KYURYOSEN!
(MINATO MARU, prewar)
IJN MINATO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2019-2020 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
29 July 1934:
Osaka. Laid down by Osaka Tekkosho Honsha Kojo K.K. as a 664-tons deep-sea trawler for Kyodo Gyogyo K.K.
20 November 1934:
Launched and named MINATO MARU.
27 December 1934:
Kyodo Gyogyo K.K. receives a steamer trawl fishing permit, with license No. 1, for 10 years starting that same day. Operating areas are East China Sea, Yellow Sea and South China Sea with Tobata, Shimonoseki, Nagasaki and Hong Kong as harvesting ports. Fishing is not permitted from 1st May to 30th September in East China Sea and Yellow Sea.
28 December 1934:
Completed and registered at Tobata with a Registered Net Tonnage (NRT) of 338-tons. [1]
26 October 1935:
Steamer trawl fishing permit is renewed. Operating areas are (A) East China Sea and Yellow Sea, (B) South China Sea, (C) off Mexico and California Gulf, off Central America from Guatemala border to Cape Mariato, Panama with Tobata, Shimonoseki, Nagasaki, Balboa, Hong Kong and Los Angeles as harvesting ports.
17 September 1936:
Steamer trawl fishing permit is renewed. Operating areas are (A) East China Sea and Yellow Sea, (B) South China Sea, (C) off Mexico and California Gulf, off Central America from Guatemala border to Cape Mariato, Panama with Tobata, Shimonoseki, Nagasaki, Balboa, Mazatlan, Hong Kong and Los Angeles as harvesting ports. Fishing is not permitted from 1st May to 30th September in East China Sea and Yellow Sea.
11 November 1936:
Steamer trawl fishing permit is renewed until Jul ‘45.
7 May 1937:
Her owners and port of registry are respectively changed to Nippon Suisan K.K. and Tokyo. Her NRT is modified to 333-tons. [1]
4 June 1937:
Steamer trawl fishing permit is transferred to Nippon Suisan K.K.
12 July 1937:
Steamer trawl fishing permit details are modified.
18 July 1938:
Steamer trawl fishing permit is renewed until Oct ‘45.
10 November 1941:
Osaka. Conversion for military duty starts at Fujinagata Tazosenjo K.K. shipyard.
16 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN. Navy Consultant Murai Koichi (61) is appointed CO.
10 December 1941:
Registered as an auxiliary stores ship attached to the Maizuru Naval district under instruction No. 1634.
13 December 1941:
Conversion is completed. Departs Osaka.
20 December 1941:
Attached directly to the Combined Fleet as an auxiliary stores ship, (Otsu) category under instruction No. 248. [2]
26 December 1941:
Departs Takao, Formosa (now Kaoshiung, Taiwan).
E 27 December 1941 ~ 23 January 1942:
Operates in French Indochina (now Vietnam) waters.
24 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
29 January 1942:
Departs Takao.
3 March 1942:
At Staring Bay, Celebes, Netherlands East Indies (now Wawosungu Bay, Sulawesi, Indonesia), provisions patrol boat PB-1 with fresh food.
6 April 1942:
At Gane Bay (now Teluk Gane), S Halmahera, Moluccas, Netherlands East Indies, provisions auxiliary gunboat MANYO MARU with fresh food.
E 7 ~ 10 April 1942:
Departs Gane Bay.
10 April 1942:
Attached to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Tsukahara Nishizo’s (36) 11th Air Fleet, 8th Base Force, Transport Unit.
8 May 1942:
Departs Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago (now Papua New Guinea).
20 May 1942:
Attached to 8th Base Force, Transport Unit.
12 June 1942:
Scheduled to be equipped with armament equipment for an auxiliary stores ship (Otsu) category under instruction No. 7246. [2]
16 June 1942:
Arrives at Tateyama.
22 June 1942:
Armament equipment for an auxiliary stores ship (Otsu) category starts. [2]
24 June 1942:
In a westbound convoy also consisting of IJA transports HINO MARU No. 1, HORAI, SHINWA, TOUN and YAMAZURU MARUs. Auxiliary gunboat HIYOSHI MARU No. 2 GO, which departed Uraga earlier that day, meets up with the convoy and starts escorting it.
