Japanese Auxiliary Gunboats

KOKAI HOKAN!

(HAKUTETSU MARU No. 7, similar to EDO MARU as prewar)

IJN EDO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2021 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall

11 November 1936:
Osaka. Laid down by Osaka Zosensho K.K. as a 1,297–tons cargo ship for Tokyo Seitetsu K.K.
10 May 1937:
Launched and named EDO MARU.
12 August 1937:
Completed and registered at Tokyo. Her gross registered (GRT) tonnage and net registered tonnage (NRT) respectively are 1,297-tons and 715-tons. Her call sign is JWOL. [1]
26 January 1938:
Her ownership is changed to Konan Kisen K.K. Her GRT and net NRT respectively are changed to 1,299-tons and 717-tons. [1]
28 January 1940:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
29 November 1940:
Uraga. Conversion for military duty begins at Uraga senkyo K.K.
16 December 1940:
Registered as an auxiliary gunboat attached to the Yokosuka Naval District under instruction No. 980. Navy (Resv) Lt Hatakeyama Jusuke is appointed CO that same day.
22 December 1940:
Undocked.
15 January 1941:
Attached to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Takasu Shiro’s (35) Fourth Fleet under instruction No. 28. Attached to Fourth Fleet, in Rear Admiral Nakamura Kazuo’s (37) 3rd Base Force, 4th Gunboat Division also consisting of auxiliary gunboat SAIKYO MARU.
17 January 1941:
Conversion for military duty is completed.
27 January 1941:
Departs Yokosuka on compass calibration. Returns to port later this day.
1 February 1941:
Assigned to Second Section. Rated as gunboat No. 42 (4th Gunboat Division, 2nd ship).
3 February 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
4 February 1941:
Arrives at Shimizu.
5 February 1941:
Departs Shimizu.
6 February 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
9 February 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
14 February 1941:
Arrives at Futami.
16 February 1941:
Departs Futami.
20 February 1941:
Arrives at Saipan, Marianas.
23 February 1941:
Departs Saipan.
26 February 1941:
Arrives at Yap, Carolines.
27 February 1941:
Departs Yap.
1 March 1941:
Arrives at Palau, Western Carolines.
7 March 1941:
Departs Palau on dispatch training and returns there later that day.
12 March 1941:
Departs Palau on a basic exercise and returns to port later this day.
24 March 1941:
Departs Palau on aircraft alert.
26 March 1941:
Arrives at Ulithi, Western Carolines.
27 March 1941:
At anchor. Departs on aircraft alert and returns to anchorage later that day.
30 March 1941:
Departs Ulithi.
April 1941:
Assigned to First Section.
1 April 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
6 April 1941:
Departs Palau on dispatch training. Arrives at Kossol Channel later this day.
7 April 1941:
Departs Kossol Channel on 1st patrol training.
8 April 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
9 April 1941:
Departs Palau.
11 April 1941:
Arrives at Ngulu, Carolines. Departs there on aircraft alert later that day.
13 April 1941:
Arrives at Yap.
14 April 1941:
Departs Yap on aircraft alert.
16 April 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
22 April 1941:
Departs Palau on dispatch training. Arrives at Kossol Channel later this day.
23 April 1941: Departs Kossol Channel on 2nd gunnery practice. Returns there later that day.
24 April 1941:
Departs Kossol Channel.
25 April 1941:
Arrives at Ngulu.
26 April 1941:
Departs Ngulu.
28 April 1941:
Arrives at Meriren (Parry, now Medren), Eniwetok, Marshalls.
29 April 1941:
Departs Meriren. Arrives at Lamotrek, Yap.
30 April 1941:
Departs Lamotrek.
1 May 1941:
Arrives at Ulithi.
3 May 1941:
Departs Ulithi.
4 May 1941:
Arrives at Yap.
5 May 1941:
Departs Yap.
6 May 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
13 May 1941:
Departs Palau. Returns there later this day.
14 May 1941:
At anchor.
15 May 1941:
Departs Palau on aircraft alert. Returns thereafter to anchorage. Departs again and returns to anchorage later this same day.
16 May 1941:
Depart Palau and arrives at Kossol Channel later that day.
