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| IJN Merchant Ship (1930 - 1941) Seaplane Tender 8,360 Tons size 2 x 150mm guns 2 x 13mm MG Aircraft 6 x F1M2 Pete 2 x E13A Jake 2 x E8N2 Dave |
Ship History Built by Mitsubishi shipbuilding in Nagasaki. Laid down August 29, 1938. Launched February 8, 1939. Completed May 1, 1939. Used as a cargo ship owned by merchant cargo liner for Nippon Yusen K. K. On May 8, 1939 departs for her first trip from Nagasaki to Dairen. PARTIAL HISTORY On January 26, 1942 arrives Balikpapan and with Sanyo Maru and her floatplanes support the Japanese invasion force with Sanyo Maru. On January 27, 1942 at 12:59pm five B-17s bomb from an altitude of 5,000'. During their first bomb run two F1M2 Petes are damaged. At 1:09pm during their second bomb run two near misses explode off the portside foreship damaging the hull up to six feet between frames 120-132 and causes a seam 25' long that spans below the waterline and causes flooding in the No. 2 hold and partial flooding in the No. 1 hold. Afterwards, bombs and ammunition are moved to Kureha Maru No. 3. As a result of their bombing, The B-17s claim two F1M2 Pets shot down, a transport sunk and hits on a cruiser [sic Sanuki Maru]. Afterwards, the seawater is pumped out and damage is reapired by January 30, 1942. Between January 31, 1942 until early February 1942 her floatplanes perform anti-submarine patrols in the vicintity of Balikpapan and Macassar Straits. PARTIAL HISTORY On April 9, 1942, four F1M2 Petes from Sanuki Maru locate PT-34 bombing and strafing it and forcing it to beach on Cauit Island (Kauit) near Cebu City, then set it on fire and exploded the boat, destoying it. Also a F1M2 from Sanuki Maru engages a P-40E Warhawk of the 3rd Pursuit Squadron operating from Del Monte, Mindanao, but both planes escape. Also, covers the landing of the Kawaguchi Detachment's 35th Infantry Brigade HQ and the 124th Infantry Regiment along with Kuma, destroyers Samidare, Kiji and Murasame and gun Busho Maru plus two sub chasers. PARTIAL HISTORY On March 7, 1943 departs Yokosuka. On March 21, 1943 north of Sorol Island at 11:00am, Sanuki Mau is attacked by USS Finback (SS-230) that fires three torpedoes submerged and claims two hits at roughly Lat 7° 43N Long 139° 54E but only causes light damage and on March 27, 1943 arrives Sasebo. PARTIAL HISTORY 6 January 1945: Off Majuro, Cdr Gordon W. Underwood's USS SPADEFISH (SS-411) departs on her third war patrol for the Yellow Sea area leading a wolfpack consisting of USS Pompon (SS-267), LtCdr (later Rear Admiral/ComSubPac) John H. Mauer's ATULE (SS-403) and LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Joseph B. Icenhower's JALLAO. 26 January 1945: At 0800, departs Moji via Sasebo and Takao for Singapore in fast convoy HI-91 consisting of transport/cargo liners SANUKI and KITSURIN MARUs and tankers TOJO and EIYO MARUs escorted destroyers NOKAZE and KAMIKAZE and kaibokan SHONAN, KUME, CD-25 and CD-53. Sinking History On January 28, 1945 in the Yellow Sea to the northeast of Shanghai off Kokuzan USS Spadefish (SS-411) and USS Pompon (SS-267) make contact with a three ship convoy with four escorts. Dring the night, USS Pompon makes two night submerged approaches but the escorts detect the submarine and drive her off each time. At about 2:00am, while two escorts are chasing USS Pompon astern of the convoy, USS Spadefish (SS-411) slips into firing position on the disengaged side of convoy. At 3:13am USS Spadefish fires three torpedoes that all hit Sanuki Maru, sinking at 33-55N, 122-55E. Underwood also torpedoes and sinks the escorting frigate KUME. Destroyers KAMIKAZE and Nokaze, probably laden with rescued survivors are detached from the convoy to Mako, Pescadores. References Combined Fleet IJN Seaplane Tender SANUKI MARU: Tabular Record of Movement Fortress Against The Sun pages 116 (January 27, 1942 B-17 bombing Sanuki Maru) Contribute
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