Japanese Destroyer Tenders

SUIRAI-BOKAN!

(KAMIKAZE MARU prewar)

KAMIKAZE MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2010-2020 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 7

31 July 1937:
Sakurajima. Laid down at Osaka Tekkosho Honsha Kojo K.K as a 4,916-ton cargo ship for Todai Kisen K. K., Osaka.
27 December 1937:
Launched and named KAMIKAZE MARU.
17 March 1938:
Completed and registered at Osaka with Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) of respectively 4,916-tons and 2,953-tons. Her Call sign is JZKL. [1]
15 May 1940:
Chartered by Yamashita Kisen K.K., Kobe.
1 August 1940:
Ownership is transferred to Yamashita Kisen K. K., Kobe.
1941:
Her GRT and NRT respectively change to 4,918-tons and 2,938-tons. [1]
3 June 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
29 July 1941:
Tokyo. Begins conversion at Uraga Dock Co.
15 August 1941:
Registered as an auxiliary torpedo boat tender attached to the Kure Naval District under instruction No. 936. Capt. Saito Naohiko is appointed Commanding officer.
30 September 1941:
The conversion is completed. Reassigned to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Nobutake Kondo’s Second Fleet.
1 October 1941:
Starts a supply mission between the homeland and Mako, Pescadores (now Magong, Penghu Islands, Taiwan).
15 October 1941:
Remains attached to the Combined Fleet Second Fleet.
3 January 1942:
Assigned to the Netherlands East Indies Campaign under Southern Unit wireless instruction No. 44.
11 January 1942:
Departs Mako for Davao, Philippines.
26 February 1942:
At 0700 departs Davao, Philippines in a convoy also consisting of oiler NOTORO and auxiliary transports SENKO and HAKONESAN MARUs escorted by minelayer TSUBAME.
28 February 1942:
At 1600, auxiliary transport HAKONESAN MARU detaches.
1 March 1942:
NOTORO transfers a passenger outside the harbor of Tarakan to auxiliary gunboat MANYO MARU. At 0830, arrives at Balikpapan with oiler NOTORO and auxiliary transport SENKO MARU escorted by minelayer TSUBAME. At 0918, TSUBAME comes alongside NOTORO and is supplied with coal and water. At 1030, departs in same convoy escorted by TSUBAME.
2 March 1942:
Arrives off Bandjarmasin, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Banjarmasin, Kalimantan, Indonesia).
11 March 1942:
Departs Bandjarmasin, Borneo with auxiliary oiler GENYO MARU and IJN auxiliary transport SENKO MARU escorted by minelayers TSUBAME and WAKATAKA.
12 March 1942:
Arrives at Macassar, Celebes, Netherlands East Indies (now Sulawesi, Indonesia) with auxiliary oiler GENYO MARU and IJN auxiliarry transport SENKO MARU escorted by minelayers TSUBAME and WAKATAKA. Refueled by auxiliary oiler AKEBONO MARU.
19 March 1942:
In the morning auxiliary oiler SAN CLEMENTE MARU provisions fresh food.
24 March 1942:
Departs on a supply mission towards Saipan, Marianas and Ponape, Carolines.
8 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
10 April 1942:
Rated as a Base Air Force Transport Unit.
14 April 1942:
Enters dry-dock at Kure.
22 April 1942:
Undocked.
27 April 1942:
Departs Kure.
28 April 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
30 April 1942:
At Kwajalein, Marshalls replenished with water by water tanker TAIHOZAN MARU.
May 1942:
Command changes to the Twenty-First Air Fleet Commander.
8 May 1942:
Departs Furue (Hiroshima) for a supply mission towards Saipan and Ponape.
20 May 1942:
Remains a Base Air Force Transport Unit.
5 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
12 July 1942:
Rerated an Advance Unit under Combined Fleet wireless order No. 181.
14 July 1942:
Reration as an Advance Unit confirmed under Advance Unit wireless command No. 1. Assigned to the 11th Seaplane Tender Division with seaplane carrier CHITOSE (F) and seaplane tender KAMIKAWA MARU.
