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Japanese Aircraft Transports
KOKUKI-UMPANSEN!

(Getsuyo (later Mogamigawa) Maru)

IJN MOGAMIGAWA MARU: Tabular Record of Movement

© 2007-2010 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revison 2

2 October 1933:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi shipbuilding’s shipyard for Toyo Kisen.
16 March 1934:
Launched and named GETSUYO MARU.
4 June 1934:
Completed.
1934:
Chartered by Kawasaki Kisen and placed on their New York route.
1936:
Sold to Taiyo Kogyo Kabushiki, but remains under Toyo's effective control.
15 January 1937:
Sold to Oriental Marine Transport of Tokyo (Toyo Kaiun K. K.).
1937-1940:
In cargo service with Oriental Marine Transport.
1940:
Serves on India-South America service and later that year on Dairen, Manchuria-Europe service.
17 April 1940:
Renamed MOGAMIGAWA MARU.
29 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN. Armed with a 4.7-inch (120-mm) gun and fitted with minelaying equipment.
3 December 1941:
Harima. Begins conversion to an auxiliary minelayer at Harima Zosensho, K. K.
10 December 1941:
Rated a specially installed auxiliary minelayer and assigned to the Kure Naval District.
26 December 1941:
The conversion is completed.
31 December 1941:
Assigned to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Inouye Shigeyoshi's Fourth Fleet in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Shima Kiyohide's Mine Division 19 with minelayer OKINOSHIMA and auxiliary minelayers TENYO MARU and TOKIWA.
1 January 1942:
Departs Kure for Truk.
20 January 1942: Operation "R" - The Invasions of Rabaul, New Britain and Kavieng, New Ireland:
MOGAMIGAWA MARU and Mine Division 19's TSUGARU, OKINOSHIMA and auxiliary minelayers TENYO MARU and TOKIWA participate in the invasion of Rabaul with DesRon 6's YUBARI, DesDiv 30's MUTSUKI, MOCHIZUKI, YAYOI, DesDiv 29's OITE, ASANAGI and YUNAGI and auxiliary seaplane tender KIYOKAWA MARU.
23 January 1942:
The invasion forces swiftly overcome light Australian opposition and occupy both Rabaul and Kavieng.
26 January 1942:
Arrives back at Kure. Undergoes reconversion to an aircraft transport.
10 February 1942:
Rerated an auxiliary aircraft transport and attached to the Kure Naval District. Reassigned to Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Goto Eiji's (37)(former CO of MUTSU) 24th Air Flotilla of Vice Admiral Inoue's Fourth Fleet. Departs Kure for Nagoya.
10 February 1942:
Departs Kure and arrives at Nagoya. Probably loads fighter aircraft at the Mitsubishi Aircraft and Engine plant.
February 1942:
Departs Nagoya for Wake Island and Roi, Kawajalein. Probably unloads fighters then returns to Yokosuka.
12 March 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
10 April 1942:
Reassigned to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Tsukahara Nishizo’s 11th Air Fleet in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Yamada Sadayoshi's (42)(former CO of KAGA) 25th Air Flotilla based at Rabaul.
14 April 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Probably delivers Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighter aircraft.
23 April 1942:
Operation “MO” – The Invasion of Port Moresby, New Guinea:
MOGAMIGAWA MARU is attached to Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi's (39) (former CO of KISO) Port Moresby Attack Force as a Special Duty Force to transport supplies and provisions.
4 May 1942: At 1600, the Attack Force departs Rabaul towards the Jomard Pass, Louisiade Archipelago, with minelayer TSUGARU, DesRon 6's light cruiser YUBARI, DesDiv 29’s ASANAGI, OITE, DesDiv 30’s MUTSUKI, MOCHIZUKI and YAYOI and a patrol boat escorting Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Abe Koso's (former CO of HIEI) Transport Force's MOGAMIGAWA, AZUMASAN, AKIHASAN, SHOKAI, GOYO and CHOWA MARUs, five other transports, repair ship OJIMA, oilers HOYO MARU, IRO (at anchor at Shortland area with destroyer UZUKI) and minesweepers W-20, HAGOROMO MARU, NOSHIRO MARU No. 2, FUMI MARU No. 2 and SEKI MARU No. 3

