Imperial Japanese Army Transports

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(Sister TSURUGA MARU, prewar)

IJA Transport TSUYAMA MARU: Tabular Record of Movement © 2013-2017 Bob Hackett

9 February 1915:
Nagasaki. Laid down at Mitsubishi Shipyard as Yard No. 250, a 7,289-ton cargo ship for Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), K. K. (Japan Mail Steamship Co.).
11 July 1916:
Launched and named TSUYAMA MARU.
28 September 1916:
Completed and placed in NYK's cargo service.
20 September 1917:
TSUYAMA MARU arrives at Ellis Island, New York.
3 June 1918:
Arrives at Ellis Island from Plymouth, England.
18 June 1919:
Arrives at Ellis Island from Kobe.
23 January 1921:
Arrives at Ellis Island from Yokohama.
6 October 1923:
TSUYAMA MARU departs Singapore for Hamburg, Germany.
8 August 1931:
Arrives at Galveston, Texas.
6 December 1933:
Arrives at Oakland, California.
4 October 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army as a troop transport. Assigned Army No. 936.
14 November 1941:
Departs Ujina for Takao, Formosa (now Taiwan).
18 December 1941: The Invasion of the Philippines -“M” Operation (M Sakusen): At 1700, TSUYAMA departs Takao, Formosa for Lingayen Gulf, Philippines in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Rear Admiral Hara Kensaburo's (37)(former CO of TAKAO) 1st Lingayen Invasion Unit with 27 other IJA transports escorted by DesRon 5's light cruiser NATORI, DesDiv 5's ASAKAZE, HARUKAZE and MATSUKAZE, DesDiv 22's FUMIZUKI, MINAZUKI, NAGATSUKI and SATSUKI, minesweepers W-15 and W-16 and subchasers CH-1, CH-2, CH-3 CH-13, CH-14 and CH-15.
The Japanese main invasion at Lingayen Gulf consists of three transport echelons and carries the main part of LtGen Homma Masaharu's 80,000-man 14th Army. The first echelon is composed of 27 transports from Takao under Rear Admiral Hara , the second echelon of 28 transports under Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Nishimura Shoji (39) and the third echelon of 21 transports from Keelung under Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto (39).
24 December 1941:
Lingayen Gulf. Between 0110 and 0430, the Lingayen Invasion Convoy lands troops at Lingayen.
21 January 1942:
TSUYAMA MARU departs Mutsure with transports ATSUTA, BRAZIL, COLUMBIA, FUSHIMI, GENOA, HOEISAN, DAINICHI, KIZZAN, MAEBASHI, MOTOYAMA, PACIFIC, REIYO, SOMEDOMO SYDNEY, TAKETOYO, TATSUNO, TOFUKU and TOKIWA, MARUs escorted by CruDiv 9's light cruiser OI and DesDiv 32's FUYO, ASAGAO and KARUKAYA. The transports are carrying the 2nd Infantry Division.
26 January 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores. Later, the convoy departs for Camranh Bay to mobilize for the Invasion of Java.
February 1942:
Departs Mako.Arrives at Camranh Bay, Indochina to assemble for the invasion of Western Java, Netherlands East Indies (NEI).
18 February 1942: "J" Operation (J Sakusen): - The Invasion of Java, NEI:
TSUYAMA MARU is attached to Vice Admiral Takahashi's Third Fleet, Southern Force, Netherlands East Indies Force in Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo’s Western Java Seizure Force. Departs Camranh Bay in a convoy comprised of 56 troop transports. They carry the 2nd Infantry Division for the invasions of Merak and Bantam Bay, Java escorted by light cruisers YURA and NATORI, DesDivs 5, 6, 11, 12 and 22.
Departs Camrahn Bay. Fifteen transports go to Merak, Java including TSUYAMA, AKITSU, ATLAS, COLUMBIA, HOKUMEI (later NIKKEI), KIZAN, KOYO, MOMOYAMA, PACIFIC, REIYO, RYUNAN, SHINSHU and SYDNEY MARUs. Seven transports go to Eretan Wetan. Seaplane tender SANYO MARU provides air cover.
1 March 1942:
Arrives at Merak, Java. Lands troops of the IJA’s 2nd Infantry Division.
9 March 1942:
Arrives at Bantam Bay.
13 March 1942:
Departs Bantam Bay.
16 March 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.
19 March 1942: "U" transport operation to Burma (U Sakusen):
