YUSOSEN!



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

NARUTO:

Tabular Record of Movement

© 2005-2008 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

11 April 1922:
Laid down at Yokosuka Navy Yard.

30 January 1923:
Launched and named NARUTO.

30 October 1924:
Completed and registered in the IJN. An unknown officer assumes command

1 April 1925:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Niiyama Yoshiyuki (32) assumes command.

1 December 1925:
An unknown officer assumes command.

1 May 1927:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kuragano Akira (33) assumes command.

1 December 1927:
An unknown officer assumes command.

1 December 1931:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Goga Keijiro (38) assumes command.

1 November 1932:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Oshima Kenshiro (39) assumes command.

1 December 1932:
Cdr Oshima is promoted Captain.

1 April 1933:
An unknown officer assumes command.

15 November 1933:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Mizuno Junichi (42) assumes command.

15 November 1934:
Captain (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi (39) assumes command.

15 November 1935:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Ishikawa Shigeru (40) assumes command.

2 November 1936:
Cdr Hori Yugoro (later Rear Admiral)(41) assumes command.

1 December 1936:
Cdr Hori is promoted Captain.

11 July 1937:
Kure. The 21st Naval Air Group (NAG) is formed and attached to the Second Fleet.

7 August 1937:
NARUTO departs Kure with the 21st NAG embarked to participate in the Tianjin (Tientsin) northern China operations.

30 September 1937:
Lushun (Port Arthur). The 21st Sea Scout Unit, disembarked from NARUTO, waits for seaplane tender KINUGASA MARU.

15 November 1937:
An unknown officer assumes command.

25 November 1937:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Suzuki Chozo (40) assumes command.

20 July 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kiyota Takahiko (42) assumes command.

15 December 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Koda Takero (41) assumes command.

20 December 1938:
An unknown officer assumes command.

20 October 1939:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Seki Ikuya (43) assumes command.

15 November 1939:
Cdr Seki is promoted Captain.

28 November 1940:
An unknown officer assumes command.

28 July 1941:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Nishioka Shigeyasu (40) assumes command.

29 May 1942: Operation "MI" - The Battle of Midway:
Departs Sukumo Bay with the CINC, Combined Fleet, Admiral (Fleet Admiral, posthumously) Yamamoto Isoroku's (former CO of AKAGI) Main Body and DesDiv 11's FUBUKI, SHIRAYUKI, MURAKUMO and HATSUYUKI, DesDiv 19's URANAMI, SHIKANAMI, AYANAMI, ISONAMI and YUKAZE. Screens BatDiv 1's YAMATO, NAGATO and MUTSU, escort carrier HOSHO, seaplane tenders CHIYODA and NISSHIN and Captain Nishioka's Supply Group No. 1's oilers NARUTO and TOEI MARU.

The Main Body remains 600 miles behind Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) Nagumo Chuichi's (former CO of KIRISHIMA) First Carrier Striking Force and does not engage American forces.

14 June 1942:
The Main Body returns to Hashirajima.

12 November 1942:
Off Shortland Island, Bougainville. NARUTO is damaged by Allied aircraft.

7 May 1943:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Setoyama Yasuhide (45) assumes command.

15 June 1943:
Rabaul. NARUTO refuels submarine I-38.

E 27 June 1943:
Tanker NICHEI MARU arrives at Rabaul from Truk escorted by destroyer MINAZUKI to offload fuel to NARUTO.

12 October 1943: American Air Raid on Rabaul:
LtGen(later General) George C. Kenney's 5th Air Force hits Rabaul with the biggest raid made up to this time in the Pacific war. 349 aircraft, including 87 Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress” and B-24 “Liberator” heavy bombers, 114 North American B-25 “Mitchell” strafers, 12 RAAF Bristol "Beaufighters" and 125 Lockheed P-38 "Lightning" fighters and others from New Guinea and Australia hit Rabaul's town, airfields and Simpson harbor.

Over 50 Japanese aircraft are destroyed. Submarines I-36, I-38, I-176, I-177, RO-105 and RO-108 are moored in deep water. When the harbor is bombed, most of the submarines submerge to safety, but transports KEISHO MARU, KOSEI MARU, lighters No. 1 WAKAMATSU MARU and KUROGANE MARU and guardboat MISHIMA MARU are sunk. Destroyers MOCHIZUKI, MINAZUKI and TACHIKAZE are damaged as is special service ship TSUKUSHI and smaller vessels.

NARUTO is damaged and Captain Setoyama is KIA. He is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.

13 October 1943:
An unknown officer, probably the XO, assumes command.

12 January 1944:
Rabaul. NARUTO refuels destroyers AKEBONO and SAZANAMI in the outer anchorage.

14 January 1944:
Rabaul. Douglas SBD “Dauntless dive-bombers and Grumman TBF “Avenger” torpedo-bombers, supported by Allied fighters, attack Simpson Harbor. The planes bomb and heavily damage NARUTO and strafe destroyer MATSUKAZE.

24 January 1944:
Rabaul. USMC TBFs, supported by USN, USMC, USAAF and RNZAF Curtiss P-40E "Kittyhawk" fighters, again attack shipping and sink LYONS, YAMAYURI, KOAN and TAISHO MARUs and damage NARUTO.

2 March 1944:
Karavia Bay, Rabaul. S of Vulcan Volcano. In a further air attack, NARUTO is hit by a bomb in the port side of the engine room killing all the engine room crew. She settles by the stern close to shore Later, her fuel oil is pumped out to a fuel dump ashore that is later bombed and destroyed.

13 March 1944:
Rabaul. Two 13th Air Force B-24s, with USN fighter escort, and 22 B-25s bomb the NW part of Rabaul’s harbor and waterfront. NARUTO is further damaged.

15 March 1944:
NARUTO is abandoned as a constuctive total loss.

30 April 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

16 September 1945:
NARUTO's wreck is inspected by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). HMAS CAMBRIAN SALVOR begins salvage using 140 Japanese POW's and divers. NARUTO is cleaned, bunker coal dumped overboard and leaks are plugged. Ex-Japanese salvage tug HOZU MARU assists.

13 October 1945:
NARUTO's hulk is raised. Now known as tanker 5301 (possibly after her military number) she is towed into Simpson Harbour and anchored. The RAN intend to take over the ship for use as a fleet replenishment oiler.

26 October 1945:
A further underwater inspection reveals severe hull buckling. The Secretary of the Australian Navy Department rejects the use of NARUTO. She is returned to Keravia Bay and beached.

22 October 1956:
Japanese salvors of the Okadigumi Salvage Co, in conjunction with Nayo Boeki Kaisha, are given approval to salvage wrecks in the Rabaul area.

1957:
Salvage commences.

1958:
NARUTO, by now sunk in shallow water, is re-raised and loaded with scrap from other vessels. The ship is sold to Hong Kong scrap dealers.

8 September 1958:
NARUTO departs Rabaul under tow to Singapore. Upon arrival, with world scrap prices having collapsed, the ship is abandoned. It is presumed that eventually the wreck is scrapped sometime later.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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