America Maru
Postcard of the O.S.K. Line ship "America Maru".
| |
History | |
---|---|
Empire of Japan | |
Name | America Maru |
Owner |
|
Port of registry | Japan |
Ordered | March 1897 |
Builder | Wigham Richardson, England |
Cost | 1,150,000 Yen [1] |
Yard number | 229 |
Launched | March 9, 1898 |
Completed | September 24, 1898 |
Identification |
|
Fate | Sunk by USS Nautilus, 14 May 1944 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Passenger ship |
Tonnage | 6,069 long tons (6,166 t) |
Length | 125.58 m (412.0 ft) p-p |
Beam | 15.560 m (51.05 ft) |
Draught | 9.91 m (32.5 ft) |
Propulsion | Triple-expansion steam engines, 2 screws, 9,299 ihp (6,934 kW) |
Speed | 13 knots (15.0 mph; 24.1 km/h) (cruising) |
Notes | 30 (1st class), 86 (2nd class), 502 (3rd class) |
America Maru (亜米利加丸, Amerika-Maru) was the second of three high speed
History
Background
America Maru was laid down in March 1897, launched on March 9, 1898 and completed on September 24 of the same year.[3]
Early civilian service
On her maiden voyage, America Maru called at Hong Kong – Xiamen-Shanghai – Nagasaki – Yokohama – Kobe and on to Honolulu and San Francisco. With her sister ships, Nippon Maru and Hong Kong Maru, she was placed into scheduled services on the north Pacific Route. Upon docking in Honolulu in October 1899, America Maru was suspected of bringing rats with the bubonic plague to Hawaii and was placed in quarantine by American authorities. In an effort to control the epidemic, Honolulu's Chinatown was burned down.
In December 1900, noted author and physician Hideyo Noguchi travelled to the United States aboard America Maru. In June 1901, after Kuomintang leader Sun Yat-sen's revolt against the Qing dynasty failed, he fled to Japan aboard America Maru, which was in Tianjin conveying supplies to Japanese forces involved in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion.
Service in the Russo-Japanese War
With the start of the Russo-Japanese War in February 1904, America Maru was requisitioned by the
Under the command of Captain Ishibashi Hajime in April 1905, she was based at
After the battle, America Maru located the sinking wreckage of the Russian protected cruiser Svetlana and rescued 291 survivors.
Post-war civilian service
After the war America Maru reverted to civilian use, and was assigned in November 1908 to the Japan – South America routes.
On September 20, 1911, Toyo Kisen sold America Maru for 367,000 Yen to Osaka Shōsen K.K., which operated the vessel between Kobe, Japan and Keelung, Taiwan.
World War I
Requisitioned by the IJN in 1914. Returned her owners in early 1918.[5]
Post war service
Requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) on 28 April 1928 and again on 5 May 1928. Apparently returned to owners by February 1932 and resumed commercial operations.[6] She was damaged by a typhoon while docked at Kobe on September 21, 1934.
World War II
After the
On May 14, 1944, while attempting to evacuate Japanese civilians, mostly women and children, from
Notes
- ^ "America Maru". Glasgow herald. September 26, 1898. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ISBN 0-8453-4792-6.
- ISBN 978-1-59114-959-0.
- ISBN 1-55750-129-7.
- ^ "Japanese Army Auxiliary Hospital ships". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Japanese Army Auxiliary Hospital ships". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "Japanese Army Auxiliary Hospital ships". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-7656-1776-7.
- ^ Lotz, Dave. Patrol Area 14: US Navy World War II Submarine Patrols to the Mariana Islands, Xlibris US, Bloomington, ç2018. Chapter Six-Convoys Under Attack