FUSETSUKAN!

© 2005-2009 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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31 October 1941:
Tsurumi. Laid down at Nippon Kokan K. K.'s shipyard as minelayer No. 176.

8 April 1942:
Named YURIJIMA.

4 July 1942:
Launched.

25 November 1942:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Assigned to the Saeki Guard Unit.

1943:
YURIJIMA undergoes refit for operations as a convoy escort. Her minelaying rails are removed and she is fitted to carry 36 depth charges.

7 June 1943:
At 2020, YURIJIMA departs Palau for Moji with torpedo boat HATO, patrol boat PB-31 and minelayer NUWAJIMA escorting convoy P-607 consisting of HOFUKU, KAHOKU, HIYOSHI and SAIPAN MARUs.

8 June 1943:
At about 0240, LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) John A. Tyree's USS FINBACK (SS-230) torpedoes and damages KAHOKU MARU, but she does not sink and continues on. Over the next two hours, FINBACK makes two more attacks and gets another hit. At 0950, KAHOKU MARU loses her battle with flooding and goes down. During Tyree's attacks, he also hits SAIPAN MARU, but the Mark-14 torpedo is a dud.

E 11 June 1943:
Kaibokan IKI joins the escort of convoy P-607.

13 June 1943:
Arrives at Moji.

30 July 1943:
At 0900, YURIJIMA departs Saeki for Palau with PB-31 and auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 3 escorting convoy No. O-003 consisting of TAISHO, TOYOKAWA and DELAGOA MARUs. At latitude 29N, YURIJIMA and TAKUNAN MARU No. 3 are detached to return to Saeki.

18 August 1943:
At 0700, YURIJIMA departs Palau for Ujina with minesweeper W-17, auxiliary minesweepers TAMA MARU No. 6 and TAMA MARU No. 7 escorting convoy FU-806 consisting of TAIFUKU, HOZUGAWA, MEXICO, TOYOKAWA, TOUN and KAYO MARUs.

22 August 1943:
In the late afternoon, LtCdr Louis D. McGregor's old USS PIKE (SS-173) torpedoes and hit TOUN MARU with a dud torpedo at 21-50N, 137-52E.

23 August 1943:
At 1805, McGregor again attacks TOUN MARU, but she avoids PIKE's torpedoes.

26 August 1943:
At 0530, LtCdr Albert C. Burrows' USS WHALE (SS-239) attacks the convoy. Burrows torpedoes, but misses MEXICO MARU.

27 August 1943:
At 0258, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral-Ret) Bafford E. Lewellen's old POLLACK (SS-180) makes a visual surface attack on convoy FU-806 en route from Palau to Ujina. Lewellen torpedoes IJA cargo ship TAIFUKU MARU. W-17 opens fire on POLLACK, but Lewellen evades and escapes. In the morning, TAIFUKU MARU sinks at 32-28N, 132-23E.

28 August 1943:
At 0700, arrives at Ujina.

26 October 1943:
YURIJIMA departs Palau for Saeki, Kyushu with minelayer NUWAJIMA, patrol boat PB-31 and auxiliary minesweepers AOI and YACHIYO MARUs and TOKUHO MARU No. 10 escorting convoy FU-607 consisting of MEXICO, NISSHU, KAYOBA, NANMAN and KAYO MARUS and HISHI MARU No. 11 and another unidentified ship.

27 October 1943:
At 2140, LtCdr Frank T. Watkins' USS FLYING FISH (SS-229) torpedoes and sinks NANMAN MARU at 12-02N, 134, 28E.

4 November 1943:
Arrives at Saeki.

E 5 December 1943:
At latitude 28N, YURIJIMA and minelayer NUWAJIMA join convoy FU-009 enroute from Palau to Saeki consisting of TAIJIMA, TOYOOKA, NISSHIN, KOSEI, TOSHO, TENCHO, RYUWA, SAN FRANCISCO and KIZUGAWA MARUs escorted by minesweepers W-17, W-18 and auxiliary minesweepers OI MARU and TAMA MARU No. 6.

7 December 1943:
Arrives at Saeki.

8 December 1943:
YURIJIMA departs Saeki for Palau with torpedo boat HATO escorting convoy O-803 consisting of fleet oiler IRO and cargo ships FUKKO MARU and TAIAN MARU that is towing a crane platform.

10 December 1943:
At 1000, YURIJIMA is detached from the convoy.

27 December 1943:
At 0630, YURIJIMA departs Saeki with torpedo boat SAGI and auxiliary minesweeper TAMA MARU No. 7 escorting convoy O-708 consisting of SHIROGANESAN, KANKYO, SHUNKO, HOZUGAWA, TATSUMI, OYASHIMA, BOKUYO and MURORAN.

