MV Kinryu Maru

Summary

MV Kinryu Maru was a 9,310 gross register tons (GRT) passenger cargo ship built by Kawasaki Dockyard Company, Kobe for Kokusai Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha in 1937. She was requisitioned on 1 September 1938 by the Imperial Japanese Navy and later converted to an armed merchant ship.

Kinryu Maru in 1938.
History
NameKinryu Maru
Owner
BuilderKawasaki Dockyard Company, Kobe
Launched16 June 1938
Acquired1 September 1938
Decommissioned1 October 1942
FateSunk by US carrier aircraft on 25 August 1942
General characteristics
TypePassenger/cargo ship
Tonnage9,310 GRT
Length475.7 ft (145.0 m)[1]
Beam50 ft (15.2 m)
Draught18.8 ft (5.7 m)

Kinryu Maru was at Kwajalein, from which she deployed as part of the Japanese task force in the first attempt to invade Wake Island on 8 December 1941. She returned to Kwajalein and the landing force was called off and later participated in the second attack on Wake Island on 21 December 1941, which succeeded in taking the island. She also took part in the invasions of New Britain, New Ireland and Lae.

Fate edit

On 25 August 1942, north of Guadalcanal, she was attacked by Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers and was hit amidships by a 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb and began sinking. Her embarked troops were evacuated by the destroyers Mutsuki and Yayoi and patrol boats PB-1 and PB-2. Yayoi rescued the ship's survivors, including Captain Yamada. She was removed from the Navy List on 1 October 1942.

Notes edit

  1. ^ "Lloyd's Register 1938–39" (PDF). plimsollshipdata. Retrieved 1 December 2018.

External links edit

  • Chronological List of Japanese Merchant Vessel Losses
  • Combinedfleet.com