RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(Type 1B Standard Cargo Ship)

MINO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2014-2017 Bob Hackett


E 1943:
Harima. Laid down at Ishikawajima Jukogyo K. K., as a 4,667-ton Wartime Type 1B wartime standard cargo ship for Nippon Yusen Kaisha K. K. (NYK Line), Tokyo.

1944:
Launched and named MINO MARU.

9 March 1944:
Completed and requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Alloted IJA No. 1205.

4 May 1944:
At 1400, MINO MARU departs Tateyama for the Marianas in convoy 3503 also consisting of FUKKO, FUKOKU, ENOSHIMA, HAKOZAKI, HIYORI, KEIYO, KOHO, KOJUN, OSAKA, TAIKOKU, TATSUTAGAWA, SHINFUKU and SHUNSEN MARUs escorted by destroyers ASANAGI and MINATSUKI, torpedo boat OTORI, kaibokan OKI and CD-24 and subchasers CH-31 CH-32, CH-52 and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 8.

9 May 1944:
CH-52 is detached from the convoy near Chichi-Jima.

10 May 1944:
420 miles NW of Saipan. At 1743, LtCdr Russell Kefauver’s USS TAMBOR (SS-198) torpedoes and damages KEIYO MARU at 19-27N 140-00E.

14 May 1944:
At 14-57N, 144-58E, KOHO SHUNSEN and OTORI MARUs and SHONAN MARU No. 8 are detached for Guam. At 1200, the rest of the convoy arrives at Saipan.

17 May 1944:
MINO MARU departs Saipan for Tokyo in convoy No. 4517 also consisting of transports ASAHISAN, BINGO, ENOSHIMA, MEIRYU, MIHO, SHOZAN (2838 GRT) TATSUHARU, and YAMATAMA MARUs escorted by destroyer ASANAGI, kaibokan CD-24, torpedo-boat OTORI, auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 8 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 10. Soon after departing, YAMATAMA MARU runs aground and is detached from the convoy.

22 May 1944:
160 miles NW of Chichi-Jima. At 0327, at 28-12N 138-50E, flagship ASANAGI steaming about a mile ahead of the formation is torpedoed aft by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen‘s (USNA ’31) USS POLLACK (SS-180). She becomes unnavigable and goes dead in the water. Fires break out aft and she lists to starboard, before rolling over and sinking at 0405.

24 May 1944:
The convoy arrives at Tokyo at about 1730.

11 June 1944:
At 1530, MINO MARU departs Moji in convoy MI-07 consisting of GYOKUYO, KAKOGAWA, KAMO, KOKKO, MATSUURA, MYOGI, NISHI (ex-British KALGAN), OYO, SHINKOKU, TAIKAI and YULIN MARUs and tankers CHIHAYA, KOEI, RYUSHO, SAKURA, SAN LUIS and TAIEI MARUs, landing ship KORYU (SS 1) and seven unidentified merchants escorted by destroyers ASAGAO and ASAKAZE, kaibokan YASHIRO, CD-2 and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 3. Immediately after leaving port, KOEI MARU develops engine problems and returns to port.

13 June 1944:
Arrives at Kagoshima.

14 June 1944:
Departs Kagoshima.

15 June 1944:
At 1040, the convoy anchors at Oshima Strait, Amami-Oshima, Ryukyus.

16 June 1944:
Departs Oshima Strait.

17 June 1944:
KAMO and MATSUURA MARUs are detached for Kirun with destroyer ASAGAO.

18 June 1944:
At 1300, arrives at Takao. Later, ASAGAO rejoins the convoy. At 1955, the convoy departs Takao. TAIEI MARU develops steering problems and is forced to return to port escorted by ASAGAO.

20 June 1944:
Arrives at Aparri.

21 June 1944:
Departs Aparri.

23 June 1944:
At 1800, arrives at Manila.

27 June 1944::
At 1530, MINO MARU departs Manila in convoy MI-07 also consisting of KAMO, KAKOGAWA, MATSUURA, MYOGI, NISHI, OYO, SHIMPO, SHINKOKU, TAIKAI MARUs and tankers CHIHAYA, KOEI, RYUSHO, SAN LUIS and TAIEI MARUs and eleven unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyers ASAGAO and ASAKAZE, kaibokan YASHIRO, CD-2 and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 3.

2 July 1944:
Arrives at Miri.

10 November 1944:
MINO MARU departs Miike, Kyushu for Manila in convoy MOMA-07 also consisting of FUKUYO, GYOKUYO, JINYO, KENJO, MIHO, NARUO, TATSUAKI (TATSUSHO), SHIROUMA (HAKUBA) and SHINFUKU MARUs and MARU and KONAN MARU No. 1 escorted by kaibokan CD-8, CD-9, CD-28, CD-54, auxiliary subchaser CHa-24 and an unidentified warship.

