KOSEKI UMPANSEN
(Japanese wartime ore carrier by Ueda Kihachiro)
BATOPAHAT MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2011-2017 Bob Hackett
Revision 1
Yokohama. Laid down at Nippon Kokan K.K. (Asano DY) as a 5,954-ton ore carrier)
for Nippon Kaiun K. K., Tokyo.
1943:
Launched and named BATOPAHAT MARU.
September 1943:
Completed.
8 March 1944:
DAIZEN MARU departs Moji in convoy MOTA-09 also consisting of liner TEIRITSU MARU (ex-French LECONTE DE LISLE) and cargo ships BATOPAHAT, TAKETOYO, HAMBURG, KYOKUZAN, MATSUE, MURORAN, CHUYO, BUNZAN, TAIYU, SHOEI MARUs, HINO MARU No. 1 and tankers OGURA MARU No. 2 and SAN LUIS MARU escorted by destroyer WAKATAKE and patrol boat PB-38. Later that day, arrives at Tomie Bay, Goto Retto, Fukue-Jima.
9 March 1944:
Convoy MOTA-09 departs Tomie Bay for Takao.
E 10 March 1944:
Patrol boat PB-38 joins the escort of MOTA-09.
11 March 1944:
CHUYO MARU No. 2 develops engine trouble. At 0950,
PB-38 is detached to find her, but is unsuccessful and later rejoins the convoy.
13 March 1944:
At 1844, an enemy submarine is detected at 25-58N,
121-34E. The escorts drop 50 depth charges and drive it off.
14 March1944:
PB-38 detects another enemy submarine and drives it
away by dropping three depth charges. Convoy MOTA-09 arrives at Mako.
15 February 1944:
Departs Mako. At 1845, arrives at Takao.
22 August 1944:
At 1410, BATOPAHAT MARU departs Takao for Manila in
convoy TAMA-24 also consisting of HIDA, KOTOKU, TEIHOKU (ex-French PERSEE),
RAKUTO, GENKAI and MANSHU MARUs and tankers TACHIBANA and YAMAMIZU MARU No. 2
and an unidentified ship, probably YUKIKAWA MARU escorted by kaibokan YASHIRO,
CD-8, CD-25 and CD-32, torpedo boat HATO and minesweepers W-38 and W-39.
BATOPAHAT MARU carries 480 troops of unknown units, weapons and war
supplies.
25 August 1944:
GENKAI MARU and CD-25 are detached for Pasaleng Bay to
offload five MTB's from the deck of damaged HAKKO MARU No. 2 sheltering in the
bay with destroyer YUNAGI. YUNAGI is detached and joins TAMA-24.
At 1024, Cdr (later Vice Admiral) Glynn R. Donaho's (USNA '27) USS PICUDA
(SS-382) torpedoes and sinks KOTOKU MARU at 18-42N, 120-49E. 16 men are KIA. At
1026, in the same position, Donaho torpedoes and sinks YUNAGI as the destroyer
attempts a counter-attack.
Off Cape Bojeador, Luzon. At 1325, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Louis
D. McGregor's (USNA '30) USS REDFISH (SS-395) torpedoes and sinks BATOPAHAT MARU
at 18-31N, 120-32E. 17 crewmen and an unknown number of passengers are KIA.
Author's Note:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany for additional info on convoy MOTA-09.
-Bob Hackett
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