Nichiai Maru (Japanese:日愛丸) was a transport of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. She was sunk by U.S. Air Force aircraft on 3 February 1944 off New Hanover Island, Papua New Guinea.[2]
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Yayoi Maru (彌生丸) |
| Owner | Suzuki Shoten |
| Builder | Asano Shipbuilding Company, Tsurumi |
| Yard number | 338[1] |
| Laid down | 15 September 1917 |
| Launched | 1 March 1919 |
| Completed | 1 April 1919 |
| Renamed | Nichiai Maru (日愛丸), 10 June 1938 |
| Identification | 25010[2] |
| Notes | |
 Imperial Japanese Army | |
| Name | Nichiai Maru |
| Acquired | requisitioned by Imperial Japanese Army, 19 November 1941 |
| Fate | Sunk by air attack, 3 February 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Yoshida Maru No 1-class cargo ship |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 121.92 m (400.0 ft)[4] |
| Beam | 16.15 m (53 ft 0 in)[4] |
| Draught | 0.75 m (2 ft 6 in)[4] |
| Propulsion | 258 nhp / 2,800 ihp[4] |
| Speed | 9-10 knots[4] |
History
editShe was laid down on 15 September 1917 at the Tsurumi shipyard of Asano Shipbuilding Company[2] for the benefit of the Suzuki Shoten (jp:鈴木商店), one of Japan's largest pre-war trading companies, and given identification number 25010[4] She was the second ship of the Yoshida Maru No 1-class of 25 standard cargo ships (referred to as Type B at the time) built by Asano Shipyard (one was built at the Uraga Dock Company) between 1918 and 1919.[5] She was launched on 1 March 1919, completed on 1 April 1919, and given the name Yayoi Maru (彌生丸).[4][2]
In 1919, she was sold to Kokusai Kisen Co., Ltd. (jp:国際汽船) of Yokohama.[4] In April 1929, she was purchased by Karafuto Kisen K.K. of Tokyo.[4] On 22 November 1937, she was transferred to Nissan Kisen Co Limited of Tokyo which had purchased her former owner[4] and her name was changed to Nichiai Maru on 10 June 1938.[4]
On 19 November 1941, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army and immediately sent to Davao arriving on 26 December 1941 where a convoy was assembling nearby to attack the Dutch East Indies.[2] On 6 January 1942, she was assigned to the Tarakan Occupation Force under Rear Admiral Hirose Sueto which departed for Tarakan the same day.
Fate
editOn 3 February 1944, she was attacked by North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and Consolidated PBY Catalinas of the United States Army Fifth Air Force and sunk at (03°17′S 149°34′E / 3.283°S 149.567°E) southwest of New Hanover.[2][6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b Toda, Gengoro S. "1. 陸軍徴傭船 (1. Army charter ship) - 日愛丸 (Nichiai Maru - Ship stats)" (PDF). Imperial Japanese Navy (in Japanese).
- ^ a b c d e f g Toda, Gengoro S. "日愛丸の船歴 (Nichiai Maru - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy (in Japanese).
- ^ Nagasawa lists 5,460 GRT
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Nagasawa, Fumio (1998). "彌生丸 YAYOI MARU (1919)". Nostalgic Japanese Steamships (in Japanese).
- ^ Nagasawa, Fumio (1998). "第一吉田丸型 YOSHIDA MARU No.1 Class 25隻 (1918-1919)". Nostalgic Japanese Steamships (in Japanese).
- ^ Cressman, Robert J. (2006) [1999]. "Chapter VI: 1944". The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- ^ Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1944, Februar". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 31 July 2015.