 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
25 May 1944:
Departs Palembang.
28 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
5 June 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
6 June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
8 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
13 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
15 June 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
17 June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
19 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
25 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
27 June 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
28 June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
1 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
9 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
11 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
12 July 1944:
Departs Palembang.
14 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
20 July 1944:
Departs Singapore.
21 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
22 July 1944:
Departs Palembang.
25 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel and departs.
3 August 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
4 August 1944:
Departs Palembang.
7 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
10/11 August 1944: "Operation Boomerang":
Fifty-four Boeing B-29 "Super Fortress” heavy bombers of the Twentieth Bomber Command’s 358th (Very Heavy) Bomb Wing at Chengtu, China stage through the newly completed and USAAF equipped 7,200-foot strip at RAF China Bay, Ceylon to make a night radar attack on the Pladjoe refinery at Palembang, the first since its capture. A dozen planes fail, for various reasons, to reach the target, but two bomb the secondary target of Pangkalanbrandan refinery, one an airdrome at Djambi, and 39 reach their primary targets. Part of the force mines the Musi River, through which all of Palembang's exports are shipped. The 3,855 air mile, 19 hour 40 minute flight from Ceylon to Palembang (4,030 to the Musi) and back are the longest single-stage flights made by USAAF combat aircraft in WWII.
Only 9 of the 444th Bomb Group's B-29's reach Palembang and are forced to bomb through heavy overcast over the target They drop 36 five-hundred lb. GP and 16 photo flash bombs. The results at Pladjoe are unobserved, but later deemed poor. The the 462nd Bomb Group's 8 minelaying B-29s have better luck. Dipping under the 1,000-foot ceiling to only 500 feet above the Musi River, they strafe Japanese ships and sow 16 mines - the first such use of B-29s. The "Hellbirds" claim three ships sunk and damage to two more and close the approach to the refinery for a month.
LtCdr D. S. R. Martin’s British submarine HMS TERRAPIN from Trincomalee, Ceylon, on patrol off the W coast of Sumatra, acts as a beacon for the B-29s proceeding towards Palembang and air/sea rescue, if needed. The British also set up an elaborate air-sea rescue force comprising submarines, a cruiser, destroyers, lighter vessels, and various aircraft types. One B-29 is lost because of fuel starvation and goes down at sea, 90 ninety miles off China Bay, Ceylon.
12 August 1944:
In the morning, planes and destroyer HMS REDOUBT home in on a "Gibson girl" signal from the B-29's life raft. One gunner was killed in the ditching, but the other crewmen are picked up.
24 August 1944:
Departs Singapore.
26 August 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
2 September 1944:
Departs Palembang.
4 September 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
9 September 1944:
Departs Singapore.
12 September 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
13 September 1944:
Departs Palembang.
16 September 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
20 September 1944:
Departs Singapore.
23 September 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
24 September 1944:
Departs Palembang.
26 September 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
1 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
3 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
4 October 1944:
Departs Palembang.
6 October 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
11 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
13 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 October 1944:
Departs Palembang.
16 October 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
20 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
22 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
24 October 1944:
Departs Palembang.
26 October 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
30 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
31 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
2 November 1944:
Departs Palembang.
5 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
10 November 1944:
Departs Singapore.
12 November 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
13 November 1944:
Departs Palembang.
15 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
20 November 1944: Operation "Robson":
Rear Admiral (later Admiral of the Fleet/Sir) Philip Vian’s British Task Force 67 launches an unsuccessful air strike on the Pangkalan Brandan refinery by carriers HMS INDOMITABLE and HMS ILLUSTRIOUS escorted by light cruisers HMS ARGONAUT, HMS BLACK PRINCE and HMS NEWCASTLE screened by destroyers HMS KEMPENFELT, HMS WAKEFUL, HMS WESSEX, HMS WHIRLWIND and HMS WRANGLER. Twenty-eight Grumman “Avengers”, 16 Grumman“Hellcats” and 16 Chance-Vought “Corsairs” attempt to attack the refinery, but because of bad weather over Pangkalan Brandan the planes have to divert to refineries, railway and harbor installations at Belewan Deli.
That same day, YUNO MARU departs Singapore.
23 November 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
24 November 1944:
Departs Palembang.
26 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 December 1944:
Departs Singapore.
5 December 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
6 December 1944:
Departs Palembang.
8 December 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
13 December 1944:
Departs Singapore.
14 December 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
17 December 1944:
Departs Palembang.
19 December 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
4 January 1945: Operation "Lentil":
Rear Admiral Vian’s Task Force 63’s launches a successful air strike on Pangkalan Brandan refinery by 92 “Avenger” and “Firefly” bombers escorted by “Hellcat” and “Corsair” fighters from HMS INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS and INDEFATIGABLE escorted by light cruisers HMS SUFFOLK, CEYLON, ARGONAUT and BLACK PRINCE and the 25th Flotilla's destroyers HMS GRENVILLE, UNDAUNTED, URSA, and UNDINE and the 27th Flotilla's destroyers WHELP and WAGER. Two aircraft are lost, but the crews are rescued. Heavy damage is inflicted on the refinery. About a dozen Japanese aircraft are shot down and about 20 are destroyed by strafing attacks on nearby airfields.
7 January 1945:
Departs Singapore.
24 January 1945: Operation “Meridian One”:
At 0600, Rear Admiral Vian’s Task Force 63’s launches a successful air strike on the oil refinery at Pladjoe, N of Palembang. The strike consists of 43 “Avengers” and 12 “Firefly” fighter-bombers armed with rockets escorted by 50 “Hellcat”, “Corsair” and “Seafire” fighters from HMS INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS and INDEFATIGABLE. 32 British aircraft are lost due to Japanese action and crash landings.
29 January 1945: Operation “Meridian Two”:
Task Force 63 launches a successful air strike on the oil refinery at Soengaierong (Sungei Gerong), Sumatra. The British claim 30 Japanese planes shot down in dog-fights and another 38 destroyed on the ground, for the loss of 16 British aircraft.
19 February 1945:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
23 February 1945:
Departs Palembang.
26 February 1945:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
March 1945:
Singapore. Undergoes repairs and maintenance.
3 April 1945:
Departs Singapore.
4 April 1945:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
15 April 1945:
Departs Palembang.
20 April 1945:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 April 1945:
Departs Singapore and arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel oil.
29 April 1945:
Departs Palembang for Singapore.
30 April 1945:
Berhala Strait, Sumatra. YUNO MARU strikes a naval mine and sinks at 00-58S, 104-31E. [3]
In the evening, after sailing toward an pillar of fire, USS BESUGO (SS-321) rescues a badly burned Japanese sailor, probably from YUNO MARU.

Authors' Notes:
[1] "Fuel" as used in this TROM means refined product such as various grades of naval fuel oil, diesel, aviation gasoline and automotive gasoline.
[2] The loading and discharging of fuel as used throughout the TROM is speculative, but highly probable.
[3] The mine probably was laid by USS GUITARRO (SS-363) on 20 Apr '45 or possibly Dutch submarine Hr.Ms. O-19 on 13 Apr '45.

- Bob Hackett

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