Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

(AKATSUKI MARU prewar)

IJN AKATSUKI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement © 2010-2011 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

E 1937:
Aioi. Laid down at Harima Zosen as a 10,216-ton oil tanker for Nippon Suisan Kaisha (Japan Line) Ltd.
20 August 1938:
Launched and named AKATSUKI MARU.
1 October 1938:
Completed and placed in service on Nippon Suisan Kaisha's California route. [1]
1940:
Engages in transporting oil from Tarakan, Borneo and Okha, North Sakhalin to Japan.
17 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
18 November 1941:
Arrives at Kure. Undergoes conversion to an auxiliary oiler.
10 December 1941:
Departs Kure.
16 May 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
17 May 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
25 May 1942:
Arrives Palembang, Sumatra. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
29 May 1942:
Departs Palembang.
30 May 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
2 June 1942:
Departs Singapore.
3 June 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
7 June 1942:
Departs Palembang.
8 June 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
10 June 1942:
Departs Singapore.
11 June 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
15 June 1942:
Departs Palembang.
16 June 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
19 June 1942:
Departs Singapore.
20 June 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
23 June 1942:
Departs Palembang.
24 June 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
29 June 1942:
Departs Singapore.
4 July 1942:
Arrives at Takao and departs later that day.
6 July 1942:
Arrives at Shimotsu carrying 15,911-tons of crude oil and refined fuel oil.
14 July 1942:
Departs Shimotsu and later that day arrives Kure.
21 July 1942:
Departs Kure. Transits south through the Bungo Straits.
29 July 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
2 August 1942:
Departs Palembang.
3 August 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
6 August 1942:
Departs Singapore.
7 August 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
11 August 1942:
Departs Palembang.
12 August 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
16 August 1942:
Departs Singapore.
17 August 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
20 August 1942:
Departs Palembang.
21 August 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
25 August 1942:
Departs Singapore.
2 September 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
8 September 1942:
Departs Dairen.
16 September 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
19 September 1942:
Departs Palembang.
20 September 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
24 September 1942:
Departs Singapore.
25 September 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
27 September 1942:
Departs Palembang.
28 September 1942:
Arrives at Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
3 October 1942:
Departs Singapore.
11 October 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
1 November 1942:
Departs Shanghai.
7 November 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of oil.
11 November 1942:
Departs Palembang.
12 November 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
15 November 1942:
Departs Singapore.
26 November 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai carrying 10,000-tons of crude oil and refined fuel oil and 6,000 tons of aviation gasoline.
28 November 1942:
Departs Shanghai.
4 December 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
11 December 1942:
Departs Palembang.
12 December 1942:
Arrives at Pulau Bukum, Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
15 December 1942:
Departs Pulau Bukum.
16 December 1942:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of oil.
18 December 1942:
Departs Palembang.
19 December 1942:
Arrives at Pulau Sambu near Singapore.
21 December 1942:
Departs Pulau Sambu.
30 December 1942:
Arrives at Shimotsu carrying 15,000-tons of crude oil and refined fuel oil.
3 January 1943:
Departs Shimotsu.
4 January 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
9 January 1943:
Departs Kure.
17 January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of oil.
21 January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
22 January 1943:
Arrives at Pulau Sambu near Singapore.
23 January 1943:
Departs Pulau Sambu.
1 February 1943:
Arrives at Genzan.
4 February 1943:
Departs Genzan.
9 February 1943:
Arrives at Dairen, Manchuria carrying 15,950-tons of crude oil and refined fuel oil.
13 February 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
17 February 1943:
Departs Palembang.
18 February 1943:
Arrives at Pulau Sambu near Singapore. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
20 February 1943:
Departs Pulau Sambu, Singapore
2 March 1943:
Arrives at Shinotsu.
5 March 1943:
Departs Shimotsu.
6 March 1943:
At 0800 arrives at Kure.
10 March 1943:
Departs Kure.
19 March 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya.
23 March 1943:
AKATSUKI MARU departs Surabaya, Java for Balikpapan, Borneo escorted by subchaser CH-2.
28 March 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan. Probably loads a cargo of crude oil.
30 March 1943:
Departs Balikpapan.
1 April 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya.
4 April 1943:
At 1100 departs Surabaya. Probably discharges her cargo of crude oil.
6 April 1943:
At 1300, scheduled to arrive Balikpapan.
18 April 1943:
Departs Balikpapan.
27 April 1943:
Arrives at Dairen.
3 May 1943:
Departs Dairen.
7 May 1943:
Arrives Kobe and departs later that day.
8 May 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
14 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
16 May 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
17 May 1943:
Departs Kure.
19 May 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
24 May 1943:
At 0900, AKATSUKI MARU, in ballast, departs Sasebo for Takao, Formosa escorted by minelayer HIRASHIMA.
28 May 1943:
About 270 miles NW of Naha, Okinawa. At 1350, LtCdr Anthony H. Dropp's USS SAURY (SS-189) attacks unescorted AKATSUKI MARU, but she evades the torpedoes. SAURY conducts three more attacks over a period of about three hours. She scores four hits on AKATSUKI MARU that sinks at 0100 the next day at 27-40N, 125-55E. 37 crewmen are lost. [2]
30 June 1943:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Notes:
[1] Completed 31 October 1938 according to other sources.
[2] AKATSUKI’s outbound destination was Balikpapen, Borneo. 27 crewmen were lost according to other sources.
Thanks for assistance goes to Sander Kingsepp of Estonia.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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