YUSOSEN!

(HOKUAN MARU prewar)

HOKUAN MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2011 Gilbert Casse and Bob Hackett


10 January 1938:
Tamano. Laid down at Tama Zosensho K.K. as a 3,712-ton cargo ship for Dairen Kisen K. K., Dairen, Manchuria.

16 May 1938:
Launched and named HOKUAN MARU.

31 July 1938:
Completed.

3 September 1940:
Requisitioned by the Civiian Shipping Adminisration (Sempaku-Uneikai) as a charter boat. [1]

12 October 1940:
Allotted to the IJN as a kaigun-haitosen (B/C-AK) with a civilian crew. [1]

29 October 1940:
Departs Sasebo for Korea (Chosen).

2 November 1940:
Arrives at Dairen (a.k.a. Dalian, Lushun and Port-Arthur). Manchuria.

7 November 1940:
Departs Dairen.

12 November 1940:
Arrives at Zhenhai, China.

24 November 1940:
Departs Zhenhai for Sasebo.

1 December 1940:
Arrives at Sasebo.

8 December 1940:
Departs Sasebo for Korea.

13 December 1940:
Arrives at Dairen.

17 December 1940:
Departs Dairen to Sasebo.

22 December 1940:
Arrives at Sasebo.

26 December 1940:
Departs Sasebo for Korea.

29 December 1940:
Arrives at Dairen.

3 January 1941:
Departs Dairen for Sasebo.

9 January 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.

21 January 1941:
Arrives at Kagoshima.

28 January 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.

13 February 1941:
Departs Sasebo for Korea.

19 February 1941:
Arrives at Dairen.

23 February 1941:
Departs Dairen for Sasebo.

28 February 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.

5 March 1941:
Departs Sasebo for Korea.

20 March 1941:
Returns to Sasebo.

25 March 1941:
Departs Sasebo for Korea.

5 April 1941:
Arrives at Karatsu Bay.

16 April 1941:
Departs Sasebo for Korea.

30 April 1941:
Arrives at Korea.

26 May 1941:
Departs Korea for Sasebo.

31 May 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.

9 June 1941:
Departs Sasebo for Korea.

14 June 1941:
Arrives at Korea.

18 June 1941:
Departs for Sasebo.

26 June 1941:
Arrives at Nishi-Tozaki.

E July 1941
Departs Sasebo.

4 July 1941:
Arrives at Korea.

22 July 1941:
Departs Korea for Sasebo.

27 July 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.

31 July 1941:
Departs Sasebo for Korea.

6 August 1941:
Arrives at Korea.

12 August 1941:
Departs Korea for Sasebo.

16 August 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.

31 August 1941:
Departs Sasebo for Formosa.

6 September 1941:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores and later in the day arrives at Takao.

10 September 1941:
Departs Takao for southern China.

3 October 1941:
Departs southern China and arrives at Takao.

15 October 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN. Attached to the Sasebo Naval District. Under internal order No. 1256, begins conversion to an auxiliary transport (charter).

21 October 1941:
Departs Sasebo Naval Base for Korea.

26 October 1941:
Arrives at Korea.

30 October 1941:
Departs Korea for Sasebo.

4 November 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.

7 November 1941:
Manchuria. Arrives at Dairen Kisen K.K. shipyard for maintenance and refit.

1 December 1941:
Refit is completed. Departs the shipyard for Sasebo.

2 December 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.

10 December 1941:
Departs Sasebo for Shanghai.

12 December 1941:
Arrives at Shanghai.

15 December 1941:
Departs Shanghai for Wenzhou.

16 December 1941:
Arrives at Wenzhou.

17 December 1941:
Replenishes water for auxiliary gunboats DAIGEN MARU No. 7 and SHINKO MARU No. 1 Go.

18 December 1941:
Departs Wenzhou.

20 December 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.

27 December 1941:
Departs Sasebo.

28 December 1941:
Arrives at Koniya Ma-Saki (near Kagoshima). Departs the same day for Mako.

31 December 1941:
Arrives at Mako.

1 January 1942:
Departs Mako.

2 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

7 January 1942:
Arrives at Hong Hai Bay, China and departs that same day.

8 January 1942:
Arrives at Haikou, Hainan Island.

12 January 1942:
Departs Haikou.

16 January 1942:
Arrives at Yulin, Hainan Island.

20 January 1942:
Departs Yulin.

21 January 1942:
Arrives at Haikou.

23 January 1942:
Departs Haikou.

24 January 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong.

25 January 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.

26 January 1942:
Arrives at Amoy (Xiamen).

27 January 1942:
Departs Amoy.

30 January 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

2 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.

