YUSOSEN!

(SATA, prewar)

IJN SATA:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 1998-2018 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
Revision 6


7 March 1920:
Yokohama. Laid down at Yokohama Dock, K. K.'s shipyard.

28 October 1921:
Launched and named SATA.

15 December 1920:
Captain Kato Kozo (28)(former CO of CHIYODA) is appointed the Chief Equipping Officer (CEO).

24 February 1921:
Completed and attached to Sasebo Naval District. Captain Kato Kozo is the Commanding Officer.

20 December 1921:
Captain Koga Takuichi (29)(former CruDiv 6 staff officer) is appointed the CO.

27 December 1921:
Captain Tanikawa Kiyoharu (28)(former CO of NOJIMA) is appointed the CO.

15 May-11 November 1922:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Takasaki Chikateru (30)(former IJN Naval Academy instructor) is appointed the CO.

7 October 1922:
Departs Tarakan for Manila.

12 October 1922:
Arrives at Manila.

14 October 1922:
Departs Manila for Sasebo.

20 October 1922:
Suffers engine breakdown SE of Yaku Shima Island. Battleship MUTSU takes her in tow and tows to Sasebo on the following day.

1 December 1922:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Hashimoto Saisuke (30)(current CO of ERIMO) is appointed the CO.

1 April 1923:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sato Minokichi (30)(former supervisor of Navy Ministry historical branch) is appointed the CO.

1 May-20 July 1923:
Captain Sato Minokichi is appointed the CO of IZUMO as an additional duty.

15 October 1923:
Cdr (Captain, posthumously) Narutomi Yasuji (30)(former Sasebo Sailor Corps instructor) is appointed the acting CO.

10 January 1924:
Cdr (Captain, posthumously) Yoshikawa Masakiyo (31)(former CO of ERIMO) is appointed the acting CO.

1 November 1924:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Nagai Minoru (32)(former ComDesDiv 3) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1924:
Cdr Nagai is promoted Captain.

6 April 1925:
SATA departs Yokosuka with light cruiser YUBARI. Together they cruise the Western Pacific, including a call at Australia. During the cruise, SATA refuels YUBARI.

23 June 1925:
Returns to Sasebo.

1 December 1925-20 February 1926:
Cdr (later Captain) Tsuboi Jozaemon (33)(former ComDesDiv 27) is appointed the CO.

1 March 1928:
Captain Kita Shoichiro (34)(former CO of KOSHU) is appointed the CO.

15 November 1928:
Captain Muto Hiroshi (35)(former XO of KASUGA) is appointed the CO.

1 November 1929:
Cdr (later Captain) Isa Takuya (34)(former chief of Chinkai District port office) is appointed the CO.

30 November 1929:
Cdr Isa is promoted Captain.

1 December 1930:
Captain Ogura Manjiro (35)(current CO of YURA) is appointed the CO of SATA as an additional duty.

15 January 1931:
Cdr (later Captain) Sakuma Keitaro (36)(former XO of KIRISHIMA) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1931:
LtCdr (later Captain) Takahashi Eikichi (36)(former XO of CHOGEI) is appointed the CO.

1 February 1932:
Captain Taniike Saburo (36)(current CO of NAGARA) is appointed the CO of SATA as an additional duty.

15 November 1932:
Cdr (later Captain) Inagawa Yosaburo (37)(former CO of the survey vessel YAMATO) is appointed the CO.

15 November 1933:
Cdr (later Captain) Maezawa Sukeharu (37)(former XO of NAGATO) is appointed the CO.

15 October 1934:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Mizusaki Shojiro (38)(former XO of MAYA) is appointed the CO.

15 November 1934:
Cdr Mizusaki is promoted Captain.

18 April 1935:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Ichise Shinichi (41)(former XO of ATAGO) is appointed the CO.

15 October 1935:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Fukuda Teizaburo (40)(former XO of HARUNA) is appointed the CO. Captain Ichise is reassigned to Yokosuka Naval District HQ.

