ZATSUYOSEN!

(ANSHU MARU prewar)

IJN ANSHU MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement


© 2011 Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

18 Jan 1937:
Uraga. Laid down by Uraga Senkyo K.K. Kojo shipyard as a 2,601-ton cargo ship for Chosen Yusen K.K., Jinsen.

8 May 1937:
Launched and named ANSHU MARU.

31 August 1937:
Completed. Her registered port is Jinsen, Chosen (now Korea). Her net registered tonnage is 1,469-tons.

E 1940:
Her net registered tonnage is changed to 1,465-tons.

23 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.

10 December 1941:
Registered in the IJN under internal order No. 1624 and attached to the Sasebo Naval District as an auxiliary gunboat. Her home port is Sasebo.

31 December 1941:
Attached to the Chinkai Guard District under IJN secret instruction No. 28 as auxiliary gunboat in Chinkai Guard Force.

7 January 1942:
Arrives at Chinkai.

15 January 1942:
Attached to Chinkai Guard District in Chinkai Guard Force and assigned under Navy’s secret instruction No. 32 to screen maritime traffic in the Tsushima Straits.

1 February 1942:
Attached to the 2nd Watch Boat Division under Navy’s No. 195 order. That same day, ANSHU MARU is attached to the Yokosuka Naval District with Yokosuka as home port, under Navy’s No. 198 order and assigned to Fifth Fleet, 2nd Watch Boat Division.

E February 1942:
Operates as a picket boat between a Chinkai ~ Yokosuka line. That same month, her net registered tonnage is changed to 1,456-tons.

17 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Ru-O Patrol Area.

2 March 1942:
Departs the area.

6 March 1942:
Arrives at Kushiro, Hokkaido.

14 March 1942:
Departs Kushiro for patrol area.

18 March 1942:
Arrives at patrol area. Departs later for Kushiro.

28 March 1942:
Arrives at Kushiro.

4 April 1942:
Departs Kushiro for patrol area.

8 April 1942:
Arrives at patrol area.

17 April 1942:
Departs patrol area for Kushiro.

22 April 1942:
Arrives at Kushiro.

27 April 1942:
Departs Kushiro.

12 May 1942:
About 200 nms E Chiba Prefecture, Honshu. ANSHU MARU conducts an antisubmarine action and drops four depth charges at 35-28N, 145-45E. Later that same day, drops five depth charges at 35-45N, 145-21E with inconclusive results.

14 May 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

24 May 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.

12 June 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

18 June 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.

8 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

18 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.

1 August 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

12 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.

30 August 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

11 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.

25 September 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Probably undergoes maintenance and repairs.

31 October 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.

16 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

25 November 1942:
Assigned to the Fifth Fleet, 22th Squadron, 2nd Watch Boat Division.

27 November 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.

14 December 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

14 January 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.

30 January 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

17 February 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.

6 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

19 March 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.

6 April 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

26 April 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.

5 May 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

25 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Paramushiro, Kouriles.

31 May 1943:
Arrives at Paramushiro and remains at anchor there ‘til 20 Jul.

20 July 1943:
Nighttime. Departs Paramushiro for Yokosuka.

27 July 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Transfers later to Yokohama.

9 August 1943:
Departs Yokohama.

5 September 1943:
Arrives at Yokohama.

30 September 1943:
Departs Yokohama.

12 October 1943:
Arrives at Yokohama.

29 October 1943:
Departs Yokohama.

18 November 1943:
Arrives at Yokohama.

20 December 1943:
Removed from the 2nd Watch Boat Division under internal order No. 2750. Released that same day under internal order No. 2751 but re-requisitioned and re-registered under internal order No. 2752. Attached to the Yokosuka Naval District as an auxiliary transport, (Otsu) category. Her home port is Yokosuka. [1]

