Japanese Ammunition Ships

KYUHEIKAN!

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

IJN SOYA: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2007 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

18 September 1936:
Koyagi Island, Nagasaki. Matsuo shipyard receives an order for construction of an ice-resistant freighter from the Soviet trade representation as payment for the purchase of the north Southern Manchuria Railway.
31 October 1936:
Koyagi. Laid down at the newly renamed Kawaminami Shipyard.
16 February 1938:
Launched as the Soviet VOLOCHAEVETS, but because of increased tensions between Japan and the Soviet Union, the contract is later canceled midway into construction.
10 June 1938:
Completed as a civilian ice-breaking cargo freighter for the Tatsunan Kisen Co. and renamed CHIRYO MARU.
July 1939:
CHIRYO MARU is chartered by the Kuribayasi Steam Ship Co. and visits Otaru.
November 1939:
The IJN requisitions CHIRYO MARU from her owners.
20 February 1940:
Renamed SOYA and rated an auxiliary ammunition ship/survey vessel. Cdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Yamada Yuji (46) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
4 June 1940:
Tokyo. Ishikawajima shipyard. Completes remodeling construction as an ammunition ship. SOYA is also equipped to function as a survey ship. Fitted with an 80-mm gun in the bow and a Type 96 25mm AA gun in the stern. Cdr Yamada is the Commanding Officer.
15 September 1940:
Registered in the Yokosuka Naval District.
11 October 1940: Imperial Naval Review:
Yokohama. SOYA and 97 warships are spread across Tokyo Bay. Vice Admiral (later Admiral of the Fleet, posthumously) Yamamoto Isoroku (former CO of AKAGI), Commander-in-Chief Combined Fleet, accompanies Emperor Hirohito (Showa) aboard battleship HIEI for the Emperor's annual review of the fleet. 527 aircraft also participate. HIEI, escorted by cruisers TAKAO, KAKO and FURUTAKA, then passes among the fleet's ships.
22 October 1940:
An unknown officer assumes command.
Fall 1940:
Engages in survey work along the Hokkaido coast and conducts weather investigations and surveys of Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands.
November 1940:
Departs Yokosuka for Saipan, Marianas. Engages in survey work.
1 April 1941:
Southwest Pacific. Arrives at east Ponape island, Karorin archipelago. Engages in survey work.
5 November 1941:
Arrives at Kojima, Japan.
11 August 1941:
Cdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Kubota Toshio (46) assumes command.
8 December 1941:
Yokosuka. SOYA’s crew receives the news about the attack on Pearl Harbor. Fully loaded with fuel and food, departs for the Southwest Pacific.
January 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
E 15 January 1942:
Departs Truk.
21 January 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Reassigned to the Fourth Fleet.
March 1942:
Based at Rabaul. Engages in survey work.
E 25 May 1942:
Arrives at Saipan.
28 May 1942: Operation "MI" - The Battle of Midway:
SOYA is in Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake's (former CO of KONGO) Midway Invasion Force attached to Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Miyamoto Sadachika's (39)(former CO of YAEYAMA) 16th Minesweeper Unit consisting of auxiliary minesweepers TAMA MARU No. 3, SHONAN MARUs No. 7 and No 8, subchasers CH-16, CH-17 and CH-18. Departs Saipan for Wake, enroute to Midway.
4 June 1942:
At 0843, a PBY "Catalina" flying boat discovers Captain Miyamoto's minesweeper group heading towards Midway.
5 June 1942:
At 0255, after receiving word that the occupation of Midway has been canceled, SOYA retires north.
7 August 1942: American Operation "Watchtower" - The Invasion of Guadalcanal, British Solomons:
Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond K. Turner's (former CO of ASTORIA, CA-34) Amphibious Task Force 62, covered by Vice Admiral (MOH-'14/later Admiral) Frank J. Fletcher's (former CO of VERMONT, BB-20) Task Force 61 and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's Task Force 63's land-based aircraft, lands Maj Gen (later Gen/Commandant) Alexander A. Vandegrift's 1st Marine Division on Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo and Guadalcanal opening the campaign to retake the island.
Rabaul. That same day, aggresive Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi (former CO of KIRISHIMA) , CINC of the newly created Eighth Fleet, dispatches SOYA to Guadalcanal carrying 519 men on a troop transport mission with armed transport MEIYO MARU, minelayer TSUGARU and two small escorts to repel the invasion.
8 August 1942:
After the Japanese learn more of the size of the American landing force, Admiral Mikawa recalls SOYA and her group to Rabaul.
9 August 1942:
14 miles W of Cape St. George, New Britain. Just after midnight, the convoy is attacked by LtCdr (later Captain) Henry G. Munson's old USS S-38 at 04-50S, 152-40E. Munson torpedoes and sinks MEIYO MARU, but SOYA and TSUGARU clear the area undamaged.
August 1942:
SOYA is recalled to Yokosuka.
September 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Rabaul. Assigned to the Eighth Fleet.
18 January 1943:
Queen Carola Channel, off New Britain. At about 0500, LtCdr James D. Grant’s USS GREENLING (SS-213) torpedoes SOYA at 02-04S, 150-37E, but some of the torpedoes are duds and the others prematurely explode causing no damage. SOYA’s crew hoists a dud Mark 14-3A torpedo up to her deck as a war trophy. [1]
26 April 1943:
An unknown officer assumes command.
26 May 1943:
Cdr Amaya Yoshishige (47) assumes command.
23 July 1943:
At 1700, SOYA departs Otaru in a convoy consisting of MELBOURNE MARU with an unknown escort.
28 July 1943:
At 0900, arrives at Matsuwa Island, Kuriles.
31 July 1943:
Still in convoy, departs Matsuwa Island.
2 August 1943:
At 2100, arrives at Otaru.
27 September 1943:
At 0600, departs Rabaul in convoy 2272 consisting of OKITSU, TATSUURA, TAKUNAN MARUs and SOYA escorted by subchaser CH-30 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-12.
28 September 1943:
TAKUNAN MARU drops behind with engine problems, but after repairs later catches up.
29 September 1943 TATSUURA MARU drops behind with engine problems, but after repairs later catches up. She is guarded by CHa-12.
2 October 1943
At 1000, arrives at Truk.
1 February 1944:
Soya is attached directly to the Combined Fleet at Truk.
17-18 February 1944: American Operation "Hailstone" - The Attack on Truk:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher’s Task Force 58’s five fleet carriers and four light carriers, supported by six battleships, ten cruisers and 28 destroyers, launch air attacks on Japanese ships in the lagoon, airfields and shore installations. They sink 31 transports and 10 naval vessels (two cruisers, four destroyers and four auxiliary vessels), destroy nearly 200 aircraft and damage severely about 100 more. TF 58’s aircraft damage SOYA, destroyers SHIGURE and MATSUKAZE, submarines I-10 and RO-37, target ship HAKACHI, repair ship AKASHI, seaplane tender AKITSUSHIMA and auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-20. Truk is eliminated as a major fleet anchorage for the IJN.
18 February 1944:
While escaping, SOYA runs aground on a large coral head E of Dublon Island, Truk. Stranded, she is exposed to strafing and bombing attacks, but suffers minor damage. Still, 10 crew members are KIA.
24 March 1944:
At 0700, SOYA departs Saipan in convoy HIGASHI MATSU No. 2 (return) consisting of TAKUNAN, NACHI, AWA (ex-WAWA), DAITEN, MIHO, BINGO, RYUKA, TAKAOKA, HIBI, TAMAHOKO, TATSUHARU and SHINFUKU MARUs and an unidentified ship escorted by destroyers NOWAKI and ASAKAZE, kaibokan MANJU subchasers CH-17, CH-31, CH-32 and minelayer KYOSAI.
1 April 1944:
At 1000, the convoy arrives at Tokyo.
April 1944:
Yokosuka. SOYA is remodeled as a transport warship. Four additional Type 96 25-mm AA guns are fitted.
30 May 1944:
Cdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Shiwa Kotora (50) assumes command.
20 August 1944:
An unknown officer assumes command.
18 February 1945:
Cdr Yamauchi Masaki assumes command.
24 June 1945:
Departs Yokosuka for Hakodate, Hokkaido in convoy No. 1624 consisting of EIKAN and KAMITSU MARUs escorted by kaibokan SHISAKA and subchaser CH-51. The ships are loaded with heavy industrial machinery from the Tokyo Yokahama industrial complex. The machinery's final destination is Manchukuo (Manchuria). SOYA also carries aircraft parts.
26 June 1945:
S of Todogasaki, Honshu. At 1030, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Woodrow W. McCrory‘s USS PARCHE (SS-384) torpedoes and sinks KAMITSU MARU at 39-25N, 142-04E. McCrory also torpedoes EIKAN MARU. She is run aground. SHISAKA and CH-51 drop 67 depth-charges. PARCHE sustains slight damage, but escapes.
9 August 1945:
Onagawa Bay, NE Honshu. SOYA, kaibokan AMAKUSA and INAGI, minesweeper W-33, target ship OHAMA and subchaser CH-42 are at anchor when they are attacked by F-4U Mark IV "Corsair" fighter-bombers of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Sir Bernard J. Rawlings, RN, Task Force 37’s (British Pacific Fleet) carrier HMS FORMIDABLE. Kaibokan INAGI, AMAKUSA and OHAMA are sunk.
