YUSOSEN!
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(Oiler by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings
of Japanese Warships")
IJN TATEKAWA MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
© 1998-2008 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
20 October 1934:
Kobe. Laid down as a 10,009-ton merchant tanker by Kawasaki Heavy Industries shipyard for Kawasaki Kisen.
20 April 1935:
Launched and named TATEKAWA MARU.
30 June 1935:
Completed.
1 July 1935:
Departs Kobe for Oha (Okha), Sakhalin.
19 July 1935:
Departs Kobe for San Luis and returns to Yokohama.
1935-1940:
Completes regular round trip voyages from Yokohama to Los Angeles, California.
25 July 1941:
Arrives at Shimotsu from San Pedro (Los Angeles), California.
20 December 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN and registered to Kure Naval District.
30 April 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
May 1942:
Sakurajima. Drydocked at Hitachi's yard. Undergoes maintenance.
5 June 1942:
Departs Kure.
16 June 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
19 June 1942:
Departs Takao.
7 August 1942: American Operation "Watchtower" - The Invasion of Guadalcanal, 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-20l) Task Force 61 and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's (former CO of RANGER, CV-4) Task Force 63's land-based aircraft, lands Maj Gen (later Gen/MOH/Commandant) Alexander A. Vandegrift's 1st Marine Division on Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo and Guadalcanal opening the campaign to take the island.
8 August 1942:
Arrives at Asari (near Kure), then steams to Hitose.
22 August 1942:
Departs Hitose.
30 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk. Refuels BatDiv 11's HIEI and KIRISHIMA that also arrive that day.
2 October 1942:
Arrives at Asari.
5 October 1942:
Departs Asari.
7 October 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
9 October 1942:
Departs Kure. Later that day, arrives at Tokuyama.
13 October 1942:
Departs Tokuyama.
3 November 1942:
Arrives at Balikpapan, Borneo. Loads 10, 000 tons of heavy oil fuel for large warships and 9, 000-tons of heavy oil for escort forces at Truk.
9 November 1942:
Arrives at Truk in a convoy with TOKYO MARU.
20 December 1942:
Arrives at Asari.
23 December 1942:
Departs Asari.
7 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
11 January 1943:
Departs Singapore.
4 February 1943:
Arrives at Palembang, Sumatra and loads 7,000 kilolitres (5,880-tons) of crude oil.
21 January 1943:
Arrives at Genzan (Wonsan), Korea.
27 January 1943:
Departs Genzan.
6 February 1943:
Departs Palembang.
8 February 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and loads a further 7,000 kilolitres crude oil.
11 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
20 February 1943:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
24 February 1943 :
Departs Tokuyama.
25 March 1943:
Arrives at Amagasaki. Later sails to nearby Kobe.
3 April 1943:
Departs Kobe.
9 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
17 April 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
25 April 1943:
At 1200, arrives Palembang.
12 May 1943:
At 1400, arrives at Tokuyama Fuel Depot. Off loads oil.
16 May 1943:
Departs Tokuyama.
20 May 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
25 May 1943:
Departs Yokosuka.
26 May 1943:
Arrives at Kobe. Probably undergoes maintenance at Kawasaki's yard.
29 June 1943:
Departs Kobe.
30 June 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
4 July 1943:
Departs Kure.
6 July 1943:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
9 July 1943:
Departs Tokuyama.
23 July 1943:
At 1600, TATEKAWA MARU and cargo ship TARUSHIMA MARU depart Singapore in convoy HI-02 escorted by kaibokan SADO.
29 July 1943:
At 1020, arrives at Takao. The convoy is joined by three other ships.
30 July 1943:
At 1400, departs Takao.
3 August 1943:
At 1030, the convoy arrives at Moji.
4 August 1943:
Arrives at Shimotsu.
6 August 1943:
Departs Shimotsu.
7 August 1943:
At 1400, TATEKAWA MARU and four unidentified ships depart Moji in convoy HI-05 escorted by destroyer ASAKAZE.
9 August 1943:
At 1201, arrives at Koniya, Amami-Oshima.
10 August 1943:
At 1400, departs Koniya.
13 August 1943:
At 1000, arrives at Mako. ASAKAZE is detached and replaced by kaibokan MATSUWA.
19 August 1943:
At 1700, arrives at Singapore.
24 August 1943:
At 1400, departs Singapore in convoy HI-06 consisting of oilers TATEKAWA MARU, YAMAMIZU MARU No.2, RYUEI MARU and ASHIZURI and an unidentified merchant ship escorted by MATSUWA.
1 September 1943:
Rerated from a General Oil Transport to Special Navy Tanker in the Kure Naval District.
