Japanese Army Auxiliary Transports

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(TOTTORI MARU by Ueda Kihachiro)

IJA/IJN TOTTORI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2014 Bob Hackett and Erich Muehlthaler

1913:
Port Glasgow, Scotland. Laid down at Russell & Co., as a 6,056-ton cargo ship.
1913:
Sold to the Nippon Yusen Kaisha K. K. (NYK Line), Tokyo while still on the stocks.
August 1913:
Launched and named TOTTORI MARU.
19 January 1914:
Completed.
1917-1923:
Serves as a cargo carrier on NYK's Bordeaux ~ Cristobel ~ New York route.
7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge Incident ("First China Incident"):
Hun River, Lukuokiao, China. Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) troops on night maneuvers at the Marco Polo Bridge fire blank cartridges. Chinese troops across the river think they are under attack. They fire live rounds back, but do not cause injuries. At morning roll call, the Japanese discover a soldier missing and assume the Chinese have captured him. The Japanese demand entry to the Peiping (Beijing) suburb of Wanping to look for the soldier, but the Chinese refuse. The Japanese then shell the city. An undeclared war on China begins.
21 August 1937:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) as a transport and allotted Army No. 139.
15 December 1937:
Released by the IJA back to her owners.
25 June 1938:
Re-requisitioned by the IJA.
23 May 1939:
Released by the IJA back to her owners.
13 September 1941:
Re-requisitioned by the IJA.
14 November 1941:
Departs Tokyo.
21 November 1941:
Arrives at Saigon, Vichy French, Indochina.
23 November 1941:
Departs Saigon.
7 December 1941:
Arrives at Dairen, Manchuria.
8 December 1941:
The Pacific War begins.
23 December 1941:
Departs Dairen.
8 January 1942:
Arrives at Singora, Thailand.
20 January 1942:
Departs Singora.
24 February 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai, China.
26 February 1942:
Departs Shanghai.
12 March 1942:
Arrives at Bangkok, Thailand.
13 March 1942:
Departs Bangkok.
18 March 1942:

Arrives at Saigon.
19 March 1942:
Departs Saigon.
March 1942:
Arrives at Miri, Borneo.
April 1942:
Departs Miri.
April 1942:
Arrives at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands carrying Colonel Oka, commander and his men of the IJA 124th Infantry Regiment. .
5 April 1942:
TOTTORI MARU departs Lingayen for Cebu, Philippines in an invasion convoy with BORNEO, INDIA, MEXICO, NAGANO, RISSHUN, RYUUN and TAIRYU MARUs escorted by light cruiser KUMA, DesDiv2 (less 2 destroyers) HARUSAME, MURASAME, SAMIDARE and YUDACHI , torpedo boat KIJI, gun boat BUSHO MARU and auxiliary subchasers KIYO MARU No. 12 and KIYO MARU No. 13. The convoy carries 4,852 men of the Kawaguchi Detachment's consisting of the 35th Infantry Brigade HQ, 124th Infantry Regiment, 1 platoon of the 16th Reconnaissance Regiment, 4th Company, 22nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Company, 21st Field Heavy Artillery Battalion, the main force of the 44th Anchorage HQ, 1 platoon of the 23rd Independent Engineer Regiment [type “E”], 1 company (less 2 platoons) of the 26th Independent Engineer Regiment [type “D”] and part of the Logistics Units.
10 April 1942:
The convoy arrives at Cebu. TOTTORI, INDIA, MEXICO, RISSHUN and TAIRYU MARUs land troops at Cebu City and on the west coast (Aloguinsan and Barili) of Cebu Island with four Daihatsu and three Shohatsu landing craft. The transports land the 3rd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, Regimental Gun Company, 1 platoon of Rapid-fire Gun Company, part of Regiment Signal Unit, a temporarily formed Armored Car Company, 2 platoons of the brigade signal unit, part of the 14th Army Radio Platoon and part of the 67th Line-of-communications Hospital. Seaplane tender SANUKI MARU covers the landings.
Meanwhile, BORNEO and NAGANO MARUs land toops on the east coast (Argao) of Cebu Island. with unknown landing craft. The two transports land the 124th Infantry Regiment HQ, 1st Battalion, the 124th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion (minus 7th Co), the 124th Infantry Regiment, Rapid-fire Gun Company (lessus 1 platoon), the main force of Regiment Signal Unit, 1 platoon of the brigade radio signal unit, 1 armored car platoon of the 16th Reconnaissance Regiment, 4th Company, the 22nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1 platoon of the 14th Army Road Construction Unit, part of the 14th Army Propaganda Section, 2nd Company, 21st Field Heavy Artillery Battalion and a temporarily formed anti-air machine cannon unit.