17 May 1941:
Departs Kossol Channel.
19 May 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
21 May 1941:
Departs Palau.
27 May 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
28 May 1941:
Departs Palau on her 3rd gunnery practice and returns there later this day.
30 May 1941:
Departs Palau and arrives at Tenget (North) Passage later that day.
31 May 1941:
Departs Tenget Passage and arrives at Palau later this day.
10 June 1941:
Departs Palau on her 4th gunnery practice as well as acting sonar boat. Arrives at Tenget Passage later that day.
11 June 1941:
Departs Tenget Passage on sonar mission. Arrives at Gadarak anchorage later this day.
12 June 1941:
Departs Gadarak anchorage on sonar mission Arrives at Palau later that day.
16 June 1941:
Departs Palau towing an unidentified ship and returns to anchorage later this day.
17 June 1941:
Departs Palau towing an unidentified ship and returns there later that day.
24 June 1941:
Departs Palau on sonar mission. Calls at Gadarak anchorage. Departs there and arrives at Palau later that same day.
25 June 1941:
Departs Palau on her 2nd basic exercise. Arrives at Gadarak Anchorage later this day.
26 June 1941:
Departs Gadarak anchorage and arrives at Palau later that day.
27 June 1941:
Departs Palau on her 3rd basic exercise and returns there later this day.
3 July 1941:
Departs Palau for Tobi Island (now Hatohobei), Palau.
7 July 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
28 July 1941: Departs Palau and arrives at Western East Exit later that day.
29 July 1941:
Departs Western East Exit and arrives at Palau later this day.
1 August 1941:
Undergoes engine repairs by auxiliary repair ship MATSUE MARU.
4 August 1941:
Departs Palau. Recovers mines with Fleet gunboat FUKUYAMA and auxiliary gunboat SAIKYO MARU later that day. Returns to anchorage later that same day.
9 August 1941:
Departs Palau. Transfers mines to auxiliary gunboat SAIKYO MARU. Returns to anchorage later this day.
14 August 1941:
Departs Palau. Disembarks land platoon. Returns to anchorage later that same day.
16 August 1941:
At anchor.
17 August 1941:
Departs Palau on 1st combined land force training and returns to anchorage later this day.
25 August 1941:
Departs Palau on solo training and arrives at Angaur, Palau later that day.
26 August 1941:
Departs Angaur on solo training and arrives at Palau later this day.
27 August 1941:
Departs Palau.
1 September 1941:
Arrives at Saipan. Attached to 3rd Base Force, 4th Gunboat Division under Fourth Fleet instruction No. 228.
2 September 1941:
At anchor.
4 September 1941:
Departs Saipan. Loads an airplane. Returns to port later that day.
5 September 1941:
Departs Saipan.
10 September 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
11 September 1941:
At anchor.
29 September 1941:
Departs Palau on trial run and returns to anchorage later this day.
1 October 1941:
Departs Palau.
6 October 1941:
Arrives at Saipan.
7 October 1941:
At anchor. Loads food, coal and water.
8 October 1941:
Departs Saipan.
15 October 1941:
Attached to 4th Gunboat Division under instruction No. 1250.
16 October 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
17 October 1941:
Unloads depth charges and ammunition.
18 October 1941:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives at Uraga later that day. Enters drydock.
23 October 1941:
Undocked. Departs Uraga and arrives at Yokosuka later this day.
27 October 1941:
Loads fresh water.
1 November 1941:
Loads fresh water.
4 November 1941:
Anchors at Tobigahana.
11 November 1941:
Loads depth charges and ammunition.
14 November 1941:
Loads food.
15 November 1941:
Loads canteen goods.
16 November 1941:
Loads fresh water.
18 November 1941:
Departs Yokosuka on confirmation operation and compass calibration. Returns there later that day. Anchors at K anchorage, buoy No. 4.
20 November 1941:
Departs Yokosuka on speed test. Arrives at Tateyama later this day.
21 November 1941:
Departs Tateyama but later that day, returns there due to stormy weather.
22 November 1941:
Unknown change to gunboat command.
23 November 1941:
Departs Tateyama.
