RIKUGUN YUSOSEN
(Peacetime Type D Standard Cargo Ship, prewar)
CHINZEI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2013-2017 Bob Hackett
1941:
Laid down at Ishikawajima Zosensho, Tokyo as yard number 472, a
1,999-ton peacetime type D standard cargo ship for Onishi Shoten, K. K., Tokyo.
25 April 1941:
Launched and named CHINZEI MARU.
12 August 1941:
Completed and registered in the port of Tokyo.
7 December 1942:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) and
converted to a troop transport. Assigned Army No. 939.
14 December 1942:
CHINZEI MARU departs Saeki via Palau for Rabaul in
Military Movement No. 8’s convoy “I” also consisting of MEXICO, SHINSOKU,
TSUKIKAWA and UCHIDE MARUs and DAIGEN MARU No. 3 escorted by subchaser CH-37 and
cable layer TSURUSHIMA.
E 15 December 1942:
The escorts are detached at 29N.
E 3 January 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
26 February 1943:
CHINZEI MARU departs Palau for Ujuna in convoy No.
95 also consisting of CLYDE MARU without escort.
6 March 1943:
SE of Toizaki, Japan. At about 1530, LtCdr Eugene T.
Sands' (USNA '30) USS SAWFISH (SS-276) fires three torpedoes and gets one hit on
CLYDE MARU. The torpedo is a dud, but the impact damages her riveted hull plates
and probably causes some flooding. The convoy retires to Ariake Bay (Shibushi
Wan).
7 March 1943:
Ariake Bay. CHINZEI and SHICHISEI MARUs join a
northbound convoy escorted by minelayer NUWAJIMA while cable-minelayer
TSURUSHIMA, subchaser CH-36 and auxiliary minesweeper TAMA MARU No. 7 accompany
damaged CLYDE MARU.
E 8 March 1943:
NUWAJIMA is detached off Fukajima.
23 May 1943:
At 0800, CHINZEI MARU departs Palau in convoy P523 also
consisting of ARATAMA, FUKKO, KACHOSAN, TEIRYU (ex-German AUGSBURG) and TOYO
MARUs escorted by minelayer NUWAJIMA.
E 29 May 1943:
Minesweeper W-18, patrol boat PB-46 and an unknown
minesweeper of the 31st Minesweeping Unit join at 29-50N, 132-02E and accompany
the convoy to the Tera-Shima Channel.
31 May 1943:
Arrives at Saeki.
9 June 1943:
At 0900, CHINZEI MARU departs Saeki for Palau escorting
convoy O-905 consisting of BUNZAN, DAKAR, KINSEN and TOHO MARUs escorted by
minesweepers W-17 and W-18.
E 11 June 1943:
W-18 is detached at latitude 29N.
17 June 1943:
At 1500, the convoy arrives at Palau.
19 June 1943: At 0545, CHINZEI MARU departs Palau for Saeki in convoy
To-906 also consisting of DELAGOA, DAINICHI, KAZAN, MAKASSAR and SAN FRANCISCO
MARUs and EIKO MARU No. 2 escorted by patrol boat No. 46 and minesweeper W-17.
E 20 June 1943:
W-17 is detached at latitude 10N and returns to Palau.
E 1 July 1943:
Minelayers NUWAJIMA and YURIJIMA and auxiliary
minesweepers TAKUNAN MARU No. 8 and TAMA MARU No. 6 join convoy FU-405 at 29N as
additional escorts.
2 July 1943:
Arrives at Saeki.
15 July 1943:
At 0930, CHINZEI MARU departs Saeki for Palau with
escorting convoy O-505 consisting of BRAZIL KOZAN, SAIPAN and RYUKO MARUs
escorted by torpedo boat HATO, minesweeper W-18, subchaser CH-10 and auxiliary
minesweeper TAMA MARU No. 7.
21 July 1943:
At about 1230, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Roy M.