15 November 1935:
Cdr Fukuda is promoted Captain.

20 March 1936:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ikeuchi Masamichi (40) (former instructor of torpedo testing section at Kure Naval Arsenal) is appointed the CO. Captain Fukuda is reassigned to the Sasebo Naval District HQ.

2 November 1936:
Cdr (later Vice Admiral) Mori Kunizo (40)(former XO of ATAGO) is appointed the CO. Captain Ikeuchi is reassigned to Naval Technical Department, 2nd Section.

1 December 1936:
Cdr Mori is promoted Captain.

7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge (Sino-Japanese) Incident:
Lugouqiao, China. Japanese troops on night maneuvers at the bridge fire blank cartridges. Chinese troops fire back, but do not cause injuries. At morning roll call, the Japanese discover a soldier missing and assume the Chinese captured him. The Japanese demand entry to a Beijing suburb to look for the soldier, but the Chinese refuse. The Japanese then shell the city and an undeclared war on China begins.

1 December 1937-15 April 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ishizaki Noboru (42)(former ComSubDiv 12) is appointed the CO.

20 December 1938:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Nishio Hidehiko (41)(current CEO of CHIKUMA) is appointed the CO of SATA as an additional duty.

28 January 1939:
Captain Kurushima Shigeo (40)(current CO of NOTORO) is appointed the CO of SATA as an additional duty.

1 July 1939:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Miura Tomosaburo (38)(current CO of oiler HAYATOMO) is appointed the CO of SATA as an additional duty.

28 September 1939:
Captain Miura assumes full-time command of SATA.

15 February-15 May 1940:
Captain Nanba Sukenobu (39)(current CO of KINUGASA) is appointed the CO of SATA as an additional duty. Captain Miura is reassigned to Sasebo Naval District HQ.

15 October 1940:
Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Shibuya Kiyomi (45)(former XO of ATAGO) is appointed the CO.

15 November 1940:
Cdr Shibuya Kiyomi is promoted Captain.

20 September 1941:
Captain-Retired (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Kusakawa Kiyoshi (38) is appointed the CO. Captain Shibuya is reassigned as CO of KUMA.

6 October 1941:
Captain Murao Jiro (39)(former CO of KYODO MARU No. 36) is appointed the CO. Captain-Retired Kusakawa is reassigned as CO of TOEI MARU.

14 October 1941:
Off Iki Island. SATA participates in salvage works of LtCdr (Cdr posthumously) Hirokawa Takashi's (51) submarine I-61 that sank after colliding with converted gunboat KISO MARU on 2 October.

1 December 1941:
Her call sign is changed to JGEQ.

8 December 1941:
SATA is in Vice Admiral Tanimoto Umataro's (35)(former CO of CHOKAI) Sasebo Naval District.

31 December 1941:
Karatsu. Two high angle guns are removed and subsequentley installed in the auxiliary transport NACHISAN MARU.

6 January 1942:
At 0630 departs Sasebo and at 1750 arrives at Gonoura, Iki Island.

31 January 1942:
At 0230 departs Gonoura and at 1518 arrives at Sasebo.

1 February 1942:
At Sasebo.

11 February 1942:
Attached to the Navy Department.

16 February 1942:
At 0945 departs Sasebo but returns later that day at 1830.

17 February 1942:
At 0625 departs Sasebo.

19 February 1942:
At 1130 arrives at Kure. Remains there throughout March.

9 April 1942:
At 1500 departs Kure and at 1700 arrives at Kanokawa.

11 April 1942:
At 1130 departs Kanokawa in the Western Inland Sea.

24 April 1942:
At 1425 arrives at St Jacques.

25 April 1942:
At 1100 departs St Jacques. At 1730 arrives at Saigon, Indochina.

6 May 1942:
At 1045 departs Saigon. Transports aviation fuel.

20 May 1942:
At 1040 arrives at Kobe.

22 May 1942:
At 0500 departs Kobe.

23 May 1942:
At 0900 arrives at Kanogawa.

24 May 1942:
At 0710 departs Kanogawa and at 1000 arrives at Kure.

26 May 1942:
At 0600 departs Kure.

28 May 1942: Operation "MI" - The Battle of Midway:
SATA joins up with Captain Murao's Supply Group’s oilers TSURUMI and GENYO and KENYO MARUs and repair ship AKASHI with Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake's (35)(former CO of KONGO) Second Fleet's Midway Invasion Force.

