Japanese Army Auxiliary Transports

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(Sister HAVRE MARU, prewar)

IJA HAGUE MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2014 Bob Hackett

1919:
Innoshima. Laid down at Osaka Iron Works as Yard No. 935, a 5,652-ton passenger-cargo ship for the Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) Line, Kobe.
December 1919:
Launched and named HAGUE MARU.
14 February 1920:
Completed.
Placed in service on OSK’s Kobe ~ Singapore ~ New Tork route via the Panama Canal.
1924:
Converted from coal to oil fired.
1928 ~ 1941:
Transferred to OSK’s Kobe ~ Bombay ~ Calcutta route.
20 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army as a troop transport. Alotted Army No. 952.
November 1941:
Departs Fusan, Chosen (now Pusan S Korea) for Ujina (Hiroshima) carrying elements of the IJA’s 14th Army.
18 December 1941: The Invasion of the Philippines -“M” Operation (M Sakusen):
At 1700, HAVRE MARU departs Mako, Pescadores for Lingayen Gulf, Philippines in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Rear Admiral Hara Kensaburo's (37)(former CO of TAKAO) 1st Lingayen Invasion Unit with 27 other IJA transports escorted by DesRon 5's light cruiser NATORI, DesDiv 5's ASAKAZE, HARUKAZE and MATSUKAZE, DesDiv 22's FUMIZUKI, MINAZUKI, NAGATSUKI and SATSUKI, minesweepers W-15 and W-16 and subchasers CH-1, CH-2, CH-3 CH-13, CH-14 and CH-15.

The Japanese main invasion at Lingayen Gulf consists of three transport echelons and carries the main part of LtGen Homma Masaharu's 80,000-man 14th Army. The first echelon is composed of 27 transports from Takao under Rear Admiral Hara, the second echelon of 28 transports under Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Nishimura Shoji (39) and the third echelon of 21 transports from Keelung under Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto (39).
24 December 1941:
Lingayen Gulf. Between 0110 and 0430, the Lingayen Invasion Convoy lands troops at Lingayen.
January 1942:
HAGUE MARU departs Moji for Takao, Formosa.
January 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
19 February 1942:
At 0800, 39 transports of Vice Admiral Takahashi's Third Fleet, Eastern Java Invasion Force (Toho Koryaku Butai) depart the anchorage at Jolo Island, Philippines for Java carrying the IJA’s 48th Infantry Division. En route, four more transports carrying the Sakaguchi Detachment (assigned to capture Tjilatjap) join the invasion convoy.
The convoy is escorted by Rear Admiral Nishimura's heavy cruisers NACHI and HAGURO, DesRon 2's light cruisers NAKA and JINTSU and DesDiv 16's YUKIKAZE, TOKITSUKAZE, AMATSUKAZE and HATSUKAZE and DesDiv 7's USHIO, SAZANAMI, YAMAKAZE and KAWAKAZE and DesRon 4's light cruiser NAKA, DesDiv 2's YUDACHI, SAMIDARE, HARUSAME, DesDiv 9's ASAGUMO, MURASAME, MINEGUMO and NATSUGUMO.
27 February 1942: The Battle of the Java Sea:
At 1547, HAGURO and NACHI, DesRon 2's JINTSU with DesDiv 16's YUKIKAZE, TOKITSUKAZE, AMATSUKAZE and HATSUKAZE and DesDiv 7's USHIO, SAZANAMI, YAMAKAZE and KAWAKAZE engage Dutch Rear Admiral Karel W. F. M. Doorman's Strike Force's light cruiser Hr.Ms. DE RUYTER (F), heavy cruisers HMS EXETER and USS HOUSTON (CA-30), light cruisers HMAS PERTH and Hr.Ms. JAVA, destroyers HMS ELECTRA, ENCOUNTER, JUPITER, Hr.Ms. KORTENAER and WITTE de WITH and old destroyers USS ALDEN (DD-211), JOHN D. EDWARDS (DD-216), JOHN D. FORD (DD-228) and PAUL JONES (DD-230).
During this day and the next day’s engagements, Doorman's Strike Force loses HMS EXETER and USS HOUSTON (CA-30), light cruisers HMAS PERTH, HrMs DE RUYTER, Hr.Ms. JAVA, destroyers HMS ELECTRA, ENCOUNTER, JUPITER and Hr.Ms. KORTENAER to superior Japanese forces. The Allies also lose old four stack USS POPE (DD-225).
1 March 1942: Operation "J" - The Invasion of Java, Netherlands East Indies:
At 0120, 100 miles W of Surabaya, Java. The Eastern Java Invasion Force now consisting of 43 transports including HAVRE MARU enters the roadstead off Kragan village, East Java.
Just before dropping anchor, the ships suffer a fierce air attack. JOHORE MARU is hit and suffers many KIA and WIA. TOKUSHIMA MARU is also hit and has to be beached at 0200. Despite the air attacks, at 0015, the convoy lands the 48th Infantry Division at Kragan village, East Java. Their main objectives are the Surabaya Naval Base on the eastern coast and Tjilatjap harbor on the southern coast.
15 May 1942:
Released by the IJA and returned to her owners.
May ~ October 1942:
Transports materials between Kobe and SE Asian ports.
7 October 1942: At 0645, HAGUE MARU departs Tokyo for Moji in an unescorted convoy also consisting of IKOMA, TEIFU, TETSUYO and ROKUYO MARUs. HAGUE MARU is transporting 4000-tons cargo of wheat, machines, steel, oil, automobiles and paper money for the Formosa bank.
8 October 1942: Off Owase, Wakayama Prefecture. At 1015, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Robert H. Rice's (USNA ’27) USS DRUM (SS-228) attacks the convoy. Rice fires six torpedoes and gets two hits. HAGUE MARU breaks in two and at 1035 sinks at 34-01N, 135-06E. Five crewmen are KIA.

Author's Note:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.

Bob Hackett

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