© 2008-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
11 November 1936:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi's shipyard as a 5,351-ton cargo ship for Osaka Shosen K.K., (O.S.K) Osaka.
30 March 1937:
Launched and named BANGKOK MARU.
20 September 1937:
Completed. Departs Kobe for Bangkok on her maiden voyage. Arrives eight days later, shortening the conventional cruising time of 13 days.
1937-1941:
In service on O. S. K’s Japan, Saigon, Bangkok route. Makes one voyage every three weeks.
15 August 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN. Registered as a specially installed cruiser in the Kure Naval District.
29 August 1941:
Hiroshima. BANGKOK MARU undergoes conversion to an armed merchant cruiser at Ujina Zosen. Four 120-mm (4.7-inch) single mount guns, one 7.7-mm machine gun are fitted. Provisions for carrying and launching 500 mines are made.
12 October 1941:
The conversion is completed.
9 December 1941:
Departs Saeki.
9 January 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
16 January 1942:
Departs Kure.
5 April 1942:
Arrives at Sukumo.
9 April 1942:
Departs Sukumo.
10 April 1942:
Arrives at Susaki.
12 April 1942:
Departs Susaki.
13 April 1942:
Arrives at Saeki.
17 April 1942:
Departs Saeki.
22 April 1942:
Arrives at Kushimoto.
29 April 1942:
Departs Kushimoto.
30 April 1942:
Arrives at Saeki.
24 May 1942:
Departs Sukumo and later that day arrives at Saeki.
14 June 1942:
Departs Sukumo and later that day arrives at Saeki.
5 October 1942:
Departs Saiki.
27 October 1942:
Arrives at Saeki.
27 November 1942:
Departs Saeki.
28 November 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
7 December 1942:
Departs Kure for Yokosuka with seaplane carrier NISSHIN.
10 December 1942:
BANGKOK MARU departs Yokosuka for Truk as part of No. 1 Go convoy consisting of TATSUTAKE, YAMAFUKU and FLORIDA MARUs and possibly others escorted by seaplane carrier NISSHIN and probably others.
15 December 1942:
Arrives at Truk. BANGKOK MARU is detached from the convoy.
22 December 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul from Truk and discharges troops and cargo.
7 January 1943:
Arrives at Saeki.
20 February 1943:
Arrives at Kobe.
21 February 1943:
Departs Kobe with sister SAIGON MARU.
22 February 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
28 February 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Truk carrying troops with SAIGON MARU and carrier CHUYO (acting as a ferry) escorted by DesDiv 31/2nd section's destroyers KIYONAMI and ONAMI.
8 March 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
12 March 1943:
Departs Truk for Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands with SAIGON MARU escorted by KIYONAMI and ONAMI.
17 March 1943:
Arrives at Betio, Tarawa. Disembarks troops.
20 March 1943:
Departs Tarawa.
27 March 1943:
Arrives at Saipan.
3 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
1 May 1943:
Departs Ujina for Yokosuka.
4 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka in an unidentified convoy for Truk escorted by destroyer IKAZUCHI. Carries about 1,200 troops.
12 May 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
16 May 1943:
Departs Truk transporting the troops to Tarawa, Gilbert Islands in an unidentified convoy escorted by IKAZUCHI.
20 May 1943:
SE of Jaluit Atoll, Marshall Islands. At about 1500, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen’s USS POLLOCK (SS-180) fires four torpedoes and claims three hits that blow the stern off BANGKOK MARU. She sinks at 06-47N, 169-42E. 496 troops and six crewmen are lost. POLLOCK is damaged by depth charges during counterattacks by what Lewellen describes as a "CHIDORI-class" torpedo boat, but remains on patrol. Destroyer IKAZUCHI rescues BANGKOK MARU's survivors and lands them on Jaluit where they remain for the rest of the war.
15 July 1943:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Note:
Thanks go Allan Alsleben of Oregon.
- Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
