YUSOSEN!

(A wartime Standard Type 1TL tanker)

TAKANE MARU:

Tabular Record of Movement

© 2010-2018 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

Revision 2


11 April 1944:
Kobe. Laid down by Kawasaki Jukogyo, K. K. as a 10,021-ton 1TL tanker for Ishihara Kisen K. K.

21 July 1944:
Launched and named TAKANE MARU. [1]

30 September 1944:
Completed.

October 1944:
Civilian tankers TAKANE and JINEI MARUs are quickly converted to "at sea" refueling. The IJN does not requisition either ship.

20 October 1944: Operation SHO-I-GO ("Victory") – The Battle of Leyte Gulf:
CD-43 departs Yashima anchorage with kaibokan CD-22, CD-29, CD-31, CD-33, and CD-132 escorting oilers TAKANE and JINEI MARUs of Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's (former CO of HARUNA) Northern "decoy" Mobile Force’s Second Supply Force. The Supply Force supports CarDiv 3's ZUIKAKU, ZUIHO, CHITOSE and CHIYODA and CarDiv 4's hybrid HYUGA and ISE.

TAKANE MARU and kaibokan CD-33 and CD-43 are detached for Tokuyama Navy Fuel Depot. TAKANE MARU takes on a load of fuel for Ozawa's Mobile Force.

21 October 1944:
TAKANE MARU and kaibokan CD-33 and CD-22 and CD-29 depart Tokuyama Navy Fuel Depot for Koniya, Kakaroma-Jima, Ryukyus. (CD-43 departs Kure as part of JINEI MARU escort).

22 October 1944:
Ozawa's force refuels at sea. Sound contact is made with a submarine. At 2010, ZUIKAKU and light cruiser TAMA spot torpedo tracks and make a sharp turn to port. Ozawa is forced to cancel the refueling after receiving only one third of the required amount.

24 October 1944:
Destroyer AKIKAZE departs Kure to lead the escort of the Second Supply Force.

25 October 1944: The Battle off Cape Engano:
Ozawa's force is attacked by planes from Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc Mitscher's Task Force 38’s USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), USS ESSEX (CV-9), USS INTREPID (CV-11), USS FRANKLIN (CV-13), USS LEXINGTON (CV-16), USS INDEPENDENCE (CVL-22), USS BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24), USS LANGLEY (CVL-27), USS CABOT (CVL-28) and USS SAN JACINTO (CVL-30).

TF 38 launches 527 sorties in five strikes against Ozawa’s Northern Force. During the day's action, carriers ZUIKAKU, ZUIHO and CHITOSE and destroyer AKIZUKI are sunk.

That same day, S of Yaku Jima, LtCdr Orme C. Robbins’ USS STERLET (SS-392) torpedoes and sinks oiler JINEI MARU at 30-15N, 129-45E.

28 October 1944:
CarDiv 4’s HYUGA and ISE refuel from oilers at Amami-Oshima. TAKANE MARU transfers 3300 tons fuel oil to HYUGA and 960 tons to ISE as well as 1410 tons to cruiser OYODO, 900 tons to cruiser ISUZU, 720 tons to destroyers WAKAZUKI, 315 tons to SHIMOZUKI, 330 tons to KUWA, 240 tons to MAKI, and 200 tons each to SUGI and KIRI. CarDiv 4 and destroyers depart for the Inland Sea. At 2120, LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Vernon L. Lowrance’s USS SEA DOG (SS-401) attacks CarDiv 4. He fires six torpedoes, but all miss. That same day, TAKANE MARU is ordered to steam to Takao, but she has a faulty boiler that prevents her from complying.

29 October 1944:
TAKANE MARU receives new orders to proceed to Kure for repairs. At 1500 TAKANE MARU departs from off eastern Amami Oshima escorted by CD-33, CD-22 and CD-29.

30 October 1944:
LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Frederick J. Harlfinger’s USS TRIGGER (SS-237) picks up TAKANE MARU with her escorts and attacks. One torpedo broaches alerting the oiler that avoids the other torpedoes. At 1620, USS TRIGGER (SS-237) fires all four of her stern tubes. In the middle of squall, kaibokan CD-22’s lookouts spot torpedo tracks and she evadees them, but TAKANE MARU is hit by two in her stern area. They wreck the starboard engine-room and bring her to a halt, but she does not sink. USS TRIGGER goes deep as 78 depth charges rain down on her within the next hour, but cause no damage.

130 nm SW of Toizaki, Kyushu. CD-22, CD-29 and CD-33 are guarding the immobilized TAKANE MARU. At about 2100 that night, LtCdr Harley K. Nauman’s USS SALMON (SS-182) fires four torpedoes for two hits. The escorts counter-attack. USS SALMON crash dives, but is damaged badly by a severe depth charging. Her pressure hull is dished in, an engine is knocked off its base plate, radio and radar equipment damaged and she begins leaking heavily. USS SALMON sinks to 500 feet out of control. Her diving officer finally checks her descent, but cannot hold her. Nauman decides to battle surface and engage the escorts with USS SALMON’s deck guns.

USS SALMON surfaces in the midst of a heavy squall. Nauman’s crew quickly begins to correct a 15-degree list, puts two of USS SALMON’s diesel engines on line and stops some leaks. At about 2200, CD-29 sights a surfaced submarine off her starboard bow, 500 meters away. CD-29 switches on her searchlight and opens fire with her 120-mm bow gun, but loses the target after the first salvo. At 2235, CD-22 and CD-33 arrive and attack USS SALMON from different directions. CD-22 charges the submarine intent on ramming. Nauman, in turn, charges the kaibokan. The two vessels pass each other just 50 yards apart. CD-22 opens fire on the submarine with her 25-mm AA gun. SALMON’s machine-guns, 20-mm AA and deck guns return fire and kill four of CD-22's sailors and wound another 14. CD-22 is also hit in the bow by a dud shell that causes a temporary leak. Her speed drops to 11 knots.

31 October 1944:
SW of Kyushu. At about 0100, LtCdr Robbins’ USS STERLET finds TAKANE MARU dead in the water and down by the stern. No escorts are in sight. Robbins fires six torpedoes by radar bearings and gets four hits that finish off the oiler. TAKANE MARU sinks at 30-09N, 132-45E. She was carrying 66 crewmen and an unknown number of passengers. There are no survivors.

CD-29 briefly chases USS STERLET but soon loses contact.


Authors' Note:
[1] Also known as KOREI MARU, an alternative reading of her name characters.

Grateful thanks to Mr. Gilbert Casse of France.

- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.


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