16 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka on a supply mission to Kure.
17 July 1942:
At 1800 joins destroyer AMATSUKAZE escorting oiler NICHIEI MARU.
18 July 1942:
At 0700 the destroyer AMATSUKAZE begins escorting at 90 degrees and 10 nautical miles of the Katsuura Lighthouse. At 1230 off the coast of Minatomachi destroyer AMTSUKAZE ends escort. Arrives at Yokosuka later this day.
22 July 1942:
At 1000 departs Yokosuka for Kure on a replenishment mission escorted by destroyers YAMAKAZE and KAWAKAZE. After 1000 off the coast of Minatomachi the destroyers UMIKAZE and SUZUKAZE begin escorting.
23 July 1942:
At 0600 at 90 degrees and 15 nautical miles of Shionomisaki the destroyers UMIKAZE and SUZUKAZE are replaced by the destroyer SHIGURE.
28 July 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
1 August 1942:
Departs Kure.
10 August 1942:
Arrives at Kure. Remains an Advance Unit under Advance Unit wireless commands No. 8 and No. 18.
18 August 1942:
Departs Kure for Truk, Carolines.
27 October 1942:
At Roi, Marshalls takes on some cargo from IJN auxiliary transport NAGISAN MARU.
19 November 1942:
Receives Advance Unit wireles command No. 380:
Advance troops, electric power and destroyer ISONAMI on the port side should quickly be replenished according tot he commander of the Fourth Destroyer Squadron. 1 Weapons: amunition ship NICHII MARU supplies and if necessary by amunition ship NICHIRO MARU and destroyer tender KAMIKAZE MARU, destroyers URANAMI and SHIKINAMI each with three type 90 torpedoes. Supply ten lines of depth charges up to a total of sixteen lines. NICHIRO and KAMIKAZE MARUs should support the work of NICHII MARU. Lies next to auxiliary oiler KYOKUTO MARU, NICHII MARU and auxiliary oiler KENYO MARU.
Supplies the destroyer SAMIDARE with torpedoes.
20 November 1942:
At Truk supplies seven torpedoes to destroyer MURASAME and receives eleven torpedoes from ammunition ship NICHIRO MARU.
21 November 1942.
Continues munitioning warships. Transfers 10 depth charges to SHIKINAMI, 9 depth charges to SHIRAYUKI and 9 depth charges to URANAMI.
5 December 1942:
Captain Shibata Taki Saburo is appointed Commanding Officer.
15 December 1942:
Attached to the Combined Fleet.
16 ~ 31 December 1942:
Departs Truk.
28 December 1942:
At 1430 departs Truk escorted by destroyer SAMIDARE, presumably en route Truk-Kure.
29 December 1942:
At 0530 SAMIDARE ceases escort.
4 January 1943:
Minelayer NATSHUSHIMA arrives and escorts KAMIKAZE MARU north.
E 5 January 1943:
NATSUSHIMA detaches off Fukajima.
6 January 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
19 January 1943:
Enters dry-dock.
22 January 1943:
Undocked.
9 February 1943:
Departs Kure. CH-36 and cable-mine layer escort TSURUSHIMA join KAMIKAZE MARU off Mizunoko Lighthouse and escort her south.
E 10 February 1943:
The escorts are detached at the 90 degrees line off Toi Misaki.
27 February 1943:
Receives advance Unit wireless command No. 144:
1 The destroyers MURASAME and MINEGUMO should transfer compensatory weight to KAMIKAZE MARU as soon as the depth charge is installed.
2 KAMIKAZE MARU should store the right compensation weight for the time being.
11 April 1943:
Receives Advance Unit wireless command No. 216:
Until the special order is given each destroyer will off load one torpedo and overload 10 depth charges tomorrow morning. For this the Ammunition ship KOGYO MARU supports the Second Destroyer Squadrons and KAMIKAZE MARU supports the Fourth Destroyer Squadron.
15 May 1943:
Receives Advance Unit wireless command No. 284:
KAMIKAZE MARU supplies newly adjusted torpedoes. Badly or unadjusted torpedoes should be exchanged. Supply 8 to the destroyer ONAMI as soon as possible and 4 to the destroyers SHIGURE and ARIAKE tomorrow.