25 June 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Taroa, Marshalls.
12 July 1942:
At 0500 arrives at Roi.
18 July 1942:
Departs Roi.
19 July 1942:
Arrives at Taroa.
25 July 1942:
Departs Taroa.
26 July 1942:
Arrives at Imedj, Marshalls.
29 July 1942:
Departs Imedj and arrives at Jaluit, Marshalls later that day.
31 July 1942:
Departs Jaluit.
1 August 1942:
Arrives at Roi, Marshalls.
10 August 1942:
Departs Roi.
11 August 1942:
Arrives at Taroa.
13 August 1942:
Departs Taroa.
14 August 1942:
Arrives at Imedj.
15 August 1942:
Departs Imedj and arrives at Jaluit later that day.
16 August 1942:
Departs Jaluit.
29 August 1942:
Arrives at Shimonoseki.
31 August 1942:
Departs Shimonoseki and arrives at Osaka Iron Works K.K., Hikojima.
E 1 September 1942:
Enters drydock likely for maintenance and repairs.
16 September 1942:
Depth charge equipment is installed under instruction no. 11672.
1 October 1942:
Attached to the Southeast Forces, Vice Admiral Kusaka Jinichi’s (37) 11th Air Fleet, 8th Base Force, Supply Unit.
9 October 1942:
Depth charge installation, maintenance and repairs are completed.
16 October 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
30 October 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
E 30 October 1942:
Provisions minesweeper W-22 with fresh food.
E 5 November 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
6 November 1942:
Arrives at Kavieng, New Ireland, Bismarck Archipelago.
7 November 1942:
Departs Kavieng.
10 November 1942:
Arrives at Truk, Central Carolines.
19 November 1942:
Departs Truk in a convoy also consisting of IJN auxiliary stores ships HARUNA and HOKKAI MARUs escorted by auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU.
20 November 1942:
At 05-00N, 149-00E CHOUN MARU detaches.
23 November 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
28 November 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
29 November 1942:
Arrives at Kavieng.
2 December 1942:
Departs Kavieng.
5 December 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
14 December 1942:
Departs Truk in a convoy also consisting of stores ships MANKO, MITSU and TAKUNAN MARUs with an unknown escort.
19 December 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
22 December 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
23 December 1942:
Arrives at Shortland, Solomons.
24 December 1942:
Attached to 11th Air Fleet, 8th Base Force, Supply Unit.
26 December 1942:
At 300 meters, 333° off Cape Pupukuna, Bougainville, Solomons (now Papua New Guinea) supplies auxiliary seaplane carrier SANYO MARU with fresh food.
27 December 1942:
Departs Shortland.
28 December 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
6 January 1943:
Departs Rabaul.
11 January 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
20 January 1943:
Departs Truk.
23 January 1942:
Arrives at Ponape (now Pohnpei), Carolines.
25 January 1943:
Departs Ponape and arrives at Roi later that day.
27 January 1943:
Departs Roi.
28 January 1943:
Arrives at Taroa. Departs later.
4 February 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
5 February 1943:
Arrives at Makin, Gilberts.
6 February 1943:
Departs Makin and arrives at Ponape.
9 February 1943:
Departs Ponape.
14 February 1943:
Arrives at Truk. Attached to Vice Admiral Kusaka Jinichi’s (37) Southeastern Area Fleet, 11th Air Fleet, 4th Base Force under instruction No. 19.
18 February 1943:
Departs Truk escorted by auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU.
20 February 1943:
At 08-25N, 158-15E auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU detaches.
24 February 1943:
Arrives at Roi.
28 February 1943:
Departs Roi for Taroa.
1 March 1943:
Arrives at Taroa.
4 March 1943:
Departs Taroa.
5 March 1943:
Arrives at Imedj.
March 1943:
Departs Imedj.
11 March 1943:
Arrives at Makin.
16 March 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
22 March 1943:
At 0700, departs Truk. At 0800, small auxiliary minesweeper HAGOROMO MARU joins as escort.
28 March 1943:
At 0800, due to arrive at Roi.