December 1941:
Attached to the Third Base Force, 4th Gunboat Division, 1st Section. Tactically assigned to Palau defense unit.
1 December 1941:
Arrives at Saipan.
2 December 1941:
Loads coal.
3 December 1941:
Departs Saipan.
8 December 1941:
Arrives at Palau. Loads coal.
9 December 1941:
Departs Palau.
10 December 1941:
Arrives at Glass Mao (now Ngardmau) anchorage, Babeldaob, Palau.
16 December 1941:
Departs Glass Mao anchorage on partial convoy entry and cover sweep of a transport convoy. Drops 5 DCs.
17 December 1941:
Drops 2 depth charges. Arrives at Palau later this day. Loads coal and water.
19 December 1941:
Departs Palau.
22 December 1941:
Arrives at Sorol, Western Carolines
23 December 1941:
Departs Sorol.
24 December 1941:
Arrives at Ulithi. Departs there later that day
25 December 1941:
Arrives at Yap.
27 December 1941:
Departs Yap.
29 December 1941:
Arrives at Palau. Loads coal.
30 December 1941:
Loads fresh water.
31 December 1941:
Departs Palau on patrol. Arrives at Glass Mao anchorage later this day.
1 January 1942:
Departs Glass Mao anchorage on covering sweeps for convoys departing port. During sweeping, drops 2 Dcs. Returns to anchorage later that day.
2 January 1942:
Departs Glass Mao anchorage on patrol. Returns there later this day.
3 January 1942:
Departs Glass Mao anchorage with 1st Gunboat Division remaining ships (FUKUYAMA and SAIKYO MARUs) on a cover sweep for departing Fleet minelayer AOTAKA. Arrives at Palau later that day.
4 January 1942:
Loads coal.
5 January 1942:
Loads fresh water. Gunboat command is shifted to SAIKYO MARU.
9 January 1942:
Loads coal and water.
10 January 1942:
Loads coal. Engages in AA combat.
11 January 1942:
Departs Palau on patrol. Arrives at Glass Mao anchorage later this day.
12 January 1942:
Departs Glass Mao anchorage on DC intimidation mission. Drops 1 DC. Arrives at Palau later that day.
16 January 1942:
Loads coal and water.
17 January 1942:
Departs Palau on a cover sweep for CarDiv 2 consisting of aircraft carriers HIRYU and SORYU, arrival. Arrives at Glass Mao later this day.
18 January 1942:
Departs Glass Mao anchorage. Performs a cover sweep for Second Fleet’s main body and auxiliary cable layer NANYO MARU arrivals.
19 January 1942:
Arrives at West Passage anchorage .
20 January 1942:
Departs West Passage anchorage.
21 January 1942:
Performs a cover sweep for departing CarDiv 2. Arrives at West Passage anchorage later that day.
22 January 1942:
Departs West Passage anchorage and arrives at Palau later this day.
23 January 1942:
Loads fresh water.
24 January 1942:
Departs Palau on patrol.
25 January 1942:
Arrives at West Passage anchorage. Departs there later that day on Bay Exit security mission.
26 January 1942:
Arrives at West Passage anchorage.
27 January 1942:
Departs West Passage anchorage to pilot inbound auxiliary transport SHOUN MARU through that passage.
28 January 1942:
Arrives at West Passage anchorage. Departs there on CarDiv 2 arrival cover sweep. Arrives at Palau later that day.
29 January 1942:
Loads coal and water.
30 January 1942:
Departs Palau.
1 February 1942:
Arrives at Ulithi.
4 February 1942:
Departs Ulithi.
5 February 1942:
Arrives at Yap.
7 February 1942:
Departs Yap.
8 February 1942:
Arrives at Palau. Loads coal.
9 February 1942:
Gunboat command is changed to SAIKYO MARU. Departs Palau on a cover sweep for Fleet departure consisting of CarDiv 1’s AKAGI and KAGA and CarDiv 5’s ZUIKAKU. During sweeping, drops one DC. During these movements KAGA's bow grazes a reef. However temporary repairs are made and she remains operational. ZUIKAKU departs same day for Yokosuka.
