YUSOSEN!

(Oiler by Takeshi Yuki)

IJN JINEI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2008-2018 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

Revision 2


13 January 1944:
Nagasaki. Laid down by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as a 10,241-ton Standard Merchant Tanker 2TL for Nitto Shosen K. K. Merchant Marine Co., Ltd., Tokyo.

10 March 1944:
Launched and named JINEI MARU.

31 March 1944:
Completed. Undergoes conversion to an oiler.

17 April 1944:
JINEI MARU and 1TM tanker MEDAN MARU depart Tokyo together at 11 knots bound for the Inland Sea.

21 April 1944:
JINEI MARU transits the Kii Straits headed west at 12 knots.

3 May 1944:
At 0445, JINEI MARU departs Moji in convoy HI-61 consisting of empty tankers TATEKAWA, NICHIEI, AZUSA, EIYO, AKANE, OTORISAN, SARAWAK and ASANAGI MARUs, fleet oiler HAYASUI and passenger cargo ship MIZUHO MARU escorted by escort carrier TAIYO, destroyers ASAGAO, HIBIKI and INAZUMA and kaibokan SADO, KURAHASHI, CD-5, CD-7 and CD-13.

7 May 1944:
JINEI MARU is detached because of engine trouble.

4 June 1944:
Off Formosa. JINEI MARU joins convoy HI-65 consisting of fleet oiler SHIRETOKO and tankers OMUROSAN, ITSUKUSHIMA, ZUIHO, TOHO MARUs and transports/cargo liners MANILA, KASHI and TATSUWA MARUs escorted by escort carrier KAIYO, kaibokan CD-11, CD-19 and subchaser CH-60.

E 5 June 1944:
Arrives at Takao. JINEI MARU is detached.

11 June 1944:
JINEI MARU departs Takao with tankers SAN DIEGO MARU and KYOEI MARU No. 8 and cargo ships/transports ARIMASAN, MANILA, MIIKESAN and USSURI MARUs and joins convoy MI-05 bound for Miri, Borneo.

Convoy MI-05 consists of fleet oiler NOTORO and tankers TACHIBANA, NITTETSU, CERAM, SANKO (YAMAKO), AYAKIRI, AYANAMI, OEI, TOKUWA, TAKETSU (BUTSU), MARIFU and YAMAMIZU MARU No. 2 and KENEI, KENZUI, IKOMASAN, HINAGA, NIPPO, FUYUKAWA, SURAKARUTA and TATSUJU MARU plus nine unidentified ships escorted by kaibokan CD-18, torpedo boat SAGI, patrol boat PB-38, minesweeper W-17, minelayer MAESHIMA, auxiliary subchaser CHa-95 and four unidentified escorts.

13 June 1944:
LtCdr John D. Crowley's USS FLIER (SS-250) torpedoes and damages MARIFU MARU at 15-57N, 119-42E. She is taken in tow by MIIKESAN MARU escorted by SAGI.

15 June 1944:
The convoy arrives Manila. Damaged MARIFU MARU arrives later and is detached.

18 June 1944:
JINEI MARU departs Manila in convoy MI-05 now consisting of fleet oiler NOTORO, tankers TACHIBANA, SAN DIEGO, BAIEI, KENZUI, ATAGO, AYANAMI, CERAM, OEI and TOKUWA MARUs, YAMAMIZU MARU No. 2, and KYOEI MARU No. 8 and cargo/transports ARIMASAN, HINAGA, NIPPO (ex-Chinese NINGPO), TATSUJU, SURAKARUTA, TEIFU, ROKKO, DAIZEN, MIIKESAN, NICHIYO, HIDA and SEIWA MARUs with the same escorts.

23 June 1944:
At 1257, arrives at Miri.

25 June 1944:
At 1915, JINEI MARU departs Miri for Singapore in convoy MISHI-03 consisting of fleet oiler NOTORO and SAN DIEGO, NICHIYO, HIDA, FUYUKAWA, AYANAMI, KYOEI No. 8, BAIEI, NIPPO, DAIZEN, TEIFU (ex-BOUGAINVILLE), SEIWA, SURAKARTA, HINAGA, MANILA, ARIMASAN, ROKKO, TATSUTAMA (ex-American SS Admiral Y. S. WILLIAMS), TOA and KENZUI MARUs escorted by kaibokan CD-18, torpedo boat SAGI, subchaser CH-21, minesweeper W-17 and auxiliary minesweepers CHOUN MARU No. 6 and TOSHI MARU No. 2.

28 June 1944:
South China Sea, off Singapore. At 2100, Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Rueben T. Whitaker’s USS FLASHER’s (SS-249) radar picks up the convoy. Whitaker, operating in relatively shallow water (150 feet), decides to wait until after the moon sets to make a surface attack on the convoy’s two largest ships.

29 June 1944:
At 0111, Whitaker torpedoes freighter NIPPO MARU. Then he torpedoes NOTORO. At 0117, two or three torpedoes hit NIPPO MARU and two or three torpedoes hit NOTORO. NIPPO MARU breaks in two and sinks by the bow. NOTORO remains afloat, but goes dead in the water. The escorts begin blindly dropping depth charges. Whitaker, still on the surface, leaves the area on four engines.

30 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

3 July 1944:
At 1115 arrives at Palembang.

4 July 1944:
At 2100 departs Palembang for Singapore. While sailing down to Musi River the ship damages her rudder and stops at Upang for temporary repairs.

