Japanese Supply Ships

KYURYOKAN

(MUROTO in 1932)

IJN MUROTO: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2007-2018 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
Revision 9

16 July 1918:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi shipbuilding as a transport (collier) for Nippon Yusen K. K.
23 October 1918:
Launched.
24 October 1918:
Her call sign becomes GQVE.
7 December 1918:
Completed.
1 April 1920:
MUROTO is designated an auxiliary transport (coaling) warship.
6 April 1921: Captain (later Rear Admiral) Hitsuda Kesaichi (29) (former CO of AKITSUSHIMA) assumes command.
17 September 1921:
An unknown officer assumes command. Captain Hitsuda is appointed the CO of KANTO.
10 November 1923:
Cdr (later Vice Admiral) Ono Hiroshi (32) (former XO of YAMASHIRO) assumes command.
1 December 1924:
An unknown officer assumes command. Cdr Ono is promoted Captain and transferred to the Naval Gunnery School as instructor.
13 January 1927:
Departs Kure.
14 January 1927:
Arrives at Sasebo.
16 January 1927:
Departs Sasebo.
17 January 1927:
Arrives at Chinkai and departs later that day.
18 January 1927:
Arrives at Saitosaki.
21 January 1927:
Departs Saitosaki.
23 January 1927:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
26 January 1927:
Departs Yokosuka.
29 January 1927:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
1 February 1927:
Departs Tokuyama.
2 February 1927:
Arrives at Kure.
12 February 1927:
Departs Kure.
15 February 1927:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
18 February 1927:
Departs Yokosuka.
21 February 1927:
Arrives at Kure.
26 February 1927:
Departs Kure and arrives at Tokuyama later this day.
1 March 1927:
Departs Tokuyama.
6 March 1927:
Arrives at Ominato.
11 March 1927:
Departs Ominato.
15 March 1927:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
17 March 1927:
Departs Tokuyama.
18 March 1927:
Arrives at Kure.
24 March 1927:
Departs Kure.
25 March 1927:
Arrives at Kobe.
27 March 1927:
Departs Kobe.
29 Marc h 1927:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
31 March 1927:
Departs Yokosuka.
2 April 1927:
Arrives at Kobe.
3 April 1927:
Departs Kobe.
4 April 1927:
Arrives at Kure.

20 April 1927:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Nagoya Juro (34) (former CO of MATSUE)assumes command. 28 April 1927:
Departs Kure.
30 April 1927:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
2 May 1927:
Departs Yokosuka.
5 May 1927:
Arrives at Kure.
7 May 1927:
Departs Kure.
9 May 1927:
Arrives at Shanghai.
10 ~ 11 May 1927:
Disembarks the 451 Yokosuka's 3rd Special Land Force Corps and the 31 Kure Second Special Land Force Corps.
12 May 1927:
Departs Shanghai.
14 May 1927:
Arrives at Ryojun, Manchuria (ex Port-Arthur, now Ryojun, northern China).
17 May 1927:
Departs Ryojun.
18 May 1927:
Arrives at Chinnampo, Chosen (now northKorea).
22 May 1927:
Departs Chinnampo.
25 May 1927:
Arrives at Chinkai, Chosen (now Jinhae, South Korea). and departs later that day.
27 May 1927:
Arrives at Sasebo, departs later this day and arrives at Tokuyama later that day.
29 May 1927:
Departs Tokuyama.
30 May 1927:
Arrives at Kure.
3 June 1927: ,BR> Departs Kure.
4 June 1927:
Arrives at Sasebo.
5 June 1927:
Departs Sasebo and arrives at Nagasaki later this day.
7 June 1927:
Departs Nagasaki and arrives at Saitosaki later that day.
8 June 1927:
Departs Saitosaki.
10 June 1927:
Arrives at Nagasaki.
14 June 1927:
Departs Nagasaki.
17 June 1927:
Arrives at Saitosaki.
19 June 1927:
Departs Saitosaki.
20 June 19027:
Arrives at Kure.
10 September 1927:
Departs Kure.
11 September 1927:
Arrives at Sasebo.
12 September 1927:
Departs Sasebo.
16 September 1927:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
17 September 1927:
Departs Yokosuka.
21 September 1927:
Arrives at Sasebo.
22 September 1927:
Departs Sasebo.
24 September 1927:
Arrives at Shanghai.
27 September 1927:
Departs Shanghai.
1 October 1927:
Arrives at Kure.
1 November 1927:
Departs Yokosuka.
5 November 1927:
Arrives at Kure.
15 November 1927:
Departs Kure.
16 November 1927:
Arrives at Saitosaki.
17 November 1927:
Departs Saitosaki.
18 November 1927:
Arrives at Sasebo.
20 November 1927:
Departs Sasebo.
25 November 1927:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores.
29 November 1927:
Departs Mako and arrives at Takao, Formosa (now Kaoshiung, Taiwan) later this day.