11 April 1942:
Ten 3rd Bomb Group B-25-C “Mitchell” medium bombers fitted with long distance tanks and three B-17 “Flying Fortress” heavy bombers of the 19th Bomb Group, all under the command of BrigGen (later MajGen) Ralph G. Royce, take off from Charters Towers Airfield, Townsville, Queensland, Australia via Darwin for the 1,500-mile flight to Del Monte, Mindanao.
12 April 1942:
All the planes arrive safely at Del Monte where the tanks are removed and replaced by bombs. The B-25s are then dispersed to concealed P-40 “Warhawk” fighter airstrips at Valencia and Maramag.
SANUKI MARU launches four F1M2s “Pete” float fighters to bomb the USAAF airfield at Del Monte. A P-35A "Guardsman", orbiting the air field, engages the Petes, while two P-40Es take off to intercept them. An F1M2 is shot down by one of the P-40s, but the other three F1M2s bomb the airfield. They wreck a B-17E and damage two others. At 1815, SANUKI MARU enters Cebu Port.
13 April 1942:
Just after midnight, ten B-25s take off and bomb shipping at Cebu Island. Royce’s B-25s fly more than 20 sorties against shipping and harbor facilities at Cebu. Two of the B-17's carry out single-bomber strikes from Mindanao against Cebu harbor.
26 April 1942:
The invasion convoy departs Cebu for Mindanao, Philippines including landing Support Units, the main force of the 44th Anchorage HQ, 1 platoon of the 23rd Independent Engineer Regiment [type “E”], 1 company (less 2 platoons) of the 26th Independent Engineer Regiment [type “D”] escorted by l DesDiv2 (less 2 destroyers) HARUSAME, MURASAME, SAMIDARE and YUDACHI , Later that day, departs Cebu.
29 April 1942:
The invasion convoy arrives at Parang, Polloc Harbor, Mindanao, then moves to Cotabato, Mindanao, Moro Gulf and with four Daihatsu and other boats with engines lands part of the Detachment including the 3rd Battalion HQ, 3rd Battalion (less 11th and 12th Companies, 1/4 IIIMG), 2 platoons of the brigade signal unit, part of the 67th Line-of-communications Hospital, the main force of the Detachment Landing at Parang with eight Daihatsu and six Shohatsu, 124th Infantry Regiment HQ, 1st Battalion, the 124th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion (minus 12th Co), the 124th Infantry Regiment, 1 armored car platoon of the 16th Reconnaissance Regiment, 1 platoon of the 14th Army Road Construction Unit, 4th Company, 22nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Company, the 21st Field Heavy Artillery Battalion and a temporarily formed anti-air machine cannon unit
2 May 1942:
Departs Parang.
5 May 1942:
Arrives at Olongapo, Luzon.
8 May 1942:
Departs Olongapo.
9 May 1942:
Mindanao is secured.
16 May 1942:
Departs Mindanao via Cagayan de Oro and arrives at Nasipit, N coast of Mindanao .
17 May 1942:
Departs Nasipit for Manila
19 May 1942:
about 9 miles SSW of Ambulong Island (off S coast of Mindoro). At 0630, LtCdr Barton E. Bacon Jr's (USNA '25) USS PICKEREL (SS-177) sights a merchant ship of the TOTTORI MARU type (saw No. 139 painted on forward side of the bridge) about 6,000 tons and believed being used as a transport on NW course, speed 9 knots.Bacon fires two torpedoes. The first explodes in the wake close to the stern of the ship, but does no apparent damage and the second torpedo apparently runs cold or sinks, but actually at 0850 (JST) SW of Ambulong Island, TOTTORI MARU is hit by one torpedo in the stern. She suffers heavy damage to propeller-shaft and one propeller blade is bent. [2]
20 May 1942:
TOTTORI MARU arrives at Manila under her own power.
May ~ September 1942:
Undergoes emergency repairs by 103rd Naval Construction & Repair Section at the former USN Canite Navy Yard.
6 October 1942:
Pier Seven, Port of Manila, Philippines. 31 American officer prisoners-of-war (POWs) and 1,930 enlisted POWs from POW camps at Cabanatuan, Luzon and Malabalay, Mindanao are embarked on TOTTORI MARU. Some of these POWs are survivors of the infamous "Bataan Death March" and some were captured on Corregidor.[1]
8 October 1942:
Departs Manila for Takao, Formosa.
