Tama Maru was laid down on 28 May 1936 at the shipyard of Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kobe Zosensho at the behest of shipping company, Taiyo Hogei.

[3] On 15 August 1941, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy and converted to an auxiliary minesweeper under Reserve Lieutenant Shiihara.

8), and 1 transport (Azumasan Maru) carrying 400 men of the 3rd Kure Special Naval Landing Force.

[4] The light carrier Shōhō provided air support accompanied by 4 cruisers (Aoba, Kako, Kinugasa, Furutaka) and 1 destroyer (Sazanami).

On 4 May 1942, Tama Maru was patrolling with Wa-1 and Wa-2 north of Savo Island when it was spotted by a squadron of Douglas TBD Devastators from the Yorktown.