3 September 1943:
At 0930, arrives at Moji then departs for Tokuyama.
9 September 1943:
Departs Tokuyama for Moji.
10 September 1943:
At 1600, departs Moji in convoy HI-09 consisting of TATEKAWA MARU, cargo-passenger ship MIIKE MARU and four unidentified ships escorted by the kaibokan MATSUWA.
21 September 1943:
At 1830, the convoy arrives at St Jacques where it is dissolved. TATEKAWA MARU probably proceeds to Singapore.
28 September 1943:
At 1900, departs St Jacques in convoy HI-10 consisting of TATEKAWA and MIRI MARUs and probably OTOWASAN MARUand passenger ship ASAMA MARU with two unidentified merchant ships.
6 October 1943:
At 0900, the convoy is amalgamated with convoy MA-06, no details of which are known.
9 October 1943:
At 0730, arrives at Moji, then departs for Tokuyama. Arrives that same day.
12 October 1943:
Departs Tokuyama. Later that day, arrives at Moji.
14 October 1943:
Departs Moji and arrives back at Tokuyama later that day.
22 October 1943:
Departs Tokuyama. Later that day, arrives at Moji.
28 October 1943:
Departs Moji and arrives back at Tokuyama later that day.
3 December 1943:
Departs Tokuyama.
4 December 1943:
Arrives at Moji.
5 December 1943:
Departs Moji as the second echelon of convoy HI-23. The first echelon departed 1 December and consisted of oilers OMUROSAN, ICHIU and ASASHIO MARUs and two other ships escorted by NAMIKAZE.
The second echelon consists of oilers TATEKAWA, ITSUKUSHIMA and BOKUEI MARUs, with SUNOSAKI, OSE (ex-Dutch GENOTA) and probably TAKASAKI, all escorted by OSE. Oiler RYUEI MARU and passenger cargo ships AKI and NOSHIRO MARUs are also in the convoy. [1]
17 December 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. [2]
26 December 1943:
At 1000, departs Singapore in convoy HI-26 consisting of oilers TATEKAWA, ITSUKUSHIMA, OMUROSAN, and AMATSU MARUs, cargo liner NANKAI MARU and two unidentified ships escorted by kaibokan TSUSHIMA.
1 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
7 January 1944:
At 1830, arrives at Moji.
11 January 1944:
At 0830, departs Moji in convoy HI-31 consisting of oilers TATEKAWA, ITSUKUSHIMA, GENYO, OMUROSAN, KUROSHIO MARUS and cargo liner HOKUROKU MARU escorted by carrier CHITOSE and destroyers AMATSUKAZE and YUKIKAZE.
16 January 1944:
N of the Spratly Islands. AMATSUKAZE detects a submarine and closes the target, but is hit portside by one of four torpedoes fired by LtCdr Robert D. King's USS REDFIN (SS-272) at 14-40N, 113-50E. AMATSUKAZE loses her bow and 80 crewmen. Presumed sunk by the convoy, it proceeds onward. The destroyer is left adrift for eight days until discovered by a Japanese patrol plane. She is later towed to Saigon by the ASAGAO.
20 January 1944:
At 1645, the convoy arrives at Singapore.
25 January 1944:
At 0730, departs Singapore in convoy HI-32 consisting of oilers TATEKAWA, ITSUKUSHIMA, GENYO, OMUROSAN, KUROSHIO MARUs and transport/cargo liner HOKUROKU MARU escorted by carrier CHITOSE and destroyer YUKIKAZE.
4 February 1944:
CHITOSE detaches and heads to Sasebo. At 1100, the convoy arrives at Moji.
16 February 1944:
At 0600, departs Moji in convoy HI-45 consisting of oilers TATEKAWA, ITSUKUSHIMA, OMUROSAN, and KUROSHIO MARUs, cargo liner ARIMASAN and troop transport TAMATSU MARU and another unidentified ship escorted by destroyer SHIOKAZE.
20 February 1944:
SHIOKAZE is detached from the convoy.
21 February 1944:
KUROSHIO MARU develops engine trouble, drops behind and diverts to Takao.
22 February 1944:
Kaibokan MIYAKE joins as escort.
23 February 1944:
TAMATSU MARU is detached from the convoy and heads for Manila. The SHIOKAZE rejoins as an escort.
27 February 1944:
At 1700, arrives at Singapore.
11 March 1944:
At 0730, convoy HI-48 departs Singapore consisting of oilers TATEKAWA, ITSUKUSHIMA, OMUROSAN, OTOWASAN, SEIYO, NICHIEI and KUROSHIO MARUs, transport/cargo liners AWA, SANUKI, TEIA and HOKUROKU MARUs and two unidentified ships escorted by kaibokans MIYAKE, SHIMUSHU, IKI and ETOROFU.
