Japanese Oilers

YUSOSEN!

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

IJN KINREI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2009-2010 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

17 September 1940:
Shimonoseki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding as a 867-ton tanker for Asahi Sekiyu K. K.
25 July 1941:
Launched and named KINREI MARU.
15 October 1941:
Completed.
19 October 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
1 December 1941:
Registered in the Kure Naval District as an auxiliary transport ship (oil supply).
10 December 1941:
Completes conversion.
19 December 1941:
Arrives at Dairien, Manchuria.
21 December 1941:
Departs Dairien.
27 December 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
29 December 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
30 December 1941:
Arrives at Kawasaki.
1 January 1942:
Departs Kawasaki.
20 January 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama.
22 January 1942:
Departs Yokohama.
4 February 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
8 February 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
10 February 1942:
Arrives at Dairien.
12 February 1942:
Departs Dairien.
15 February 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
17 February 1942:
Departs Kure.
19 February 1942:
Arrives at Dairen.
21 February 1942:
Departs Dairen.
24 February 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
1 March 1942:
Departs Kure.
7 March 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
9 March 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
12 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
16 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokohama.
20 March 1942:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Loads fuel oil.
22 March 1942:
Departs Tokuyama.
23 March 1942:
Arrives at Shimotsu.
26 March 1942:
Departs Shimotsu.
28 March 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
1 April 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
21 April 1942:
Arrives at Hikoshima.
26 April 1942:
Departs Hikoshima.
1 May 1942:
Arrives at Akkeshi.
4 May 1942:
Departs Akkeshi.
5 May 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
8 May 1942:
Departs Ominato.
15 May 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
27 May 1942:
Departs Ominato.
1 June 1942:
Departs Ominato with stops at Niigata, Kataoka Bay and Hiroshi.
18 June 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
20 June 1942:
Departs Ominato for Kataoka Bay, Shimushu Island, Kuriles.
2 July 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
4 July 1942:
Departs Ominato with stops at Kataoka Bay and Ominato.
20 July 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
22 July 1944:
Departs Yokosuka for Nonai and then returns to Yokosuka.
1 August 1942:
Ownership changes to Showa Nippon Oil K. K. Arrives at Miyako.
3 August 1942:
Departs Miyako for Nonai and Dairen.
20 August 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
22 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
25 August 1942:
Arrives at Hikoshima.
30 August 1942:
Departs Hikoshima for Tokuyama.
1 September 1942:
Arrives at Shimotsu. Reassigned to the Combined Fleet’s Eighth Fleet.
3 September 1942:
Departs Shimotsu.
4 September 1942:
Arrives at Nagoya.
6 September 1942:
Departs Nagoya. Arrives at Yokkaichi.
9 September 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gasoline.
13 September 1942:
Arrives at Haha Jima and later proceeds to Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. Probably unloads aviation gasoline. KINREI MARU departs Haha Jima in a convoy consisting of transport CHOKO MARU escorted by auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU.
14 September 1942:
Departs Iwo Jima. The convoy is augmented by AZUSA, UJIGAWA and KISARAGI MARUs and TAMA MARU No. 2
18 September 1942:
Near Saipan AZUSA, UJIGAWA and KISARAGI MARUs and TAMA MARU No. 2 are detached.
23 September 1942:
Arrives at Truk, Carolines.
29 October 1942:
Rabaul. Refuels mine sweeper FUMI MARU No. 2.
2 November 1942:
Rabaul. KINREI MARU refuels transport KYOEI MARU.
30 December 1942:
Reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet’s north section patrol unit
3 January 1943:
KYOEI MARU refuels KINREI MARU.
1 February 1943:
Departs Rabaul.
4 February 1943:
Arrives at Hollandia (now Jayapura), New Guinea. and departs.
5 February 1943:
Arrives at Wakde, New Guinea and departs.
7 February 1943:
Arrives at Manokwari, New Guinea.
8 February 1943:
Departs Manokwari.
11 February 1943:
Arrives at Ambon, Moluccas.
20 February 1943:
Departs Ambon.
22 February 1943:
Arrives at Sorong, New Guinea.
February 1943:
Sorong. Loads various oil types from transport KAIJO MARU.
23 February 1943:
Departs Sorong and later that day arrives at Manokwari.
2 March 1943:
Departs Manokwari. Later that day arrives at Nabire, New Guinea and then departs.
4 March 1943:
Arrives at Serui, Yapen Island and later that day departs.
5 March 1943:
Arrives at Miai, New Guinea and later that day departs.
6 March 1943:
Arrives at Nabire and later that day departs.
7 March 1943:
Arrives at Korido-Bosnik on Biak Island.
9 March 1943:
Departs Korido-Bosnik.
10 March 1943:
Arrives at Manokwari.
13 March 1943:
Departs Manokwari.
16 March 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
23 March 1943:
Departs Palau.
27 March 1943:
Arrives at Manokwari.
16 April 1943:
Departs Manokwari.
17 April 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
24 April 1943:
Departs Sorong.
26 April 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
28 April 1943:
Departs Ambon.
30 April 1943:
Arrives at Kokas, McCluer Gulf and departs later that day.
1 May 1943:
Arrives at Patipi Bay.
2 May 1943:
Departs Patipi Bay.
3 May 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
1 June 1943:
Departs Sorong.
3 June 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
7 June 1943:
Departs Ambon.
9 June 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
16 June 1943:
Departs Sorong.
20 June 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
29 June 1943:
Departs Ambon.
31 July 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
26 September 1943:
At 1635, departs Sorong.
27 September 1943:
At 1705, arrives at Kaboei-Baai (Teluk Kabui), a bay on the south coast of Waigeo at 00-22S, 130-38E.
28 September 1943:
At 2120, departs Kaboei-Baai.
30 September 1943:
At 1010, arrives at Kokas and at 2020 departs.
8 October 1943:
At 1730, arrives at Rembang, Java.
10 October 1943:
At 2155, departs Rembang.
11 October 1943:
At 1530, arrives at Surabaya. Enters drydock and undergoes repairs.
8 November 1943:
Completes repairs.
9 November 1943:
Departs Surabaya.
15 November 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
19 November 1943:
Departs Ambon.
21 November 1943:
Arrives at Kau Bay, Halmahera Island, Moluccas.
26 November 1943:
Departs Kau Bay.
28 November 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
30 November 1943:
Departs Sorong.
2 December 1943:
Arrives at Kau Bay.
26 December 1943:
Departs Kau Bay.
27 December 1943:
Arrives at Sorong.
29 December 1943:
Departs Sorong.
31 December 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
7 January 1944:
Departs Ambon in convoy consisting of KINREI, TSUSHIMA and OAKITA MARUs escorted by auxiliary minesweeper Wa-9.
9 February 1944:
Arrives at Kau Bay.
10 February 1944:
Departs Kau Bay.
11 February 1944:
Arrives at Kaboei Bay
12 February 1944:
Departs Kaboei Bay and later that day arrives at Sorong.
13 February 1944:
Departs Sorong.
14 February 1944:
Arrives at Boela (Bula), Ceram.
15 February 1944:
At 0700, departs Boela.
16 February 1944:
At 1600, arrives at Sorong.
17 February 1944:
Departs Sorong escorted by HINOKI MARU.
20 February 1944:
At 1800, arrives at Kau Bay.
21 March 1944:
Departs Kau Bay.
23 March 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day.
25 March 1944:
Arrives at Ambon.
28 March 1944:
Departs Ambon.
30 March 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day.
1 April 1944:
Arrives at Ambon.
4 April 1944:
Departs Ambon.
6 April 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day.
8 April 1944:
Arrives at Ambon.
25 April 1944:
Departs Ambon.
27 April 1944:
Arrives at Sorong
28 April 1944:
Departs Sorong.
29 April 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day.
2 May 1944:
Arrives at Kau Bay.
1 May 1944:
Reassigned to the Combined Fleet’s Southwest Area Fleet.
7 May 1944:
Departs Kau Bay.
9 May 1944:
Arrives at Sorong.
10 May 1944:
Departs Sorong.
11 May 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day.
15 May 1944:
Arrives at Kau Bay.
19 May 1944:
Departs Kau.
22 May 1944:
Arrives at Boela and departs later that day.
24 May 1944:
Arrives at Ambon.
29 May 1944:
Departs Ambon.
30 May 1944:
Arrives at Boela.
31 May 1944:
Departs Boela.
2 June 1944:
Arrives at Batjan, Halmahera Island, Moluccas.
4 June 1944:
Departs Batjan
6 June 1944:
Arrives at Kau.
10 June 1944:
Departs Kau.
13 June 1944:
The ownership of the ship changes to the Japanese Oil corporation.
15 June 1944:
Arrives at Batjan and departs later that day.
20 June 1944:
Arrives at Kau.
26 June 1944:
Departs Kau.
30 June 1944:
Arrives at Batjan and departs later that day.
5 July 1944:
Arrives at Kau.
11 July 1944:
Departs Kau.
16 July 1944:
Arrives at Ambon.
7 August 1944:
Departs Ambon.
9 August 1944:
Arrives at Staring Bay, Kendari, Celebes.
22 August 1944:
Departs Staring Bay in a convoy consisting of KINREI and TAIAN MARUs with auxiliary subchaser CHa-116 as escort.
24 August 1944:
Arrives at Makassar.
1 September 1944:
Departs Makassar.
2 September 1944:
Departs Makassar.
6 September 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
7 October 1944:
Departs Balikpapan.
12 October 1944:
Arrives at Makassar.
28 October 1944:
Departs Makassar
31 October 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
2 November 1944:
Departs Balikpapan.
13 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
14 November 1944:
Singapore. Undergoes hull and system repairs and servicing.
10 February 1945:
Reassigned to the Combined Fleet’s Tenth Fleet.
26 April 1945:
At 1100, KINREI MARU departs Singapore for Saigon in a convoy consisting of tanker TAKASAGO MARU with three unidentified escorts.
6 May 1945:
At about 0500, LtCdr Frank M. Smith’s USS HAMMERHEAD (SS-364) torpedoes and KINREI MARU. Hit by two of eight torpedoes fired by radar bearings, she blows up and sinks at 08-15N, 102-15E.
10 June 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Notes:
Thanks for assistance goes to Sander Kingsepp of Estonia and Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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