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| USN Design 1023 Cargo Ship 3,275 Tons 324' x 42.2' x 22' 9.5" |
Ship History Built by Submarine Boat Company in Newark, New Jersey for the for the United States Shipping Board (USSB) as part of the wartime shipbuilding program of the Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC). Laid down March 21, 1918 as Design 1023 cargo ship with yard number 17. Launched March 2, 1919 as SS Milwaukee Bridge named for the Milwaukee Bridge Company that provided steel for the shipyard and was sponsored by with Miss Ruth Trimborn, daughter of C. Trimborn president of the company. Afterwards, underwent trials. On May 21, 1919 accepted by the USSB allocated to Kerr Steamship Company to operate as a cargo ship on routes in the Mediterranean Sea and South America. On June 19, 1919 with a cargo of sugar departs New York on her maiden voyage bound for Portugal and Spain. On July 3, 1919 arrives Lisbon then proceeds to Bilbao and Santander then returns to New York ending the voyage. On September 16, 1919 with a cargo of flour, sulfuric acid in drums and merchandise departs Newport News on her her second voyage bound for South America to Santos, Florianópolis and Buenos-Aires. During the voyage, the acid leaks and damaged the deck and some of the flour and the leaking drums are thrown overboard and returns to New York. On January 5, 1920 allocated to Moore, McCormack & Co. for their routes to the United Kingdom and Ireland. On February 6, 1920 departs New York with general cargo bound for Belfast, Cork and Dublin. Returning, has engine trouble and stops at Queenstown for repairs and resumes the voyage ten days later. Afterwards, makes additional voyages to Ireland. In January 1921 assigned to routes in the Baltic Sea. In August 1921 ran aground near Halls bound for Aalborg and was able to refloat herself after some cargo was unloaded. Afterwards, made another voyage then returned to New York and returned to USSB. Dur to a surplus of ships and little demand, laid up off Staten Island for nearly six years. In the middle of March 1927 purchased for $30,000 in cash by Matson Navigation Company and departs New York bound via the Panama Canal bound for San Francisco for use on the company's shipping route from California to Hawaii. Renamed SS Malama for the Malama district near Puna on Hawaii Island. On May 31, 1927 departs San Francisco bound for Portland and Astoria to load lumber and general cargo then returns to California and take a barge under tows for the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company and departs for Hawaii. On June 25, 1927 arrives Honolulu then to Mahukona to load sugar then returns to San Francisco ending the voyage on July 19, 1927. Afterwards, undergoes a refit and overhaul. During April 1936 reactivated and put into drydock for upgrades and returns to service transporting lumber from the Pacific Northwest to Hawaii and loaded with sugar and molasses then returns to San Francisco and continues on this triangular trade route. During July 1941 while moving berths in foggy weather, ran aground at the entrance to Humboldt Bay and was rescued by USCG Shawnee but could not refloat her and required some of her cargo of lumber to be removed and sustained no damage and continues the voyage. On November 20, 1941 arrived San Francisco and unloaded. Wartime History On November 25, 1941 at San Francisco requisitioned by the U.S. War Department under a Time Form Charter Agreement (TCA). Placed under the control of the U.S. Army and loaded with military cargo including 25 tons of Signal Corps equipment, seven SCR-270 radars, 116 trucks and trailers, aircraft parts and chemical warfare supplies. The ship was unarmed with 33 crew and transported five Army radar technicians. On November 29, 1941 under the command of Captain Malcolm R. Peters departs at San Francisco bound for Hawaii. On December 8, 1941 at 8:30am arrives Honolulu Harbor and was ordered to take refuge and await further orders for a week. On December 16, 1941 at noon departs Honolulu Harbor bound for Wellington in New Zealand. On December 31, 1941 in the afternoon while underway in the Pacific Ocean, spotted by E7K2 Alf floatplane from Aikoku Maru that circles several times then departs to the east then returns and circle twice more then departs to the west. Sinking History On January 1, 1942 in the afternoon the weather was clear with moderate seas while steaming south of the Cook Islands and Society Islands when another E7K2 Alf floatplane from Aikoku Maru circles the ship and begins strafing and orders the vessel to stop using international code. The crew later described the aircraft as a "Jap raider plane" and sent a radio message saying they were being tracked by an unidentified plane. At 2:40pm, the floatplane returns armed with bombs. The ship stopped, transmitted an S.O.S. as crew scuttled the ship by dismantling her condensers allowing seawater to enter the hold then abandoned ship. Meanwhile, the distress signal was picked up by a Free France radio station in Papeete stating they were "ordered to stop by unidentified plane". Afterwards, Malama was reported as missing and presumed lost. The Japanese reported the sinking location as roughly Lat 26° 39' S, Long 151° 24' W. The crew reported the sinking location as roughly Lat 26°21'N, Long 153°24'W when liberated on May 2, 1946. Fates of the Crew Everyone aboard including 35 crew and 8 passengers boarded two lifeboats. Soon afterwards, Aikoku Maru and Hokoku Maru arrive in the vicinity and rescue all survivors. They remained on the Armed Merchant Cruiser until February 13, 1942 when disembarked at Oita. Afterwards, the crew were interned in Shanghai for the remainder of the Pacific War. References Note, the Aikoku Maru recorded the attack as January 2, 1942 (Japan Time) and sinking location as Lat 26° 39' S, Long 151° 24' W. Lloyds of London - Lloyd's Register - Malama 1938-39 [PDF] U.S. Department of Transportation MARAD - Malama (status card) Vessel Status Card - SS Malama Report on U.S. Merchant Vessel War Action Casualty - SS Malama created retroactively May 2, 1946 NARA CINCPAC War Diary December 1941 page 128 NARA Admiralty War Diaries, 1/1/42 to 2/28/42 page 53 Spokane Chronicle "Lost Ship [crew] Interned by Japs, It's Said" June 26, 1942 page 12 Combined Fleet - IJN Aikoku Maru: Tabular Record of Movement Racing the Sunrise: The Reinforcement of America's Pacific Outposts, 1941-1942 (2010) pages 178-180, 182 Contribute
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