11 November 1944:
Near Cape Ose Sea, Goto Archipelago. At 0906, Cdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Charles E. Loughlin’s (USNA '33) USS QUEENFISH (SS-393) fires four torpedoes and hits MIHO MARU in the bow. Unable to keep up with the convoy, she heads for Sasebo. The escorts drop 55 depth-charges on QUEENFISH, but she remains undamaged.

12 November 1944:
248 miles SW of Nagasaki. At 0420, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral/MOH) Eugene B. Fluckey’s (USNA '35) USS BARB (SS-220) torpedoes NARUO and GYOKUYO MARUs at 31-30N 125-57E. NARUO MARU, hit by one or more torpedoes, blows up and sinks instantly. She was carrying 20,000 shells and army troops. 490 passengers, 72 crewmen and 131 gunners are KIA.

GYOKUYO MARU is hit by a torpedo in the engine spaces. She goes dead in the water and begins to drift. Later, JINYO MARU attempts to tow the cripple, but the towline parts. The passengers are transfered to other ships. The escorts drop seven depth-charges on BARB and inflict slight damage.

At about 0620, LtCdr Robert H. Caldwell’s (USNA '36) USS PETO (SS-265) torpedoes TATSUAKI MARU at 31-46N, 125-40E. One strikes No. 2 hold, a huge explosion occurs. She lists over, then explodes. 145 passengers and 65 crewmen are KIA. JINYO MARU rushes to the area from where the attack came and drops depth-charges.

13 November 1944:
At 0950, arrives at the Shushan Islands, E of Shanghai.

14 November 1944:
155 miles E of Shanghai. About midnight, LtCdr Gordon W. Underwood’s (USNA ‘32) USS SPADEFISH (SS-411) fires five torpedoes by radar bearings at GYOKUYO MARU being towed by kaibokan CD-8 towards Shanghai. Hit by several torpedoes, GYOKUYO MARU sinks at 31-04N, 125-58E. Casualties are unknown, but most passengers and crew had been taken off before the sinking.

19 November 1944:
At 1200, the convoy arrives at Takao and is dissolved.

23 November 1944:
At 1530, MINO MARU departs Takao in convoy TAMA-32A also consisting of AKAGISAN, HAGIKAWA, SORACHI, JINYO, NICHIYO, SHOEI, WAYO, MINO, SHIROUMA (HAKUBA) and SHONAN MARUs and BANSHU MARU No. 63 and KIDOTEI SS No. 6 escorted by old destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-1, CD-3, CD-8, CD-28, CD-54 and subchasers CH-17, CH-18, CH-37 and CH-38. Soon after leaving, the convoy anchors along the coast.

24 November 1944:
At 0400, departs Formosan coast.

25 November 1944:
At 2200, arrives at Musa Bay, Fuga Island.

27 November 1944:
At 0400, departs Musa Bay. At 1645, arrives at Lapoc Bay.

28 November 1944:
At 0600, departs Lapoc Bay. At 1800, arrives at N San Fernando.

29 November 1944:
At 0600, departs N San Fernando.

30 November 1944:
At 0500, arrives at Manila.

9 December 1944: Operation "TA No. 9" – The Reinforcement of Leyte, Philippines:
MINO MARU departs Manila for Ormoc in an unnamed convoy also consisting of SORACHI and TASMANIA MARUs escorted by DesDiv 30’s YUZUKI, UZUKI and KIRI and SubChasDiv 21’s CH-17 and CH-37. The convoy is carrying 4,000 soldiers of the Takahashi Detachment (5th Infantry Regiment) plus food and ammunition. The convoy is accompanied by landing ships T. 140 and T. 159 with 400 amphibious tank-equipped marines of the Ito Naval Landing Force.

11 December 1944:
Visayan Sea. W of Palompon, Leyte. The convoy is attacked twice by about 40 USMC F4U "Corsair" fighter-bombers of VMFs 211, 218 and 313. In the second low level attack, MINO and TASMANIA MARUs are hit and later sink. TASMANIA MARU takes down many of the 1,053 troops she carried and 96 gunners and 43 crewmen.

12 December 1944:
MINO MARU, loaded with war supplies, ammunition, foodstuffs and troops, sinks at 11-20N, 124-10E. One gunner and 13 crewmen are KIA.


Author's Note:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.

- Bob Hackett


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