11 February 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
15 February 1942:
Departs Palau on a cover sweep for Mobile Task Force consisting of CarDiv 1’s AKAGI and KAGA, CarDiv 2's HIRYU and SORYU, and Crudiv 8's TONE and CHIKUMA, screened by DesRon 1's light cruiser ABUKUMA, that includes DesDiv 17's ISOKAZE, URAKAZE, TANIKAZE, HAMAKAZE, DesDiv 18's KASUMI and SHIRANUI and DesDiv's 27 ARIAKE and YUGURE for the attacks on Port Darwin, Australia.
16 February 1942:
Arrives at Palau. Loads fresh water.
17 February 1942:
Departs Palau on a cover sweep for BatDiv3 consisting of KONGO, HIEI, HARUNA and KIRISHIMA, CruDiv 4's ATAGO and TAKAO and four destroyers. During sweeping, drops one DC.
18 February 1942:
Arrives at Palau. That same day, BatDiv 3, CruDiv 4's ATAGO and TAKAO and four destroyers departs Palau for Staring (Teluk) Bay, near Kendari, Celebes (now Sulawesi).
19 February 1942:
Loads food and water.
20 February 1942:
Loads food.
25 February 1942:
Loads fresh water.
1 March 1942:
Departs Palau on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU. Calls at Angaur. Departs there on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU. Returns to Angaur. Departs there later this same day on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU.
2 March 1942:
Arrives at Angaur. Departs there on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU. Calls at Malakal, Palau. Departs there later this same day on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU.
3 March 1942:
Arrives at Malakal. Departs there later that day on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU.
5 March 1942:
Arrives at Angaur.
6 March 1942:
Departs Angaur on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU. Calls at Gatarak. Departs there later that day on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU.
7 March 1942:
Arrives at Malakal. Departs there later that day on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU.
8 March 1942:
Arrives at Malakal. Departs there on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU. Calls at Angaur. Departs there and arrives at Palau later this same day.
12 March 1942:
Loads boiler water and food.
13 March 1942:
Loads fresh water.
14 March 1942:
Departs Palau on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU.
16 March 1942:
Arrives at Yap.
22 March 1942:
Departs Yap on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU. Returns to port later that day.
23 March 1942:
Departs Yap on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU. Returns there later that day.
24 March 1942:
Departs Yap on covering sweeps for cable layer NANYO MARU.
25 March 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
5 April 1942:
Loads fresh water.
6 April 1942:
Loads fresh water.
7 April 1942:
Departs Palau.
8 April 1942:
Arrives at Yap.
9 April 1942:
Departs Yap on anti-submarine alert. Returns to port later this day.
10 April 1942:
Departs Yap on anti-submarine alert. Returns there later this day. Released from 4th Gunboat Division under instruction No. 652. Attached directly to 3rd Base Force.
21 April 1942:
Departs Yap.
23 April 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
3 May 1942:
Departs Palau on patrol.
8 May 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
11 May 1942:
Departs Palau.
13 May 1942:
Arrives at Truk, Central Carolines.
15 May 1942:
Attached to Vice Admiral Hosogaya Boshiro’s Fifth Fleet, 7th Base Force.
17 May 1942:
Departs Truk.
22 May 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
1 June 1942:
Departs Palau.
6 June 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
7 June 1942:
Departs Saipan.
11 June 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima, Ogasawara Gunto (Bonins).
15 June 1942:
Attached to Fifth Fleet, Chichi-Jima Base Force, Gunboat Force also consisting of auxiliary gunboat MAGANE MARU. Navy (Resv) Lt Kubota Rikuzo is appointed CO.
29 June 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
3 July 1942:
Passes through Bungo Suido.
5 July 1942:
Arrives at Maizuru.
6 August 1942:
Departs Maizuru.
11 August 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
E11 ~ 15 August 1942:
Loads ammunition and fuel.
15 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
18 August 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
24 August 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima and returns to port later that day.
5 September 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima and returns there later this day.
17 September 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
19 September 1942:
Arrives at Tateyama.
20 September 1942:
Departs Tateyama and arrives at Yokosuka later that day.
E20 ~ 23 September 1942:
Loads 61-tons of ammunition.
23 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka escorting Army transport SHOJU MARU and arrives at Tateyama later this day.
