Japanese seaplane tender Sanuki Maru

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Coordinates: 33°55′N 122°55′E / 33.917°N 122.917°E / 33.917; 122.917
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History
Empire of Japan
NameSanuki Maru
NamesakeSanuki Province
Owner
Nippon Yusen K.K.
Port of registryTokyo, Japan
Builder
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding & Engineering, Nagasaki
Yard number724
Laid down29 August 1938
Launched8 February 1939
Completed1 May 1939
Imperial Japanese Navy
NameSanuki Maru
Acquiredrequisitioned by Imperial Japanese Navy, 17 August 1941
Commissioned5 September 1942
Stricken10 March 1945
FateSunk by USS Spadefish, 28 January 1945
Notes
General characteristics
Typeseaplane tender
Tonnage7,158 GRT (1939), 9,246 GRT (1941)
3,913 NRT (1939), 5,235 NRT (1941)[1]
Length146.2 m (480 ft) (1939)
147.1 m (483 ft) (1941)[1]
Beam19 m (62 ft 4 in)[2]
Draught9.8 m (32 ft) (1939)
12.5 m (41 ft) (1941)[1]
Propulsion2 Mitsubishi-Sulzer diesels, 2 shafts,
6,700
nhp[2]
Speed20 knots[3]
Armament
  • 2 x 150-mm/45 cal single mount guns
  • 2 x 80-mm single mount guns
  • 2 x
    Type 93 13.2 mm (0.5 in) AA machine guns
Aircraft carried

Sanuki Maru (Japanese:讃岐丸) was a 1939-built cargo ship, requisitioned as a seaplane tender by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

History

She was laid down on 29 August 1938 at the

Aso Maru and Nampo Maru and then departed with Patrol Boat No. 1 for Batan Island.[1][4]

Invasion of the Philippines

She participated in the

Aso Maru, Koso Maru, Nampo Maru),[7] and destroyer Tachikaze.[4][8]

On 8 December 1941, four planes from the Sanuki Maru bombed the airstrip at Basco

Camiguin Island along with the ships of the 3rd Gunboat Division and Patrol Boat No. 1 (which carried a platoon of SNLF).[8] They met no resistance and established a floatplane base to support the pending invasion of Aparri. The destroyer Tachikaze (with a platoon of the Yokosuka SNLF) proceeded to occupy Calayan Island also meeting no resistance.[8] Patrol Boat No. 2 was dispatched to survey Fuga Island but found the terrain too steep to land a ground force.[8] The Sanuki Maru remained off Camiguin Island with gunboat Aso Maru to provide air support for the Japanese landings at Vigan, Aparri, and Gonzaga.[4] Six of her planes were damaged beyond repair due to rough sea conditions and the seaplane base at Camiguin Island was abandoned.[4] On 18 December 1941, she was replenished with 6 Mitsubishi F1M "Pete" floatplanes with her two remaining E8N2 "Dave" floatplanes held in reserve.[4]

She then departed for newly occupied

Samal Island.[1]

Invasion of Dutch Borneo

On 7 January 1942, Sanuki Maru and her fellow seaplane tender Sanyo Maru, provided air cover for the

Teiryu Maru, Jankow Maru, Ehime Maru), and five Imperial Japanese Navy transports (Kunikawa Maru, Kano Maru, Kagu Maru, Kokuto Maru, Rakuto Maru).[4] The two seaplane tenders joined the main convoy on 9 January 1942 and oversaw the successful occupation of Tarakan on 11 January 1942 (although the Dutch had destroyed the oil fields).[4] On 24 January 1942, the two seaplane tenders provided air cover for the highly successful invasion of Balikpapan, a major oil producing town and port, which carried the same units to Balikpapan, Borneo on 16 transports.[4] Although the Dutch commander ordered the destruction of oil installations in Balikpapan, it was not completed with the only serious damage done was to tanks, pipes and special quays in the harbor area.[12]

Sinking

On 6 January 1945, she departed

Navy List.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Toda, Gengoro S. "讃岐丸の船歴 (Sanuki Maru - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
  2. ^ a b Toda, Gengoro S. "特設軍艦 ５．特設水上機母艦 - 讃岐丸 (5. Special seaplane tender Sanuki Maru - Ship stats)" (PDF). Imperial Japanese Navy (in Japanese).
  3. ^ a b Nagasawa, Fumio (1998). "崎戸丸型 SAKITO MARU Class 7隻 (1939-1940)". Nostalgic Japanese Steamships (in Japanese).
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Hackett, Bob; Cundall, Peter; Casse, Gilbert; Alsleben, Allan; Obluski, Andrew; Masson, Jean-Francois; Whitman, John; Donahoo, Jeff; Gengoro, Toda; Mahe, Loic (2012). "IJN Seaplane Tender Sanuki Maru: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  5. ^ United States Strategic Bombing Survey. United States Government Printing Office. pp. 26–51.
  6. ^ Casse, Gilbert; van der Wal, Berend; Cundall, Peter (2012). "Kyusetsumokan! Bosemmotei!: Fukuei Maru No. 15: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  7. ^ Hackett, Bob; Toda, Gengoro S.; Muehlthaler, Erich; Cundall, Peter (2012). "Kakyakusen: Transport Teiun Maru: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d e Nagato, Kimura. "第八話 ルソン海峡の確保 (Episode 8 Securing the Luzon Strait)". 大東亜戦争史 (Greater East Asia War History) (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  9. ^ "The First Landings". Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  10. ^
    ISBN 9781472805713
    .
  11. ^ Hackett, Bob; Muehlthaler, Erich; Casse, Gilbert (2012). "Liverpool Maru: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  12. ^ Klemen, L (1999–2000). "The capture of Balikpapan, January 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942.
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