© 2009-2010 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
25 January 1938:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi’s shipyard as a 6,345-ton cargo ship for Tatsuuma Kisen K.K., Nishinomiya. 18 January 1939:
Launched and named TATSUHARU MARU. 15 April 1939:
Completed. Placed in service on runs from Kobe to Keelung and Takao, Formosa. 3 August 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN. 5 September 1941:
Rated an auxiliary large minelayer and registered in the Maizuru Naval District. That same day, begins conversion at the Osaka ironworks. 14 October 1941:
The conversion is completed. 1941:
Assigned to the Combined Fleet’s Third Fleet in the 17th Minelayer Squadron. 29 November 1941:
Departs Terajima Straits for Southwest Pacific. 1942:
Atttached to the Southwest Fleet’s Second Base Force in the 17th Minelayer Squadron. 22 January 1942:
Davao. Auxiliary gunboat OKUYO MARU comes alongside and takes on coal from TATSUHARU MARU. Later, the ship sails to Balikpapan. 10 March 1942:
Reassigned to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Takasu Shiro's (former CO of ISUZU) 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet in the 22nd Special Base Force based at Balikpapan, Borneo with minesweepers W-15 and W-16. 9 May 1942:
At 1200, departs Mako, Pescadores for Sasebo with convoy No. 206 consisting of SHINSEI, TATSUWA, SENSAN, NANYO, KEIFUKU, TAISHO, KINUGAWA, MEIYU and WAYO MARUs escorted by old destroyer SANAE and minelayer TSUBAME. 13 May 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo. 25 August 1942:
Registered in the Maizuru Naval District as an auxiliary transport. 31 August 1942:
Arrives at Pontianak, Borneo. 2 September 1942:
Arrives off Bandjermasin, Borneo. 4 September 1942:
Departs Bandjermasin. 5 September 1942:
Arrives at Balikpapan. 16 September 1942:
Departs Balikpapan, Borneo. 19 September 1942:
Arrives at Davao, Philippines. 25 September 1942:
Departs Davao. 2 October 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores. 7 October 1942:
Departs Mako. 11 October 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo 17 October 1942:
Departs Sasebo. 19 October 1942:
Arrives at Osaka. 21 October 1942:
Departs Osaka. 23 October 1942:
Arrives at Maizuru Navy Yard. 27 October 1942:
Begins conversion to a naval transport. 28 December 1942:
Completes the conversion. Departs Maizuru. 30 December 1942:
Arrives at Moji. 6 January 1943:
Departs Moji. 9 January 1943:
Arrives at Tokyo. 10 January 1943:
Departs Tokyo. 20 January 1943:
Arrives at Wake Island. 24 January 1943:
Departs Wake Island. 20 January 1943:
Arrives at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands. 31 January 1943:
Departs Tarawa. 1 February 1943:
Arrives at Mill. 7 February 1943:
Departs Mill. 12 February 1943:
Arrives at Truk. 2 March 1943:
Departs Truk. 11 March 1943:
Arrives at Yokosuka. 13 March 1943:
Loads 4,500 tons of coke and approximately 1,000 tons of trade and miscellaneous goods, 30 automobiles, 20,000,000 Yen of war notes and five warrant officer passengers. Departs Yokosuka. 15 March 1943:
Arrives at Muroran, Hokkaido. 23 March 1943:
Departs Muroran. 26 March 1943:
Arrives at Kobe. 29 March 1943:
Departs Kobe. 5 April 1943:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa (Taiwan). 8 April 1943:
Departs Takao. 11 April 1943:
Arrives at Manila. 14 April 1943:
Departs Manila. 19 April 1943:
Arrives at Menado, Celebes (Sulawesi). 22 April 1943:
Departs Menado. 26 April 1943:
Arrives at Makassar, Celebes. 30 April 1943:
Departs Makassar. 1 May 1943:
Arrives at Pomalaa (Celebes main nickel port). 25 May 1943:
Loads 7,000 tons of nickel ore and 46 passengers. 2 June 1943:
Arrives at Manila. 6 June 1943:
Departs Manila. 9 June 1943:
Arrives at Takao. 12 June 1943:
Departs Takao. 18 June 1943:
Arrives at Niihama, Japan. 23 June 1943:
Departs Niihama. 24 June 1943:
Arrives at Moji. 25 June 1943:
Departs Moji. 30 June 1943:
Arrives at Dairen, Manchuria. 2 July 1943:
Departs Dairen. 8 July 1943:
Arrives at Muroran. 11 July 1943:
Departs Muroran. 13 July 1943:
Arrives at Maizuru. 18 July 1943:
Departs Maizuru. 19 July 1943:
Arrives at Mutsure. 30 July 1943:
Arrives at Takao. 1 August 1943:
Departs Takao. 7 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. 11 August 1943:
Departs Singapore. 15 August 1943:
Arrives at Car Nicobar, Andaman Islands. 21 August 1943:
Departs Car Nicobar. 24 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. 28 August 1943:
Departs Singapore. 29 August 1943:
Arrives at Penang. 3 September 1943:
Departs Penang. 6 September 1943:
Arrives at Sabang, Sumatra. 10 September 1943:
TATSUHARU MARU and an unidentified ship depart Sabang escorted by kaibokan SHIMUSHU. 13 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. 16 September 1943:
Departs Singapore. Arrives at Bintan, NEI. 17 September 1943:
Departs Bintan. 18 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. 19 September 1943:
Departs Singapore. 28 September 1943:
Arrives at Takao. 2 October 1943:
Departs Takao. 8 October 1943:
Arrives at Moji. 9 October 1943:
Departs Moji . 11 October 1943:
Arrives at Fushiki. 14 October 1943:
Departs Fushiki. 16 October 1943:
Arrives at Muroran. 18 October 1943:
Departs Muroran. 20 October 1943:
Arrives at Kawasaki. 22 October 1943:
Departs Kawasaki. 22 October 1943:
Arrives at Yokohama. 29 October 1943:
Departs Yokohama. 1 November 1943:
Arrives at Moji. 3 November 1943:
Departs Moji. 8 November 1943:
Arrives at Takao. 12 November 1943:
Departs Takao. 16 November 1943:
Arrives at Manila. 22 November 1943:
At 1745, TATSUHARU MARU departs Manila in convoy H-6 consisting of CHINKAI, RYUSEI, FUJIKAWA and NANREI MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-103. E 24 November 1943:
Off Legaspi, NANREI MARU is detached from the convoy. 26 November 1943:
HAMBURG MARU joins the convoy. 29 November 1943:
At 0815, arrives at Kau, Halmahera. 5 December 1943:
Departs Kau. 7 December 1943:
Arrives at Ambon, Moluccas. 12 December 1943:
Lands the 201st Construction Unit and materials. Departs Ambon. 16 December 1943:
Arrives at Makassar. 20 December 1943:
Departs Makassar. 26 December 1943:
Loads bauxite ore at Bintan. 27 December 1943:
Departs Bintan. Arrives at Singapore. 30 December 1943:
Departs Singapore. 8 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao. 10 January 1944:
Departs Takao. 16 January 1944:
Arrives at Moji and then departs. 17 January 1944:
Arrives at Niihama. 21 January 1944:
Offloads bauxite ore and departs Niihama. 22 January 1944:
Arrives at Hikoshima. Enters dock at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shimonoseki shipyard. Additional armament is installed and undergoes system repairs. 4 February 1944:
Assigned to transport duty. 7 February 1944:
Arrives at Moji. 9 February 1944:
Departs Moji and later that day arrives at Miike. 12 February 1944:
Departs Miike. 14 February 1944:
Arrives at Kure. Loads volatile oils. 22 February 1944:
Departs Kure. 23 February 1944:
Departs Kure and later that day arrives at Kobe, then departs. 25 February 1944:
Arrives at Yokohama. Loads airplanes, tanks and other weapons, ammunition, machine and large materials. 1 March 1944:
Departs Yokohama. 4 March 1944:
Arrives at Chichi Jima. 5 March 1944:
At 0800, departs Chichi-Jima for Truk in convoy "Higashi Matsu 1A" consisting of TATSUHARU, BINGO and KEIYO MARU escorted by kaibokan MANJU and auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 8. 12 March 1944:
At 1400, the convoy arrives at Truk. 17 March 1944:
Departs Truk. 21 March 1944:
Arrives at Saipan. 24 March 1944:
At 0700, departs Saipan in convoy HIGASHI MATSU No. 2 (return) consisting of storeship SOYA, TAKUNAN, NACHI AWA (ex-WAWA), DAITEN, MIHO, BINGO, RYUKA, TAKAOKA, HIBI, TAMAHOKO, TATSUHARU and SHINFUKU MARUs and an unidentified maru 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 Yokohama. 3 April 1944:
Departs Yokohama. 6 April 1944:
Arrives at Moji . 13 April 1944:
Departs Moji. 14 April 1944:
Arrives at Kobe and later departs. 17 April 1944:
Arrives at Tokyo. 22 April 1944:
Departs Tokyo and later that day arrives at Yokohama. 25 April 1944:
Departs Yokohama and later that day arrives at Tokyo. 28 April 1944:
At 0600, TATSUHARU MARU departs Tokyo in the "Higashi Matsu" Convoy No.7 (outbound) consisting of MITAKESAN, ASAHISAN, OKINAWA, YAMATAMA, BINGO, MEIRYU, MOJI and MIHO MARUs bound for Saipan; ASAKA MARU and landing ships T.128 and T.150 for Palau; KOSHIN and BOKUYO MARUs for Yap and TAITO MARU for Chichi-Jima. The convoy is escorted by kaibokan NOMI, CD-12, CD-18, CD-22 and submarine chasers CH-16 and CH-18 7 May 1944:
Arrives at Guam. 8 May 1944:
Departs Guam. 11 May 1944:
Arrives safely at Saipan. 17 May 1944:
TATSUHARU MARU departs Saipan for Tokyo in convoy No. 4517 consisting of ASAHISAN, YAMATAMA, SHOZAN, BINGO, MEIRYU, ENOSHIMA, MINO and MIHO MARUs escorted by destroyer ASANAGI, kaibokan CD-18, CD-24, torpedo-boat OTORI, SHONAN MARU No. 8 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 10. Soon after departing, YAMATAMA MARU runs aground and is detached from the convoy. 22 May 1944:
160 miles NW of Chichi-Jima. At 0327, flagship ASANAGI, steaming about a mile ahead of the formation, is torpedoed aft by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen‘s USS POLLACK (SS-180) at 28-12N 138-50E. She becomes unnavigable and goes dead in the water. Fires break out aft and she lists to starboard. At 0405, she rolls over and sinks. 24 May 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka about 1730. 26 May 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives at Yokohama that same day. Later that day, departs Yokohama. 29 May 1944:
Arrives at Muroran. Loads 5,850-tons of coal. 1 June 1944:
Departs Muroran. 4 June 1944:
Arrives at Kawasaki. Unloads coal. 7 June 1944:
Departs Kawasaki. 8 June 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka. Loads 400-tons of materiel and embarks 13 military passengers. 9 June 1944:
Departs Yokosuka and arrives at Yokohama. 10 June 1944:
Departs Yokohama. 13 June 1944:
Arrives at Kobe. Loads 470-tons of materiel. 17 June 1944:
Departs Kobe. 18 June 1944:
Arrives at Kure. Loads 800-tons of materiel and embarks 411 passengers. 21 June 1944:
Departs Kure. 22 June 1944:
Arrives at Yawata. Loads fuel and coal. 23 June 1944:
Departs Yawata. 29 June 1944:
Arrives at Takao. Disembarks 208 military passengers. Loads fresh water, coal and food. Embarks 192 civilian passengers. 30 June 1944:
Departs Takao. 3 July 1944:
Arrives at Manila. Disembarks 20 military passengers. Lands war materiel and military load 105 bags of mail. 7 July 1944:
Departs Manila. 9 July 1944:
Arrives at Cebu. 14 July 1944:
Waits for a convoy to be assembled, then departs Cebu. 16 July 1944:
Arrives at Davao. Disembarks 15 military passengers and one civilian. Lands war materiel and mail. 25 July 1944:
At 0155, TATSUHARU MARU departs Davao for Zamboanga, Philippines in convoy Z-258 consisting of AZUCHISAN, OYO, RYUKA and KITAGAMI MARUs and KYOEI MARU No. 2, HISHI MARU No. 2 and LST No. 127 escorted by kaibokan CD-6, CD-16, minesweeper W-30, subchasers CH-49 and CH-58, auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 12, auxiliary netlayer TOKACHI MARU, auxiliaries TOKO MARU and HIYODORI MARU No. 2. The convoy is provided air cover. 27 July 1944:
At about 0100, LtCdr (later Captain) Bladen D. Claggett's USS DACE (SS-247) attacks the convoy and sinks tanker KYOEI MARU No. 2. At about 1400, the convoy is attacked by aircraft in the Pilas Channel, but suffers no damage. At 1830, the convoy arrives at Zamboanga. One civilian passengers disembarks. 30 July 1944:
Departs Zamboanga. 31 July 1944:
Arrives at Bongao. 7 August 1944:
Departs Bongao and later that day arrives and anchors in the Trusan Ligitan. 8 August 1944:
Departs Trusan Ligitan and later arrives at Tarakan. Disembarks 23 military passengers. Embarks four civilan passengers. 9 August 1944:
Departs Tarakan. Arrives at Karang Betang, NEI. 10 August 1944:
Departs Karang Betang and arrives at Sangkulirang Bay, East Borneo. 11 August 1944:
Departs Sangkulirang Bay. Arrives at Balikpapan. Disembarks 43 military 292 civilian passengers. Unloads materiel and military mail. Loads 50-tons of war materiel and 25 military passengers. 18 August 1944:
Departs Balikpapan. 25 August 1944:
Arrives at Bintan. 26 August 1944:
Departs Bintan. 27 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore 28 August 1944:
Unloads 53-tons of materiel and takes on fresh water. 5 September 1944:
At 1300, TATSUHARU MARU departs Singapore for Miri, Borneo in convoy MISHI-10 consisting of URAL, HOKKI, TENSHIN, SHOEI, OMINE, KYOEI and IMAJI MARUs and SHINSEI MARU No. 1, KYOEI MARU No. 6 and NANSHIN MARU No. 18 escorted by auxiliary minesweepers CHOUN MARU No. 6 and CHOUN MARU No. 7, and auxiliary KIKU MARU. 8 September 1944:
At 0530, arrives at Kuching, Borneo. 9 September 1944:
Departs at midnight. 11 September 1944:
At 1230, arrives at Miri. 15 September 1944:
At 1500, departs Miri for Manila, Philippines convoy MIMA-11 consisting of fleet oiler KAMOI and TACHIBANA, URAL, KYOKUHO, SHIKISAN, HOKKI, ZUIYO, TATSUHARU, TENSHIN, SHOEI, OMINE, KYOEI and IMAHARU MARUs (ex-Dutch De KLERK) and SHINSEI MARU No. 1, YAMAMIZU No. 2 and KYOEI MARU No. 6 escorted by kaibokan CD-8, CD-25, CD-28 and CD-32. The convoy hugs the coast calling at various small anchorages. That same day, arrives at Guimaras Bay, Philippines. 17 September 1944:
Departs Guimaras Bay. That same day, arrives at White Rocks Bay. 18 September 1944:
Departs White Rocks Bay. That same day, arrives off Tarahican Island. 19 September 1944:
Departs Tarahican Island. That same day, arrives at Eran Bay, Palawan island. 20 September 1944:
Departs Eran Bay. That same day, arrives at St Paul’s Bay. 21 September 1944:
Departs St Paul’s Bay. That same day, arrives at Bacuit Bay, Palawan Island. 24 September 1944:
Departs Bacuit Bay, but later returns. 25 September 1944:
Departs Bacuit Bay. 26 September 1944:
Supplies coal to tanker KYOEI MARU. 1 October 1944:
Bacuit Bay. Subchaser CH-31 joins the remnants of convoy MIMA-11 consisting of cargo ships TATSUHARU, SHIKISAN and TENSHIN MARUS, SHINSEI MARU No.1 and tankers KYOEI MARU and KYOEI MARU No. 6 escorted by minesweepers W-8 and W-11. 2 October 1944:
The rest of the convoy departs leaving TATSUHARU MARU behind. 7 October 1944:
Departs Bacuit Bay and later that day arrives Ulugan Bay. 10 October 1944:
Departs Ulugan Bay and later that day arrives back at Bacuit Bay. 20 October 1944:
Arrives at Manila. 5 November 1944:
Departs Manila. 15 November 1944:
Arrives at Takao. 18 November 1944:
Departs Takao. 20 November 1944:
Arrives at Keelung. 26 November 1944:
Departs Keelung. 31 December 1944:
Arrives at Kure. 3 January 1945:
Departs Kure. 5 January 1945:
Arrives at Sasebo. 10 January 1945:
Departs Sasebo. 25 January 1945:
Arrives at Keelung. 31 January 1945:
At 0600, TATSUHARU MARU departs Keelung for Moji in convoy TAMO-39 consisting of AIZAN, SHUNSHO, DAISHUN, SAMARANG and TETSUYO MARUs escorted by kaibokan CD-14, CD-16 and CD-46 and subchaser CH-19. 3 February 1945:
Arrives at Shanghai. 8 February 1945:
At 1500, arrives at Moji. 5 March 1945:
Departs Moji. 6 March 1945:
Arrives at Kure. Loads a cargo of 30 torpedoes, bombs, 80 mm and 120 mm guns, 25 mm machine guns, 21 freight cars, 2 search lights, 300 mines, diesel engine, lumber and cement and embarks 472 passengers. 8 March 1945:
Departs Kure. 10 March 1945:
Arrives at Sasebo. 14 March 1945:
Departs Sasebo. 15 March 1945:
Arrives at Wakamatsu. 16 March 1945: At 0900, TATSUHARU MARU departs Moji for Keelung in convoy MOTA-43 consisting of transports KIYOKAWA, HAKOZAKI and NIKKO MARUs escorted by kaibokan CHIKUBU, CD-40, CD-102 and CD-106. 19 March 1945:
225 miles NNE of Shanghai. At 0258, LtCdr Robert K. Worthington's USS BALAO (SS-285) attacks the convoy and torpedoes TATSUHARU and HAKOZAKI MARUs at 33-07N, 122-05E. Another torpedo just misses CD-40. HAKOZAKI MARU is torn apart by internal explosions as her cargo of gasoline, shells and torpedoes ignites and blows off her stern. She quickly sinks, but her forward section stays afloat blazing until finally sinking at 0320. The combination of fire, explosions and 5 degree centigrade water means that almost all aboard perish. 928 passengers, 51 gunners and 139 crew, a total of 1,118, are KIA. The torpedo strike on TATSUHARU MARU kills 149 military personnel, but the ship remains afloat and later makes Shanghai. CD-102 and CHIKUBU launch an unsuccessful depth charge counter-attack on BALAO, then rescue 130 survivors. TATSUHARU MARU seeks refuge off Ssu Chiao Shan. 20 March 1945:
Light cruiser KASHIMA and auxiliary transport KIYOKAWA MARU assist the damaged vessel. 21 March 1945:
Baggage is removed from vessel. 22 March 1945:
Repair ship HAYASE arrives. Cargo transfer operations begin. 25 March 1945:
Some cargo is offloaded onto BINGO MARU. 26 March 1945:
Departs Ssuu Chiao Shan and later that day arrives at Shanghai. April 1945:
Konan. Drydocked at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. shipyard May 1945:
Undocked. June 1945:
Departs Konan. 8 June 1945:
Arrives at Tsingtao, China. 11 June 1945:
Departs Tsingtao. 21 June 1945:
Arrives at Maizuru. 30 June 1945:
Removed from the Navy List. Requistioned by the IJN that same day. 9 August 1945:
Departs Rashin. 17 August 1945:
Arrives Maizuru to serve as an evacuee transport 1948:
Owners restyled as Shinnihon Kisen K.K. Port of Registry remains Nishinomiya. 1959:
Reengined with a diesel engine. 1967:
Sold to C.T. Chu, Taipei and registered in Panama in nominee company Golden Mountain Shipping Co., S.A. Renamed GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. February 1970:
Sold to Nichimen Co Ltd, Osaka and scrapped at Mihara.
- Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
