Japanese transport ship Nichiai Maru

History
Empire of Japan
Name| Yayoi Maru (彌生丸)
Owner| Suzuki Shoten
Builder| Asano Shipbuilding Company, Tsurumi
Yard number| 338[2]
Laid down| 15 September 1917
Launched| 1 March 1919
Completed| 1 April 1919
Renamed| Nichiai Maru (日愛丸), 10 June 1938
Identification| 25010[1]
Notes|

* Call sign: JYID[1]

Imperial Japanese Army
Name| Nichiai Maru
Acquired| requisitioned by Imperial Japanese Army, 19 November 1941
Fate| Sunk by air attack, 3 February 1944
General characteristics
Class and type| Yoshida Maru No 1-class cargo ship
Tonnage|

* 5,439 GRT, 3,415 NRT[2][4]
* 8,789 DWT[3]

Length| 121.92 m (400.0 ft)[3]
Beam| 16.15 m (53 ft 0 in)[3]
Draught| 0.75 m (2 ft 6 in)[3]
Propulsion| 258 nhp / 2,800 ihp[3]
Speed| 9-10 knots[3]

Nichiai Maru (Japanese:日愛丸) was a transport of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. She was sunk by U.S. Air Force aircraft on 3 February 1944 off New Hanover Island, Papua New Guinea.[1]

## History

[edit]

She was laid down on 15 September 1917 at the Tsurumi shipyard of Asano Shipbuilding Company[1] for the benefit of the Suzuki Shoten (jp:鈴木商店), one of Japan's largest pre-war trading companies, and given identification number 25010[3] She was the second ship of the Yoshida Maru No 1-class of 25 standard cargo ships (referred to as Type B at the time) built by Asano Shipyard (one was built at the Uraga Dock Company) between 1918 and 1919.[5] She was launched on 1 March 1919, completed on 1 April 1919, and given the name Yayoi Maru (彌生丸).[3][1]

In 1919, she was sold to Kokusai Kisen Co., Ltd. (jp:国際汽船) of Yokohama.[3] In April 1929, she was purchased by Karafuto Kisen K.K. of Tokyo.[3] On 22 November 1937, she was transferred to Nissan Kisen Co Limited of Tokyo which had purchased her former owner[3] and her name was changed to Nichiai Maru on 10 June 1938.[3]

On 19 November 1941, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army and immediately sent to Davao arriving on 26 December 1941 where a convoy was assembling nearby to attack the Dutch East Indies.[1] On 6 January 1942, she was assigned to the Tarakan Occupation Force under Rear Admiral Hirose Sueto which departed for Tarakan the same day.

## Fate

[edit]

On 3 February 1944, she was attacked by North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and Consolidated PBY Catalinas of the United States Army Fifth Air Force and sunk at (03°17′S 149°34′E﻿ / ﻿3.283°S 149.567°E﻿ / -3.283; 149.567) southwest of New Hanover.[1][6][7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g Toda, Gengoro S. "日愛丸の船歴 (Nichiai Maru - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy (in Japanese).
2. ^ a b Toda, Gengoro S. "1. 陸軍徴傭船 (1. Army charter ship) - 日愛丸 (Nichiai Maru - Ship stats)" (PDF). Imperial Japanese Navy (in Japanese).
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Nagasawa, Fumio (1998). "彌生丸 YAYOI MARU (1919)". Nostalgic Japanese Steamships (in Japanese).
4. ^ Nagasawa lists 5,460 GRT
5. ^ Nagasawa, Fumio (1998). "第一吉田丸型 YOSHIDA MARU No.1 Class 25隻 (1918-1919)". Nostalgic Japanese Steamships (in Japanese).
6. ^ Cressman, Robert J. (2006) [1999]. "Chapter VI: 1944". The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
7. ^ Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1944, Februar". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 31 July 2015.

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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1944

Shipwrecks|

* 1 Feb: I-171, Ro-39, Umikaze
* 3 Feb: Monte Pascoal, Nichiai Maru
* 4 Feb: U-854, Vautour
* 6 Feb: U-177
* 8 Feb: Petrella, U-762, Lima Maru
* 9 Feb: U-238, U-734
* 10 Feb: El Grillo, Minekaze, U-545, U-666
* 11 Feb: Ro-110, U-283, U-424
* 12 Feb: I-27, Khedive Ismail, Oria
* 13 Feb: Henry, Irma, USS Macaw
* 14 Feb: U-738, UIT-23
* 15 Feb: I-43
* 16 Feb: Ro-40
* 17 Feb: Agano, Aikoku Maru, CH-24, Fumizuki, I-11, Katori, Maikaze, Naka, Tachikaze, Tonan Maru No. 3, W-26
* 18 Feb: Heian Maru, Oite, HMS Penelope, U-7, U-406
* 19 Feb: CH-22, U-264, U-386
* 20 Feb: Hydro, HMS Warwick
* 21 Feb: Kokai Maru
* 22 Feb: British Chivalry
* 24 Feb: U-257, U-761
* 25 Feb: HMS Inglefield, HMS Mahratta, Ryūsei Maru, Tango Maru, U-601
* 26 Feb: USS Ailanthus, U-91
* 27 Feb: USS Grayback, HMS Woodpecker
* 29 Feb: USS Trout
* Unknown date: Cymric, USS Thompson

Other incidents|

* 15 Feb: Agano
* 16 Feb: LST-418
* 20 Feb: HMS Woodpecker
* 25 Feb: HMCS Columbia
* Unknown date: USS Onyx

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