28 December 1943:
At 2000, YURIJIMA and TAMA MARU No. 7 are detached. YURIJIMA sails to meet convoy FU-805.

28 December 1943:
Minesweeper W-17 departs Palau for Saeki escorting convoy FU-805 consisting of CLYDE, TASMANIA, UCHIDE and SAIHO MARUs and SHINTO MARU No. 1.

29 December 1943:
At latitude 28N (near Amami Oshima, Ryukyus), YURIJIMA and auxiliary subchaser TAKUNAN MARU join the escort.

30 December 1943:
Tokyo Bay. At 1400, W-17 is detached.

4 January 1944:
At 2315, arrives at Muroran.

6 January 1944:
Arrives at Saeki, then proceeds to Ujina.

1 February 1944:
Departs Saipan for Truk escorting an unidentified convoy.

7 March 1944:
At 1300, YURIJIMA departs Chichi-Jima for Truk with auxiliary minesweepers TORISHIMA MARU and auxiliary gunboat NACHI MARU escorting convoy Higashi-Matsu 1B consisting of IMIZU, HOKO and SHINFUKU MARUs.

14 March 1944:
Arrives at Truk.

17 March 1944:
YURIJIMA departs Truk with kaibokan OKI escorting a convoy consisting of sub tender TSUKUSHI MARU and KAZUURA and IMIZU MARUs.

24 March 1944:
Arrives at Saipan. Departs later that day.

27 March 1944:
Arrives at Yokosuka.

15 April 1944:
At 0600, YURIJIMA departs Tokyo with destroyers HOKAZE, YUNAGI, UZUKI, kaibokan MIYAKE. minelayers SARUSHIMA, KYOSAI, minesweepers W-20, W-28 and subchasers CH-6, CH-10 and CH-12 escorting convoy "Higashi-Matsu No. 6" consisting of AWAJI, HAKUBA, KATSUKAWA, TAKAOKA, BATAVIA, AWA and HOKUSHIN MARUs bound for Saipan, CHOAN MARU No. 2 and MIKAGE MARU No. 1 bound for Truk, JOKUJA, BISAN and JINSAN MARUs bound for Palau, KAMISHIMA and SHOZAN MARUs bound for Woleai, INARI and TONEGAWA MARUs bound for Guam and TATSUAKI and TAMAHOKO MARUs bound for Chichi-Jima.

18 April 1944 TATSUAKI and TAMAHOKO MARUs are detached for Chichi-Jima escorted by YURIJIMA and KYOSAI and arrive there later that day.

3 June 1944:
YURIJIMA departs Saipan with torpedo boat HIYODORI and minelayer KYOSAI escorting a a convoy consisting of SEIKA and KATSUKAWA MARUs and NISSHO MARU No. 18.

7 June 1944:
Arrives at Truk.

31 July 1944:
YURIJIMA departs Takao with destroyer SHIOKAZE, kaibokan CD-10, subchaser CH-48 escorting convoy TAMO-22 consisting of seven unidentified merchant ships.

1 August 1944:
Arrives at Keelung, Formosa.

4 August 1944:
Departs Keelung.

8 August 1944:
Arrives at Moji.

27 August 1944:
At 0800, YURIJIMA departs Moji for Miri, Borneo with destroyers SHIOKAZE, KURETAKE, kaibokan CD-18, and minesweeper W-17 escorting convoy MI-17 consisting of tankers NITTETSU and SHIMOTSU MARUs and cargo ships BAIKAL, AMAHI, DAITEN, NORWAY, ARAOSAN, NICHIZUI, HOKUREI, and SORACHI MARUs and SHINYO MARU No. 8 and four unidentified ships.

E September 1944:
YURIJIMA is assigned to the 10th Base Force, First Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Southwest Area Fleet.

1 September 1944:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores. SORACHI MARU and two unidentified ships are detached. An unidentified ship joins the convoy. W-20 and subchaser CH-41 join the escort.

4 September 1944:
At 1000, the convoy departs Mako for Manila.

6 September 1944:
At 1500, arrives at Aparri, Luzon. W-17, W-20 and CH-41 are detached.

10 September 1944:
Arrives at Manila. YURIJIMA and CD-18 are detached.

20 September 1944:
At 0610, YURIJIMA departs Bataan in Manila Bay for Cape St. Jacques, Indochina with minesweepers W-18, W-101, auxiliary subchasers KAIKO MARU and CHa-67 and auxiliary transport UJINA MARU escorting convoy MASA-11 consisting of MYOGI, MIKASA, FRANCE and UGO MARUs and convoy MAYU-08 consisting of BINGO and NICHIZUI MARUs.

25 September 1944:
Convoy MAYU-08 arrives at Samah, Hainan Island.

26 September 1944:
At 0140, Convoy MASA-11 arrives at Cap St. Jacques.

3 October 1944:
At 1500, YURIJIMA and minesweeper W-18 depart Cap St. Jacques escorting convoy SAMA-13 consisting of MYOGI, HEIAN, MIKASA, TEIYU, UGO and OYO MARUs. That evening as the ships travel close to shore, a strong wind blows MYOGI, HEIAN and OYO MARUs ashore. The remainder of the convoy returns to St. Jacques while the escorts assist refloating the three ships which return to St. Jacques for minor repairs.

