Japanese Supply Ships

KYURYOKAN

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

IJN MAMIYA: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2007 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

25 October 1922:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki’s Shipyard.
26 October 1923:
Launched and named MAMIYA.
1 December 1923:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Otani Shiro (31) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
15 July 1924:
Completed. Attached to the Kure Naval District. Captain Otani is the Commanding Officer.
25 October 1924:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Katayama Noboru (32) assumes command.
1925:
Reassigned to the Combined Fleet.
1 December 1925:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Yamaguchi Seishichi (32) assumes command.
30 November 1929:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kojima Kentaro (36) assumes command.
15 November 1930:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Fujimori Seiichiro Nagano Naval Academy (37) assumes command.
1 December 1932:
An unknown officer assumes command.
15 November 1933:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Suzuki Yoshio (40) assumes command.
25 May 1934:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sasaki Kiyoyasu (38) assumes command.
15 November 1934:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Aoyagi Muneshige (37) assumes command.
1935:
Undergoes remodeling. MAMIYA’s mainmast is replaced by a tripod.
2 March 1936:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kakimoto Gonichiro (41) assumes command.
14 April 1936:
Departs Ariake Bay, Kyushu, for spring exercises of the Combined Fleet in the Tsingtao area of China.
Mid-May 1936:
Returns to Ariake.
23 July 1936:
MAMIYA and several other vessels are caught by a typhoon off Beppu Bay, Kyushu. She and submarine I-55 are briefly grounded. MAMIYA receives minor damage.
1 December 1936:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Hoshino Masatsugu (41) assumes command.
15 November 1937:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Akiyama Monzo (42) assumes command.
Late 1937:
AA armament is fitted.
11 October 1940: Imperial Naval Review:
Yokohama. MAMIYA and 97 warships are spread across Tokyo Bay. Vice Admiral (later Admiral of the Fleet, posthumously) Yamamoto Isoroku (former CO of AKAGI), CINC, Combined Fleet, accompanies Emperor Hirohito (Showa) aboard battleship HIEI for the Emperor's annual review of the fleet. 527 aircraft also participate. HIEI, escorted by cruisers TAKAO, KAKO and FURUTAKA, then passes among the fleet's ships.
1 July 1941:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Fukuyoshi Yasuo (42) assumes command.
20 September 1941:
Kure Navy Yard. MAMIYA and light carrier HOSHO are anchored near a large fitting-out pontoon servicing battleship YAMATO in her later stage of construction. Heavy cruisers KAKO and KINUGASA are anchored nearby.
8 December 1941:
MAMIYA is with the Combined Fleet's Supply and Support Unit.
14 December 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Truk.
13 January 1943:
At 1300, arrives at Truk via the north channel.
25 January 1943:
At 0430, MAMIYA departs Truk in a convoy consisting of SOYO MARU escorted by destroyer MOCHIZUKI as far as Saipan.
14 September 1943:
Departs Truk for Yokosuka escorted by destroyer SHIRATSUYU.
22 September 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
12 October 1943:
Off Chichi-Jima. At about 0500, LtCdr David C. White's USS CERO (SS-225) attacks a three-ship convoy escorted by unidentified destroyers. White torpedoes and damages MAMIYA at 28-39N, 137-28E. Hit in the stern, her rudder probably damaged, MAMIYA becomes unnavigable. About noon, LtCdr White makes a second attack on anchored MAMIYA. He fires six torpedoes and gets four hits, one of which is a dud.
14 October 1943:
During salvage operations, torpedo boat CHIDORI collides with MAMIYA.
16 October 1943:
Submarine tender JINGEI departs Kure to assist MAMIYA. JINGEI finds MAMIYA drifting SW of the Ogasawara Islands and takes her in tow until the arrival of collier ASAKAZE MARU and destroyers OITE and ASANAGI that take over towing and escort duties.
19 October 1943:
Arrives at Saeki.
October 1943-April 1944:
Kure. Undergoes battle damage repairs.
1 April 1944:
