Japanese Transports

ZATSUYOSEN!

(KIZUGAWA MARU, almost sistership of SEIZAN MARU NO. 2, prewar)

IJN SEIZAN MARU NO. 2:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2012-2014 Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
August 1936:
Nagasaki. Laid down by Matsuo Tekkosho K.K. shipyard for Aoki Shoji K.K. as a 1,898-ton cargo ship.
13 February 1937:
Launched and named SEIZAN MARU NO. 2.
June 1937:
Completed.
1937:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
10 March 1938:
Arrives at Seito (Tsingtao), China.
12 March 1938:
Departs Seito.
19 November 1938:
Arrives at Huangpu, China. Departs later that same day.
E 1939-1940:
Derequisitioned by the IJN and released to her owners.
1941:
Her owners change to Taiko Kisen K.K. Her port of registry is Kobe.
26 June 1942:
Scheduled to be requisitioned by the IJN according to war preparation plans 39 No. 17.
17 July 1942:
Requisitioned by the IJN under telegram No. 275. That same day, starts conversion to her military role at Osaka shipyard.
20 July 1942:
Registered in the IJN as an auxiliary transport attached to the Maizuru Naval District with Maizuru as homeport under internal order No. 1336. That same day, tactically assigned to the Navy Department.
31 July 1942:
Conversion is completed. Undocked.
1 August 1942:
Confirmed as an auxiliary transport, (Otsu) category attached to the Maizuru Naval District, tactically assigned to the Navy Department under telegram 574/25. [1]
2 August 1942:
Departs Osaka.
3 August 1942:
Arrives at Moji.
6 August 1942:
Departs Moji.
9 August 1942:
Arrives at Tokyo.
13 August 1942:
Departs Tokyo in a convoy also consisting of GENZAN, KANSEISHI and HAKUROKU MARUs escorted by destroyer OKIKAZE.
17 August 1942:
Arrives at Maoka, Karafuto (now Kholmsk, Sakhalin).
18 August 1942:
Departs Maoka.
24 August 1942:
Arrives at Tokyo.
26 August 1942:
Transfers to Yokosuka.
27 August 1942:
Departs Yokosuka in a convoy as the only ship escorted by auxiliary gunboat KASAGI MARU.
28 August 1942:
Arrives at Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture.
30 August 1942:
Departs Shimizu.
31 August 1942:
Arrives at Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture.
2 September 1942:
Departs Yokkaichi.
4 September 1942:
Arrives at Yawata, Fukuoka Prefecture.
6 September 1942:
Departs Yawata.
7 September 1942:
Arrives at Osaka.
9 September 1942:
Transfers to Kobe.
10 September 1942:
Departs Kobe.
11 September 1942:
Arrives at Moji. Departs later in the day for Chinnampo, Chosen (now North Korea).
14 September 1942:
Arrives at Chinnampo.
17 September 1942:
Departs Chinnampo.
19 September 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo.
24 September 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
25 September 1942:
Arrives at Yawata.
30 September 1942:
Departs Yawata.
3 October 1942:
Arrives at Chinnampo.
9 October 1942:
Transfers to Kenjiho, Chosen (now North Korea).
11 October 1942:
Departs Kenjiho.
14 October 1942:
Arrives at Nagasaki.
17 October 1942:
Transfers to Sasebo.
19 October 1942:
Departs Sasebo.
20 October 1942:
Arrives at Yawata.
23 October 1942:
Departs Yawata.
26 October 1942:
Arrives at Tokyo.
29 October 1942:
Departs Tokyo.
1 November 1942:
Arrives at Yawata.
4 November 1942:
Departs Yawata.
7 November 1942:
Arrives at Tokyo.
9 November 1942:
Transfers to Yokosuka.
12 November 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
15 November 1942:
Arrives at Yawata.
20 November 1942:
Departs Yawata.
23 November 1942:
Arrives at Chinnampo.
1 December 1942:
Transfers to Kenjiho.
5 December 1942:
Departs Kenjiho.
8 December 1942:
Arrives at Nagasaki.
11 December 1942:
Departs Nagasaki.
12 December 1942:
Arrives at Yawata.
13 December 1942:
Departs Yawata.
16 December 1942:
Arrives at Kenjiho.
19 December 1942:
Departs Kenjiho.
22 December 1942:
Arrives at Yawata.
25 December 1942:
Departs Yawata.
29 December 1942:
Arrives at Jinsen, Chosen (now Incheon, South Korea).
5 January 1943:
Departs Jinsen.
11 January 1943:
Arrives at Tokyo.
16 January 1943:
Departs Tokyo.
19 January 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
24 January 1943:
Departs Yawata.
25 January 1943:
Arrives at Nagasaki.
28 January 1943:
Departs Nagasaki.
29 January 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
31 January 1943:
Departs Yawata.
4 February 1943:
Arrives at Tokyo.
6 February 1943:
Transfers to Yokosuka.
8 February 1943:
Transfers back to Tokyo.
12 February 1943:
Departs Tokyo in convoy No. 7212 also consisting of GENBU, KISHUN and KIKUKAWA MARUs escorted by torpedo boat CHIDORI.
15 February 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
17 February 1943:
Departs Kure.
18 February 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
20 February 1943:
Departs Yawata.
21 February 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
24 February 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
25 February 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
27 February 1943:
Departs Yawata.
3 March 1943:
Arrives at Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.
6 March 1943:
Departs Nagoya.
7 March 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
8 March 1943:
Departs Osaka.
10 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokkaichi.
11 March 1943:
Departs Yokkaichi.
13 March 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
15 March 1943:
Departs Yawata.
16 March 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
18 March 1943:
Departs Osaka.
19 March 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
