YUSOSEN!

(Oiler by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings of Japanese Warships")

IJN HAYATOMO:

Tabular Record of Movement

© 2007-2009 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

14 March 1922:
Kure Navy Yard. Laid down.

4 December 1922:
Launched and named HAYATOMO.

1 April 1923:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kondo Naokata (30) is posted as Chief Equipping Officer.

1 September 1923:
An unknown officer is posted as Chief Equipping Officer. Kondo is later assigned as CO of HARUNA.

18 May 1924:
Completed and registered in the IJN. An unknown officer assumes command.

25 May 1925:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Yamaguchi Seishichi (32) assumes command.

1 December 1925:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Teramoto Takeji (33) assumes command. Cdr Yamaguchi is promoted Captain and reassigned as CO of MAMIYA.

1 April 1926:
An unknown officer assumes command. Cdr Teramoto is later promoted Captain and assigned as CO of JINGEI.

1 November 1927:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Higurashi Toshiu (34) assumes command.

1 December 1927:
Cdr Higurashi is promoted Captain.

1 August 1928:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Kasuya Soichi (35) assumes command. Captain Higurashi is reassigned as CO of NATORI.

4 December 1928:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Kawana Takeo (34) assumes command.

10 December 1928:
Cdr Kawana is promoted Captain and later assigned as CO of OI.

1 May 1929:
An unknown officer assumes command. Captain Kawana is reassigned as CO of TATSUTA.

15 November 1929:
Cdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Hara Seitaro (35) assumes command.

1 December 1929:
Cdr Hara is promoted Captain.

26 July 1930:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Takahashi Hideo (36) assumes command. Captain Hara is later assigned as CO of YUBARI.

10 November 1930:
Cdr Takahashi is assigned additional duty as CO of TAMA.

1 December 1930:
Cdr Takahashi is promoted Captain.

1 May 1931:
Captain Takahashi resumes full-time command.

15 August 1931:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mikawa Gunichi (38) assumes command. Captain Takahashi is later assigned as CO of MYOKO.

1 December 1931:
An unknown officer assumes command.

25 January 1932:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Nakayama Michimoto (37), CO of NATORI, assumes command as an additional duty.

1 December 1932:
An unknown officer assumes command. Captain Nakayama is later assigned as CO of HAGURO.

25 August 1934:
Cdr (Vice Admiral, posthumously)(39) Otsuka Miki assumes command.

15 November 1934:
Cdr Otsuka is promoted Captain.

7 October 1935:
An unknown officer assumes command. Captain Otsuka is reassigned as CEO of TSURUGISAKI.

7 October 1936:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Mizusaki Shojiro (38)(former XO of KIRISHIMA) assumes command.

1 December 1936:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Mizui Seiji (40) is promoted Captain and assumes command that same day. Captain Mizusaki is reassigned as CO of SUZUYA.

20 November 1937:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Kiyota Takahiko (42) assumes command.

1 December 1937:
Cdr Kiyota is promoted Captain.

20 June 1938:
An unknown officer assumes command. Captain Kiyota is later assigned as CO of NARUTO.

10 February 1939:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Miura Tomosaburo (38), assumes command.

1 July 1939:
Captain Miura is assigned additional duty as CO of oiler SATA.

28 September 1939:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Aruga Takeo (42)(former CO of NATORI) assumes command. Captain Miura is later assigned as CO of MUROTO.

15 November 1939:
An unknown officer assumes command.

15 October 1940:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Matsura Tadayuki (40) assumes command.

4-8 December 1941: Operation "M" - The Attack on the Southern Philippines:
HAYATOMO is in the Third Fleet assigned to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Irifune Naosaburo’s (39)(former CO of MIKUMA) 32nd Special Base Force.

HAYATOMO departs Palau with Rear Admiral Kubo's Fourth Surprise Attack Force's seven troop transports and light cruiser NAGARA (F), DesDiv 24's four destroyers and minelayer AOTAKA. Seaplane tenders CHITOSE and MIZUHO provide air cover. Enroute, the convoy’s destroyers refuel off Western Luzon, Philippines.

15 December 1941:
Legaspi. Philippine Islands. HAYATOMO is bombed, but suffers little damage.

20 March 1942:
Departs Davao for Ambon, Moluccas escorted by torpedo boat TOMOZURU.

24 March 1942:
Arrives at Ambon.

15 May 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral, posthumously) Nakao Hachiro (40)(former CO of LYONS MARU) assumes command. Captain Matsura is later assigned as CO of ONDO.

23 August 1942:
SW of Ambon, Netherlands East Indies. LtCdr James W. Coe’s USS SKIPJACK (SS-184) damages HAYATOMO, 03-52N, 127-54E.

15 April 1943:
Captain Hasebe Ichizou (former CO of CO KAMOI) assumes command.

27 September 1943:
Departs Truk in convoy No. 7272 with tanker SHINKOKU MARU.

1 October 1943:
At 1425, HAYATOMO and SHINKOKU MARU arrive at Palau escorted by destroyer ASANAGI.

9 October 1943:
Sulu Sea. At about 0600, LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Veron L. Lowrance’s USS KINGFISH (SS-234) torpedoes and heavily damages HAYATOMO with a hit in her engine room at 05-09N, 119-18E. [1]

October 1943:
Towed to Tarakan, Borneo by salvage tug AKITSU MARU. The tug is then ordered to tow HAYATOMO from Tarakan to Balkipapan, but this order is cancelled and AKITSU MARU is sent to assist RAKUTO MARU. HAYATOMO undergoes emergency repairs.

30 December 1943:
Departs Tarakan. Damaged HAYATOMO is towed to Singapore by light cruiser KINU.

8 January 1944:
Arrives at Singapore under tow.

8 January-May 1944:
Singapore. At Seletar’s No. 101 Repair Facility where she is used for bulk oil storage while undergoing repairs.

May 1944:
Repairs are discontinued, but HAYATOMO continues to be used as an oil storage vessel.

2 September 1944:
Captain Hasebe is assigned extra duty as CO of destroyer AMATSUKAZE.

10 February 1945:
Captain Hasebe is relieved of duty as CO of AMATSUKAZE and returns to duty with HAYATOMO.

15 August 1945:
Singapore. HAYATOMO’s crew is notified of the termination of the war. HAYATOMO remains in partially destroyed state. The Royal Navy continues using her as a floating bulk storage tank.

1946:
Singapore. Scuttled and later scrapped.

3 May 1947:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors’ Notes:
[1] Some sources claim LtCdr M. J. Jensen’s USS PUFFER (SS-268) torpedoed and damaged HAYATOMO on 9 Oct ‘43, but Alden and other sources claim PUFFER’s target that day was tanker KUMAGAWA MARU.

Thanks for assistance with IJN officers go to Matthew Jones.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

Back to the Oilers Page