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| IJA Cargo Anti-Aircraft Transport 6,872 Tons ? / ? / ? 6 x 75mm AA guns 4 x 20mm AA guns  USN November 15, 1942  U.S. Army 1943  Albert Stoltzman 1943 |
Ship History Built by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha at Kobe. Laid down April 6, 1939 as a 6,872 ton cargo ship. Launched May 10, 1940 as Hirokawa Maru. Completed October 12, 1940 and delivered to Kawasaki Kisen, K. K. Line for use as a cargo vessel. Wartime History On February 8, 1941 requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) as transport no. 846 and converted into a Boku Kikansen (anti-aircraft) armed transport with six Type 88 75mm anti-aircraft guns and four Type 98 20mm cannons. On November 6, 1941 departs Moji bound for Wusong (Woosung) at Shanghai. On November 28, 1941 arrives Samah (Sanya) on Hainan Island. PARTIAL HISTORY On December 4, 1941 at 6:00am departs Samah as part of a convoy transporting elements of the 25th Army bound for the Gulf of Thailand escorted by light cruisers, destroyers, minesweepers and subchaser. Inbound, Hirokawa Maru, Sagami Maru, Kinka Maru, Tozan Maru escorted by destroyers Shinonome and Shirakumo are detached as part of the as part of the Pattani invasion force. Wartime History On December 7, 1941 arrives off Pattani. On December 8, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War lands elements of the Ando Detachment and departs for Wusong (Woosung) arriving three days later. PARTIAL HISTORY Part of a convoy of eleven transports: Arizona Maru, Kumagawa Maru, Sado Maru, Nagara Maru, Nako Maru, Canberra Maru, Brisbane Maru, Kinugawa Maru, Hirokawa Maru, Yamaura Maru, and Yamatsuki Maru escorted by twelve destroyers. On November 13, 1942 departs Shortland and steamed southward via "The Slot" bound for Guadalcanal. The convoy was recalled due to the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. On November 14, 1942 in afternoon the convoy again departs Shortland bound for Guadalcanal and is spotted by U.S. planes and targeted by air raids that sink six transports and damage another that is forced to turn back and later sinks. The remaining four transports and four destroyers continued onward towards Guadalcanal. After nightfall, they stop the west of Guadalcanal, awaiting the conclusion of the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Sinking History On November 15, 1942 at 4:00am the remaining four transports Kinugawa Maru, Hirokawa Maru, Yamaura Maru, and Yamatsuki Maru beached themselves on western Guadalcanal. Furthest to the east, Hirokawa Maru and Kinugawa Maru beached themselves off Bonegi at roughly Lat 9° 20' S, Long 159° 50' E. Immediately, unloading begins with approximately 2,000 troops with 260 cases of ammunition and 1,500 bags of rice landed by the transports. At 5:55am, American aircraft from Henderson Field and elsewhere plus field artillery bombarded the ships. Later, destroyer USS Meade approached and opened fire for an hour with 5" shells, leaving them "blazing with many internal explosions." These attacks set all four transports afire and destroyed most equipment not unloaded before sunrise. Most of the remaining ammunition and food supplies still aboard were lost or destroyed. Shipwreck Hirokawa Maru was sunk off Bonegi to the east of Kinugawa Maru. Locally known as "Bonegi 1", "Bonegi No. 1" or "Bonegi One". The shipwreck rests with her mangled bow in shallow water with her amidships section is fairly intact. Her stern at 180' / 55m is covered with gun cartridges and deteriorated. Well broken up by enemy bombing, she is now covered in soft and hard coral growth. A deck gun is still recognizable. Penetration of this wreck is not advised because deterioration leaves the wreckage unstable. Jeff Johnson adds: "There's a lot of spent cartridges and broken glass about, but it looks as though the wreck was picked clean long ago by souvenir hunters. Today, it has badly deteriorated." References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Japanese Naval and Merchant Shipping Losses During World War II by All Causes pages 36 (Hirokawa Maru), 105 (index Hirokawa Maru) CombinedFleet: IJA AA Transport HIROKAWA MARU Tabular Record of Movement Solomon Islands Diving "Bonegi One" by Mike McCoy via WayBack Machine January 3, 2004 Paradise Magazine No. 48 September 1984 "America's Missing Angels" by Mike McCoy pages 11-14 (photo) Contribute
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 Map Iron Bottom Sound  Photo Archive  55m stern |
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