1 December 1927:
Cdr (later Vice Admiral) Wada Senzo (34) (former XO of FUSO) is promoted Captain and assumes command the same day. Departs Takao.
7 December 1927:
Arrives at Sasebo.

29 October 1928:
An unknown officer assumes command. Captain Wada is later posted CO of SENDAI.
10 March 1929:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Araki Sadaaki (35) (former gunnery officer of NAGATO) assumes command.
14 October 1929:
Departs Sasebo.
31 October 1929:
Arrives at Sasebo.
1 November 1929:
Departs Sasebo.
13 November 1929:
Arrives at Sasebo and departs later that day.

27 November 1929:
Arrives at Kure.

30 November 1929:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Takahashi Hideo (36) (former XO of HAGURO) assumes command.
29 January 1930:
Arrives at Kure.
30 April 1930:
Arrives at Kure.
1 May 1930:
An unknown officer assumes command. Cdr Takahashi is later posted CO of HAYATOMO.
8 May 1930:
Departs Kure.
8 September 1930:
Arrives at Kure.
24 September 1930:
Arrives at Kure.
7 November 1930:
Arrives at Kure.
10 November 1930:
Departs Kure.
16 November 1930:
Arrives at Kure.
3 February 1931:
Arrives at Kure.
16 February 1931:
Departs Kure.
17 February 1931:
Arrives at Kure.
15 April 1931:
Arrives at Kure.
20 April 1931:
Departs Kure.
8 May 1931: 17 May 1931:
Arrives at Kure.
19 May 1931:
Departs Kure.
29 May 1931:
Arrives at Kure.
13 June 1931: Departs Kure for Ominato.
27 July 1931:
Departs Maizuru.
30 September 1931:
Arrives at Kure.
2 October 1931:
Departs Kure and returns later this day.
20 October 1931:
Departs Kure.
26 December 1931:
Arrives at Kure.

20 January 1932:
Shanghai. The Chinese boycott the import and sale of Japanese goods in protest over the Kwantung Army's occupation of Manchuria. The Japanese retaliate by burning factories and shops.
28 January 1932: The "First Shanghai Incident":
The Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) of about 2,500 troops is dispatched to evict two divisions of the Chinese 19th Route Army from Shanghai.
29 January 1932:
Large-scale fighting breaks out as the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) relieves the surrounded small SNLF contingent. The IJN brings its heavy naval guns to bear on the Chinese. The fighting results in a heavy loss of civilian lives and property and causes the Chinese to unify against the Japanese who are unable to capture Shanghai.
1 February 1932:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Yamada Mitsuru (37) (former XO of AOBA) assumes command.
23 February–5 March 1932:
Kure Arsenal. MUROTO is remodeled to an auxiliary hospital ship. The ship is rearmed with two 3rd Year Type 3-in AA guns during the rebuild.
July 1932:
Arrives at Shanghai. Participates in relief work. The ship makes made several trips to Shanghai and back, evacuating wounded and injured to Japan and shipping SNLF and their equipment to Shanghai.
20 October 1932:
Cdr (later Vice Admiral) Hiraoka Kumeichi (39) (former XO of ASAMA) assumes command.
29 January 1933:
Arrives at Kure.
30 March 1933:
Enters drydock.
8 April 1933:
Departs drydock.
12 April 1933:
Departs Kure.

25 August 1933:
Cdr (later Vice Admiral) Kishi Fukuji (40) (former XO of YAKUMO) assumes command.
18 October 1933:
Her call sign changes to JWKD.
12 November 1933:
Departs Kure.
13 November 1933:
Arrives at Sasebo.
15 November 1933:
Cdr Kishi is promoted Captain.
12 December 1933:
Departs Kure.
10 March 1934:
Arrives at Kure.
23 April 1934:
Arrives at Kure.
24 April 1934:
At 0950, changes anchorage.
11 May 1934:
Departs Sasebo.
18 May 1934:
Departs Sasebo.
22 May 1934:
Arrives at Kure. Departs later that day but returns the same day.
11 July 1934:
Departs Kure.
10 August 1934:
Arrives at Kure.
12 August 1934:
Departs Kure.
14 August 1934:
Departs Sasebo.
25 August 1934:
Arrives at Kure.
27 August 1934:
Departs Kure and return later this day.