9 June 1943:
Receives Advance Unit wireless command No. 313:
The light cruisers JINTSU and NAGARA should each send a large boat to load cargo for transportation to the Marshall Islands. For NAGARA and JINTSU one each from ammunition ship NICHII MARU 3 days from June 12th.
4 July 1943:
Supplies 10 type 95 depth charges to the destroyer SHIGURE.
6 July 1943:
Receives Eastern Force wireless command No. 16:
Regarding the supply of food, canteen good etc. Light cruiser NAGARA and the destroyers SHIGURE and KAWAKAZE are loaded with supplies for the 22nd Carrier Division as much as possible (partially added by the Fourth Demand Department and light cruiser JINTSU). Sentai 3, repair ship AKASHI and destroyer tender KAMIKAZE MARU shall each dispatch one daihatsu for loading food.
At 0800 at Truk supplies destroyer SHIGURE and repair ship AKASHI supplies destroyer KAWAKAZE.
7 July 1943:
At 0530 sentai 3, repair ship, AKASHI and KAMIKAZE MARU supply light cruiser NAGARA.
19 July 1943:
Attached to the Mobile Task Force under Combined Fleet wireless order No. 638. Attachment to the Mobile Task Force confirmed under Mobile Taks Force wireless order No. 96.
20 July 1943:
Detached from the Advanve Unit under Advance Unit wireless command No. 246.
13 August 1943:
Attached to the Advance Unit from 16 August 1943 under Andavance Unit wireless command No. 251.
15 August 1943:
Attached to the Assault Unit from 16 August 1943 under Assault Unit wireless command No. 1.
8 September 1943:
Supports Guadalcanal Special Forces Transport Convoy.
26 September 1943:
Oil Engine repairs.
5 October 1943:
Engine repairs completed.
October 1943:
KAMIKAZE MARU is re-rated a transport.
1 November 1943:
Receives Combined Fleet wireless command No. 784:
Assigned to sail to Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands, Australia (now Papua New Guinea) in convoy “Tei No. 4” under command of the 14th Squadron Commander. After arriving at Rabaul KAMIKAZE MARU transfers to the Southeast Area Fleet.
3 November 1943:
At 0430, departs Truk in the 3rd echelon of convoy “Tei No. 4” consisting also of auxiliary transport HIE MARU and auxiliary ammunition ship NICHII MARU escorted by DesDiv 4 destroyers NOWAKI, MAIKAZE and YAMAGUMO.
4 November 1943:
At 1759, HIE MARU avoids a torpedo attack at 00-45N, 152-05E.
5 November 1943:
An air attack occurs at 01-05N, 151-15E. The ships are undamaged, but turn back to Truk.
7 November 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Truk.
14 November 1943:
Arrives at Kure for start of resupply missions between the homeland and Truk. Departs later this day for Truk.
23 November 1943:
Attached to Assault Unit under Assault Unit command No. 23.
26 November 1943:
Receives Combined Fleet wireless order No. 833:
Assigned to join the Assault Unit under the command of the commander of the Inland South Sea Area Unit.
30 December 1943:
At 1520, KAMIKAZE MARU departs Shanghai in convoy MO-006 consisting of NARUTO, WAZAN, NISSHO, MISHIMA and KORYU MARUs escorted by minesweeper W-15.
3 January 1944:
At 0855, arrives at Sasebo.
24 January 1944:
In dock for repairs at the Kizugawa dock . After completing repairs departs on a supply mission.
10 February 1944:
Receives Assault wireless command No. 49:
Assigned with ammunition ship NICHIRO MARU, fleet oiler SATA and auxiliary oiler HISHI MARU No. 2 to make a round voyage from Truk to Palau.
Destroyer HAMANAMI takes command and leaves the escort to the commander of the the Second Maritime Escort Corps.