3 February 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.

10 February 1942:
Departs Sasebo.

13 February 1942:
Arrives at Amoy.

15 February 1942:
Departs Amoy.

16 February 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong.

21 February 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.

22 February 1942:
Arrives at Samah, Hainan Island.

1 March 1942:
Departs Samah.

2 March 1942:
Arrives at Yulin.

8 March 1942:
Departs Yulin.

11 March 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

13 March 1942:
Departs Takao.

16 March 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.

18 March 1942:
Departs Sasebo.

19 March 1942:
Arrives at Yawata.

20 March 1942:
Departs Yawata.

21 March 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.

26 March 1942:
Departs Sasebo.

29 March 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

31 March 1942:
Departs Takao.

4 April 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.

6 April 1942:
Departs Saigon.

8 April 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.

15 April 1942:
Departs Singapore.

17 April 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.

21 April 1942:
Departs Saigon.

25 April 1942:
Arrives at Takao and departs later the same day in convoy No. 103 with KINRYU MARU and three unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer WAKATAKE.

30 April 1942:
Arrives at Moji.

2 May 1942:
Departs Moji.

3 May 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.

10 May 1942:
Departs Sasebo.

13 May 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

15 May 1942:
Departs Takao.

16 May 1942:
Arrives at Mako.

18 May 1942:
Departs Mako in convoy No. 306 also consisting of Army transport NICHIRAN MARU, and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU.

.

23 May 1942:
At 2000, arrives at St. Jacques, French Indochina (now Vung Tau, Vietnam).

24 May 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.

26 May 1942:
Departs Saigon.

May 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.

6 June 1942:
Departs Singapore.

10 June 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.

15 June 1942:
Departs Saigon.

20 June 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

21 June 1942:
Departs Takao and departs the same day to Mako.

22 June 1942:
Departs Mako.

26 June 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo and departs the same day to Takao.

27 June 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

6 July 1942:
Departs Takao.

10 July 1942:
Arrives at Moji.

15 July 1942:
Departs Moji and arrives the same day at Mako.

19 July 1942:
Departs Mako.

28 July 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.

30 July 1942:
Departs Saigon.

1 August 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.

6 August 1942:
Departs Singapore.

8 August 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.

14 August 1942:
Departs Saigon.

17 August 1942:
HOKUAN MARU departs St Jacques escorting convoy No. 428 consisting of and eight unidentified merchant ships. The convoy splits into two parts after departing port.

21 August 1942:
The first part arrives at Mako and later that day arrives at Takao.

22 August 1942:
The second part arrives at Mako and later that day arrives at Takao.

24 August 1942:
Departs Takao.

30 August 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.

4 September 1942:
Departs Sasebo.

5 September 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

6 September 1942:
Departs Takao.

7 September 1942:
Arrives at Tamano. Enters Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding dockyard for maintenance and refit.

6 October 1942:
Refit is completed. Leaves the dockyard for Sasebo.

7 October 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.

13 October 1942:
Departs Sasebo.

16 October 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

20 October 1942:
Departs Takao.

21 October 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong.

25-26 October 1942:
Hong Kong anchorage. Undergoes air raids, but sustains no damage.

26 October 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.

31 October 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.

7 November 1942:
Departs Singapore.

10 November 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.

15 November 1942:
Departs Saigon.

24 November 1942:
Arrives at Takao.

26 November 1942:
Departs Takao and arrives the same day at Mako.

28 November 1942:
Departs Mako.

2 December 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.

10 December 1942:
Departs Sasebo.

11 December 1942:
Arrives at Moji.

12 December 1942:
Departs Moji and arrives the same day at Shimonoseki.

17 December 1942:
Shimonoseki. At Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Shipyard. Begins conversion to an emergency oiler.

14 January 1943:
Completes conversion and departs Shimonoseki.

15 January 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.

18 January 1943:
Departs Sasebo.

26 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.

8 February 1943:
Collides with auxiliary minesweeper TOSHI MARU No. 2 within Singapore Commercial Port causing minor damage to the minesweeper.

19 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.