30 March 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
31 March 1943:
Her ownership is changed to Nihon Kaiyo Gyogyo Tosei K.K.
1 April 1943:
At 0440, departs Kwajalein, Marshalls escorted by small auxiliary minesweeper TAMA MARU No. 3.
4 April 1943:
Arrives at Nauru (ETA 0530).
7 April 1943:
Arrives at Taroa.
14 April 1943:
At 0815, arrives at Kwajalein. Departs later.
15 April 1943:
At 0400, departs Roi-Namur with IJN transport PARAN MARU.
26 April 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
3 May 1943:
Navy (Resv.) Toma Shohashi is appointed CO.
7 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
10 May 1943:
At some point, joins IJN transport AKIBASAN MARU which departed Iwo Jima, Ogasawara Gunto (Bonins) earlier that day. Arrives at Chichi Jima, Bonins later that day.
13 May 1943:
Departs Chichi Jima.
16 May 1943:
Arrives at Saipan, Marianas.
21 May 1943:
Departs Saipan for Truk.
28 June 1943:
Departs Truk in convoy No. 5284 also consisting of MITAKESAN, KAIKO and KAISHO MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HIYODORI and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 3. The ships sail at 9 knots.
3 July 1943:
At 1301, arrives at Kwajalein.
4 July 1943:
At 0506, departs Kwajalein and later arrives at Roi.
6 July 1943:
Departs Roi. At 1253, arrives at Kwajalein.
8 July 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
10 July 1943:
Arrives at Taroa.
11 July 1943:
Departs Taroa.
12 July 1943:
Arrives at Imedj.
13 July 1943:
Departs Imedj and arrives at Jabor, Jaluit Atoll later that day.
14 July 1943:
Departs Jabor.
15 July 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
16 July 1943:
Departs Jaluit.
17 July 1943:
At 1400, arrives at Mille (Mili), Marshalls. Departs later.
19 July 1943:
Arrives at Tarawa.
E 24 July 1943:
Departs Kwajalein.
26 July 1943:
At 0529, arrives at Kwajalein.
29 July 1943:
Departs Kwajalein with storeship KITAKAMI MARU.
3 August 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
19 August 1943:
Departs Truk in convoy No. 5192 with KENRYU MARU escorted by auxiliary submarine chasers CHa-14, SHONAN MARU No. 7 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 7.
24 August 1943:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
25 August 1943:
Transfers from Kwajalein to Roi.
27 August 1943:
Departs Roi.
28 August 1943:
Arrives at Nauru (or Ocean Is).
29 August 1943:
Departs Nauru.
30 August 1943:
Arrives at Mille.
31 August 1943:
Departs Mille.
1 September 1943:
Arrives at Jaluit.
18 September 1943:
At 0330, departs Kwajalein for Truk in convoy No. 6188 also consisting of KEMBU, CHIHAYA, MANJU, MUKO, TSUNESHIMA, SHIGANOURA and KENRYU MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HIYODORI, subchasers CH-28 and CH-31 and auxiliary subchasers KYO MARU No. 6 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 10.
25 September 1943:
At 1200, the convoy arrives at Truk.
20 October 1943:
At 0400, departs Truk in convoy No. 5203 also consisting of IJN transport PARAN MARU and IJN requisitioned transport (B-AK) TAIYO MARU escorted by auxiliary subchaser CHa-19.
25 October 1943:
At 1200, due to arrive at Kwajalein.
3 November 1943:
About 19 nautical miles off Ocean Island, Gilberts (now Kiribati). Sinks at 00-43S, 169-10E after being hit by USN Consolidated PB4Y aircraft. Three crewmen are KIA.
5 January 1944:
Removed from the Navy list under instruction No. 54.
Authors' Notes:
1] NRT is a ship's cargo volume capacity expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3). It is calculated by subtracting non-revenue-earning spaces i.e. spaces not available for carrying cargo, for example engine rooms, fuel tanks and crew quarters, from the ship's gross register tonnage (GRT). Net register tonnage (NRT) is not a measure of the weight of the ship or its cargo, and should not be confused with terms such as deadweight tonnage or displacement.
[2] There were two categories of Kyuryosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
- Berend van der Wal, Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall.
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