9 October 1942:
Off Luzon. At about 0700, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) James C. Dempsey's’ (USNA ‘31) USS SPEARFISH (SS-190) fires three torpedoes at TOTTORI MARU at 15-26N, 117-05W, but lookouts see the torpedoes and the ship turns in their direction causing them to miss and pass by her stern.
12 October 1942:
Arrives at Takao. Takes on fuel and water. No POWs are allowed off the ship.
15 October 1942:
Departs Takao.
16 October 1942:
Returns to Takao for an unknown reason.
18 October 1942:
Departs Takao for Mako, Pescadores.
19 October 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
26 October 1942:
Departs Mako.
28 October 1942:
Returns to Takao. The POWs are disembarked. TOTTORI MARU is fumigated by Korean laborers. Afterwards, the POWs are re-embarked.
30 October 1942:
Departs Takao for Pusan, Korea. Later, joins an unidentified north bound convoy.
31 October 1942:
Arrives at Mako and departs later that day..
7 November 1942:
Arrives at Fusan (Pusan), Korea. The POWS are disembarked.
9 November 1942:
14 officer and 1,288 enlisted POWs are issued winter clothes and sent by train to Mukden, Manchukuo (Manchuria). 580 men are re-embarked aboard TOTTORI MARU which departs for Moji.
10 November 1942:
Arrives at Moji and departs.
11 November 1942:
Arrives at Osaka and disembarks the POWs. During the 32 day voyage from Manila, 30 sick POWs die of the deplorable conditions aboard TOTTORI MARU.
22 October 1943:
Departs Moji.
27 October 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
7 November 1943:
At 1225, TOTTORI MARU departs Takao for Manila, Luzon in convoy No. 776 also consisting of cargo/transports AKAGISAN, CHINKAI, ECHIZEN (6487 GRT) KIZAN, MADRAS, RIZAN (ex British MUNLOCK), SHINKOKU, TOYO (2704 GRT) and YOZAN MARUs and IJA LST BANRYU MARU (later SS-2) escorted by patrol boat PB-2.
10 November 1943:
At 1300, arrives at Manila.
18 November 1943:
At 1225, TOTTORI MARU departs Manila for Kau, Halmahera Island, Moluccas in convoy H-5A also consisting of AKAGISAN, ASAHISAN, EICHIZEN, MADRAS, RIZAN and MATSUEI (SHOEI) MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-2.
22 November 1943:
At 1330, auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 2 joins the convoy.
23 November 1943:
At 0600, PB-2 is detached at 03-21N 126-18E.
24 November 1943:
Arrives at Kau.
2 December 1943:
Arrives at Manokwari. Departs the same day.
4 December 1943:
Arrives at Kau.
5 December 1943:
Departs Kau.
9 December 1943:
Arrives at Cebu.
12 December 1943:
Departs Cebu.
14 December 1943:
Arrives at Mamburao, W coast of Mindoro.
19 December 1943:
Departs Mamburao.
23 December 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
26 December 1943:
Departs Takao.
1 January 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
15 January 1944:
Released by the IJA back to her owners.
16 January 1944:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Navy (IJN) and operated with a civilian crew as an Ippan Choyosen troop transport (B-AK).
20 January 1944:
Departs Kure.
21 January 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
23 January 1944:
TOTTORI MARU departs Moji in convoy No. 131 also consisting of AKAGISAN, ARABIA, CHOJO, HAWAII, NORFOLK and USSURI MARUs and three unidentified merchant ships escorted by subchasers CH-41 and CH-43. The convoy carries elements of the IJA 147th Infantry Regiment, 46th Division including the regimental HQ, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions and regimental artillery battalion.
28 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
31 January 1944:
TOTTORI departs Takao in convoy No. 357 also consisting of ANKO (ex-Chinese AN SHING), NORFOLK and TSUKUBA MARUs and TONAN MARU No. 2 and eight unidentified merchant ships escorted by subchasers CH-41 and CH-43 and auxiliary gunboat HUASHAN (KAZAN) MARU.
4 February 1944:
Arrives at Nha Trang, Vichy French Indochina (VFIC).
5 February 1944:
Departs Nha Trang, VFIC.
