Japanese Auxiliary Netlayers

KYUSETSUMOKAN!

HOKAKUMOTEI!

(EIRYU MARU, prewar – Peter Cundall Collection)

IJN EIRYU MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

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

E 1927:
Osaka. Laid down by Endo Tekkosho K.K. as a 758-tons cargo ship for Sanriku Kisen K.K.
15 April 1928:
Launched and named EIRYU MARU.
E 1928:
Completed and registered at Tokyo, with a Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of 758-tons and a Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) of 440-tons. Her call sign is JEMI. [1]
14 November 1941:
Receives instructions for special ship maintenance under Secretariat confidential order No. 10529.
31 December 1941:
Tokyo. Completes conversion for military duty at Ishikawa-jima shipyard.
6 January 1942:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
1 February 1942:
Registered as an auxiliary netlayer attached to the Yokosuka Naval District under Cabinet Order No. 199. Attached to Ominato (Aomori prefecture) Guard District under Ordinance No. 207. Attached to Ominato Naval Base, Ominato Base Defense Unit.
26 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
2 March 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
13 March 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in Tsugaru Strait W Exit.
19 March 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
23 March 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in Tsugaru Strait W Exit.
27 March 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
31 March 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in area No. 2.
3 April 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
15 April 1942:
Attached to Tsugaru Defense Force under Ominato Guard District Order No. 24. Attached to Tsugaru Patrol W Exit Unit, Auxiliary Netlayer Force under Tsugaru Defense Unit Order No. 8. Departs that same day Ominato on patrol in area No. 2.
19 April 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
26 April 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
30 April 1942:
Disposes of a floating mine.
1 May 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
17 May 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
26 May 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
1 June 1942:
Navy (Resv) Lt Asano Kinji is appointed CO.
2 June 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
11 June 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
18 June 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
25 June 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
27 June 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
29 June 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
1 July 1942:
Navy (Resv) Lt Kanaizuka Saburo is appointed CO.
2 July 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
11 July 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
12 July 1942:
Former CO Lt Asano Kinji disembarks and new CO Lt Kanaizuka Saburo embarks.
19 July 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
28 July 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
1 August 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
4 August 1942:
On Tsugaru Strait E exit and Shiriyazaki southern sea patrol. Ordered to head to E exit as soon as ship is ready under Tsugaru Defense wireless No. 313.
6 August 1942:
Ordered to return to her patrol area and then to patrol area No. 3 under Tsugaru Defense wireless No. 332.
8 August 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
11 August 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in C, No. 2 and No. 4 patrol areas.
18 August 1942:
Arrives at Hakodate. After resupply at Hakodate assigned to sail to Hachinohe, Aomori prefecture on 20 Aug ‘42 under Tsugaru Defense wireless No. 372.
Sustains a windlass failure that same day.
19 August 1942:
Undergoes repairs of faulty windlass at Hakodate Senkyo K.K.
E19 ~ 20 August 1942:
Departs Hakodate.
20 August 1942:
Arrives at Hachinohe.
23 August 1942:
Departs Hachinohe on patrol in area C.
25 August 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
2 September 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
10 September 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
17 September 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in areas No. 2 and No. 4.
24 September 1942:
Arrives at Ominato. Transferred to Muroran (Hokkaido) Force that same day.
30 September 1942:
Departs Ominato on patrol in area A.
1 October 1942:
Attached to Muroran Force under Tsugaru Defense Force Command No. 9.
3 October 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
5 October 1942:
Departs Muroran on patrol in area A.
10 October 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
11 October 1942:
Departs Muroran on patrol in area A.
14 October 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
16 October 1942:
Departs Muroran on patrol in area A.
17 October 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
22 October 1942:
Departs Muroran on patrol in area A.
24 October 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
28 October 1942:
Departs Muroran on patrol in area A.
30 October 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
4 November 1942:
Departs Muroran on patrol in area A.
5 November 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
11 November 1942:
Departs Muroran on patrol in area A.
13 November 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
16 November 1942:
Departs Muroran on patrol in area A.
17 November 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
22 November 1942:
Departs Muroran on a patrol in area A.
24 November 1942:
Arrives at Muroran.
25 November 1942:
Attached to Kuriles Base Unit under Ordinance No. 2178. Rated as Ominato Guard District, Kuriles Base Unit. Attached to Ominato Guard Force Unit, Kuriles Base Unit under Ominato Guard District Order No. 36.
22 November 1942:
Departs Muroran on patrol in area A. Returns there later this day.
E1 December 1942 ~ 16 December 1942:
Departs Muroran.
16 December 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
28 December 1942:
Departs Ominato.
7 February 1943:
Arrives at Hakodate.
10 February 1943:
Enters drydock.
22 February 1943:
Undocked. Departs Hakodate and arrives at Ominato later that day.
5 March 1943:
Departs Ominato.
13 March 1943:
Scheduled to be fitted by Ominato Naval District with two single Type 92 7.7mm MGs, 4,000 Type 92 ammunition packs and 1,000 Type 92 ammunition packs. Scheduled to load 1,000 armor ammunition packs from Ominato Naval Ammunition Department.
11 April 1943:
Arrives at Ominato.
25 April 1943:
Departs Ominato.
28 April 1943:
Arrives at Ominato.
3 May 1943:
Departs Ominato.
7 May 1943:
Instructed to unload all net laying nets and to be fitted with minesweeper equipment under Secretariat confidential instruction No. 2167.
8 May 1943:
Arrives at Ominato. Scheduled to return to Kuriles Base Force under 15th Guard Force wireless No. 33.
11 May 1943:
Departs Ominato for Paramushiro (now Paramushir), Kuriles.
1 June 1943:
Attached to Kuriles Defense Force under Kuriles Command No. 2.
2 June 1943:
Loads 20-tons of boiler water.
5 June 1943:
Loads 37-tons of boiler water.
7 June 1943:
Attached to Kuriles Defense Force under Ominato Guard District order No. 44.
8 June 1943:
Departs Paramushiro Strait escorted first by kaibokan ISHIGAKI then, from late that day, by kaibokan HACHIJO.
9 June 1943:
Arrives at Matsuwa Jima (now Ostrov Matua, Russia), Kuriles. Departs there later this day.
11 June 1943:
Arrives at Tennei, Etorufu Island (now Burevestnik, Iturup, Russia), Kuriles.
17 June 1943:
In command of netlayers under anti-submarine guidelines Kuriles Unit Order No. 3.
18 June 1943:
Anti-submarine alert deployment after 19 Jun ‘43 for Etorofu Forces under Kuriles Command instruction No. 67.
1 July 1943:
Navy (Resv) Lt Kanaizuka Saburo is confirmed CO.
1 ~ 31 July 1943:
On patrol in Etorufu Island area.
17 July 1943:
Escorts auxiliary transport NITTEI MARU. Small auxiliary patrol boats CHIYO MARU No. 5 and MANEI MARU also join at an unknown time and place.
18 July 1943:
1 August 1943:
Arrives at Kushiro, Hokkaido.
3 August 1943:
Departs Kushiro.
5 August 1943:
Attached to Kuriles Area Base under Cabinet Order No. 1598.
6 August 1943:
Under command of Northeastern Fleet CinC under Okai No. 263.
10 August 1943:
Attached to Kuriles Defense Force under Kuriles Defense Command Order No. 4.
20 August 1943:
Arrives at Kushiro.
23 August 1943:
Departs Kushiro.
24 August 1943:
Provides assistance and salvage work for auxiliary patrol boats HINODE MARU No. 8, KAIGYO MARU No. 8 and SHINAGAWA MARU.
28 August 1943:
Departs Shakotan, Hokkaido.
30 August 1943:
Arrives at Kushiro.
1 ~ 13 September 1943:
On patrol at Etorofu Island area.
24 September 1943:
Arrives at Kushiro.
27 September 1943:
Departs Kushiro for Etorofu.
4 October 1943:
Provides assistance and salvage work for auxiliary patrol boat MANEI MARU that ran aground.
5 October 1943:
Under Ominato Guard District command.
10 October 1943:
Attached to Kuriles Defense Force under Kuriles Defense Command Order No. 7.
14 October 1943:
Departs Tennei.
15 October 1943:
Arrives at Kushiro.
17 October 1943:
Departs Kushiro.
20 October 1943:
Attached to Tsugaru Defense Force under Ominato Guard District order No. 60. Discovers what seems to be a periscope at 345° and 6 nautical miles off Cape Esan, Hokkaido at 41-54N, 141-09E. Drops depth charges.
21 October 1943:
Arrives at Ominato.
25 October 1943:
Removal of nets and construction of minesweeping equipment begins at Ominato Naval Department.
5 November 1943:
Removal of net laying equipment and installation of minesweeping equipment are completed. Conversion for transport duties begins and one Type 93 13mm MG is fitted under Secretariat confidential instruction No. 051742.
10 November 1943:
Released from Tsugaru Defense Force under Ominato Guard Office Order No. 61. Attached to Vice Admiral Kusaka Jinichi’s (37) Southeast Area Fleet under Ordinance No. 2381 and Secretariat wireless No. 101902.
19 November 1943:
Attached to Southeast Area Fleet under Southeast Area Fleet Command instruction No. 145.
30 November 1943:
Departs Ominato.
4 December 1943:
Arrives at Ominato.
23 January 1944:
Departs Ominato.
25 January 1944:
Her owners are changed to Kuribayashi Shosen K.K.
February 1944:
Loads 1,500 cans gasoline and 10,000 sheets of empty camas.
21 February 1944:
Departs Yokkaichi.
12 April 1944:
Arrives at Palau, Eastern Carolines. Begins unloading cargo.
20 April 1944:
Departs Palau.
23 April 1944:
Arrives at Davao, Mindanao, Philippines.
3 May 1944:
Departs Davao for Yap, Carolines with one unidentified merchant vessel. The two ships receive temporary air cover from one Mitsubishi F1M “Pete” floatplane.
4 May 1944:
At 1610, (US time) LtCdr Ian C. Eddy's (USNA '30) USS PARGO (SS-264) fires 3 torpedoes of which two hit EIRYU MARU at 1611. She explodes and sinks at 1615 at 07-14N, 129-12E about 162 nautical miles E Davao with the loss of four crewmen.
At 1647, Eddy fires 3 torpedoes at the second ship of which one hits but that ship doesn’t sink.
10 July 1944:
Removed from the Navy’s list under instruction No. 855.

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.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

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

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