Davenport's (USNA ’33) USS HADDOCK (SS-231) torpedoes and sinks SAIPAN MARU at
16-29N, 123-57E. The ship loaded with 422 passengers, 3270 tons of military
cargo, coal, and fuel oil, sinks with the loss of 33 passengers and two crewmen
KIA.
24 July 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
23 December 1943:
CHINZEI MARU departs Palau for Wewak convoy "Wewak
No. 16" also consisting of ASO,KURAMASAN and SHOHO MARUs escorted by minelayer
SHIRATAKA, subchaser CH-35 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-61. Enroute, KURAMASAN
MARU is detached escorted by SHIRATAKA towards Hollandia.
27 December 1943:
Arrives at Wewak.
15 January 1944:
At 0630, CHINZEI MARU departs Palau for Wewak convoy
"Wewak No. 17" also ASO, KIBI and TAIEI MARUs escorted by subchasers CH-32,
CH-34, CH-35 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-10.
19 January 1944:
Arrives at Wewak.
20 January 1944:
Departs Wewak.
25 January 1944:
Arrives at Palau.
22 February 1944:
At 0300, CHINZEI departs Takao with patrol PB-38
escorting convoy TAMO-12 also consisting of CLYDE, FUSO, HAKOZAKI, KAIKO,
KUROGANE, MISAKI, SAINEI, SEATTLE, SHINYO, SHINKOKU (cargo), SHONAN, TSUKUBA,
YAMAHAGI and YOZAN MARUs escorted by kaibokan KURI.
23 February 1944:
CHINZEI and KAIKO MARUs and five other unidentified
ships are detached for Kirun (Keelung) and depart escorted by KURI.
6 March 1944:
At 0800, CHINZEI MARU departs Palau for Takao in convoy
PATA-04 also consisting of IJA transports ASAHISAN, BRAZIL, CLYDE, HINODE,
HIYAMA, KENZAN, KENNICHI, TASMANIA and YOZAN MARUs escorted by destroyers
SHIGURE and SHIRANUI, patrol boat PB-31, subchasers CH-37 and CH-38 and
auxiliary gunboat KENZAN MARU.
E March 1944:
Torpedo boat SAGI joins the escort at an unknown point
en route.
13 March 1944:
At 1000, the convoy arrives at Takao.
13 May 1944:
CHINZEI MARU departs Moji in convoy MOTA-19 also
consisting of ATSUTA, GENKAI, JUZAN, IKUTA, KANKYO, KENZUI, KOAN, KONSAN, MEDAN,
MIIKE, NISSHU, RIKKO, SHIRAMINE, TAMAHOKO and YUKI MARUs and seven unidentified
merchant ships escorted by kaibokan ETOROFU CD-2 and CD-17.
19 May 1944:
KENZUI MARU is detached to Kirun.
20 May 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
13 May 1944:
CHINZEI MARU departs departs Moji in convoy MOTA-19 also
consisting of ATSUTA, GENKAI, IKUTA, JUZAN, KANKYO, KENZUI, KOAN, KONSAN, MEDAN,
MIIKESAN, NISSHU, RIKKO, SHIRAMINE, TAMAHOKO and YUKI MARUs and seven
unidentified merchant ships escorted by kaibokan ETOROFU, CD-2 and CD-17.
19 May 1944:
KENZUI MARU is detached to Kirun.
20 May 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
22 May 1944:
CHINZEI MARU departs Takao in convoy TAMA-19 also
consisting of cargo ships ATSUTA, DAIRIN, GENKAI, IKUTA, KANKYO, KOAN, MEDAN,
MIIKESAN, NISSHU, SHIRAMINE, TAMAHOKO, TATSUYASU and YUKI MARUs ,tankers KONSAN,
MATSUMOTO, RIKKO, and five unidentified merchant ships escorted by kaibokan
ETOROFU, CD-2 and CD-17.
26 May 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
23 July 1944:
At 0700, CHINZEI MARU departs Manila in convoy MASA-09
also consisting of RAKUYO MARU and tanker NICHINAN MARU escorted by minesweeper
W-34 and subchaser CH-21.