At 1100, MAMIYA departs Tokyo as part of convoy “Higashi-Matsu” No. 4. The ships and their destinations are: Palau: MAMIYA and TENRYUGAWA, TAIAN and TOSEI MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 5. Saipan: SHOUN, TOKO, TAKASAN, AKIKAWA KOKO, SHIRAMINE, TAIKAI, KAKOGAWA and MAKASSAR MARUs. Guam: MIMASAKA, TOAN, AZUCHISAN and NISSHU MARUs and UNYO MARU No. 8. Truk: Fleet supply ship KINESAKI and SHOZUI, TATEBE (KEMBU), SHIMA, SHINYO and HAVRE MARUs. Yap: SHINSEI MARU.
The convoy commander is Rear Admiral Kiyota Takahiko (former CO of NACHI) in destroyer SAMIDARE. The other escorts include destroyer ASANAGI, torpedo-boat HIYODORI, kaibokans AMAKUSA, FUKUE, OKI, MIKURA, CD-2, CD-3 and subchaser CH-50.
3 April 1944:
5 miles S of Tori-Shima. At about 1457, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen's USS POLLACK torpedoes and sinks TOSEI MARU at 30-14N, 139-45E. The escorts counter-attack POLLACK and drop 55 depth-charges without effect.
8 April 1944:
N of Saipan. At 0228 (JST), LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Frederick J. Harlfinger's USS TRIGGER (SS-237) fires four torpedoes at the convoy, but fails to get any hits. OKI and SAMIDARE counter-attack unsuccessfully.
9 April 1944:
62 miles WNW of Saipan. At 1625, LtCdr (later Captain) Slade D. Cutter's USS SEAHORSE (SS-304) torpedoes and hits MIMASAKA MARU at 15-30N, 145-00E. MIMASAKA MARU is taken in tow by TOAN MARU. The escorts counter-attack SEAHORSE unsuccessfully.
10 April 1944:
At about 0100 (JST), MIMASAKA MARU founders. She is carrying over 1,000 Naval personnel, most of whom are rescued. The convoy arrives at Saipan, where it is split into separate groups that continue on to their respective destinations.
E 16 April 1944:
MAMIYA arrives at Palau.
27 April 1944:
Departs Takao in convoy TAMO-18 consisting of TAINAN, TOYOURA MARUs, SHINSEI MARU No. 5 and three unidentified ships escorted by kaibokan FUKUE, CD-2 and gunboat UJI.
2 May 1944:
At 1500, MAMIYA departs Keelung, Formosa for Moji in convoy TAMO-18 consisting of TAINAN and TOYOURA MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 5 and four unidentified ships escorted by kaibokan FUKUE, CD-2 and gunboat UJI.
6 May 1944:
E China Sea. At 0325, LtCdr Joseph W. Williams' USS SPEARFISH (SS-190) torpedoes and sinks TOYOURA MARU and damages MAMIYA at 32-16N, 127-08E. Later that day, Williams attempts unsuccessfully to finish off MAMIYA. The escorts counter-attack SPEARFISH and inflict minor damage. UJI probably tows MAMIYA.
E 9 May 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
May-September 1944:
Undergoes battle damage repairs.
29 August 1944:
Captain Kase Saburo (44)(former CO of KITAKAMI) assumes command.
26 October 1944:
At 1730, MAMIYA departs Mutsure in convoy HI-79 consisting of transports KAGU, MELBOURNE and ARIMASAN MARUs and tankers TENEI and MATSUSHIMA MARUs. The ships are initially escorted by light cruiser KASHI, kaibokan NOMI, UKURU and minelayer NIIZAKI.
27 October 1944:
Kaibokan CD-17 joins the escort.
28 October 1944:
Minesweeper W-21 joins the escort.
29 October 1944:
MELBOURNE MARU is detached for Keelung escorted by kaibokan UKURU and CD-17.
30 October 1944:
HI-79 arrives at Takao. MAMIYA, KAGU MARU and minesweeper W-21 are detached from the convoy that later proceeds to Singapore.
20 November 1944:
MAMIYA departs Saigon for Manila with a full load of ammunition in convoy SAMA-14A escorted by kaibokan CD-38 and three or four unidentified warships.
25 November 1944:
Off Corregidor, Manila Bay. About 2120, MAMIYA launches a blue signal flare. Just after the signal, kaibokan CD-38 suffers an attack by LtCdr Francis A. Greenup's USS HARDHEAD (SS-365). Greenup hits CD-38 below the bridge and sinks her at 14-22N, 119-57E.
E 18 December 1944:
Departs Indochina for San Fernando, Philippines escorted by destroyer KARI and kaibokan CD-17.
20 December 1944:
South China Sea, about 450 miles NE of Camranh Bay. At 2040, LtCdr Charles F. Putman’s SEALION (SS-315) torpedoes and damages MAMIYA at 17-48N, 114-09E. Putman evades the escorts.
21 December 1944:
South China Sea. At 0137, SEALION carries out a second attack on MAMIYA and sinks her at 17-48N, 114-09E. Captain Kase is KIA. He is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.
10 February 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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