© 2008-2011 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 3
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.
30 January 1940:
Departs Kobe for Saigon and Bangkok.
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 an auxiliary cruiser in the Kure Naval District.
29 August 1941:
Hiroshima. BANGKOK MARU undergoes conversion to an armed merchant cruiser (AMC) at Ujina Zosen. Four 120-mm (4.7-inch) single mount guns and one 7.7-mm machine gun are fitted. Provisions are made for carrying and launching 500 mines.
12 October 1941:
The conversion is completed.
4 December 1941:
At 0700, departs Saeki to lay defensive minefields in the Bungo Suido (Strait) with AMC's KINJOSAN and SAIGON MARUs. Lays Mines in Area No. 7.
6 December 1941:
Again departs Saeki to lay defensive minefields in the Bungo Suido with AMC's KINJOSAN and SAIGON MARUs. Lays mines in Area No. 8
7 December 1941:
At 1000, departs Saeki to lay defensive minefields in the Bungo Suido with AMC's KINJOSAN and SAIGON MARUs. Lays mines in Area No. 11.
9 December 1941:
At 0630, departs Saeki to lay defensive minefields in the Bungo Suido with AMC's KINJOSAN and SAIGON MARUs. Lays mines in Area No. 10. Later that day, arrives at Kure.
11 December 1941:
At 0625, departs Saiki to lay defensive minefields in the Bungo Suido with AMC's KINJOSAN and SAIGON MARUs. Lays mines in Area No. 12.
16 January 1942:
Departs Kure.
21 December 1941:
Departs Kashima Wan and sails north escorted by Minelayers NATSUSHIMA, NASAMI, KUROKAMI and KATASHIMA.
29 December 1941:
At 1000, arrives at Yuranai.
31 December 1941:
Departs Yuranai to lay defensive minefields in the Bungo Suido with AMC's KINJOSAN and SAIGON MARUs. Lays mines in Area No.1.
3 January 1942:
At 0800, arrives Kure.
21 February 1942:
Departs Saeki escorted by minelayers NATSUSHIMA, KUROKAMI and KATASHIMA and Tug EISEN No. 13. Later that day arrives at Motoura.
5 April 1942:
Arrives at Sukumo.
6 April 1942:
At 1130, arrives at Saeki.
9 April 1942:
Departs Sukumo.
10 April 1942:
At 0930, arrives at Susaki.
12 April 1942:
Departs Susaki.
13 April 1942:
At 1930, departs Saeiki escorted by patrol boat PB-2 and OSEI MARU.
17 April 1942:
At 0500, departs Saeki. At 1700, arrives at Susaki.
19 April 1942:
At 1300, departs Saeki for Kushimoto.
20 April 1942:
At 1030, arrives at Kushimoto.
29 April 1942:
At 1400, departs Kushimoto.
17 April 1942:
Departs Saeki.
22 April 1942:
Arrives at Kushimoto.
29 April 1942:
Departs Kushimoto.
30 April 1942:
Arrives at Saeki.
9 May 1942:
At 0530, departs Sukumo.
13 May 1942:
At 0730, departs Satsuki for Saeki.
19 May 1942:
At 1240, departs Saeki. At 1715, arrives at Sukumo.
24 May 1942:
At 0345, departs Sukumo. At 1100, arrives at Saeki.
1 June 1942:
At 1011, departs Saeki. At 1745, arrives at Sukumo.
14 June 1942:
Departs Sukumo and later that day arrives at Saeki.
24 June 1942:
At 1600, arrives at Saeki.
14 July 1942:
At 0800, arrives at Saeki.
17 July 1942:
At 1100, arrives at Innoshima.
26 July 1942:
At 0830, departs Innoshima. At 1530, arrives at Kure.
12 September 1942:
At 0730, departs Nagahama. At 1505, arrives at Saeki.
26 September 1942:
At 0830 departs Saeki.
October 1942:
Lays a field of 200 Type 93 mines NE of Hakuoto Lighthouse.
5 October 1942:
At 1500, departs Saeki.
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.
E 4 January 1943:
At 29-30N, 133-38E, met by subchaser CH 37.
6 January 1943:
Off Fukajima. CH 37 is detached.
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.
E 30 March 1943:
In convoy with AMC SAIGON MARU met at 28-00N, 134-32E by torpedo boat HATO.
1 April 1943:
Off Fukajima. HATO is detached.
3 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
27 April 1943:
Departs Kure.
1 May 1943:
Departs Ujina for Yokosuka.
4 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Truk in an unidentified convoy consisting of BANGKOK MARU and storeship MAMIYA escorted by destroyer IKAZUCHI. BANGKOK MARU 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. Thanks also go to Peter Cundall of Australia for info in Rev 3.
- Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