The First Burma Transport Convoy departs Singapore consisting of 32 ships with main body of the 56th Division: TSUYAMA, AOBASAN, , GENOA, GLASGOW, HAVRE, HARUNA, HIBURI, HOFUKU, HOKUMEI, KAZUURA, KIZAN, KUSUYAMA, KOTOHIRA, MOMOYAMA, MYOKO, NAGARA, NAKO, NAPLES, NICHIRAN, SANKO, SAKITO, SHINAI, SHINANOGAWA, SHINRYU, SHUNSEI, SUMATRA, SYDNEY, TATEISHI, TOKIWA, YAE MARUs and two others. The convoy is escorted by the No. 2 Escort Unit comprised of light cruiser KASHII (F), kaibokan SHIMUSHU, destroyers of DesRon 3 and 5, Minesweeper Division 1's W1, W3 and W4 and Auxiliary Minesweeper Division 91's CHOKO MARU and SHONAN MARU No. 5 and 7.
21 March 1942:
At 0858, minelayer HATSUTAKA departs Penang and joins the convoy. 9th Base Force's gunboat EIKO MARU follows later that day. 23 March 1942: Operation "D" - The Invasion of the Andaman Islands: The No. 2 Escort Unit covers the unopposed landing of one battalion of the IJA 18th Infantry Division at Port Blair.
25 March 1942:
The First Burma Transport Convoy arrives at Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar).
16 April 1942:
At 1215, TSUYAMA MARU departs Singapore for Dairen, Manchuria in an unidentified convoy consisting of ATLAS, FRANCE, GLASGOW, HAVRE, HEIAN, MOMOYAMA, MYOKO, RYUNAN, SANKO and TOKIWA MARUs escorted by kaibokan SHIMUSHU, torpedo boats HIYODORI and OTORI, patrol PB-35 and auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7. The convoy is transporting the IJA’s 3rd Tank Corps. The escorts are detached at latitude 16N from where the convoy is escorted by unknown units of the IJN's North China Area Fleet.
19 April 1942:
The convoy is joined by CALCUTTA, GENKAI and SYDNEY MARUs transporting several IJA aviation units from Bangkok.
24 April 1942:
At 1018, arrives at Hong Kong. CALCUTTA MARU and her two consorts are detached for Takao to refuel. At 1655, the remainder of the convoy departs.
1 May 1942:
At 1200, arrives at Chinkai.
3 May 1942:
At 1700, departs Chinkai.
4 May 1942:
At 1550, arrives at Kure.
14 July 1942:
TSUYAMA MARU departs Mako in convoy No. 709 also consisting of ADEN MARU and one unidentified merchant escorted by destroyer NAGATSUKI.
17 July 1942:
Arrives at Manila, Luzon.
E 15 March 1943:
TSUYAMA MARU departs depart Saeki for Palau in Military Movement No. 8’s convoy “G2” also consisting of ATLAS, TAIRIN and TEIKAI (ex-German FULDA) MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HATO and patrol boat PB-46.
16 March 1943:
The escorts are detached at 28-30N.
16 April 1943:
TSUYAMA MARU departs Palau in convoy No. 3204 also consisting of ASAKA, NISHIYAMA, NISSHU, TAIYU and TENSHO MARUs escorted by destroyer WAKATAKE.
April 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
23 April 1943:
TSUYAMA MARU departs Palau in No. 3205 also consisting of KAIFUKU MARU and four unidentified merchants escorted by patrol boat PB-2.
29 April 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
2 July 1943:
TSUYAMA MARU departs Mutsure in heavy rain and fog in convoy No. 172 also consisting of ASAKA, ATLANTIC, KASHIMA, KENWA, KOKI, LIVERPOOL, MANKO and TAIKOKU MARUs and tanker HAKUBASAN escorted by destroyer KARUKAYA. TSUYAMA, ASAKA and RYUKO MARUs are detached to return to Moji.
2 August 1943:
At 1300, TSUYAMA MARU departs St Jacques for Takao in convoy No. 415 also consisting of GYOTEN, KOKUEI, SEISHIN, TAIAN, SYDNEY, USSURI and YAMAGATA MARUs and six unidentified merchant ships without escort.
E 5 August 1943:
OTORISAN MARU is detached for Hong Kong.
11 August 1943:
Transport SHOKEI MARU from Mako, Pescadores joins convoy No. 291 en route to Japan consisting of transports TSUYAMA, SYDNEY and TSUKIKAWA MARUs, tanker KOKUEI MARU and seven unidentified merchants escorted by auxiliary gunboat HUASHAN (KAZAN) MARU.
10 September 1943:
TSUYAMA MARU departs Saeki in convoy O-008 also consisting of CLYDE, KAMOI, KIBI, NISSHU, TONEI,, TONEGAWA, and UCHIDE MARUs escorted by destroyer HARUKAZE, torpedo boat SAGI, minelayer YURIJIMA, auxiliary gunboat CHOUN MARU, auxiliary patrol boat NITTO MARU No. 12. TSUYAMA MARU carries about 1,000 military personnel and military supplies.
11 September 1943:
80 miles off Toi promontory. At 0150 hours, LtCdr Joseph W. Wilkins' (USNA '33) USS SPEARFISH (SS-190) torpedoes TSUYAMA MARU at 30-56N, 132-47E. TSUYAMA MARU settles by the stern and navigation becomes impossible. Five men are KIA. YURIJIMA and SAGI tow TSUYAMA MARU back to Saeki. Later, TSUYAMA MARU is towed to Osaka.
September 1943-May 1944:
Osaka. Undergoes permanent repairs and returned to duty.
2 June 1944:
TSUYAMA MARU departs Moji with submarine chasers CH-23, CH-56, auxiliary submarine chasers CHa-90 and CHa-95 escorting convoy MOTA-21 (part 1) consisting of AZUCHISAN, CLYDE, HAMBURG, HAVRE (5467 GRT), IKOMASAN, KINE, NARUO, SEKIHO, TAIAN, TATSUAKI, SHINSHO, TAMA, and YAGI MARUs, KOTO MARU No. 2 GO, SHINSEI MARU No. 5 and seven unidentified merchants escorted by kaibokan CD-14.
3 June 1944:
KOTO MARU No. 2 GO joins from Karatsu Bay.
7 June 1944:
At 0900, an enemy submarine is sighted at 28-18N, 123-03E. Later that day, TAMA MARU is detached for Kirun, arriving there the next day.
9 June 1944:
At 0900, an enemy submarine is sighted at 24-50N, 120-30E.
10 June 1944 :
Arrives at Takao. Later that day, TSUYAMA departs Takao in convoy MOTA-21 (part 2) consisting of CLYDE, HAMBURG, HAVRE (5467 GRT), IKOMASAN, NARUO, SEKIHO, SHINSHO, TATSUAKI, TAIAN and YAMAHAGI MARUs, SHINSEI MARU No. 5 and an unidentified merchant escorted by kaibokan CD-14 and subchaser CH-23.
13 June 1944:
At 1930, arrives at Manila.
4 July 1944:
At 1145, TSUYAMA MARU departs Manila for Moji in convoy MI-06 now consisting of AKAGISAN, ATAGO, KANKYO, TACHIBANA, TOKUWA, YAGI and ZUIHO MARUs and OGURA MARU No. 2, UNKAI MARU No. 5 and YAMAMIZU MARU No. 2, plus two unidentified ships escorted by kaibokan CD-8, CD-14 and patrol boat PB-38.
10 July 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
12 July 1944:
Kaibokan CD-8 and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU join the escort. MI-06 departs Takao.
17 July 1944:
At 1450, arrives at Moji.
30 July 1944:
At 1800, TSUYAMA MARU departs Takao in convoy MI-08 now consisting of ARABIA, BOKO (ex-British SAGRES), EIHO, MANILA, CHIHAYA, TATSUBATO and ZUIHO,MARUs and tankers MIRI, NITTETSU, RYUSHO, SAN DIEGO, SANKO (YAMAKO) and SAN LUIS MARUs and cargo ships TOUN and YAGI MARUs escorted by kaibokan CD-1 and CD-18, torpedo-boat SAGI, minesweeper W-17 and netlayer KISHIN MARU.
1 August 1944 :
At 1400, the convoy arrives at Kirun, Formosa (Keelung, Taiwan) after it is suspected that enemy submarines had gained contact.
4 August 1944:
At 1600, the convoy departs Keelung for Kyushu.
9 August 1944 :
N of Okinoshima. LtCdr (later Cdr) Robert A. Keating's (USNA '33) BARBEL (SS-316) torpedoes and sinks BOKO and YAGI MARUs at 27-56N, 128-47E. CD-1 and W-17 carry out an anti-submarine sweep and drop 21 depth-charges that damage BARBEL. At 1200, the convoy arrives at Koniya ,Amami-O-Shima.
11 August 1944:
At 0400, departs Koniya.
13 August 1944:
At 2030, arrives at Moji.
23 September 1944:
At 1600, TSUYAMA MARU departs Moji in convoy MI-21 also consisting of CHOSAN, DAITO, EJIRI, FUSHIMI, KEISHIN, KENEI, KEIZAN TEIKA (ex-Vichy French CAP VARELLA), TATSUBATO, TOYOKAWA and YOSHU MARUs and tankers EIKYO, SAN LUIS and SHUNTEN MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-104 (ex-Dutch Hr.Ms. VALK), auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUSAHAN) MARU, subchaser CH-21 and auxiliary subchasers CHa-87 and CHa-92. Later that day, tanker RYUEI MARU and cargo ship EIKO MARU join the convoy from Sasebo.
28 September 1944:
TEIKA MARU (ex-Vichy French CAP VARELLA) is detached for Kirun.
29 September 1944:
At 1700, arrives at Takao. The convoy is dissolved.
1 October 1944:
At 1700, TSUYAMA MARU departs Takao in convoy TAMA-28 also consisting of CHOSAN, FUSHIMI, FUYUKAWA, KIZAN, MACASSAR, MURORAN, SHINSEI and TAISEI MARUs and two unidentified merchants escorted by kaibokan DAITO and YASHIRO, patrol boat P-104, auxiliary gunboat KAZAN (HUSAHAN) MARU, subchaser CH-21 and auxiliary subchasers CHa-87 and CHa-92. TSUYAMA MARU is carrying 1,600 men of the Mobile 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Tank Division.
2 October 1944:
Luzon Strait. During a storm, LtCdr Frank C. Acker's (USNA ’32) USS POMFRET (SS-391) torpedoes and sinks TSUYAMA MARU at 20-50N, 121-31E. The ship is carrying 1,600 men of the Mobile 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Tank Division. 1,211 soldiers and 73 crewmen are KIA.

Author's Notes:
Thanks go to Erich.Muehlthaler of Germany.

Bob Hackett

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