4 June 1942:
Arrives at Truk.

17 June 1942:
At 1457 arrives at Hashira Jima.

18 June 1942:
Departs Hashira Jima and at 1112 arrives at Kure.

26 June 1942:
At 0835 departs Kure.

27 June 1942:
At 1430 arrives at Kanogawa.

28 June 1942:
At 1710 departs Kanogawa.

1 July 1942:
At 1700 arrives at Yuranai.

2 July 1942:
At 1400 departs Yuranai.

3 July 1942:
At 1330 arrives at Yokkaichi.

5 July 1942:
At 1400 departs Yokkaichi.

6 July 1942:
At 1330 arrives at Yokosuka.

10 July 1942:
At 0700 departs Yokosuka.

12 July 1942:
At 1500 arrives at Kure.

15 July 1942:
At 0800 departs Kure.

19 July 1942:
At 2200 arrives at Ominato.

23 July 1942:
At 1100 departs Ominato.

27 July 1942:
At 1000 arrives at Yokkaichi.

2 August 1942:
At 1500 departs Yokkaichi.

13 August 1942:
At 1000 arrives at Truk.

15 August 1942:
Refuels light cruiser JINTSU and destroyer KAGERO.

22 August 1942:
At 1300 departs Truk.

7 September 1942:
At 1830 arrives at Singapore.

15 September 1942:
At 1200 departs Singapore.

1 October 1942:
At 1845 arrives at Yokohama. Captain Hasebe Yoshizo (40)(former CO of KAMOI) is appointed the CO.

5 October 1942:
At 0800 departs Yokohama. At 1330 arrives at Yokosuka.

10 October 1942:
Yokosuka Arsenal. Drydocked.

14 October 1942:
Undocked.

28 October 1942:
At 1720 departs Yokosuka on oil transport duties within home waters. At 2030 arrives at Tateyama Wan.

29 October 1942:
At 2030 departs Tateyama Wan.

30 October 1942:
At 1730 arrives at Yokkaichi.

2 November 1942:
At 1000 departs Yokkaichi.

4 November 1942:
Joined by minelayer NASAMI off Ashizuri Misaki and escorted to Fukajima.

5 November 1942:
At 0830 arrives at Kure.

8 November 1942:
At 0900 departs Kure.

11 November 1942:
At 1630 arrives at Niigata.

15 November 1942:
At 0830 departs Niigata.

16 November 1942:
At 1100 arrives at Maizuru.

18 November 1942:
At 1200 departs Maizuru.

21 November 1942:
At 1015 arrives at Ominato.

24 November 1942:
At 0700 departs Ominato.

28 November 1942:
At 0950 arrives at Yokosuka.

5 December 1942:
At 1100 departs Yokosuka.

7 December 1942:
At 1050 arrives at Shimotsu.

10 December 1942:
At 0530 departs Shimotsu.

11 December 1942:
At 1030 arrives at Kure.

13 December 1942:
At 0830 departs Kure.

16 December 1942:
At 1345 arrives at Niigata.

21 December 1942:
At 0800 departs Niigata.

24 December 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Kure.

27 December 1942:
At 1500 departs Kure.

30 December 1942:
At 1120 arrives at Niigata.

3 January 1943:
At 0820 departs Niigata.

5 January 1943:
At 1000 arrives at Maizuru.

6 January 1943:
At 0905 departs Maizuru.

8 January 1943:
At 1540 arrives at Sasebo.

16 January 1943:
At 1010 departs Sasebo.

19 January 1943:
At 2050 arrives at Mako.

21 January 1943:
At 0745 departs Mako.

25 January 1943:
At 1055 arrives at Seito (Tsingtao).

29 January 1943:
At 0000 departs Seito.

31 January 1943:
At 1115 arrives at Sasebo.

1 February 1943:
Captain Takahashi Tasuku (43)(former CO of HAKUSA) is appointed the CO.

3 February 1943:
At 1430 departs Sasebo.

14 February 1943:
At 1300 arrives at Palembang.

16 February 1943:
At 1400 departs Palembang.

18 February 1943:
At 1700 arrives at Singapore.

22 February 1943:
At 1400 departs Singapore.

10 March 1943:
At 1430 arrives at Yokkaichi.

13 March 1943:
At 1030 departs Yokkaichi.

16 March 1943:
At 1230 arrives at Sasebo.

23 March 1943:
At 1400 departs Sasebo.

4 April 1943:
At 1400 arrives at Palembang.

6 April 1943:
At 1200 departs Palembang.

8 April 1943:
At 1430 arrives at Singapore.

13 April 1943:
At 1300 departs Singapore.

26 April 1943:
At 1430 arrives at Tokuyama.

30 April 1943:
At 1030 departs Tokuyama.

1 May 1943:
At 0900 arrives at Sasebo.

9 May 1943:
At 0800 departs Sasebo.

1 June 1943:
At 1300 departs Singapore.

3 June 1943:
At 1230 arrives at Palembang.

5 June 1943:
At 1900 departs Palembang.

7 June 1943:
At 1730 arrives at Singapore.

10 June 1943:
At 1300 departs Singapore.

16 June 1943:
At 1720 arrives at Balikpapan.

21 June 1943:
At 1100 departs Balikpapan.

22 June 1943:
At 0930 arrives at Tarakan.

26 June 1943:
At 0900 departs Tarakan with Naval tanker SHIRIYA.

E 28 June 1943:
At an unknown point and date joined by auxiliary netlayer KOREI MARU which starts escorting the two tankers. KOREI MARU had ceased escort of two other ships near Balabac Island in 07-30N 116-10E.

1 July 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Manila still escorted by KOREI MARU.

3 July 1943:
At 1100 departs Manila in convoy No. 856 consisting also of tanker SHUNTEN MARU and six unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer FUYO. Soon after departure the convoy splits with FUYO remaining in the faster first section.

6 July 1943:
At 1500 arrives at Takao.

10 July 1943:
At 1200 departs Takao in convoy No. 280 also consisting of HOKUSHO, TAIAN and SHIGANOURA MARUs and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by auxiliary gunboat PEKING MARU.

15 July 1943:
Arrives at Moji.

17 July 1943:
At 0100 arrives at Kobe and departs later that day at 1000.

19 July 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Yokosuka.

22 July 1943:
At 0900 departs Yokosuka.

25 July 1943:
At 1630 arrives at Sasebo.

31 July 1943:
At 1500 departs Sasebo.

29 October 1943:
Departs Singapore.

4 November 1943:
At 0830, SATA arrives at Balikpapan. At 1830, SATA departs Balikpapan in convoy 2610 consisting of oilers SEIAN and KYOEI MARUs escorted by destroyer SANAE and auxiliary subchaser CHa-37. During the voyage, cargo ship SHOYU MARU joins the convoy.

10 November 1943:
Arrives at Palau.

14 November 1943:
At Palau.

17 November 1943:
At 0950, SATA departs Palau in convoy No. 8175 consisting of fleet oilers TSURUMI, tankers SEIAN and KYOEI MARUs and cargo ship SHOYU MARU escorted by destroyer AMATSUKAZE, subchaser CH-33 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-27.

20 November 1943:
At 2000, auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-27 detaches and returns to Palau.

24 November 1943:
Arrives 0840, at Truk with a cargo of fuel oil.

1 December 1943:
At 0700, SATA departs Truk in a convoy consisting of oilers NANPO and SEIAN MARUs and cargo ship SHOYU MARU escorted by destroyers YAMAGUMO and AKIGUMO as far as Palau. After this, subchaser CH-6 takes over escort duties to Balikpapan.

