© 2001 Anthony P. Tully
Contact Email tullyfleet - aol.com
31 May 1942:
Liner YAWATA MARU recommissioned at Kure after conversion to escort carrier after having been officially requisitioned for conversion. Attached to Combined Fleet. Captain Minato Keisho serving as commanding officer.
25 July 1942:
Depart Kure for Yokosuka.
29 July 1942:
Depart Yokosuka for what will be the first of many plane-ferrying and supply trips to Truk and outer bases.
31 July 1942:
YAWATA MARU's name offically changed to UNYO.
2 August 1942:
Arrive at Saipan.
9 August 1942:
Arrive at Ulithi, depart next day.
14 August 1942:
Arrive at Kure.
31 August 1942:
? assigned as commanding officer.
1 September 1942:
Depart Kure.
2 September 1942:
Arrive at Yokosuka.
4 September 1942:
Depart Yokosuka.
7 September 1942:
Arrive at Saipan, depart next day.
9 September 1942:
Arrive at Truk.
13 September 1942:
Depart Truk.
18 September 1942:
Arrive at Yokosuka.
25 September 1942:
Depart Yokosuka.
1 October 1942:
Arrive at Truk.
4 October 1942:
Depart Truk.
9 October 1942:
Arrive at Yokosuka.
11 October 1942:
Depart Yokosuka.
16 October 1942:
Arrive at Truk; depart next day to return to Yokosuka.
24 October 1942:
Arrive at Yokosuka.
28 October 1942:
Depart Yokosuka.
2 November 1942:
Arrive at Truk, depart next day for Palau.
8 November 1942:
Arrive at Palau.
11 November 1942:
Depart Palau.
13 November 1942:
Arrive at Davao.
15 November 1942:
Arrive at Palau.
16 November 1942:
Depart Palau.
21 November 1942:
Arrive at Truk.
24 November 1942:
Depart Truk.
2 December 1942:
Arrive at Surabaya.
5 December 1942:
Depart Surabaya.
6 December 1942:
Arrive at Balikpapan, depart next day for Truk.
13 December 1942:
Arrive at Truk.
17 December 1942:
Depart Truk.
24 December 1942:
Arrive at Surabaya.
26 December 1942:
Depart Surabaya.
28 December 1942:
Arrive at Balikpapan, depart next day for Truk.
3 January 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
5 January 1943:
Depart Truk for Yokosuka.
18 January 1943:
Enter drydock at Yokohoma.
24 January 1943:
Leave drydock, move from Yokohoma to Yokosuka.
28 January 1943:
Captain Aitoku Ichiro assigned as commanding officer.
1 February 1943:
Depart Yokosuka.
7 February 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
11 February 1943:
Depart Truk with TAIYO.
17 February 1943:
Arrive at Yokosuka with TAIYO and HIBIKI.
24 February 1943:
Depart Yokosuka with TAIYO for Truk, escorted by HIBIKI.
2 March 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
6 March 1943:
Depart Truk for Yokosuka with TAIYO, escorted by USHIO and HIBIKI.
12 March 1943:
Arrive at Yokosuka.
20 March 1943:
Depart Yokosuka.
25 March 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
5 April 1943:
Depart Truk.
10 April 1943:
Arrive at Yokosuka.
14 April 1943:
Captain Seki Ikuya becomes commanding officer.
25 April 1943:
Depart Yokosuka for Truk with both TAIYO and CHUYO, escorted by SHIGURE and NAGANAMI.
30 April 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
8 May 1943:
Depart Truk for Yokosuka with TAIYO.
13 May 1943:
Arrive with TAIYO at Yokosuka, both carriers turn around and depart again for Truk on 24 May.
29 May 1943:
Arrive with CHUYO at Truk.
5 June 1943:
Depart Truk accompanying CHUYO for Yokosuka, arriving on the 9th.
16 June 1943:
Depart Yokosuka with CHUYO for Truk.
21 June 1943:
Arrive at Truk, depart to Yokosuka on 28 June, arriving with CHUYO 2 July at Yokosuka.
6 July 1943:
Depart Yokosuka for Truk.
11 July 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
19 July 1943:
Depart Truk with RYUHO and CHUYO for the homeland, arriving at Yokosuka on 24 July. A rest is now taken, the
ship remaining home through the end of the month.
31 July 1943:
Depart Yokosuka for Truk.