9 May 1942: The Battle of Coral Sea.
After the Battle of Coral Sea, the Attack Force returns to Rabaul.

16 May 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
25 May 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
14 June 1942:
Departs Nagoya. Probably loaded aircraft and/or spare aircraft engines from Mitsubishi's Nagoya plant for transport.
5 July 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Probably delivers A6M fighter aircraft.
23 July 1942:
Departs Rabaul with AKIKAZE to Lae, New Guinea on an aircraft transport run, probably delivering Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighter aircraft to elements of the Tainan Naval Air Group based there.
27 July 1942:
Arrives back at Rabaul.
1 August 1942:
Departs Rabaul with AKIKAZE to Kavieng, New Ireland on an aircraft transport run, probably delivering A6M fighter aircraft for the 253rd Naval Air Group scheduled to be based there in September.
4 August 1942:
Arrives back at Rabaul.
2 September 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gasoline at the refinery.
4 September 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
5 September 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
13 September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
24 September 1942:
Arrives at Kavieng.
25 September 1942:
Departs Kavieng.
26 September 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
3 October 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
14 October 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
19 October 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
22 October 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
26 November 1942:
Departs Kure.
28 November 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Probably loads aviation gasoline at the refinery.
1 December 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
6 December 1942:
Departs Yokosuka and the same day arrives at Kisarazu. Probably loads fighter aircraft.
8 December 1942:
Departs Kisarazu.
16 December 1942:
Arrives at Roi, Kawajalein Atoll and discharges some cargo.
20 December 1942:
Departs Roi.
21 December 1942:
Arrives at Taroa and discharges remaining cargo.
24 December 1942:
Reassigned directly to the 11th Air Fleet.
14 January 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
11 February 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
15 February 1943:
Arrives at Tokuyama. Probably refuels at the Naval Fuel Supply Depot.
18 February 1943:
Departs Tokuyama.
3 March 1943:
Departs Truk on an aircraft transport run to Rabaul with destroyers FUMIZUKI and NAGATSUKI, probably delivering A6M fighter aircraft for the Tainan Naval Air Group based there.
5 March 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
Mid-March 1943:
Departs Kavieng, New Ireland for Rabaul escorted by subchaser CH-31.
14 April 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
20 April 1943:
Departs Yokosuka for Rabaul with the 251st Naval Air Group's ground personnel, supplies and equipment.
3 May 1943:
Arrives at Truk and departs later that day in convoy consisting of MOGAMIGAWA and HOKKAI MARUs and possibly others with an unidentified escort.
7 May 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
15 May 1943:
Departs Rabaul in convoy consisting of MOGAMIGAWA, HOKKAI, AZUMA and YAMAGIRI MARUs and possibly others with an unidentified escort.
19 May 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
21 May 1943:
Departs Truk for Palau.
25 May 1943:
Nearing Saipan, auxiliary netlayer SHUKO MARU joins the escort. Arrives at Saipan with BURYO MARU.
26 May 1943:
Saipan. MOGAMIGAWA MARU joins convoy No. 4526 enroute from Truk to Yokosuka consisting of fleet oiler NOTORO escorted by kaibokan OKI, minelayer TOKIWA and repair ship HAKKAI MARU.
29 May 1943:
Convoy No. 4526 departs Saipan escorted by subchaser CH-11.
3 June 1943:
In the late afternoon, LtCdr Nicholas J. Nicholas' USS SALMON (SS-182) attacks the convoy. He fires seven torpedoes and claims hits on HAKKAI and MOGAMIGAWA MARUs, but in reality his attacks are unsuccessful.
5 June 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
19 June 1943:
At 1300, departs Yokosuka for Truk in convoy No. 3619 consisting of MOGAMIGAWA MARU and an unknown ship escorted by an unidentified destroyer.
25 June 1943:
MOGAMIGAWA MARU is detached and arrives at Saipan.
11 July 1943:
Departs Saipan escorted by auxiliary netlayer SHUKO MARU that returns to Saipan later that day.
16 July 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
19 July 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
24 July 1943:
MOGAMIGAWA MARU departs Yokosuka for Truk in convoy No. 3724 consisting of SEIKO and YAMAGIRI MARUs escorted by kaibokan FUKUE. MOGAMIGAWA MARU probably carries A6M fighter aircraft and spare engines for IJNAF units deployed in Southwest Asia.
31 July 1943:
South China Sea. N of Truk. At 2307, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) George H. Wales’s USS POGY (SS-266) torpedoes and sinks MOGAMIGAWA MARU by the stern at 11-04N, 153-18 E. FUKUE briefly counter-attacks, dropping only three depth charges.
A few hours later, FUKUE and SEIKO MARU return to the scene of the sinking. SEIKO MARU rescues about 600 survivors from about 730 passengers and crew aboard MOGAMIGAWA MARU, but at 0610, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) David L. Whelchel's USS STEELHEAD (SS-280) torpedoes SEIKO MARU. The rescue ship is carrying a cargo of timber and does not sink. FUKUE counter-attacks, dropping a dozen depth charges, but without effect.
15 October 1943:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Note:
Photo credit goes to Gilbert Casse of France.
- Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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