22 February 1943:
Arrives at St. Jacques, Indochina.

23 February 1943:
Departs St. Jacques.

1 March 1943:
Arrives at Takao.

4 March 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives the same day at Mako.

5 March 1943:
Departs Mako.

11 March 1943:
Arrives at Kure.

17 March 1943:
Departs Kure.

18 March 1943:
HOKUAN MARU departs Moji convoy No. 138 also consisting of SHOEI MARU and five unidentified ships escorted by destroyer FUYO.

23 March 1943:
Arrives at Takao.

25 March 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives the same day at Mako.

26 March 1943:
Departs Mako.

1 April 1943:
Arrives at Cape Labaun (near Zamboanga), Philippines and departs the same day and arrives Miri.

4 April 1943:
Departs Miri.

6 April 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques.

8 April 1943:
Departs St Jacques.

15 April 1943:
Arrives at Takao.

18 April 1943:

22 April 1943:
Arrives at Moji.

24 April 1943:
Arrives at Kobe.

25 April 1943:
Departs Kobe.

27 April 1943:
Arrives at Tsurumi.

30 April 1943:
Departs Tsurumi and later arrives at Yokosuka.

1 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.

3 May 1943:
Arrives at Kobe.

4 May 1943:
Departs Kobe.

5 May 1943:
Arrives at Moji.

8 May 1943:
HOKUAN MARU departs Moji in convoy No. 155 also consisting of tanker SAN LUIS MARU and KUNISHIMA, SHINKYO and TEIKA (ex-French CAP VARELLA) MARUs and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer ASAKAZE.

13 May 1943:
Arrives at Takao. SHINKYO MARU had been previously detached and arrived at Keelung (Kirun) the previous day.

16 May 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives the same day at Mako.

17 May 1943:
At 1540 departs Mako in convoy No. 392 also consisting of IJA transport LIVERPOOL MARU, IJN oilers NITTATSU and SAN LUIS MARUs, fleet oiler TSURUMI, TAMAHOKO, KOGANE MARUs and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU.

22 May 1943:
At 0300 IJN oilers NITTATSU and HOKUAN MARUs detach from the convoy for Miri, Sarawak, British Borneo, (now Malaysia).

23 May 1943:
Arrives at Miri.

25 May 1943:
Departs Miri.

28 May 1943:
Arrives at St. Jacques.

29 May 1943:
At 1300 departs St. Jacques in convoy No. 499 also consisting of general requisitioned ship (B-AK) KEMBU MARU, civilian tanker (C-AO) NITTATSU MARU and Army transport NAGATO MARU escorted by auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU.

4 June 1943:
At 1900 arrives at Takao and departs the same day for the Koa Oil K.K. refinery at Marifu (near Iwakuni) on the Inland Sea.

10 June 1943:
At 1400, arrives at Moji.

11 June 1943:
Arrives at Marifu and begins to unload crude oil.

15 June 1943:
Departs Marifu.

16 June 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.

22 June 1943:
HOKUAN MARU departs Yawata, Kyushu for Takao, Formosa in convoy No. 169 also consisting of fleet oiler OSE (ex-Dutch GENOTA) and KINREI, NASUSAN, SEISHIN and RYUOSAN MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HAYABUSA.

24 June 1943:
W of Amami O-shima, Ryukyus. At 1124, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Charles O. Triebel’s (USNA ’29) USS SNOOK (SS-279) torpedoes and severely damages OSE at 28-50N, 126-56E.

27 June 1943:
Arrives at Takao.

29 June 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives the same day at Mako.

30 June 1943:
At 1300 departs Mako in convoy No. 304 also consisting of tankers OTOWASAN, NASUSAN, SEISHIN MARUs and cargo ships RYUOSAN, BISAN (ex British MING SANG), HAKUROKU (HAKUSHIKA) MARUs and five unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUASHAN) MARU. Shortly after 1300, Army tanker OTOWASAN MARU coming from Mako, joins the convoy.

6 July 1943:
At 2350 arrives at St. Jacques.

8 July 1943:
Departs St. Jacques, arrives the same day at Saigon and returns to St. Jacques.

9 July 1943:
Departs St. Jacques.

12 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.

15 July 1943:
Departs Singapore.

16 July 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Load fuel.

18 July 1943:
Departs Palembang.

20 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Discharges fuel.

23 July 1943:
Departs Singapore in an unidentified convoy.

6 August 1943:
Arrives at Truk.

14 August 1943:
HOKUAN MARU departs Truk for Palau in convoy No. 7144 convoy also consisting of auxiliary oiler KENYO MARU and tankers (converted cargo ships) SHINSHU and TENNAN MARUs escorted by destroyers TAMANAMI and MAIKAZE.