That same day, SATA is attached directly to the Combined Fleet.

13 December 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

16 December 1943:
Departs Balikpapan.

23 December 1943:
Arrives at Seletar Naval Base, Singapore.

31 December 1943:
Departs Seletar.

6 January 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan.

21 January 1944:
At 0945, SATA departs Balikpapan in convoy O-103 consisting of oilers IRO and JAMBI MARU escorted by patrol boat PB-36 and subchaser CH-37 and auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-41.

22 January 1944:
At 1435, aircraft discover things that seems to be hostile and dangerous. PB-36 is sent to investigate these. At 1524, PB-36 arrives at the spot indicated by the aircraft and drops 8 depth charges without result. At 1600, PB-36 ends her investigation. At 1820, PB-36 rejoins the convoy. At 2240, at the Tarakan latitude JAMBI MARU detaches and heads towards Tarakan.

28 January 1944:
At 1350, SATA, carrying 8,000 tons of fuel oil, arrives at Palau west entrance.

31 January 1944:
Departs Palau in convoy No. 8011.

7 February 1944:
Arrives at Truk.

8 February 1944:
Truk. Transfers 1150 tons fuel oil to passenger-cargo ASAKA MARU.

12 February 1944:
SATA departs Truk in convoy No. 7125 consisting of oilers HISHI MARU No. 2, ammunition ship NICHIRO MARU and cargo ships KAMIKAZE and KITAGAMI MARUs escorted by destroyer HAMANAMI, subchaser CH-30 and auxiliary subchasers TAKUNAN MARU No. 2 and SHONAN MARU No. 5.

14 February 1944:
At 1224 the convoy undergoes a torpedo attack. Destroyer HAMANAMI is hit by a depth charge but apparently sustains no damage.

15 February 1944:
At 1710 destroyer HAMANAMI drops depth charges.

17 February 1944:
150 miles NE of Palau. At about 2200, LtCdr Philip W. Garnett's (USNA ’33) USS SARGO (SS-188) intercepts the convoy. He fires eight torpedoes at SATA by moonlight in a surface attack at 08-50N, 135-50E. Garnett only gets one hit, but it disables SATA. At 2206, he fires two torpedoes that hit ammunition ship NICHIRO MARU. She explodes and sinks immediately. 53 crewmen are KIA.

19 February 1944:
Ammunition ship ARATAMA MARU, that was not part of the convoy, takes SATA under tow and clears the area.

20 February 1944:
Arrives at Palau under tow by ARATAMA MARU.

29 February 1944:
Undergoes repairs.

30 March 1944: American Operation “Desecrate One”:
Palau. The anchorage is attacked by F6F "Hellcats", SBD "Dauntless", TBF "Avenger" and SB2C "Helldivers" of Task Group 58. 1's USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), USS BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) and USS COWPENS (CVL-25), TG 58. 2's USS BUNKER HILL (CV-17), USS HORNET (CV-12), USS MONTEREY (CV-26) and USS CABOT (CVL-28) and TG 58. 3's USS YORKTOWN (CV-10), LEXINGTON (CV-16), USS PRINCETON (CVL-23) and USS LANGLEY (CVL-27).

At 0815, two TBF Avengers from USS HORNET find and attack SATA anchored in a sheltered lagoon close to Koror, Peleliu. She sustains a torpedo hit. Later that day, she is probably hit or near-missed by several bombs dropped by USS ENTERPRISE TBFs.

31 March 1944:
At about 0900, SATA is bombed at mast level by two TBFs from USS LEXINGTON. She suffers two or three hits. SATA capsizes and sinks in deep water and comes to rest upside-down.

10 May 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.

5 March 1947:
Scrapped.


- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

Thanks to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France and Mr. Berend van der Wal of Netherlands.


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