Gokoku Maru
Gokoku Maru (護國丸) was an
Design
Gokoku Maru was laid down at the Tama shipyard in Okayama Prefecture prior to the outbreak of World War II. She was designed as a cargo liner for the Osaka Shosen Lines's regularly scheduled services between Japan and Africa. She was launched in April 1942 and completed in September of that year. During the building process, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy (in July 1942) and converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser. She was also outfitted as a submarine tender, but was employed mainly as a transport.[1]
Service history
After commissioning in September 1942, Gokoku Maru was assigned to a Singapore naval base. In December 1942 as part of Operation Hei-Go, she transported troops and supplies to Madang, New Guinea. During this period, she was attacked by U.S. submarine Albacore. It hit her escort, the cruiser Tenryu, and Gokoku Maru herself was bombed by a U.S. aircraft. In January 1943, en route to
In October, Gokoku Maru was part of operation Tei-Go 4, taking reinforcements from China to the Pacific theater. The convoy came under attack by a pack of three submarines led by Charles "Swede" Momsen in Cero; Gokoku Maru was fired on by Shad, but suffered no damage. The following month she was bombed by U.S. aircraft near Rabaul, but again escaped injury. In November, she returned to Japan for a refit, but was again attacked, this time by Gurnard, and suffered two torpedo hits. Gokoku Maru survived, but spent the next six months under repair at Yokohama.
In June 1944, she returned to service with convoy Hi-67. This convoy was attacked by U.S. submarine
Fate
After temporary repairs, Gokoku Maru continued to operate, but in November, while en route to
References
- ^ a b c Gokoku Maru Tabular Record of Movement B Hackett, S Kingsepp 1998-2014; retrieved 18 December 2018
- ^ "USS BARB SS 220". Pigboats.com. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
- ISBN 978-1612510460. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
External links