KYUHEIKAN!
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(Cargo ship by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings
of Japanese Warships")
IJN NICHIRO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
1 March 1939:
Innoshima (Hiroshima). Laid down at Osaka Iron Works dockyard as a 6,534-ton cargo ship for Nissan Kisen K.K., Tokyo.
30 July 1939:
Launched and named NICHIRO MARU.
10 January 1940:
Completed.
21 August 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
25 August 1941:
At Kure Navy yard.
5 September 1941:
Begins conversion. Registered as an auxiliary transport ship in the Kure Naval District.
15 October 1941:
Completies conversion. Assigned directly to the Combined Fleet.
1 December 1941:
At Kure until 7 January 1942.
7 January 1942:
Departs Kure.
16 January 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
March 1942: Operation
"C" - The Raids in the Indian Ocean:
Attached to the Indian Ocean Raiding
Force's Replenishment Group No. 2 with oiler KYOEI MARU No. 2 and storeship HOKO
MARU.
2 March 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
10 March 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
17 April 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
21 April 1942:
Departs Mako.
27 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
May 1942: Operation "MI" - The
Battle of Midway:
Attached to the Midway Force's Replenishment Group No. 2 with oiler KYOEI MARU No. 2 and storeship HOKO MARU.
15 May 1942:
Navy Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Shibata
Zenjiro (38) is appointed Supervisor.
25 May 1942:
Captain Shibata is appointed Commanding Officer.
14 August 1942:
Attached to the Guadalcanal Island Transport
Support Mobile Unit's Replenishment Group No. 2.
20 August 1942:
Departs Kure.
21 August 1942:
S of Kyushu. At 1854, LtCdr Elliot E. Marshall’s USS CUTTLEFISH (SS-171) fires three torpedoes and gets two hits that damage NICHIRO MARU at 31-00N, 130-00E. CUTTLEFISH also fires a torpedo at an unidentified escort with unknown results.
21 August 1942:
Returns to Kure. Undergoes battle-damage repairs.
22 September 1942:
Departs Kure.
26 October 1942:
Attached to the South Pacific Ocean Mobile Fleet's Replenishment Group.
21 May 1943:
Departs Truk.
30 May 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
15 June 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
17 June 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
19 July 1943:
NICHIRO MARU departs western part of Inland Sea that day in a convoy consisting of ammunition ship NICHII MARU escorted by light cruiser OYODO, destroyer SAZANAMI and five other unidentified escorts.
28 July 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
2 August 1943:
Departs Truk.
5 August 1943:
Arrives at Rabaul.
August 1943:
Arrives at Truk.
27 August 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
29 August 1943:
Captain Shimizu Ryutaro (36) is posted as Commanding Officer.
23 September 1943:
Departs Kure for Truk carrying 1200 small mines.
25 December 1943:
Assigned directly to the Combined Fleet.
12 February 1944:
NICHIRO MARU departs Truk for Palau in convoy No. 7125 consisting of fleet oiler SATA, tanker HISHI MARU No. 2, destroyer tender KAMIKAZE MARU and cargo ship KITAGAMI MARU escorted by destroyer HAMANAMI, subchaser CH-30 and auxiliary subchasers TAKUNAN MARU No. 2 and SHONAN MARU No. 5.
17 February 1944:
150 miles NE of Palau. At about 2200, LtCdr Philip W. Garnett's USS SARGO (SS-188) intercepts convoy 7125. Garnett fires eight torpedoes at SATA and gets one hit, but it disables the oiler.
At 2206, SARGO fires two torpedoes that hit NICHIRO MARU. She explodes and sinks immediately at 08-50N,135-40E. Captain Shimizu is KIA. He is promoted Rear Admiral, posthumously.
31 March 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.
- Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
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