Nagasaki. That same day, the CO of the 393rd Bomb Squadron of the 509th Composite Group, Major (later Brig Gen, ANG) Charles W. Sweeney, piloting a B-29 nicknamed "BOCKSCAR", drops "Fat Man", the second atomic bomb.
15 August 1945:
Muroran, Hokkaido. SOYA’s crew is notified that Japan has accepted the Potsdam declaration and agreed to an end of hostilities and “unconditional” surrender.
23 August 1945:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
5 September 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
27 September 1945:
Completes demilitarization. All guns are removed and temporary inside hold accommodation and additional toilet places are installed for evacuees
1 October 1945:
Transferred to the Department of Finance.
6 October 1945:
Departs Uraga.
14 October 1945:
Arrives at Yap.
17 October 1945:
DepartsYap.
23 October 1945:
Arrives at Uraga.
24 October 1945-14 November 1945:
Undergoes repairs at Uraga.
20 November 1945:
Departs Uraga.
26 November 1945:
Arrives at Guam and departs later the same day.
30 November 1945:
Arrives at Tinian.
1 December 1945:
Departs Tinian. That same day, she is officially assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service as a demobilization transport. [2]
10 December 1945:
Arrives at Otaka and departs later that day.
12 December 1945:
Arrives at Kure.
26 December 1945:
Departs Kure.
31 December 1945:
Arrives at Shanghai.
1 January 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
5 January 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Later that day docked and under repair until 10 January.
10 January 1946:
Repairs are completed. Departs Kagoshima.
13 January 1946:
Arrives at Kirun and departs later that day.
16 January 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
28 January 1946-14 February 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Uraga Dockyard.
15 February 1946:
Departs Uraga.
24 February 1946:
Arrives at Kirun.
25 February 1946 :
Departs Kirun.
1 March 1946:
Arrives at Kagoshima.
4-13 March 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Sasebo Naval Dockyard.
16 March 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
20 March 1946:
Arrives at Takao.
21 March 1946:
Departs Takao.
28 March 1946:
Arrives at Otaka.
2 April-15 April 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Kasado Zosen.
22 April 1946 :
Departs Kure.
4 May 1946:
Arrives at Saigon.
11 May 1946:
Departs Saigon.
22 May 1946:
Arrives at Otaka.
25 May 1946- 9 June 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Urabe (?)
12 June 1946:
Departs Kure.
17 June 1946:
Arrives at Korojima near Tsientsin.
20 June 1946:
Departs Korojima.
22 June 1946:
Arrives at Hakata.
1 July 1946:
Departs Hakata.
4 July 1946:
Arrives at Korojima.
7 July 1946:
Departs Korojima.
10 July 1946:
Arrives at Hakata.
23 July 1946- 31 July 1946:
Undergoes repairs at Sasebo Naval Dockyard.
1948:
Otaru. Remodeled and repainted.
1949:
Transferred to the Maritime Safety Agency. Assigned as a lighthouse supply ship. While replenishing goods to lighthouses, SOYA becomes known as the “Santa Claus of the Sea”.
1 July 1950:
After major renovation, SOYA becomes the agency’s first Antarctic Research Ship.
1956-1962:
Makes six trips to Antarctica.
1956-1958:
Rebuilt as a trials ship. Equipped with diesel engines and four helicopters. Displacement increases to 4,365-tons.
1958:
SOYA is carrying the second wintering party, but due to severe weather conditions cannot get near Syowa Station, the Japanese base for Antarctic research. The first wintering party stranded there is rescued by helicopter, but has to leave 15 Sakhalin huskies behind at the unmanned station.
1959:
A year later, SOYA returns to Syowa Station and finds two of the abandoned dogs, Taro and Jiro, still alive. [3]
3 October 1978:
Tokyo, Odiaba Bay. SOYA is moored at the Museum of Maritime Science as part of the museum's permanent exhibit.

Authors’ Notes:
[1] GREENLING’s patrol report conflicts with Japanese sources. LtCdr Grant misidentified SOYA as a 500-ton patrol craft. His PR says that he fired only one torpedo and that it ran under the target and did not explode. Japanese sources claim four torpedoes were fired and also give the date of the attack as 28 Jan '43 not 18 Jan '43.
[2] During her career as a repatriation transport, SOYA repatriates nearly 19,000 people, including settlers.
[3] The 2006 motion picture "Eight Below", in part, was loosely based on the story of the stranded huskies. A sculpture commemorating the event was erected in front of Tokyo Tower.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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