11 February 1944:
Receives the Second Maritime Escort Corps wireless command No. 48:
The captain of the KAMIKAZE MARU commands convoy No. 725 (sic for 7125) consisting of auxilary transport KAMIKAZE MARU, ammunition ship NICHIRO MARU, fleet oiler SATA, auxiliary oiler HISHO MARU No. 2 and auxiliary stores ship KITAKAMI MARU escorted by destroyer HAMANAMI. HAMANAMI operates between Truk and Palau as commander of the auxiliary subchaser CH-30 and the auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 5 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 2. The convoy is scheduled to depart Truk at 1200 on 12 February 1943 and to arrive at Palau at 1300 on 18 February 1943.
12 February 1944:
KAMIKAZE MARU departs Truk for Palau in convoy No. 7125 consisting of fleet oiler SATA, tanker HISHI MARU No. 2, ammunition ship NICHIRO MARU and stores ship KITAKAMI MARU escorted by destroyer HAMANAMI, subchaser CH-30 and auxiliary subchasers TAKUNAN MARU No. 2 and SHONAN MARU No. 5.
17 February 1944:
150 miles NE of Palau. At about 2200, LtCdr Philip W. Garnett's USS SARGO (SS-188) intercepts convoy 7125. Garnett fires eight torpedoes at SATA and gets only one hit, but it disables the oiler. At 2206, he fires two torpedoes that hit ammunition ship NICHIRO MARU. She explodes and sinks immediately.
At 2235, USN codebreakers at Fleet Radio Unit, Melbourne, Australia (FRUMEL) intercept and decode a message from KAMIKAZE MARU that reads "At 2202 in 08-50N, 135-40E attacked by 2 enemy submarines. NICHIRO MARU hit and sunk. Convoy retiring to northwest whilst escorts are pressing home attack on submarines."
19 February 1944:
At 0905, arrives at Palau. That same day, she is rerated an auxliary transport ship for raw food supplement products. That same day KAMIKAZE MARU receives fresh provisions from stores ship KITAKAMI MARU.
11 March 1944:
Palau. KAMIKAZE MARU receives fresh food provisions from stores ship KITAKAMI MARU.
30 March 1944: American Operation “Desecrate One” :
Palau, Carolines. The anchorage is attacked by F6F "Hellcats", SBD "Dauntless", TBF "Avenger" and SB2C "Helldiver" carrier aircraft from Task Group 58. 1's USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), USS BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) and USS COWPENS (CVL-25), TG 58. 2's USS BUNKER HILL (CV-17), USS HORNET (CV-12), USS MONTEREY (CVL-26) and USS CABOT (CVL-28) and TG 58. 3's USS YORKTOWN (CV-10), USS LEXINGTON (CV-16), USS PRINCETON (CVL-23) and USS LANGLEY (CVL-27).
Urukhapel Island, Malakai Harbor, Palaus. At 0945, six SB2Cs from USs BUNKER HILL bomb KAMIKAZE MARU with eight 1,000-lb and eight 500-lb. bombs. She is hit forward of the bridge and amidships and suffers three near-misses. Fires break out. Underway at three knots, KAMIKAZE MARU comes to a stop. Between 1414 and 1430, KAMIKAZE MARU is attacked by TBFs from BUNKER HILL and hit by rockets. Later, KAMIKAZE MARU sinks in about 115 feet of water at 07-30N, 134-30E.
31 March 1944:
Operation "Desecrate One" concludes. It accounts for 36 Japanese vessels sunk or damaged.
10 May 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Note:
[1] NRT is a ship's cargo volume capacity expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3). It is calculated by subtracting non-revenue-earning spaces i.e. spaces not available for carrying cargo, for example engine rooms, fuel tanks and crew quarters, from the ship's gross register tonnage (GRT). Net register tonnage (NRT) is not a measure of the weight of the ship or its cargo, and should not be confused with terms such as deadweight tonnage or displacement.
Special thanks go to Hans Mcilveen of the Netherlands for info on FRUMEL intercepts.
Thanks to the late John Whitman of Va, USA, Gilbert Casse of France, Berend van der Wal of Netherlands and also Gengoro Toda of Japan for info about supply ship KITAKAMI MARU.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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