SUIRAI-BOKAN!
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(Passenger-cargo ship by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color
Paintings of Japanese Warships")
IJN Destroyer Tender
Kamikaze Maru: Tabular
Record of Movement
© 2009 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
31 July 1937:
Sakurajima. Laid down at Osaka Iron Works as a 4,916-ton cargo ship for Todai Kisen K. K., Osaka.
27 December 1937:
Launched and named KAMIKAZE MARU.
17 March 1938:
Completed.
1 August 1940:
Ownership is transferred to Yamashita Kisen K. K.,
Kobe.
3 June 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
29 July 1941:
Tokyo. Begins conversion at Uraga Dock Co.
15 August 1941:
Rated a specially installed torpedo depot ship.
30 September 1941:
The conversion is completed. Reassigned to Vice
Admiral (later Admiral) Nobutake Kondo’s Second Fleet.
1 October 1941:
At Mako, Pescadores.
11 January 1942:
Departs Mako.
14 April 1942:
Enters dry-dock.
22 April 1942:
Undocked.
8 May 1942:
Departs Furue for Saipan and Ponape, then to Yokosuka.
5 July 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
14 July 1942:
Assigned to the 11th Seaplane Tender Division with seaplane carrier CHITOSE (F) and seaplane tender KAMIKAWA MARU.
16 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka on a supply mission to Kure.
22 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka for Kure on a replenishment mission.
28 July 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
1 August 1942:
Departs Kure.
10 August 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
18 August 1942:
Departs Kure.
6 January 1943:
Arrives at Kure.
19 January 1943:
Enters dry-dock.
22 January 1943:
Undocked.
9 February 1943:
Departs Kure.
October 1943:
KAMIKAZE MARU is re-rated a transport.
30 December 1943:
At 1520, KAMIKAZE MARU departs Shanghai in convoy
MO-006 consisting of NARUTO, WAZAN, NISSHO, MISHIMA and KORYU MARUs escorted by
minesweeper W-15.
3 January 1944:
At 0855, arrives at Sasebo.
12 February 1944:
KAMIKAZE MARU departs Truk for Palau in convoy No.
7125 consisting of fleet oiler SATA, tanker HISHI MARU No. 2, ammunition ship
NICHIRO MARU and cargo ship KITAGAMI MARU escorted by destroyer HAMANAMI,
subchaser CH-30 and auxiliary subchasers TAKUNAN MARU No. 2 and SHONAN MARU No.
5.
17 February 1944:
150 miles NE of Palau. At about 2200, LtCdr Philip
W. Garnett's USS SARGO (SS-188) intercepts convoy 7125. Garnett fires eight
torpedoes at SATA and gets one hit, but it disables the oiler. At 2206, he fires
two torpedoes that hit ammunition ship NICHIRO MARU. She explodes and sinks
immediately.
19 February 1944:
At 0905, arrives at Palau. That same day, she is
rerated a special transport ship for raw food supplement products.
30 March 1944: American Operation “Desecrate One” :
Palau, Carolines.
The anchorage is attacked by F6F "Hellcats", SBD "Dauntless", TBF "Avenger" and
SB2C "Helldiver" carrier aircraft from Task Group 58. 1's USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6),
BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) and COWPENS (CVL-25), TG 58. 2's BUNKER HILL (CV-17),
HORNET (CV-12), MONTEREY (CVL-26) and CABOT (CVL-28) and TG 58. 3's YORKTOWN
(CV-10), LEXINGTON (CV-16), PRINCETON (CVL-23) and LANGLEY (CVL-27).
Urukhapel Island, Malakai Harbor, Palaus. At 0945, six SB2Cs from BUNKER
HILL bomb KAMIKAZE MARU with eight 1,000-lb and eight 500-lb. bombs. She is hit
forward of the bridge and amidships and suffers three near-misses. Fires break
out. Underway at three knots, KAMIKAZE MARU comes to a stop. Between 1414 and
1430, KAMIKAZE MARU is attacked by TBFs from BUNKER HILL and hit by rockets.
Later, KAMIKAZE MARU sinks in about 115 feet of water at 07-30N, 134-30E.
31 March 1944:
Operation "Desecrate One" concludes. It accounts for 36
Japanese vessels sunk or damaged. 10 May 1944:
Removed from the Navy List.
- Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.
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