20 October 1934:
An unknown officer assumes command. Captain Kishi is later posted CO of NATORI.
7 November 1934:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
10 November 1934:
Departs Yokosuka.
18 February 1935:
Departs Kure for Sasebo.
4 March 1935:
Departs Sasebo.
13 May 1935:
Arrives at Kure.
21 May 1935:
Arrives at Kure.
23 May 1938:
Departs Kure.
25 May 1935:
Departs Sasebo.
28 May 1935:
Arrives at Kure.
10 June 1935:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
12 June 1935:
Departs Yokosuka for Kure.
2 July 1935:
Departs Kure and returns later this day.
1 September 1935:
Departs Kure.
13 September 1935:
Departs Ominato.
5 October 1935:
Arrives at Kure.
7 October 1935:
At 1430, changes anchorage.
21 October 1935:
Departs Kure.
23 October 1935:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
26 October 1935:
Arrives at Kure.
13 November 1935:
Departs Kure.
15 November 1935:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
17 November 1935:
Departs Yokosuka.
21 December 1935:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
23 December 1935:
Departs Yokosuka.
5 April 1936:
Arrives at Sasebo.
7 April 1936:
Departs Sasebo.
20 July 1936:
Assigned as a combine standard and specialized hospital ship.
17 August 1936:
Deactivated as a specialized hospital ship.
25 October 1936:
Arrives at Osaka.
27 October 1936:
Depart Osaka. Used as an observation ship for the rehearsal of the yearly special naval review. Returns to Osaka later this day. 29 October 1936:
Depart Osaka. Used as an observation ship for the yearly special naval review. Returns to Osaka later this day.
30 October 1936:
Departs Osaka.
26 November 1936:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
29 November 1936:
Departs Yokosuka.
6 February 1937:
Designated a second class supply ship.

1 July 1937:
Designated a first class supply ship.

7 July 1937: The First "China" Incident:
Lugouqiao, China. Japanese troops are on night maneuvers at the Marco Polo Bridge. They fire blank cartridges. Chinese troops fire back, but do not cause injuries. The Japanese discover a soldier missing and demand entry to a suburb of Peking (Beijing) to look for him, but the Chinese refuse. The Japanese shell the city and an undeclared war begins.
1 August 1937:
Reassigned as a supply ship.
13 August 1937:
Assigned to combine supply ship and hospital ship task.
15 August 1937:
Attached to the Third Fleet.
18 Augu st 1937:
Arrives at Wusong, Shanghai, China.
20 August 1937:
Departs Wusong.
26 August 1937:
Arrives at Wusong.
27 August 1937:
Departs Wusong.
20 October 1937:
Attached to the China Fleet.

10 May 1938:
MUROTO participates in an amphibious assault on Amoy (Xiamen) with Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Koichi Shiozawa’s (32)(former CO of FURUTAKA) 5th Fleet consisting of CruDiv 9's MYOKO (F) and light cruiser TAMA, CruDiv 10's light cruisers TATSUTA and TENRYU, DesRon 5's light cruiser NAGARA, DesDiv 3’s NADAKAZE, SHIMAKAZE, SHIOKAZE and DesDiv 16’s FUYO, ASAGAO and KARUKAYA, CarDiv 1's KAGA, DesDiv 29’s HAYATE and OITE, SORYU with DesDiv 30’s YAYOI and KISARAGI, auxiliary seaplane tender KAMIKAWA MARU, collier MUROTO, CarDiv 3's KAMOI, auxiliaries SHURI, CHOJU, DELHI, EIKO, IKUTA, KAZAN, KURI, HAYA MARUs and DAIICHI MARU No. 8, NANSHIN MARU No. 8, NANSHIN MARU No. 31, TAIKO, YODATI and auxiliary minelayers ENOSHIMA and ENTO (MAROSHIMA).
At dawn, the 5th Fleet’s warships, including DesDiv 16, bombard Ho-tsu, Ni-chin, and Wu-tung and cover an amphibious assault landing by more than 2,000 troops of the Yokosuka, Kure and Sasebo Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF). At the same time, NE of Xiamen (Amoy), Japanese aircraft from KAMOI and KAMIKAWA MARU bomb bridges, roads, ferries and ships. The poorly equipped Nationalist Chinese 75th Division defenders suffer heavy casualties, are overrun by the SNLFs and withdraw.
12 May 1938:
That night, Chinese forces abandon Amoy to the Japanese.
15 December 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Komazawa Katsumi (42) (former XO of ASAMA) assumes command.
15 November 1939:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Kobe Yuji (45) (former CO of HISHI) is promoted Captain and assumes command the same day.
1 December 1939: Attached to the Maizuru town prefecture administration.
15 January 1940:
Attached to the Combined Fleet.