9 February 1944:
Convoy No. 357 departs Camranh Bay for Nagasaki. At about noon, LtCdr (later Cdr) Thomas W. Hogan’s (USNA ’31) USS BONEFISH (SS-223) torpedoes and damages TONAN MARU No. 2 at 11-30N, 109-08E. Hogan claims four hits out of five torpedoes that he fired. Later that day, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message that reads: "Order to Subchasers No. 21, 41, and 43 to attack the submarine that attacked TONAN MARU No. 2.
10 February 1944:
Arrives at St Jacques.
12 February 1944:
TOTTORI MARU departs St Jacques in convoy SASHI-03 also consisting of KUNIYAMA, NORFOLK, YOSHU MARUs and tanker TONAN MARU No. 2 escorted by destroyer KARUKAYA.
15 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore, Malaya.
18 February 1944:
TOTTORI MARU departs Singapore for Jakarta and Surabaya, Java in convoy No. 131 also consisting of ARABIA and USSURI MARUs and seven unidentified ships escorted by subchasers CH-41 and CH-43. The convoy is carrying elements of the IJA 147th Infantry Regiment, 46th Division including regimental HQ, 1st , 2nd, 3rd and artillery battalions.
22 February 1944:
Arrives at Surabaya.
2 March 1944:
Departs Surabaya.
7 March 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
15 March 1944:
Departs Singapore.
19 March 1944:
Arrives at Saigon.
22 March 1944:
Departs Saigon and the same day and arrive at Camranh Bay.
11 April 1944:
Departs Camranh Bay.
18 April 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
20 April 1944:
TOTTORI MARU departs Takao. Later this day joins convoy TAMO-17 from Kirun also consisting of HIDA, HIROTA, IWATO, KENEI, KYOKUZAN, SUGIYAMA, and TOKUSHIMA MARUs and sixteen unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer HASU, subchaser CH-8 and auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU No. 3.
27 April 1944:
Arrives off He-Saki Light, E of Moji. Departs the same day and arrives at Moji.
28 April 1944:
Arrives at Kobe.
29 April 1944:
Departs Kobe.
30 April 1944:
Arrives at Owase.
1 May 1944:
Departs Owase and the same day arrives off Irago-Zaki Light.
2 May 1944:
Departs anchorage off Irago-Zaki Light.
3 May 1944:
Arrives at Yokohama Outer Harbor.
15 May 1944:
Departs Yokohama Outer Harbor and the same day arrives at Yokohama Inner Harbor.
15 May 1944:
Dry-docked at Asano Dockyard for hull and engine repairs.
3 Jul 1944:
Departs Sakito. Same day arrives at Osaka.
11 Jul 1944:
Departs Osaka.
12 Jul 1944:
Arrives at Yawata.
13 Jul 1944:
Departs Yawata.
15 Jul 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo. Departs the same day.
16 Jul 1944:
Arrives at Miike.
20 Jul 1944:
Departs Miike. 2
1 Jul 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo.
1 August 1944:
Departs Sasebo.
10 August 1944:
Arrives at Keelung.
15 Sepember 1944:
Departs Keelung.
23 Sepember 1944:
Arrives at Kobe.
30 Sepember 1944:
Departs Kobe.
1 October 1944:
Arrives at Moji.
11 October 1944:
Departs Moji.
12 October 1944:
Arrives at Kure.
20 October 1944:
Departs Kure.
27 October 1944:
Arrives at Keelung.
30 October 1944:
Departs Keelung. The same day arrived at Takao.
31 October 1944:
Takao. Reconstitued convoy MOMA-06 departs Takao for Manila consisting of TOTTORI, ASOKAWA, ATLAS, EIWA, DAITOKU, HAMBURG, KAKOGAWA, SEKIHO, SEIWA, SHINSHO and MARUs and tanker SHIMOTSU, escorted by destroyer KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-1, CD-3, CD-7, minesweeper W-27, subchaser CH-41 and fleet supply ship KURASAKI.
1 November 1944:
At 1800, the convoy departs Takao for Manila.
2 November 1944:
At 2305, LtCdr John B. Hess’s (USNA '37) USS POMFRET (SS-391) torpedoes and damages ATLAS MARU carrying a deck cargo of Shinyo Explosive Motor Boats (EMBs) and 1,325 troops, many from the 2nd Tank Division’s 2nd Battalion, 2nd Mobile Infantry and other passengers..
3 November 1944:
At 0435, Hess attacks ATLAS MARU again, but misses. At 0500, POMFRET also torpedoes and damages HAMBURG MARU. At 1850, one of the escorts scuttles her.
4 November 1944:
About 1330, ATLAS MARU goes aground. Torpedo boat SAGI arrives from Takao and joins the escort.