7 July 1944:
At 1600 due to arrive at Singapore.

20 July 1944:
At 1600 departs Palembang.

22 July 1944:
At 1500 arrives at Singapore.

8 August 1944:
At 0800 CD-7 and destroyers HAMAKAZE and ISOKAZE depart Singapore escorting convoy SHIMI-08 consisting of NANSEI (ex British PLEIODON), JINEI, UGA and NORFOLK MARUs and eight unidentified merchant ships.

14 August 1944:
At 1230 arrives at Miri.

16 August 1944:
At 0700, CD-7 departs Miri with kaibokan SHIMUSHU, CD-28, likely CD-16 and subchasers CH-30, CH-33 and CH-41 escorting convoy MI-12 consisting of NORFOLK, UGA, KINRYU, GYOKUYO or possibly OYO, JUNGEN GO and GYOSAN MARUs and unknown KAITO MARU and tankers ZUIYO, JINEI, TAKETOYO, SEISHIN and NANSEI MARUs.

17 August 1944:
GYOSAN MARU is detached.

18 August 1944:
At 1352, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) William T. Kinsella's (USNA ’34) USS RAY (SS-271) torpedoes and sinks NANSEI MARU at 08-39N, 116-39E. 12 Gunners and 17 crewmen are killed. The convoy is ordered to seek shelter.

20 August 1944:
At 1930, arrives at Paluan Bay, NW Mindoro.

21 August 1944:
At 0556, departs Paluan Bay. Soon after, CD-28 attacks an enemy submarine contact. At 0720, a wolfpack consisting of USS GUITARRO (SS-363), USS HADDO (SS-255), USS HARDER (SS-257), USS RAY (SS-271) and USS MUSKALLUNGE (SS-262) make the first of a series of successful attacks. Kinsella's USS RAY torpedoes and sinks TAKETOYO MARU carrying a cargo of drummed oil and gasoline at 13-23N 120-19E. 13 crewmen are KIA.

At 0730, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Chester W. Nimitz, Jr's (USNA ’36) USS HADDO (SS-255) torpedoes and sinks NORFOLK MARU. One Gunner and 16 crewmen are KIA. At 0800, Nimitz also torpedoes and sinks KINRYU MARU carrying a cargo of bauxite. 65 of soldiers and three crewmen are KIA. At 0825, LtCdr (later Captain) Enrique D. Haskin's (USNA ’33) USS GUITARRO (SS- 363) torpedoes and sinks UGA MARU at 13-27N, 120-17E. 16 of the passengers, two ship’s gunners and 29 crewmen are killed.

22 August 1944:
At 2200, arrives at Manila.

6 September 1944:
At 1300 depart Manila in convoy MATA-27 escorted by minesweepers W-38 and W-39, kaibokan YASHIRO, torpedo boat HIYODORI and one unidentified warship (probably TAKUNAN MARU No. 5), consisting of SHINSEI MARU (2880 grt), JINEI MARU and seven unidentified merchant ships.

7 September 1944:
At 1730 arrives at North San Fernando.

8 September 1944:
At 0000 departs North San Fernando. At 1900 arrives at Bangui.

9 September 1944:
Departs Bangui. Off Musa Bay, Fuga Island.

11 September 1944:
At 1730 arrives at Takao.

14 September 1944:
At Takao rejoins convoy MI-12 now also consisting of HIROTA MARU and others unknown escorted by destroyer HATSUHARU and torpedo boat HIYODORI.

21 September 1944:
Arrives at Mutsure.

20 October 1944: Operation SHO-I-GO ("Victory") – The Battle of Leyte Gulf:
JINEI MARU and oiler TAKANE MARU are assigned to Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's (former CO of HARUNA) Northern "decoy" Mobile Force’s Second Supply Force. They depart Yashima anchorage escorted by kaibokan CD-22, CD-29, CD-31, CD-33, CD-43 and CD-132. The Supply Force supports Ozawa's CarDiv 3's ZUIKAKU, ZUIHO, CHITOSE and CHIYODA and CarDiv 4's hybrid HYUGA and ISE.

TAKANE MARU and kaibokan CD-33 and CD-43 are detached for Tokuyama Navy Fuel Depot. TAKANE MARU takes on a load of fuel for Ozawa's Mobile Force.

21 October 1944:
TAKANE MARU and kaibokan CD-33 and CD-22 and CD-29 depart Tokuyama Navy Fuel Depot for Koniya, Kakaroma-Jima, Ryukyus. JINEI MARU and CD-31, CD-43 and CD-132 depart Kure. Destroyer AKIKAZE is to follow.

22 October 1944:
JINEI MARU refuels Ozawa's force at sea. Sound contact is made with a submarine. At 2010, ZUIKAKU and light cruiser TAMA spot torpedo tracks and make a sharp turn to port. Ozawa is forced to cancel the refueling after receiving only one third of the required amount.

24 October 1944:
Destroyer AKIKAZE departs Kure to rendezvous at sea with the Second Supply Force and its escorts at a position S of Kagoshima, Kyushu.

25 October 1944: – The Battle off Cape Engano:
S of Yaku Jima, Japan. At 0435, LtCdr Orme C. Robbins’ USS STERLET (SS-392) torpedoes and sinks JINEI MARU at 30-15N, 129-45E. Destroyer AKIKAZE helps rescue JINEI MARU's survivors. [1][2]


Authors’ Notes:
[1] Author Cdr John D. Alden notes all 69 crewmen were KIA.

[2] Accounts of JINEI MARU's sinking are varied and inconsistent. The authors are of the opinion that many accounts confuse JINEI MARU's 25 Oct '44 sinking with TAKANE MARU's sinking on 30 Oct '44.

Thanks to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.


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