KYUSETSUMOKAN!
(KATSURA MARU in wartime)
IJN KATSURA MARU :
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2018 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall
1 October 1938:
Osaka. Laid down by Sanoyasu Dock K.K. for Setsuyo Shosen K.K. as a 541 GRT cargo ship.
24 December 1938:
Launched and named KATSURA MARU. [1]
31 January 1939:
Completed and registered at Osaka.
23 March 1939:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a general requisitioned transport (Ippan Choyosen).
16 October 1939:
Arrives at Jinkow (now Zhenjiang), China and departs later that day.
5 December 1939:
Departs Shanghai, China.
22 December 1939:
Arrives at Nanking (now Nanjing), China.
16 December 1940:
Navy reserve Lt (jg) Sakaguchi Saburo is appointed CO.
25 December 1940:
Registered as an auxiliary netlayer attached to the Yokosuka Naval District under instruction No. 1018.
15 January 1942:
Uraga. Conversion to military duty at Uraga Dock K.K. shipyard is completed. Attached to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Inoue Shigeyoshi’s (37) Fourth Fleet, in Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral posthumously) Yatsushiro Sukeyoshi’s (40) 6th Base Force, 62nd Subchaser Division also consisting of small auxiliary subchasers TAKUNAN MARU No. 6 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 7 based at Kwajalein, Marshalls under instruction No. 29.
4 February 1941:
Rated as auxiliary netlayer No. 62-1.
12 February 1941:
Departs Yokosuka for the South Seas (Japanese mandated Islands).
26 February 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
29 March 1941:
Departs Yokosuka for the South Seas.
1 September 1941:
Attachment confirmed to Fourth Fleet, 6th Base Force and 62nd Subchaser Division under secret telegram No. 228.
1 October 1941:
Navy reserve Lt (jg) Sakaguchi is relieved by Navy reserve Lt (jg) Hosogaya Eiji as CO.
15 October 1941:
The 62nd Subchaser Division is scheduled to act as a special rescue team under instruction No. 1251.
1 December 1941:
Attachment confirmed to 6th Base Force, 62nd Subchaser Division based at Kwajalein, Marshalls as auxiliary netlayer No. 62-1.
15 December 1941:
Departs Kwajalein and arrives at Roi, Marshalls later that day.
19 December 1941:
Departs Roi and arrives at Kwajalein later this day.
31 December 1941:
Remains attached to 6th Base Force, 62nd Subchaser Division as auxiliary netlayer No. 62-1.
5 January 1942:
Attached to Fourth Fleet, 6th Base Force, 64th Subchaser Division also consisting of small auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 10 and SHONAN MARU No. 11, based at Taroa, Marshalls.
7 January 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
13 January 1942:
Arrives at Otori Jima (Wake).
15 January 1942:
Departs Otori Jima.
19 January 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
20 January 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
22 January 1942:
Arrives at Taroa, Marshalls.
February ~ March 1942:
Stationed at Taroa.
8 April 1942:
Departs Taroa.
9 April 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
10 April 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
13 April 1942:
Arrives at Ponape, Eastern Carolines.
15 April 1942:
Departs Ponape.
17 April 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
18 April ~ 16 May 1942:
In dock for repairs and maintenance.
4 May 1942:
Ownership is changed to Kansai Kisen K.K.
17 May 1942:
Departs Truk.
22 May 1942:
Arrives at Kusai, Eastern Carolines.
23 May 1942:
Departs Kusai.
25 May 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
28 May 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
30 May 1942:
Arrives at Taroa.
31 May ~ 29 July 1942:
Stationed at Taroa.
30 July 1942:
Departs Taroa.
31 July 1942:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
3 August 1942:
Departs Kwajalein.
4 August 1942:
Arrives at Taroa.
September ~ December 1942:
Patrols in Taroa waters.
14 January 1943:
Departs Taroa.
15 January 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit, Marshalls.
21 January 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
25 January 1943:
Arrives at Ponape.
26 January 1943:
Departs Ponape.
31 January 1943:
At 1630, arrives at Jaluit.
2 February 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
3 February 1943:
Arrives at Taroa.
4 ~ 28 February 1943:
Patrols in Taroa waters.
15 February 1943:
Attached to Fourth Fleet, 6th Base Force, 63th Subchaser Division also consisting of small auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 3 and FUMI MARU No. 3, based at Kwajalein under instruction No. 252. Assigned to protect Taroa waters under 6th Base Force instruction No. 1.
14 March 1943:
Departs Taroa.
15 March 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit.
17 March 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
18 March 1943:
Arrives at Taroa.
April ~ July 1943:
Patrols in Taroa waters.
15 July 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
E 16 July 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
17 July 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
19 July 1943:
At 0705, departs Kwajalein for Taroa.
25 July 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
27 July 1943:
At 0505, departs Kwajalein.
1 ~ 22 August 1943:
Patrols in Taroa waters.
23 August 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
25 August 1943:
At 0800, departs Kwajalein escorting convoy No. 6252 consisting of KENSHIN MARU also escorted by auxiliary gunboat DAIDO MARU and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 7. The convoy sails at 9.5 knots.
31 August 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
20 September 1943:
Navy reserve Lt (jg) Hosogaya is relieved by Navy reserve Lt Imai Tetsuo as CO.
September ~ October 1943:
In dock for repairs and maintenance.
October 1943:
Attached to Vice Admiral Kobayashi Masashi’s (38) Fourth Fleet, 6th Base Force and 63th Subchaser Division as auxiliary netlayer No. 3-1. Assigned to protect Maloelap, Marshalls waters under 6th Base Force instruction No. 10.
7 November 1943:
At 1500 departs Truk with subchaser CH-28 via S channel escorting convoy No. 5075 consisting of ASAKAZE, KEMBU, KENSHIN, KITAKAMI MARUs and oiler No. 6010.
13 November 1943:
At 1520, convoy No. 5075 arrives at Kwajalein.
7 January 1944:
Departs Maloelap transporting ammunition for Eniwetok (Brown), Marshalls and Kwajalein.
31 January 1944:
Rear Admiral (Admiral-ret) Frederick C. Sherman’s (USNA ’10) aircraft from fast carrier group TG 58.3 bomb aircraft and airfield facilities at Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll. TG 58.3 aircraft and USS HARRISON (DD-573) sinks KATSURA MARU about 108 nautical miles W Eniwetok with unknown casualties.
31 March 1944:
Removed from the Navy list under instruction No. 508.
Authors' Notes:
[1] Not to be confused with Wartime Standard 2E Type (884 GRT, ’45).
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
- Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall.
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