16 October 1944:
YURIJIMA is detached from the convoy and replaced by minesweeper W-17.

Yokohama. Combined Fleet Headquarters, Keio University. That same day, Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Kusaka Ryunosuke (41)(former CO of AKAGI) releases a dispatch that assigns YURIJIMA, kaibokans CHIBURI, CD-19 and CD-27 and minesweeper W-34 with oiler ITSUKUSHIMA MARU to Vice Admiral Kurita Takeo's (38)(former CO of KONGO) First Striking Force's 1st Supply Force with oilers NICHEI, YUHO, OMUROSAN, RYOEI and BANEI MARUs. Later, IJA oilers HAKKO and NIPPO MARUs are also assigned to Kurita's force

17 October 1944:
Vice Admiral Kurita orders YURIJIMA and CD-27 to proceed to Brunei with NIPPO and OMUROSAN MARUs.

22 October 1944:
Arrives at Brunei. At 0800, Kurita's Striking Force steams for Leyte Gulf via the Sibuyan Sea and San Bernardino Strait. Kurita orders Vice Admiral Nishimura Shoji's (39)(former CO of HARUNA) BatDiv 2, cruiser MOGAMI and four destroyers to sortie through Surigao Strait to Leyte Gulf to envelop the U.S. invasion forces. Vice Admiral Shima Kiyohide's (39)(former CO of OI) Fifth Fleet from the Pescadores is also to sortie through Surigao Strait to Leyte Gulf.

24 October 1944:
Brunei. ITSUKUSHIMA MARU loads 13,000-tons of oil. CHIBURI departs with kaibokans CD-17, CD-19 and CD-27 escorting oiler NIPPO MARU to refuel Shima's force.

2 December 1944:
YURIJIMA departs Manila for Singapore with destroyer KISHINAMI and CD-17 escorting tanker HAKKO MARU.

4 December 1944:
NW of Palawan Island. About 1300, LtCdr (later Captain) George W. Grider’s USS FLASHER (SS-249) torpedoes and sinks destroyer KISHINAMI at 12-54N, 116-27 E and damages HAKKO MARU that begins burning. YURIJIMA rescues 150 of KISHINAMI’s survivors. At about 1900, FLASHER returns and again torpedoes HAKKO MARU that sinks.

At 1052, USN codebreakers intercept a message from YURIJIMA that says “Torpedo attack, damage incurred. Position 12-54 N, 116-27 E --- and HAKKO MARU ---.”

5 December 1944:
At 1020, USN codebreakers intercept another message from YURIJIMA that says “Have picked up following personnel: --- --- Division Commander and 128 men (6 seriously wounded), Master of HAKKO MARU and --- men. 22 Army and 263 Naval passengers (of whom 9 are seriously and 1 lightly wounded.) YURIJIMA will proceed as follows: -----.”

12 January 1945:
At 0300, YURIJIMA departs Cap St. Jacques for Singapore with minesweepers W-20 and W-102 escorting convoy SASHI-40 consisting of SHINTAI, HOKOKU and FRANCE MARUs and FUSHIMI MARU No. 2 and KYOEI MARU No. 7.

About 0730, a carrier-type aircraft appears and drops a star shell over the convoy, then withdraws. The convoy proceeds at 8 knots. About 1100, three Grumman F6F "Hellcat" fighters bomb and strafe the ships. At 1200, four more aircraft dive-bomb and strafe while the ships return fire. At 1220, SHINTEI MARU is hit portside blowing a large hole in her hull. At 1310, Abandon Ship is ordered. By 1320, her list increases and SHINTEI MARU capsizes and sinks at 09-24N, 106-44E. She was carrying 1,266 Army troops, aviation spares and bombs.

The convoy reverses course towards Cap St. Jacques. About 1400, KYOEI MARU No. 7 is hit by bombs and sinks with all hands. FRANCE MARU, carrying the 3rd Shipping Transport Headquarters and 70th Anchorage Headquarters troops, is also bombed and damaged, but manages to beach herself. Fires rage and she is abandoned. FUSHIMI MARU No. 2 and HOKOKU MARU are damaged, but reach Cape St. Jacques the same day. The convoy is disbanded. Later, YURIJIMA arrives at Singapore.

14 January 1945:
YURIJIMA departs Singapore heading NE.

Off Kota Bharu, SE Malaya. At about 1300, LtCdr Albert L. Becker’s USS COBIA (SS-245) torpedoes and sinks YURIJIMA at 05-45N, 113-13E. COBIA rescues two survivors as POWs.

10 March 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors' Note:
YURIJIMA was also known as YURISHIMA.

Thanks go to John Whitman for info on USN intercepts of IJN messages.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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