21 March 1943:
Departs Yawata.
22 March 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
24 March 1943:
Departs Kure.
27 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
29 March 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
1 April 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
4 April 1943:
Transfers to Kobe.
6 April 1943:
Departs Kobe.
7 April 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
10 April 1943:
Departs Yawata.
13 April 1943:
Arrives at Tokyo Wan (Bay). Transfers later in the day to Yokosuka.
15 April 1943:
Departs Yokosuka in convoy No. 7415 also consisting of IJA transports GINYO, TAISHO (4,815 GRT) and RYUA MARUs, auxiliary transport RYOTOKU MARU and requisitioned cargo ship (B-AK) HEIWA MARU escorted by subchaser CH-40.
18 April 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
19 April 1943:
Departs Yawata.
20 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
22 April 1943:
Transfers to Yawata.
25 April 1943:
Departs Yawata.
26 April 1943:
Arrives at Nagasaki.
29 April 1943:
Departs Nagasaki.
30 April 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
3 May 1943:
Departs Yawata.
5 May 1943:
Arrives at Nagoya.
8 May 1943:
Departs Nagoya.
10 May 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
11 May 1943:
Departs Yawata.
12 May 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
16 May 1943:
Departs Kure.
17 May 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
19 May 1943:
Departs Yawata.
23 May 1943:
Arrives at Tokyo.
26 May 1943:
Departs Tokyo.
29 May 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
31 May 1943:
Departs Yawata.
1 June 1943:
Arrives at Kobe. Departs later for Osaka.
3 June 1943:
Arrives at Osaka. Departs later for Yawata.
E 4 June 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
E June 1943:
Departs Yawata.
E June 1943:
Arrives at Hirohata, Hyogo Prefecture.
28 June 1943:
Departs Hirohata.
1 July 1943:
Arrives at Tokyo.
E 2-6 July 1943:
Departs Tokyo. Calls at Nagoya ~ Hirohata ~ Tokyo again and Yokosuka.
7 July 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
10 July 1943:
Arrives at Hirohata. Departs later.
E 13 July 1943:
Arrives at Yawata.
14 July 1943:
Departs Yawata.
18 July 1943:
Arrives at Tokyo.
24 July 1943:
Departs Tokyo.
27 July 1943:
Arrives at Hakodate, Hokkaido.
E July-August 1943:
Calls at Muroran and Otaru, Hokkaido.
4 August 1943:
Departs Otaru.
10 August 1943:
Arrives at Kobe.
11 August 1943:
Transfers to Osaka.
13 August 1943:
Departs Osaka.
E 14-30 August 1943:
Calls at Dairen, Manchuria (now Dalian, China) ~ Kure and Osaka.
31 August 1943:
Departs Osaka.
1 September 1943:
Arrives at Yokkaichi. Departs later.
E 2 September 1943:
Arrives at Nagoya.
4 September 1943:
Departs Nagoya.
5 September 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
8 September 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
11 September 1943:
Arrives at Moji. Departs later.
E 13 September 1943:
Calls at Nagasaki.
E September 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
18 September 1943:
Departs Sasebo.
21 September 1943:
Arrives at Kure. Departs later.
E September-October 1943:
Calls at Wakamatsu, Fukuoka Prefecture ~ Dairen ~ Moji and Kure.
9 October 1943:
Arrives at Aioi, Hyogo Prefecture. Departs later.
E October 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
13 October 1943:
Transfers to Nagoya.
15 October 1943:
Departs Nagoya.
16 October 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
17 October 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
E 18-30 October 1943:
Calls at Yokohama ~ Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture and Kure.
31 October 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
1 November 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
E 3-15 November 1943:
Calls at Ominato, Aomori Prefecture ~ Muroran and Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture.
16 November 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Departs that same day for Shimizu.
19 November 1943:
Arrives at Shimizu. Departs later in the day for Osaka in convoy No. 7118. Later that day stormy weather forces the convoy to seek shelter.
21 November 1943:
Arrives at Osaka.
22 November 1943:
Departs Osaka.
E 23-25 November 1943:
Calls at Kure and Sasebo.
1 December 1943:
Arrives at Maizuru.
4 December 1943:
Departs Maizuru.
11 December 1943:
Arrives at Chinnampo.
15 December 1943:
Departs Chinnampo.
E 18 December 1943:
Arrives at Kobe.
23 December 1943:
Departs Kobe for Yokosuka in convoy No. 8222-Toko also consisting of IJA transport TOFUKU MARU and cargo ship TAISEI MARU unescorted. [2]
24 December 1943:
At about 1.5nm NE of Mikizaki, Mie Prefecture LtCdr Charles H. Andrews’ (USNA ’30) USS GURNARD (SS-254) intercepts the convoy. About 0704, Andrews torpedoes and scores two hits on SEIZAN MARU No. 2 loaded with 1,340-tons of bricks and 403-tons of steel items. She breaks in three parts and sinks 43 seconds later at 34-03N, 136-19E taking down 28 crewmen.
At 0708, Andrews torpedoes and scores two hits on TOFUKU MARU. The Army transport sinks with 49 crewmen and three gunners KIA.
5 February 1944:
Removed from the Navy’s list under internal order No. 305.

Authors' Notes:
[1] There were two categories of Zatsuyosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.

[2] Several ships were named TAISEI MARU. The one in that convoy has not been identified.

Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

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