YUSOSEN!
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(Oiler by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings
of Japanese Warships")
IJN SAN CLEMENTE MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2006-2008 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
4 February 1937:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Zosensho as a 7,335-ton oil tanker for Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha (Trading Company), Tokyo.
4 September 1937:
Launched and named SAN CLEMENTE MARU.
20 November 1937:
Completed.
1937-1940:
In service on Mitsubishi's North American route.
1940:
In service on Mitsubishi's North Borneo route.
11 September 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
20 September 1941:
Osaka, Naniwa Dockyard. Begins conversion to a naval auxiliary and to allow at sea replenishment. That same day, Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Eguchi Matsuo (40) is appointed Supervisor of SAN CLEMENTE MARU.
28 October 1941:
The conversion is completed.
22 November 1941:
Arrives at Kure.
27 November 1941:
Departs Kure.
29 November 1941:
Departs Saiki.
5 December 1941:
Arrives at Palau.
23 December 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.
27 December 1941:
Departs Sasebo.
2 February 1942:
Departs Bangka anchorage.
4 February 1942:
Staring Bay, off Kendari, Celebes. At about 1700, LtCdr Lucius Chappell's USS SCULPIN (SS-191) torpedoes destroyer SUZUKAZE. She is beached to prevent sinking. Later, SAN CLEMENTE and ITSUKUSHIMA MARUs and destroyer YAMAKAZE assist SUZUKAZE back to Staring Bay for emergency repairs.
6 February 1942: The Invasion of Makassar, Celebes:
SAN CLEMENTE MARU departs Staring Bay with the Makassar Occupation Force consisting of six troop transports carrying Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mori Kunizo’s Sasebo Combined Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) escorted by light cruiser NAGARA, DesDiv 8’s ASASHIO, MICHISHIO, ARASHIO and OSHIO, DesDiv 15’s HAYASHIO, KUROSHIO, OYASHIO and NATSUSHIO, DesDiv 21’s WAKABA, NATSUSHIN and NENOHI, 21st Minesweeper Div’s W-7 and W-8 and the 2nd Subchaser Div’s CH-13, CH-14 and CH-15.
Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Fujita Ruitaro's (former CO of FUSO) CarDiv 11's CHITOSE, MIZUHO and SANUKI MARU provide distant support for the Occupation Force.
9 February 1942:
Makassar Strait. During the landing of the Sasebo Combined SNLF invasion force, DesDiv 15's NATSUSHIO is torpedoed and sunk by Lt (later Rear Admiral) James C. Dempsey's old submarine USS S-37. NATSUSHIO is the only loss suffered by the IJN in the action.
11 February 1942:
Anchors at Makassar.
1 March 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
6 March 1942:
Departs Mako.
29 March- April 1942: Operation "X" - The Invasion of Christmas Island:
SAN CLEMENTE MARU departs Bantam Bay, Java for Christmas Island (S of Java) with transports KIMISHIMA and KUMAGAWA MARUs escorted by CruDiv 16's light cruisers NAGARA and NATORI and destroyer AMATSUKAZE. Later, the escort is joined by light cruiser NAKA and destroyers NATSUGUMO and MINEGUMO, patrol boat PB-36 and an unidentified patrol boat.
24 April 1942:
Enters Innoshima Dockyard for repairs.
27 May 1942:
Departs Hiroshima Bay.
29 May 1942: Operation "MI" - The Battle of Midway:
Captain Eguchi’s 2nd Supply Unit's oilers SAN CLEMENTE MARU and TOA MARU sortie with Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Takasu Shiro's (former CO of ISUZU) Aleutian Screening Force: BatDiv 2's HYUGA, ISE, FUSO and YAMASHIRO, CruDiv 9's KITAKAMI and OI, DesDiv 20's AMAGIRI, ASAGIRI, YUGIRI and SHIRAKUMO, DesDiv 24's KAWAKAZE, YAMAKAZE, SUZUKAZE and UMIKAZE and DesDiv 27's ARIAKE, YUGURE, SHIGURE and SHIRATSUYU.
3 June 1942:
At 0700, SAN CLEMENTE and TOA MARUs and the 1st Supply Unit's TOEI MARU refuel five destroyers.
4 June 1942:
SAN CLEMENTE and TOA MARUs, BatDiv 2, CruDiv 9, DesDivs 20, 24 and 27 are detached from the Main Body to support the Northern Force. Enroute north, the oilers refuel the warships.
17 June 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
20 July 1942:
Departs Kure.
12 September 1942:
A new, but unknown captain is appointed Supervisor. Captain Eguchi is reassigned as CO of repair ship AKASHI.
25 October 1942:
Arrives at Kure for repairs.
30 October 1942:
Departs Kure.
30 November 1942:
At 1100, SAN CLEMENTE MARU arrives at Shortland anchorage, Bougainville, Solomons escorted by patrol boat PB-38 (ex-DD YOMOGI).
22 December 1942:
At 1600, SAN CLEMENTE MARU and an unidentified ship depart Balikpapan escorted by subchaser CH-5 to longitude 121.
30 January 1943:
At 1100, arrives at Shortland with patrol boat PB-38 as escort.
25 April 1943:
At 1500, SAN CLEMENTE MARU departs Rabaul in a convoy consisting of ROKKOSAN, MIYAURA, RISSHUN, RAKUTO, TOUN and HOEI MARUs escorted by subchaser CH-37.
4 May 1943:
50 miles SE of Palau. At about 1725, LtCdr Harry B. Dodge’s USS SEAL (SS-183) attacks the convoy. In a submerged attack, Dodge fires three torpedoes and hits SAN CLEMENTE MARU. At about 2000, she sinks at 06-50N, 134-28E. HOEI MARU rescues survivors.
15 July 1943:
Removed from the Navy List.
- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
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