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| IJN Cargo 9,788 Tons  Norman Brown May 19, 1943  Justin Taylan 2005 |
Ship History Built by Tama Shipbuilding Company for Mitsui & Co. Ltd. Launched during 1939 as a passenger and cargo ship operating from Japan to New York. Named "Ayatosan Maru". Other wartime spellings of the ship include: Ayutosen Maru or Ayutosan Maru. After the sinking, known to the Allies as "The Gona Wreck" or simply "Gona Wreck". Wartime History Requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). During May 1941 converted to an armed high speed transport. Assigned to Operation "E" the invasion of Malaya as part of a convoy including transports Sakura Maru, Awajisan Maru and Ayatosan Maru transporting the Japanese Army 5th Division, escorted by Sendai, Ayanami, Isonami, Shikinami, Uranami with minesweepers W-2 and W-3 plus subchaser CH-9. On December 7, 1941 arrives off Kota Bharu. On December 8, 1941 at 12:45am the transports begin unloading troops and at 2:10am are attacked by seven RAAF Hudson bombers from 1 Squadron. During the attack, Ayatosan Maru is strafed and suffers a near misses that cause a 6' x 3' hole above the waterline and cut a cable for the no. 4 hold crane that interferes with unloading and a fire aboard that was extinguished. On December 10, 1941 damaged Dutch submarine HNLMS O-16 claims to have damaged Ayatosan Maru. On December 12, 1941 HNLMS O-16 again claimed to damage her. On July 2, 1942 part of a convoy along with Yasukawa Maru, Kazuura Maru, Myoko Maru, Ryoyo Maru, Sasago Maru and Ayatosan Maru escorted by torpedo boat Tomozuru from the Philippines to Rabaul. On July 20, 1942 at 8:00pm Ayatosan Maru and Kinryu Maru and Ryoyo Maru departs Rabaul as part of the Operation "RI" the invasion of New Guinea. On July 21, 1942 at dawn the convoy arrives off the north coast of New Guinea and begins unloading. Six B-26 Marauders from the 22nd Bombardment Group (22nd BG) including three B-26s piloted by Crosson, McClaran and Patterson from 2nd Bombardment Squadron (2nd BS) plus three B-26s piloted by Michaelis, Hughes and Augustine from 408th Bombardment Squadron (408th BS) locate and bomb the Japanese convoy off Salamaua bound for Buna. The B-26s scores a direct hit near the stern of Ayutosen Maru and two near misses, causing the transport to begin taking on water. Others B-26s bomb Kinryu Maru but fail to hit the ship. Anti-aircraft fire was intense but inaccurate. All six B-26 return undamaged. Sinking History On July 22, 1942 at Gona the ship had successfully unloading roughly 260 engineering personnel but had not yet unloaded all her cargo when an air raid by B-17 Flying Fortress commenced. The ship was hit by another bomb causing further damage and burn then settled atop a coral reef (Fuaga Rocks) off Gona on north coast of New Guinea. The vessel settled in very shallow water giving it the appearance of still being afloat. Aboard, three were killed in the bombing raid. Prisoner's Base and Home Again by James Benson: "...a black mass loomed out of the paler darkness; it proved to be a great ship, and as we passed under her stern I could just make out the name Ayatosan Maru [sic] high above my head. I saw immediately what had happened; the great vessel of some 10,000 tons had struck the Fuaga Rocks at the end of a reef running out from Gona Bay and had become a partial wreck. [in fact, it the ship was sunk by U.S. bombers July 22, 1942]." Shipwreck The shipwreck settled upright in shallow water atop a coral reef known as Fuaga Rocks off Gona. This shipwreck is often referred to as "The Gona Wreck". Afterwards, the shipwreck was bombed by Allied planes incorrectly believed the ship was active. Alternately, because the Allies assumed the Japanese were using the shipwreck as a barge unloading point or because they believed the ship's deck guns were manned and providing anti-aircraft fire. On July 31, 1942 B-17s hit "a nearby transport which had been previously damaged". On September 24, 1942 the B-17s bombed a "wrecked vessel at Gona". On December 7, 1942 B-17s attack a "wrecked vessel off Gona". On December 8, 1942 P-38s hit a "wrecked vessel off Gona". On December 15, 1942 B-24 bombs a "wrecked ship at Gona". On December 16, 1942 "B-24s attack a wreck off Gona". On December 26, 1942 a single strafing run was made against the shipwreck by CA-5 Wirraway A20-103. All these attacks were made against this shipwreck, incorrectly believing it was an active vessel. After Gona was captured by Allied forces, the shipwreck was used as a target to range artillery and by Allied flying training missions for bombing and strafing practice. At least two American aircraft were lost attacking the shipwreck. On May 19, 1943 Australian correspondent Norman Brown takes at least five photographs the shipwreck including the bridge area, name "Ayatosan Maru" on the side of the bow and several wide views. On December 10, 1943 lost was P-70 Havoc pilot Crum mushed into the sea with one wingtip hitting the surface, causing it to cartwheel and sink. On April 10, 1944 lost was A-20G Havoc 43-9410 crashed near the wreck after one of its practice bombs ricocheted into the right engine, causing it to catch fire and crash. Until the early 1990s, part of the ship's mast was still above water. Today, all the wreckage is submerged below the waterline, becoming a huge man made reef. References Prisoners Base and Home Again (1957) by James Benson mentions the shipwreck X Marks the Spot - Ayutosan Maru by David Pennefather Revenge of the Red Raiders (2006) pages 117 (photo), 118-119 Eagles of the Southern Sky (2012) pages 207, 210-211, 218 Hell's Battlefield (2012) by Phil Bradley pages 150-151 (Archer mission December 26, 1942 strafing Ayatosan Maru shipwreck, use as unloading point and anti-aircraft guns) Contribute
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