25 January 1944:
Yokohama. Completes repairs at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipyard.

26 January 1944:
Departs Yokohama and arrives that same day at Tokyo.

27 January 1944:
Departs Tokyo arriving later that day at Yokohama.

5 February 1944:
Departs Yokohama.

10 February 1944:
Arrives at Moji.

13 February 1944:
Departs Moji for Miike.

15 February 1944:
Arrives at Miike.

16 February 1944:
Departs Miike for Naha, Okinawa.

21 February 1944:
Arrives at Naha.

26 February 1944:
Departs Naha for Kirun, Formosa (now Keelung, Taiwan).

29 February 1944:
Arrives at Kirun.

2 March 1944:
Departs Kirun for Takao (now Kaohsiung).

5 March 1944:
Arrives at Takao.

11 March 1944:
Departs Takao for Manila, Luzon, Philippines in convoy TAMA-10 also consisting of tanker SAN PEDRO MARU and passenger/cargo MITO, KURAMASAN, ATLAS, BANSHU and SHINKYO MARUs escorted by auxiliary subchasers CHa-45, CHa-55, CHa-70, HINODE MARU No. 15 and MISAGO MARU No. 2.

14 March 1944:
Arrives at Manila.

20 March 1944:
At 0630, departs Manila for Kau Bay, Halmahera Island, Moluccas in convoy H-22 also consisting of KUNIKAWA, SHINKYO, ATLAS, TOYOOKA, BENGAL, KURAMASAN and MITO MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HAYABUSA and minesweeper W-30.

23 March 1944:
Zamboanga Sea. At about 1530, auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 12 joins the escort and W-30 is detached.

24 March 1944:
At 1430, as planned KUNIKAWA MARU is detached from the convoy and proceeds independently to Balikpapan Bay, Borneo arriving later that day.

About 28 nms E of Cape Chinaka, SE Mindanao, Philippines. LtCdr (later Cdr) Walter T. Griffith’s (USNA’34) USS BOWFIN (SS-287) makes radar contact with the convoy. At 2348, Griffith’s first salvo scores two hits on BENGAL MARU at 05-38N, 125-58E. In addition to her 54 crewmen, the transport is carrying 262 soldiers, 150 Formosans attached to a military labor unit and 54 other passengers. BENGAL MARU sinks rapidly taking down with her 41 crewmen, four gunners and 161 passengers.

At 2353, Griffith torpedoes the third ship and hits SHINKYO MARU at 05-37N, 125-58E. Awash from stern to bridge, SHINKYO MARU sinks in three minutes taking down with her 12 crewmen and 49 passengers.

25 March 1944:
Arrives at Davao.

1 April 1944:
Departs Davao for Kau. HINO MARU No. 1 joins the convoy.

3 April 1944:
Arrives at Kau.

11 April 1944:
Departs Kau for Biak, Schouten Islands, N.E.I.

14 April 1944:
Arrives at Biak.

15 April 1944:
Departs Biak for Manokwari, New Guinea.

16 April 1944:
Arrives at Manokwari.

19 April 1944:
At 0555, departs Manokwari for Kau in convoy also consisting of TENSHO MARU, escorted by minelayer WAKATAKA and minesweeper W-4.

20 April 1944:
Arrives at Kabui Bay, West Papua (now Teluk Kabui, Indonesia) enclosed by Gam and Waigeo Islands.

21 April 1944:
Departs Kabui Bay for Kau.

23 April 1944:
Arrives at Kau.

27 April 1944:
Departs Kau for Biak.

1 May 1944:
Arrives at Biak.

3 May 1944:
Departs Biak arriving that same day at Manokwari.

4 May 1944:
Departs Manokwari for Kau.

7 May 1944:
Arrives at Kau.

20 May 1944:
Departs Kau.

24 May 1944:
Arrives at Kau.

28 May 1944:
Departs Kau for Borneo.

29 May 1944:
About 19 nms SSW of Kaburuang Island, N Celebes (now Pulau Kaburuang, Indonesia). LtCdr Willard R. Laughon’s (USNA’33) USS RASHER (SS-269) makes radar contact with the transport. At 2130, Laughon torpedoes and hits ANSHU MARU at 03-40N, 126-58E. ANSHU MARU floods gradually and sinks the following day at 0210 with no casualties.

10 July 1944:
Removed from the Navy List under internal order No. 855.

Authors Notes:
[1] There were two categories of Zatsuyosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.

Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

Photo credit goes to Erich Muelthaler of Germany

-Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

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