24 September 1942:
Departs Tateyama still escorting Army transport SHOJU MARU.
25 September 1942:
Attached to Fifth Fleet, Chichi-Jima Base Force. Rated as a Ogasawara Gunto unit under Yokosuka Naval Office Order No. 126.
27 September 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
12 October 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
13 October 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
3 November 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
9 November 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
17 November 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
18 November 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
20 November 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
23 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
29 November 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
2 December 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
14 December 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
15 December 1942:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
18 December 1942:
Departs Chichi-Jima. Returns there later that day.
4 January 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
7 January 1943:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
15 January 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
22 January 1943:
Arrives at Saipan with auxiliary minesweeper TORISHIMA MARU.
24 January 1943:
Departs Saipan.
26 January 1943:
Arrives back at Saipan.
29 January 1943:
Departs Saipan.
30 January 1943:
Meets up with damaged auxiliary transport SHOAN MARU. Later that day both arrive at Saipan. [2]
5 February 1943:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
18 March 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima escorting IJN requisitioned transport (B-AK) INARI MARU.
22 March 1943:
Arrives at Saipan.
25 March 1943:
Departs Saipan.
30 March 1943:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
17 April 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
20 April 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
28 April 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
2 May 1943:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
5 May 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
9 May-1943:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
16 May 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima. Returns to port later this day.
18 May 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
20 May 1943:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
22 May 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima. Returns there later this day.
26 May 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima.
29 May 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1 June 1943:
Navy (Resv) Lt Kawauchi Hisao is appointed CO.
1 July 1943:
Navy (Resv) Lt Kawauchi is confirmed as CO.
9 July 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
20 July 1943:
Arrives at Chichi-Jima.
26 July 1943:
At 0600, departs Nagaura with patrol boat PB-101 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-14 escorting convoy No. 3726 consisting of TSUNESHIMA, KENRYU and SANTO MARUs and EIKO MARU No. 2 GO. SANTO MARU is towing an oil tanker barge.
29 July 1943:
At 1430, arrives with the convoy at Chichi-Jima. Patrol boat PB-101 detaches.
1 August 1943:
Departs Chichi-Jima still escorting convoy No. 3726.
5 August 1943:
Arrives with the convoy at Saipan.
9 August 1943:
At 0830, departs Saipan still escorting convoy No. 3726 and with auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 8 as additional escort. At an unknown time and location KYO MARU No. 8 detaches.
12 August 1943:
Arrives with the convoy at Truk. Later that day, EDO MARU is ordered to depart and join up with auxiliary minesweeper TOSHI MARU No. 5 (detached from convoy No. 3731) and auxiliary netlayer KOGI MARU to tow an oil tanker barge that had broken adrift from SANTO MARU in 22-20N, 143-46E, and which has been located by aerial search. EDO MARU is instructed to take the tank barge under tow.
13 August 1943:
About 70 nautical miles ESE Iwo Jima, LtCdr Richard W. Peterson’s (USNA ‘31) USS SUNFISH (SS-281) sights a 3 ship convoy consisting of, according to Peterson, a tanker, a passenger/cargo ship and a CHIDORI type escort. Peterson fires 6 torpedoes at the tanker of which 3 hit. Peterson sees the tanker sinking by the stern. Then Peterson fires 4 torpedoes at the passenger/cargo ship. He hears 4 hits followed by breaking up noises. Only EDO MARU sank that day so she must have been the ship described as the tanker, which given her engines aft configuration is highly likely. She sinks at 24-04N, 142-21E with an unknown number of casualties.

Authors' Notes:
[1] NRT is a ship's cargo volume capacity expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3). It is calculated by subtracting non-revenue-earning spaces i.e. spaces not available for carrying cargo, for example engine rooms, fuel tanks and crew quarters, from the ship's gross register tonnage (GRT). Net register tonnage (NRT) is not a measure of the weight of the ship or its cargo, and should not be confused with terms such as deadweight tonnage or displacement.
[2] SHOAN MARU was torpedoed and damaged by LtCdr John B. Azer’s (USNA ’28) USS WHALE (SS-239) on 27 Jan ’43 about 400 nautical miles E Saipan.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

- Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall.

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