The Sagara Maru was a Japanese Sakito Maru class cargo liner converted to seaplane tender that served during World War II. It was hit by torpedoes from two different submarines before being finally sunk and abandoned.
Sagara Maru was built in 1939 at the MitsubishiYokohoma shipyard for the Nippon Yusen company, being completed in 1940. She was the fifth of seven ships of the Sakito Maru-class of high speed transports: Sakito Maru (崎戸丸), Sanuki Maru (讃岐丸), Sado Maru (佐渡丸), Sagami Maru (相模丸), Sagara Maru (相良丸), Sasako Maru (笹子丸), and Sakura Maru (佐倉丸).[1]
Shortly before Japan's entry into the war, she was acquired by the Imperial Japanese Navy and converted to an auxiliary seaplane tender.[2] After hostilities commenced she was involved in the escort forces for landings at Sabang, Rangoon[3] and the Andaman Islands, and after that spent the majority of her time patrolling and escorting convoys between Penang and Singapore.[4] In December 1942 she was re-classified as a transport/replenishment ship.[5]
On 23 June 1943 off the coast of Omaezaki, Japan she was spotted by USS Harder,[6] who despite being spotted and fired upon managed to fire four torpedoes one of which hit the bow of Sagara Maru. The destroyer Sawakaze took her in tow but to avoid sinking she was beached. Ten days later, on 4 July, before she can be re-floated, USS Pompano spotted her on radar and managed to gain two torpedo hits. She was subsequently abandoned a few days later.[4][7]
Referencesedit
^Nagasawa, Fumio (1998). "崎戸丸型 SAKITO MARU Class 7隻 (1939-1940)". Nostalgic Japanese Steamships (in Japanese).
^"The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: Sagara Maru Class, Japanese Seaplane Carriers". pwencycl.kgbudge.com. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
^ ab"Japanese Auxiliary Seaplane Tenders". www.combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
^Watts, A J (1966). Japanese Warships of World War II. Ian Allan.
^Cope, Karig, Harley Francis, Walter (1951). Battle submerged: submarine fighters of World War II. Norton. pp. 148.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
sagara, maru, japanese, sakito, maru, class, cargo, liner, converted, seaplane, tender, that, served, during, world, torpedoes, from, different, submarines, before, being, finally, sunk, abandoned, historyjapanbuildermitsubishi, shipbuildinglaunched23, march, . The Sagara Maru was a Japanese Sakito Maru class cargo liner converted to seaplane tender that served during World War II It was hit by torpedoes from two different submarines before being finally sunk and abandoned Sagara Maru HistoryJapanBuilderMitsubishi ShipbuildingLaunched23 March 1939FateTorpedoed and beached 23 July 1943General characteristics as seaplane tender Class and typeSakito MaruDisplacement7 189 tonsLength479 ft 9 inBeam62 ft 4 inDraught32 ft 3 inPropulsion2 8 cyl 2 stroke Mitsubishi Sulzer Diesel engines 2 shafts 16000 bhpSpeed18 knotsArmament2 5 5 inch 14cm guns 2 13 2mm machine gunsAircraft carried 6 Mitsubishi F1M 2 Nakajima E8NAviation facilities2 catapultsSagara Maru was built in 1939 at the Mitsubishi Yokohoma shipyard for the Nippon Yusen company being completed in 1940 She was the fifth of seven ships of the Sakito Maru class of high speed transports Sakito Maru 崎戸丸 Sanuki Maru 讃岐丸 Sado Maru 佐渡丸 Sagami Maru 相模丸 Sagara Maru 相良丸 Sasako Maru 笹子丸 andSakura Maru 佐倉丸 1 Shortly before Japan s entry into the war she was acquired by the Imperial Japanese Navy and converted to an auxiliary seaplane tender 2 After hostilities commenced she was involved in the escort forces for landings at Sabang Rangoon 3 and the Andaman Islands and after that spent the majority of her time patrolling and escorting convoys between Penang and Singapore 4 In December 1942 she was re classified as a transport replenishment ship 5 On 23 June 1943 off the coast of Omaezaki Japan she was spotted by USS Harder 6 who despite being spotted and fired upon managed to fire four torpedoes one of which hit the bow of Sagara Maru The destroyer Sawakaze took her in tow but to avoid sinking she was beached Ten days later on 4 July before she can be re floated USS Pompano spotted her on radar and managed to gain two torpedo hits She was subsequently abandoned a few days later 4 7 References edit Nagasawa Fumio 1998 崎戸丸型 SAKITO MARU Class 7隻 1939 1940 Nostalgic Japanese Steamships in Japanese The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia Sagara Maru Class Japanese Seaplane Carriers pwencycl kgbudge com Retrieved 15 March 2019 F Shores Christopher Bloody shambles Cull Brian Izawa Yasuho 1943 London ISBN 094881750X OCLC 27702724 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link a b Japanese Auxiliary Seaplane Tenders www combinedfleet com Retrieved 15 March 2019 Watts A J 1966 Japanese Warships of World War II Ian Allan Cope Karig Harley Francis Walter 1951 Battle submerged submarine fighters of World War II Norton pp 148 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Sagara Maru 1943 nbsp This article about a specific military ship or boat of Japan is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sagara Maru amp oldid 1152162706, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