28 July 1944:
At 1800, arrives at St Jacques (near Saigon), Vichy
French, Indochina.
2 August 1944:
CHINZEI MARU departs Saigon in convoy SAMA-16 also
consisting of SHIROGANESAN MARU and an unidentified merchant escorted by
subchasers CH-19 and CH-41.
6 August 1944:
At 0312, LtCdr (later Captain) Henry G. Munson's (USNA
’32) USS RASHER (SS-269) torpedoes and sinks SHIROGANESAN MARU at 14-10N,
117-02E. 22 crewmen, 14 gunners and 15 passengers are KIA.
7 August 1944:
CH-41 arrives at Manila.
15 August 1944:
At 0550, CHINZEI MARU departs Manila for Cebu,
Philippines in convoy H-33 also consisting of HACHIJIN, HAVRE, IGA, KOKUZAN,
MEXICO, MISAKI, OLYMPIA and TOYO MARUs escorted by minesweeper W-28 and
subchaser CH-46
17 August 1944:
Arrives at Cebu. CHINZEI, IGA, MISAKI, OLYMPIA and
TOYO MARUs are detached.
21 September 1944:
At about 0900, about 200 aircraft of Vice Admiral
(later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's Task Force 38 begin strikes on Manila that
continue throughout the day. OKIKAWA MARU stops refueling SATSUKI. Thereafter,
planes from TG 38.1, TG 38.2 and TG 38.3 sink SATSUKI. OKIKAWA MARU is strafed
and suffers minor damage, but at 1545, OKIKAWA MARU is hit by a bomb port side
amidships. Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi, (former CO of KIRISHIMA), CINC,
Southwest Area Fleet, advises the Supreme Commander of Japanese Forces in the
Southern Area, Field Marshal, Count, Terauchi Hisaichi, CINC, Southern Army, to
transfer all supply ships from Manila to the relative security of Coron Bay off
Palawan Island, Philippines. At 1715, Terauchi issues the order.
At 2200, CHINZEI MARU departs Manila for Coron Bay, Calamian Islands in
the Taihi (refugee) convoy with BAIKAL, EKKAI (ex-Panamanian MORAZAN), KOGYO,
OKIKAWA, OLYMPIA, TAITEN and TENHI MARUs and stores ship IRAKO escorted by
minelayer AOTAKA and auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 11, HAKKO MARU, CHa-60
and CHa-61.
23 September 1944:
At 1730, the Taihi convoy arrives at Coron Bay and
anchors near the town of Concepcion.
24 September 1944:
At 0550, 96 Grumman F6F “Hellcat” fighters and 24
Curtiss SB2C “Helldiver” dive-bombers of Marc A. Mitscher's (former CO of
HORNET, CV-8) Task Group 38.3’s Air Group 18 from INTREPID (CV-11), AG-31 from
CABOT (CVL-28) and AG-19 based on Mitscher's flagship LEXINGTON (CV-16) take off
to attack the anchorage at Coron Bay, Busuanga Island, Palawan, 340 miles away.
Busuanga Island. A convoy of at least 12 IJN auxiliary ships is dispersed
in the coastal waters around the island. At 0855, Air Group 31’s fighter-bombers
start their attack. Flying boat tender AKITSUSHIMA, fleet food ship IRAKO and
EKKAI, KYOKUZAN KOGYO, OLYMPIA and TAIEI MARUs and smaller ships are also sunk
during the raid.
17 October 1944:
CHINZEI MARU departs Manila for for Cebu,
Philippines in a convoy also consisting of merchant cargo ship HAKUSHIKA
(HAKUROKU) MARU.
18 October 1944:
South China Sea. At 1104, LtCdr (later Captain) Eric
L. Barr's (USNA '34) USS BLUEGILL (SS-242) fires four torpedoes and gets two
hits that sink CHINZEI MARU at 14-04N, 119-52E. 21 passengers, 5 gunners and 28
crewmen are KIA. Barr also torpedoes and sinks already damaged HAKUSHIKA MARU.
Author's Note:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.
Bob Hackett
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