10 March 1940:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Miura Tomosaburo (38) (former CO of SATA) assumes command.
15 November 1940:
Cdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Yamataka Matsujiro (44) (former XO of IWATE) is promoted Captain and assumes command the same day.
1941:
MUROTO is refitted as a supply ship. Assigned directly to the Combined Fleet.
17 April 1941:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Itakura Tokushi (42) (former XO of OKINOSHIMA) assumes command.
1 May 1941:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Togo Minoru (40) (former XO of KASUGA) assumes command.
1 September 1941:
Attached to the Combined Fleet.

28 October 1941:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Kishi Yoshiyuki (former CO of SETA) (47) assumes command.
1 December 1941:
Her callsign is changed to JGAQ.
8 December 1941:
MUROTO is with the Combined Fleet's Supply and Support Unit.
1 February 1942:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Yamagata Masaji (43) (former CO of KOMAHASHI) assumes command.
10 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
13 February 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
1 March 1942:
Departs Camtanh Bay.
2 March 1942:
Arrives at Saigon.
9 March 1942:
Departs Saigon.
12 March 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
13 April 1942:
Departs Seletar, Singapore.
14 April 1942:
Arrives at Muntok.
16 April 1942:
Departs Muntok, Bangka Island, Sumatra.
17 April 1942:
Arrives at Keppel Harbour, Singapore.
18 April 1942:
Transfers from Keppel Harbour to Seletar.
25 April 1942:
Departs Seletar, Singapore.
28 April 1942:
Arrives at Sabang.
3 May 1942:
Departs Sabang.
5 May 1942:
Arrives at Port Blair.
6 May 1942:
Departs Port Blair.
9 May 1942:
Arrives at Penang.
11 May 1942:
Departs Penang.
13 May 1942:
Arrives at Keppel Harbour, Singapore.
14 May 1942:
Transfers from Keppel Harbour to Seletar.
20 May 1942:
Transfers from Seletar to Keppel Harbour, Singapore and then departs.
23 May 1942:
At 1011 arrives at Saigon.
26 May 1942:
At 1400 departs Saigon.
27 May 1942:
At 1030 arrives at Camranh Bay and departs soon after.
29 May 1942: Operation "AL" - The Seizure of Attu and Kiska:
A large force departs Mutsu Bay in Vice Admiral Hosogaya Boshiro's (36) (former CO of MUTSU) Northern Force with Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Omori Sentaro's (41)(former CO of ISE) Adak-Attu Invasion Force: DesRon 1's light cruiser ABUKUMA, DesDiv 21's HATSUHARU, HATSUSHIMO, WAKABA and NENOHI, transport KINUGASA MARU and minelayer MAGANE MARU.
Admiral Omori’s Adak-Attu Invasion Force accompanies Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ono Takeji's (44) Kiska Invasion Force: CruDiv 21’s TAMA and KISO, destroyers HIBIKI, AKATSUKI and HOKAZE, auxiliary cruiser ASAKA MARU and transports HAKUSAN and KUMAKAWA MARUs.
CruDiv 21 is accompanied by the Main Body's CruDiv 5's NACHI (F), destroyers INAZUMA and IKAZUCHI, oilers FUJISAN MARU and NISSAN MARU, three cargo ships and Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kakuta Kakuji's (former CO of NAGATO) Carrier Striking Force's CarDiv 4's JUNYO (F) and RYUJO, CruDiv 4/2's TAKAO and MAYA, DesDiv 3's SHIOKAZE and DesDiv 7's AKEBONO, SAZANAMI and USHIO.
That same day at 1300 MUROTO arrives at Samah.
30 May 1942:
At 0800 departs Samah for Yokosuka.
1 June 1942:
The Invasion Force arrives at Paramushiro.
7 June 1942:
Vice Admiral Hosogaya's Fifth Fleet captures Attu and Kiska.
8 June 1942:
MUROTO arrives at Yokosuka.
13 June 1942:
At 0940 MUROTO departs Yokosuka.
17 June 1942:
At 0620 arrives at Kushiro.
20 June 1942:
At 1015 departs Kushiro. Scheduled for installation of new depthcharge installations.
23 June 1942:
At 1430 arrives at Kawauchi Wan.
25 June 1942:
At 0855 transfers from Kawauchi Wan to Ominato, arriving at 1241.
28 June 1942:
At 1500 departs Ominato.
3 July 1942:
At 0300 arrives at Paramushiro.
12 July 1942:
At 1600 departs Paramushiro.
14 July 1942:
MUROTO remains assigned directly to the Combined Fleet.
17 July 1942:
At 0800 arrives at Ominato.
22 August 1942:
At 0803 departs Ominato.
24 August 1942:
At 1600 arrives at Maizuru.
15 September 1942:
Construction of depthcharge installations is completed.
19 September 1942:
At 0956 departs Maizuru.
21 September 1942:
At 1142 arrives at Ominato.
24 September 1942:
At 1500 departs Ominato.
26 September 1942:
At 0816 arrives back at Ominato.
30 September 1942:
At 1600 departs Ominato.
6 November 1942:
At 1055 arrives at Maizuru accompanied by the destroyer HATSUHARU.
13 November 1942:
At 1430 departs Maizuru.
16 November 1942:
At 0740 arrives at Otaru.
20 November 1942:
At 0800 departs Otaru.
23 November 1942:
At 0800 arrives at Maizuru.
25 November 1942:
At 1100 departs Maizuru.
28 November 1942:
At 1000 arrives at Ominato.
24 December 1942:
At 0700 departs Ominato.
30 December 1942:
At 0745 arrives at Paramushiro.
3 March 1943:
At 1645 arrives at Paramushiro.
5 March 1943:
Kashiwabara Bay, Shimushu Island, Kuriles. Undergoes repairs after a collision with Army Transport SAKITO MARU. [1]
14 March 1943:
At 1722 departs Paramushiro.
15 March 1943:
Deactivated as hospital ship. Reassigned to the Navy Ministry Supply Force.
19 March 1943:
At 0350 arrives at Ominato. Undergoes repairs of damaged hull parts and removal of hospital facilities.
21 March 1943:
At 0700 departs Ominato.
23 March 1943:
At 1050 arrives at Maizuru.
6 April 1943:
Starts cooler replacement work.
12 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure. Undergoes repairs.
14 April 1943:
Armament is increased by installation of Type 93 13mm AA guns.
22 April 1943:
A rangefinder is installed.
23 April 1943:
Arrives at Maizuru.
27 April 1943:
Receives instructions for the use of sonar equipment.
3 May 1943:
Receives maintenance service instructions for optical weapons.
4 May 1943:
Receives instructions for construction of underwater listening equipment.
5 May 1943:
Reconstruction of optical weapons is completed.
15 May 1943:
Installation of underwater listening equipment begins.
20 May 1943:
Receives orders for the removal of a burned out dc generator.
21 May 1943:
Begins creating a facility for 600 passengers.
23 May 1943:
Completes installation of underwater listening equipment, port window maintenance and increase of machine guns.
26 May 1943:
Reconstruction (removal of hospital facilities) completed.
27 May 1943:
Construction of passenger facility completed.
28 May 1943:
Repairs are completed. MUROTO departs Maizuru.
10 August 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
11 August 1943:
Arrives at Imari Bay.
20 August 1943:
Captain Furutani Keiji (43) (former CO of GOSHU MARU) is appointed the CO. Later that samne day the ship departs Shanghai carrying 520 POWs.
24 August 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
7 November 1943:
Departs Kobe.
9 November 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
11 November 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
29 November 1943:
While sailing in convoy, presumably from Shanghai, met off Taichangtu Shan by auxiliary gunboat HOKOKU MARU and escorted to off Hsiao Pan Is (ENE of Chusan).
15 December 1943:
Departs Shipu at 0759, escorted by auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 and arrives later that day at Taichow Islands, at 2139.
24 January 1944:
At 1300 while off Swatow sailing in convoy between Amoy and Hong Kong with KINMON (ex British KIANGSU) and TAKASAKI (ex British SHINHWA) MARUs, MUROTO is attacked by a single B-25. The bombs miss the ships and no damage results.