14 March 1944:
At 1700, arrives at Ban Phong Bay, French Indochina.
15 March 1944:
At 1100, departs Ban Phong Bay.
18 March 1944:
At 0114, HOKUROKU MARU is hit by four torpedoes fired by LtCdr Lowell T. Stone's USS LAPON (SS-260) and sinks at 19-24N, 116-50E. She blows up and sinks in about one minute taking down 80 crewmen and 248 passengers. The TEIA MARU sends off a report of the attack. Later that day, KASHII MARU joins the convoy.
19 March 1944:
At 0600, kaibokan SHIMUSHU runs aground, but later that day is refloated. At 1600, the convoy arrives at Takao.
20 March 1944:
At 1300, departs Takao.
25 March 1944:
At 0500, arrives at Moji.
8 April 1944:
Arrives at Tokuyama.
3 May 1944:
At 0445, departs Moji in convoy HI-61 consisting of empty oilers TATEKAWA, AZUSA, NICHIEI, JINEI, EIYO, AKANE, OTORISAN, SARAWAK and ASANAGI MARUs and perhaps HAYASUI, and passenger cargo ship MIZUHO MARU escorted by carrier TAIYO and destroyers ASANAGI, HIBIKI and INAZUMA and kaibokans SADO, KURAHASHI, and CD-5, CD-7 and 13.*
7 May 1944:
JINEI MARU is detached because of engine trouble.
8 May 1944:
About 0615, at 19-19N, 120-00E, LtCdr Victor B. McCrae's USS HOE (SS-258) attacks the convoy. In a submerged attack, McCrae fires all his bow torpedoes and gets a single hit on AKANE MARU. She is detached from the convoy and returns to Takao, Formosa for repairs.
9 May 1944: Operation "A-GO" - The Defense of the Marianas.
At 2055, arrives at Luzon. TATEKAWA, AZUSA and NICHIEI MARUs are detached from the convoy to participate in the planned "A-GO" operation.
11 May 1944:
At 1625, departs Manila in an unnumbered convoy with TATEKAWA and NICHIEI MARUs escorted by HIBIKI and INAZUMA.
14 May 1944:
Tawi Tawi Bay. At about 0300, while patrolling on the surface, LtCdr Thomas W. Hogan’s USS BONEFISH (SS-223) intercepts a three-tanker convoy making fourteen knots and consisting of TATEKAWA, AZUSA and NICHIEI MARUs with three destroyer escorts. Hogan selects the largest oiler to receive his last six torpedoes.
An HIBIKI class destroyer passes close ahead of BONEFISH as the convoy zigs bringing the target oiler within 3,000 yards. Hogan fires his forward torpedo tubes. Five torpedoes get away, but tube No. 6 refuses to fire. The first Mark -14 torpedo explodes against the oiler's bow. The second explodes under her bridge and Hogan thinks the third blows off her stern. Hogan sees the oiler enveloped in smoke and flame and claims two hits and a sinking, but, in actuality, none of the oilers are damaged. Hogan probably saw the unreliable Mark 14's compressed air flasks exploding against the hull.
At 0420, the fourth torpedo explodes under destroyer INAZUMA that blows apart and sinks. The two remaining destroyers charge in and drop twenty heavy depth charges, but BONEFISH slips away.
15 May 1944:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
19 May 1944:
Arrives at Tawi Tawi.
23 May 1944:
At 0640, departs Tawi Tawi for Davao in a convoy consisting of TATEKAWA, KOKUYO, NICHIEI and SEIYO MARUs escorted by destroyers HIBIKI, AKISHIMO and HAMAKAZE.
24 May 1944:
Off Saranagani Islands, Mindinao. In the early afternoon, lookouts aboard LtCdr Charles H. Andrews' USS GURNARD (SS-254) sight a convoy they identify as consisting of two oilers, "two cargo ships" and three destroyers. Slipping past the escorts, Andrews fires four torpedoes at an oiler. At 1517, TATEKAWA MARU is hit by two torpedoes, the first in oil tank No. 6 and the second in the engine room. She is set ablaze. Ten of her armed guard gunners and 17 crewmen are killed. TATEKAWA MARU sinks at 05-42N, 125-43E.
GURNARD goes deep and escapes the escorts.
20 July 1944:
Removed from Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
[1] It is unclear from available Japanese records as to which echelon these latter ships were assigned.
[2] The first echelon stopped at St Jacques, Indochina en route but it is unclear from available Japanese records if the second echelon did likewise. A three day difference separated their arrival times at Singapore.
Thanks for assistance goes to Allan Alsleben of Oregon.
- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
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