5 August 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
12 August 1943:
Depart Truk for Yokosuka.
16 August 1943:
Arrive at Yokosuka.
26 August 1943:
Depart Yokosuka for Truk.
2 September 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
6 September 1943:
Depart Truk for Inland Sea.
11 September 1943:
Arrive at Kure.
30 September 1943:
Enter drydock at Kure.
9 October 1943:
Leave dock.
13 October 1943:
Depart Kure for Truk.
21 October 1943:
Arrive at Truk.
30 October 1943:
Depart Truk for Yokosuka.
5 November 1943:
30 November 1943:
4 December 1943:
5 December 1943:
12 December 1943:
17 December 1943:
24 December 1943:
29 December 1943:
4 January 1944:
9 January 1944:
18 January 1944:
19 January 1944:
20 January 1944:
27 January 1944:
1 February 1944:
7 February 1944:
1 March 1944:
2 April 1944:
28 June 1944:
1 July 1944:
12 August 1944:
13 August 1944:
14 August 1944:
25 August 1944:
5 September 1944:
11 September 1944:
17 September 1944:
10 November 1944:
Arrive at Yokosuka.
Depart Truk for Yokosuka as part of a task force led by ZUIHO, and comprised also of CHUYO and MAYA, and escorted by AKEBONO, SAZANAMI, URAKAZE, and USHIO. Aboard the CHUYO and UNYO are twenty-one and twenty POWs respectively from USS SCULPIN, sunk 19 November by YAMAGUMO.
Approaching Izu Island, task force is attacked by USS submarine SAILFISH. The CHUYO is torpedoed and finally sunk in a series of three attacks at 0010, 0555, and 0942. Although initially ordered to tow the torpedoed CHUYO, the UNYO is then told to proceed to Yokosuka.
Arrive at Yokosuka. Assigned from Combined Fleet Force to Grand Escort Command.
Depart Yokosuka for Truk.
Arrive at Truk.
Depart Truk for Yokosuka.
Arrive at Yokosuka.
Depart Yokosuka for Truk.
Arrive at Truk.
Depart Truk for Yokosuka.
Around noon, en-route, struck by three torpedoes from USS HADDOCK (SS-231) in position 12-12'N, 146-26'E. Forward section shattered.
Limp into Saipan for emegency repairs.
Depart Saipan for Yokosuka, at slow speed.
Rendevous with heavy cruiser TAKAO at sea, and escorted the rest of the way.
Arrive at Yokosuka with TAKAO.
Captain Seki releived by Captain Hiratsuka Shiro.
Enter drydock for full repairs.
Leave drydock, repairs complete.
Captain Hiratsuka relieved by Captain Kimura Ikuzo as commanding officer.
Depart Yokosuka for Inland Sea.
Arrive at Kure.
Assigned to the 1st Surface Escort Force.
Depart Moji with light cruiser KASHII escorting HI-73 convoy with six escorts to Seletar.
Arrive at Singapore.
Depart Seletar with light cruiser KASHII escorting convoy HI-74 of five tankers with six escorts for Moji.
0037 Hit by in the starboard side by two torpedoes from USS BARB (SS-220), one in the stern in the steering compartment, the other in the engine room, killing twenty-six men. Although the damage was severe and the UNYO settled aft, her crew set to work, and it seemed she might be saved. However, the sea conditions worsened, and by 0730 she was listing heavily to starboard, and the order was given to abandon ship. At 0755 the UNYO sank stern in position 19-10'N, 116-35'E. Working hard in the stormy seas, the escorts CHIBURI and CD # 27 rescued 55 officers, and 706 men, but Captain Kimura Ikuzo went down with his ship. (See note).
Removed from the Navy list.
Note:
Accounts conflict, or appear to, about UNYO's casualties. According to UNYO's Action Report in November 1944 she had 45 officers and 781 men as wartime complement. Though all sources agree that 761 survivors were rescued, some allege that nearly 1,000 passengers were aboard at the time, and of these, more than 800 perished. This seems like a rather high figure, and another Japanes source, a roster of casualties, gives "most were saved" and 750+ as the figure. Regarding this discrepancy it appears that an alternate reading gives a total of about 1,000 aboard counting crew and passengers . This would make about 200 lost, which incidentally is the rendering chosen by Admiral Fluckey in his superb 1992 book, Thunder Below . An update will be posted upon verification of the correct figures.