8 November 1944:
Off Cape Bolinaro, Luzon. LtCdr Guy E. O'Neil, Jr’s (USNA '37) USS GUNNEL (SS-253) torpedoes and sinks SAGI. The convoy later arrives at Santa Cruz, Philippines. Warned of a typhoon in the area, the convoy departs the same day and arrives at Manila Bay at 2238.
9 November 1944:
At 0925, convoy MOMA-06 arrives at Manila Outer Harbor.
10 November 1944:
Departs Manila Outer Harbor.
11 November 1944:
Arrives atat Manila Inner Harbor.
13 November 1944:
Manila. Engages in an AA-battle with American aircraft.
14 November 1944:
Manila Bay: Engages in an AA-battlewith American aircraft and is heavily damaged by bomb hits. Heavily damaged by bomb hits, receives extensive damage to ship´s hull. 10 crew are KIA. The next day, another crewman succumbs to his wounds.
29 November 1944:
Departs Manila.
4 December 1944:
Arrives at at St. Jacques. Departed the same day. The same day arrives at Saigon.
12 December 1944:
Departs Saigon. The same day arrives at St. Jacques.
17 December 1944:
Departs St. Jacques.
19 December 1944:
Arrives at at Pulau Condore, Pulau Condore Group, South China Sea.
20 December 1944:
Departs Pulau Condore.
21 December 1944:
Arrives at Pulau Tioman, E coast of Malayan Peninsula. Departs the same day.
22 December 1944:
Arrives off Changi, Singapore. Departs the same day and arrives at Seletar Naval Base Harbor, Singapore.
3 January 1945:
Departs Seletar Naval Harbor.
4 January 1945:
Arrives at Keppel Harbor, (Singapore´s commerce harbor). Dry-docked at Mitsubishi Shonan (Singapore) Zosensho (Dockyard) and undergoes extensive repairs to hull damage received on 14 Nov '44 at Manila.
Mid-March 1945:
Repairs are completed. Thereafter, makes a journey from Singapore to Palembang, Sumatra and back.
30 April 1945:
Departs Singapore for Ha-Tien, SW Vichy French Indochina(Vietnam) escorted by minelayer HATSUTAKA.
13 May 1945:
At 1600, TOTTORI MARU departs Ha-Tien for Singapore escorted by HATSUTAKA.
14 May 1945:
Gulf of Siam. At 0737, LtCdr Albert L. Becker's (USNA ’34) USS COBIA (SS-245) fires five torpedoes at a minelayer Becker misidentifies as "YAEYAMA", but two broach and HATSUTAKA combs the remaining tracks. At 1150, HATSUTAKA attacks COBIA until after 1320.
At 1430, LtCdr Frank M. Smith's (USNA ’35) USS HAMMERHEAD (SS-364) attacks TOTTORI MARU, carrying 500 tons of rice, at 10-58N, 102-24E, but she evades three torpedoes.
15 May 1945:
At 0020, lookouts aboard TOTTORI MARU spot a surfaced submarine ( HAMMERHEAD). In high seas and poor visibility, TOTTORI MARU opens fire with her forward deck gun, followed by HATSUTAKA, scoring several near misses.
At 0127, TOTTORI MARU is hit on the bow by a MK 18-2 wakeless electric torpedo from HAMMERHEAD. At 0151, TOTTORI MARU sinks bow first at 09-58N, 101-05E. TOTTORI MARU comes to rest in 75m of water on her port side, bow twisted and nearly broken off, facing the surface. 53 crew including Captain Hirotake Otsuka are KIA.
Becker's (COBIA reports observing the attack, seeing two hits, watching the target sink, and recovering a life ring which identified the target as TOTTORI MARU.
HATSUTAKA picks up 19 survivors and turns back towards Singapore.

Author's Note:
[1] The POWs considered TOTTORI MARU a “Hell Ship” because of conditions they were forced to endure while aboard.
[2] Earlier accounts, particulary in Alden's "United States and Allied Submarine Successes in the Pacific and Far East During World War II", 4th Ed., erroneously attribute TOTTORI MARU damage to a mine.
No data were found for TOTTORI MARU's movements from Nov '42 to Oct '43. Readers with access to any such data are requested to post the information on the Discussion and Questions board or j-aircraft.org's IJN Ship Message Board

Thanks go to Fontessa-san of Japan. Thanks also go to Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall for entries derived from their works.

Bob Hackett and Erich Muehlthaler

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