19 August 1943:
Arrives at Palau.

20 August 1943:
Departs Palau in convoy 2608.

26 August 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan. Loads fuel oil.

27 August 1943:
Departs Balikpapan.

28 August 1943:
Arrives at Tarakan. Loads fuel oil.

30 August 1943:
Departs Tarakan.

31 August 1943:
Removed from the Navy List under internal order No. 1776.

1 September 1943:
Requisitioned and operated by the IJN with civilian crew (B-AO).

4 September 1943:
Arrives at Manila.

7 September 1943:
Departs Manila in convoy 866.

9 September 1943:
South China Sea, west of Luzon HOKUAN MARU possibly rams and sinks USS GRAYLING (SS-209) with all hands.

12 September 1943:
Arrives at Takao.

14 September 1943:
Departs Takao.

15 September 1943:
Arrives at Mako.

19 September 1943:
Departs Mako in convoy No. 205 for Moji consisting of KYOKKO, SEIZAN, CHINA, TEIKO (ex-French D’ARTAGNAN), NICHIEI, FUKUJU, DENMARK MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-2 and auxiliary TOYO MARU No. 3.

20 September 1943:
The convoy is joined by MIYO, GINREI, KENZUI, TATSUHA, TOSEI and JINZAN MARUs.

24 September 1943:
At 1600, the convoy arrives at Moji less HOKUAN MARU that is detached at an unknown point.

24 September 1943:
HOKUAN MARU arrives at Sasebo.

30 September 1943:
Departs Sasebo.

25 October 1943:
Sasebo. Enters the Navy Yard for a refit.

E November 1943.
Refit is completed.

4 December 1943:
Arrives St. Jacques.

7 December 1943:
At noon, HOKUAN MARU departs Cap St. Jacques for Takao in convoy No. 447 also consisting of tanker CHIHAYA MARU and GINYO and TEIKO (ex-French D’ARTAGNAN) MARUs escorted by kaikoban MATSUWA.

10 December 1943:
At 2000, TEIKO MARU is detached independently for Manila. HOKUAN MARU is also detached independently for Takao.

13 December 1943:
Arrives at Takao.

17 December 1943:
Departs Takao.

27 December 1943:
Arrives at Iwakuni.

2 January 1944:
Departs Iwakuni and arrives at Tamano. Departs later for Tokuyama.

11 January 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Refuels.

12 January 1944:
Departs Tokuyama.

13 January 1944:
Arrives at Moji.

14 January 1944:
Departs Moji.

21 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao.

24 January 1944:
Departs Takao. Joins later convoy No. 788 consisting of IKUTAGAWA (ex-Italian RAMB II) MARU and seven unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU. She is detached and steams independently for Manila.

28 January 1944:
Arrives at Manila.

30 January 1944:
HOKUAN MARU departs Manila. Joins convoy No. 3105 also consisting of tankers CHIHAYA, KOKUEI and SAN LUIS MARU and cargo ship BENGAL MARUs and auxiliary netlayer SHOEKI MARU carrying cargo with auxiliary netlayers SHUNSEN, KANKO MARUs (also carrying cargo) and auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-41 as escort.

3 February 1944:
Arrives with the convoy at the southern point of Palawan, Philippines. The convoy subsequently dissolves. KANKO MARU and SHUNSEN MARU sail together south.

4 February 1944:
Arrives at Miri.

9 February 1944:
Departs Miri for Moji via Manila, loaded with 6,000 tons of gasoline and oil, in convoy 3204 consisting of tankers SAN LUIS MARU and CHIHAYA MARU escorted by auxiliary minesweeper CHOUN MARU No. 6.

14 February 1944:
At 0505, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Reuben T. Whitaker’s (USNA ’34) USS FLASHER (SS-249) attacks nearby convoy MO-72. USS FLASHER fires three torpedoes at IJA repair ship MINRYO MARU, She dodges the first two, but the third torpedo hits her No. 2 hold. She sinks at 13-43N, 120-39E. Eight crewmen are KIA.

At 0750, Whitaker attacks the 3204 convoy. Three torpedoes hit and sink HOKUAN MARU at 13-44N, 120-29E. 45 crewmen are KIA.


Authors’s Note:
[1] See the YUSOSEN! home page for a full explanation.

- Gilbert Casse and Bob Hackett


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