Pacific Wrecks

Missing In Action (MIA)

Prisoners Of War (POW)

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Chronology

Kirikawa Maru

IJN
Cargo

3,829 Tons

Ship History
Built by Kawasaki K. K. Zosensho in Kobe. Laid down on February 16, 1937. Launched on April 26, 1937. Completed and registered on December 10, 1937 as Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) 3,829-tons and her Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) 2,248-tons. This vessel was placed on Kawasaki Kisen K. K. Osaka eastern route. In 1938 her GRT and NRT are respectively changed to 3,836 tons and 2,250 tons. On January 1938 departs Osaka for Odomari, Mie Prefecture.

On December 25, 1940 requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as a general transport (Ippan Choyosen) and begins conversion for military duty at Sasebo Navy Yard, completed January 15, 1941. Registered in the Navy as an auxiliary transport (Otsu). On October 15, 1941 attached to Sasebo Naval District with Sasebo as her homeport under internal order No. 1256. On October 18, 1941 departs Sasebo bound for the Japanese mandated islands in the South Seas. In early December 1941 departs bound for Sasebo.

Wartime History
On December 9, 1941 returns Sasebo and departs three days later. On December 13, 1941 arrives Koniya, Amami-Oshima and departs three days. On December 17, 1941 arrives Naha and two days later departs for Oki-Daito.