7 February 1944:
Met by destroyer HASU at sea.
8 February 1944:
Arrives at Kirun.
26 February 1944 :
Departs Moji in convoy MOTA-06 consisting of GOZAN, SAN PEDRO, ISHIKARI, NICHIYO, NICHIAN, TOYOKUNI LONDON, DAISEI and SHIRAHAMA MARUs escorted by kaibokan AWAJI.
29 February 1944:
Anchors at Ssu Chiao Shan.
1 March 1944:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan.
4 March 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
10 March 1944:
Departs Takao, escorted by torpedoboat HATSUKARI.
12 March 1944:
At 0515 HATSUKARI near Dangan Island, China ends escort and detaches. MUROTO arrives at Hong Kong later this day.
23 March 1944:
At 1600, MUROTO departs Hong Kong in convoy No. 76 consisting of SHINAI (ex British SHINAI) and KINMON MARUs (ex British KIANGSU) escorted by torpedo boat HATSUKARI.
26 March 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Takao.
13 April 1944:
Departs Yahata.
14 April 1944:
Arrives at Maizuru. Construction of new canister emplacement begins.
15 April 1944:
Unloads 301t steel.
21 April 1944:
Moving of gasoline pump begins.
1 May 1944:
Completes construction of new canister emplacement.
2 May 1944:
Completes moving gasoline pump.
7 May 1944:
Completes construction of 25 mm gun equipment.
29 May 1944:
Departs Takao for Hong Kong in convoy No. 89 escorted by HATSUKARI.
1 June 1944:
Arrives at Hong Kong.
6 June 1944:
Departs Hong Kong in convoy No. 90 also consisting of CHEFOO and YURIN (ex HERLEIK) MARUs with unknown, if any escort.
9 June 1944:
At 0800 due to arrive at Yulin. MUROTO is likely diverted to Sana (Samah).
12 June 1944:
At 0800 due to depart Sana (Samah) with Navy Storeship NOZAKI and meet convoy YUSA-Rinji also consisting of CHEFOO and YURIN (ex HERLEIK) MARUs.
15 June 1944:
Due to arrive at Saigon.
21 June 1944:
At 1200 Navy storeships MUROTO and NOZAKI are both due to arrive at Sana.
31 August 1944:
Departs Ebisu Bay and arrives at Ushibuka later that day.
1 September 1944:
At 0516 minesweeper W-15 departs Ushibuka escorting storeship MUROTO. At 1717 arrives at Kagoshima.
1 October 1944:
Receives instructions for radio transmission equipment.
10 October 1944:
Receives a directive for construction of radio transmission equipment.
21 October 1944:
At 1200, MUROTO departs Kagoshima, Kyushu for Naha, Okinawa in convoy KATA-916 consisting of CHOJUSAN, TOMITSU, EDOGAWA, BANSEI, TENSHO, AMAKUSA, SHINTON, SANKA, SANJIN, HAKKA, HAYAMA, TORAI, TAIKYU, SAKISHIMA, RYUKYU, KANKYO and AMOY MARUs and fleet stores ship KINESAKI escorted by torpedo boat MANAZURU, CD-30, subchaser CH-49, minesweeper W-15, auxiliary minesweepers TOSHI MARU No. 7, HIMESHIMA MARU and SHONAN MARU No. 16.
22 October 1944:
At 0730, LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Vernon L. Lowrance’s (USNA ‘30) USS SEA DOG (SS-401) torpedoes MUROTO at 29-18N, 129-44E. She sinks at 0748. Lowrance also torpedoes and damages TOMITSU MARU. The convoy’s escorts and aircraft subject USS SEA DOG to a long and heavy counter-attack in which 109 depth-charges are dropped, but Lowrance evades and USS SEA DOG escapes. Captain Furutani survives and is later posted CO of HOSHO.
10 December 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

Authors' Notes:
[1] The extent of damage to MUROTO is unknown; however, the damage to SAKITO MARU was probably superfical because two days later she departed Paramushiro for Attu with ASAKA MARU escorted by cruisers NACHI and MAYA, light cruisers TAMA and ABUKUMA and five destroyers.
Thanks to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France and Berend van der Wal of Netherlands. Thanks also to Mr. Matthew Jones of Missisippi, USA for help in identifying COs.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

Back to Supply Ships Page