24 December 1941:
Arrives at Oki-Daito, Daito Shoto.
25 December 1941:
Departs Oki-Daito.
27 December 1941:
Arrives at Yonakuni, Yaeyama Retto.
31 December 1941:
Departs Yonakuni.
1 January 1942:
At 0845, arrives at Iriomote, Yaeyama Retto.
4 January 1942:
At 0545, departs Iriomote and at 0950, arrives at Ishigaki, Yaeyama Retto.
5 January 1942:
At 2220, departs Ishigaki.
6 January 1942:
At 1010, arrives at Miyakojima, Miyako Retto.
7 January 1942:
At 1220, departs Miyakojima.
9 January 1942:
At 1450, arrives at Koniya.
10 January 1942:
At 1500, departs Koniya.
12 January 1942:
At 1220, arrives at Sasebo.
14 January 1942:
Assigned to personnel and supplies transport mission under Sasebo Naval District instruction No. 19.
E 14-18 January 1942:
Loads 1,000-tons of coal bound for Amoy (now Xiamen, China), 100-tons of ammunition, 1,300-tons of assorted goods, 100-tons of drummed oil bound for Mako, Pescadores, 43-tons of explosives, five aircraft bound for Takao, Formosa (now Kaohsiung, Taiwan), 100-tons of aircraft weapons, 100-tons of cement, 92 drums of aviation gasoline totaling 200-tons bound for Samah, Hainan Island, 100-tons of gasoline, 150-tons of radio equipment, 350-tons of lumber and other building materials.
15 January 1942:
Rerated as a graduated auxiliary transport under Sasebo Naval District instruction No. 14.
18 January 1942:
At 1200, departs Sasebo and arrives later that day at 2150, at Miike, Fukuoka Prefecture.
20 January 1942:
At 1155, departs Miike.
23 January 1942:
At 2345, arrives at Amoy.
26 January 1942:
At 1800, departs Amoy.
27 January 1942:
At 1115, arrives at Mako.
28 January 1942:
At 1600, departs Mako.
29 January 1942:
At 0900, arrives at Takao.
2 February 1942:
At 0900, departs Takao.
5 February 1942:
At 0630, arrives at Samah, Hainan Island.
9 February 1942:
At 0700, departs Samah for Yulin, Hainan Island, arriving there at 1100.
12 February 1942:
At 0825, departs Yulin.
21 February 1942:
At 1150, arrives at Yawata, Fukuoka Prefecture.
22 February 1942:
At 1600, departs Yawata.
23 February 1942:
At 1445, arrives Sasebo.
26 February 1942:
Assigned to personnel and supplies transport mission under Sasebo Naval District instruction No. 116.
E 26-27 February 1942:
Embarks 394 passengers, drummed aviation gasoline totaling 700-tons, drummed gasoline totaling 68-tons, two drummed grade one fuel totaling 162-tons and 200-tons of ammunition and other sundries.
28 February 1942:
At 1310, departs Sasebo.
2 March 1942:
At 1835, arrives at Shanghai.
6 March 1942:
At 1400, departs Shanghai.
9 March 1942:
At 1130, arrives Sasebo.
14 March 1942:
At 1305, departs Sasebo.
18 March 1942:
At 0650, arrives at Amoy.
19 March 1942:
At 0850, departs Amoy.
20 March 1942:
At 1305, arrives at Hong Kong.
22 March 1942:
At 1655, departs Hong Kong.
23 March 1942:
At 2300, arrives at Haikow (Haikou), China.
28 March 1942:
At 0730, departs Haikow.
1 April 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
4 April 1942:
At 1850, departs Takao.
9 April 1942:
At 1050, arrives Sasebo.
10 April 1942:
Attachment confirmed to Sasebo Naval District.
12 April 1942:
At 1255, departs Sasebo.
13 April 1942:
At 0950, arrives at Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
14 April 1942:
At 1600, departs Shimonoseki.
15 April 1942:
At 0905, arrives at Kure.
16 April 1942:
At 1405, departs Kure for Hiro, arriving at 1900.
22 April 1942:
At 2105, departs Hiro.
25 April 1942:
At 1955, arrives at Dairen, Manchuria (now Dalian, China).
29 April 1942:
At 1715, departs Dairen.
3 May 1942:
At 0900, arrives at Kure.
5 May 1942:
At 0500, departs Kure.
6 May 1942:
At 1550, arrives at Nagasaki.
9 May 1942:
At 0500, departs for Sasebo arriving 10:15am.
11 May 1942:
At 1200, departs Sasebo.
13 May 1942:
At 1800, arrives at Kobe.
15 May 1942:
Scheduled to be fitted with one Type 92 7.7mm MG and five Type 38 Arisaka rifles under Navy secret instruction No. 5990.
17 May 1942:
At 0800, departs Kobe.
18 May 1942:
At 0815, arrives at Moji.
21 May 1942:
At 1200, departs Moji.
26 May 1942:
At 0745, arrives at Takao.
1 June 1942:
At 0835, departs Takao.
4 June 1942:
At 1145, arrives at Manila, Luzon. Departs later in the day at 1400, for Balikpapan, Borneo as the sole vessel in convoy No. 901 escorted by destroyer MINAZUKI and subchaser CH-3.
9 June 1942:
At 1930, arrives at Balikpapan.
12 June 1942:
Scheduled to be fitted with one 8cm/40 deck gun under Navy secret instruction No. 7246.
17 June 1942:
At 0800, departs Balikpapan.
18 June 1942:
At 1020, arrives at Sanga-Sanga, Borneo.
29 June 1942:
At 0955, departs for Loakulu, Borneo, arriving at 1315.
30 June 1942:
At 1310, departs Loakulu.
2 July 1942:
At 1955, arrives at Tarakan, Borneo.
4 July 1942:
At 0755, departs Tarakan.
11 July 1942:
At 1720, arrives at Saigon, Indochina (now Ho-Chi-Minh city, Vietnam).
14 July 1942:
At 1615, departs Saigon.
21 July 1942:
At 1805, arrives at Kirun, Formosa (now Keelung, Taiwan).
23 July 1942:
At 1400, departs Kirun.
26 July 1942:
At 2000, arrives at Shanghai.
2 August 1942:
At 0900, departs Shanghai.
4 August 1942:
At 1400, arrives Sasebo.
6 August 1942:
At 1240, departs Sasebo.
8 August 1942:
At 0900, arrives at Osaka.
10 August 1942:
At 0800, departs Osaka.
11 August 1942:
At 1700, arrives at Yokosuka.
19 August 1942:
At 0900, departs Yokosuka.
27 August 1942:
At 1400, arrives at Wake (renamed Otori-jima after its capture).
29 August 1942:
At 1205, departs Wake.
6 September 1942:
At 0850, arrives at Rabaul, New Britain.
10 September 1942:
At 1410, departs Rabaul.
11 September 1942:
At 0825, arrives at Kavieng, New Ireland.
18 September 1942:
At 1200, departs Kavieng.
19 September 1942:
At 0545, arrives at Rabaul.
2 October 1942:
At 1600, departs Rabaul.
7 October 1942:
At 0900, arrives at Fais, eastern Carolines.
11 October 1942:
At 1200, departs Fais.
13 October 1942:
At 1730, arrives at Saipan, Marianas. That same day, nine of her crew including her Captain, suffer from malaria disease forcing the ship to stay at anchorage.
30 October 1942:
At 1600, departs Saipan with auxiliary ammunition ship KOGYO MARU, apparently without escort.
6 November 1942:
At 2130, arrives at Niihama, Shikoku.
7 November 1942:
At 1455, departs Niihama.
8 November 1942:
At 0654, arrives in the Kanmon straits.
11 November 1942:
At 0755, departs the Kanmon straits.
12 November 1942:
At 0645, arrives at Kobe.
28 November 1942:
At 1015, departs Kobe.
30 November 1942:
At 0840, arrives at Yokosuka.
10 December 1942:
At 1200, departs Yokosuka in a southbound convoy also consisting of auxiliary armed merchant cruiser BANGKOK MARU, auxiliary collier/oiler ASAKAZE MARU and auxiliary ammunition ship TATSUTAKE MARU escorted by destroyers OKIKAZE and YAMAGUMO.
16 December 1942:
At 1700, arrives at Saipan.
22 December 1942:
At 1245, arrives at Rabaul.
28 December 1942:
At 0730, departs Rabaul.
1 January 1943:
At 0830, arrives at Truk, Central Carolines escorted by auxiliary minelayer MA-3 which probably joined en route.
4 January 1943:
At 1445, departs Truk with IJA transport FUKUYAMA (ex-British FEDERLOCK) MARU and possibly others escorted by unknown escort.
9 January 1943:
At 0845, arrives at Palau, Western Carolines.
18 January 1943:
At 1000, departs Palau.
27 January 1943:
At 0900, arrives at Yokohama.
29 January 1943:
At 0730, departs for Yokosuka at 1000.
1 February 1943:
At 1400, departs Yokosuka in convoy No. 3201 also consisting of MITAKESAN MARU escorted by minesweeper W-17. At an unknown date the convoy is met by auxiliary gunboat SHOTOKU MARU.
8 February 1943:
At 11-10N 150-50E destroyer YUNAGI takes over escort from SHOTOKU MARU, that returns to Saipan.

On February 9, 1943 at 7:30am arrives Truk and embarks Yokosuka 7th Special Naval Landing Force (Yokosuka 7th SNLF). On February 13, 1943 at 2:00pm departs at Truk boudn for Rabaul arriving February 17, 1943 at 9:00am. On February 25, 1943 at 5:00pm departs Rabaul escorted by minesweeper W-22 bound for Shortland Harbor arriving February 26, 1943 at 8:00pm.

Sinking History
On February 27, 1943 at 4:00am departs Shortland Harbor bound for Erventa Harbor (Buin Harbor) arriving two hours later. The ship was still loaded with personnel from Yokosuka 7th SNLF plus cargo totalling 600 tons including two 14cm guns, four 8cm guns, cargo, ammunition and fuel. At 9:00am departs Erventa Harbor escorted by Subchaser CH-26 and minesweeper W-22 bound bound for Kolombangara.

Northeast of Vella Lavella the ships were targeted by U.S. Navy (USN) SBD Dauntless dive bombers, escorted by F4U Corsairs, P-38 Lightnings and P-40 Warhawks. Air strikes heavily damage Kirikawa Maru and ammunition aboard to caught fire. Afterwards, either CH-26 or minesweeper W-22 fires three shots and scuttles the burning ship at roughly Lat 7-32S, Long 156-44E likely with the loss of the entire crew. On April 1, 1943 officially removed from the Navy list.

References
Combined Fleet - IJN Kirikawa Maru: Tabular Record of Movement

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Last Updated
September 30, 2023

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