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Terukuni Maru class ocean liner

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Cost
  
6,177,000 JPY

In commission
  
1930 – 1944

Built
  
1929 – 1930

Terukuni Maru-class ocean liner

Name
  
Terukuni Maru class ocean liner

Builders
  
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Operators
  
Nippon Yūsen (NYK Line) Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN)

The Terukuni Maru-class ocean liner (照國丸型貨客船,, Terukuni Maru-gata Kakyakusen) was a class of ocean liners of Japan, serving during the 1930s, and into World War II.

Contents

Background

  • In 1925, Swedish American Line was constructed the excellent passenger MS Kungsholm. The Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (日本郵船,, NYK Line) was shocked for her.
  • In 1927-28, the NYK Line placed an order for eight ocean liners to reinforce the Japan–Seattle route (3 × Hikawa Maru class), Japan–San Francisco route (3 × Asama Maru class), and Japan–London route (2 × Terukuni Maru class). The Terukuni Maru class were named the Terukuni Maru (照國丸) and Yasukuni Maru (靖國丸).

    • Terukuni Maru

  • 9 January 1929: Laid Down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki Shipyard.
  • 19 December 1929: Launched.
  • 31 May 1930: Completed.
  • 30 June 1930: Maiden voyage for Yokohama–London.
  • (after): She sailed 24 times until September 1939.
  • 24 September 1939: The 25th sailing to London.
  • 19 November 1939: Arrived off South Downs. She anchored here till minesweeping of the River Thames by Royal Navy was over.
  • 08:30, 21 November 1939: Weigh anchor.
  • 12:53: She struck a naval mine at 51°50′N 01°30′E.
  • 13:35: Sunk.

    • The wreck lay on its side, partly submerged and visible to wartime shipping in the Thames Estuary area.

    Yasukuni Maru

  • 22 April 1929: Laid Down at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki Shipyard.
  • 15 February 1930: Launched.
  • 31 August 1930: Completed.
  • 22 September 1930: Maiden voyage for Yokohama–London.
  • (after): She sailed many times until October 1939.
  • 25 October 1939: Enlisted by the Navy. Classification to the Auxiliary transport.
  • 11 December 1939: Discharged.
  • 29 October 1940: Enlisted by the Navy. 30 October, armament fitted in Kure Naval Arsenal.
  • 16 December 1940: Classification to the Auxiliary submarine tender.
  • 11 January 1941: Fitting out was completed, and assigned to the 1st Submarine Division, 6th Fleet.
  • 20 December 1941: Assigned to the 3rd Submarine Division, 6th Fleet.
  • 1 February 1942: Bombed by Task Force 8 (USS Enterprise) at Kwajalein.
  • 1 March 1942: Arrived at Kure Naval Arsenal and repairs were started.
  • 23 April 1942: Repairs were completed. Sailed to Truk and Kwajalein.
  • 15 September 1943: Assigned to the 6th Fleet.
  • 31 January 1944: Sunk by USS Trigger at northwest off Truk 09°15′N 147°13′E.
  • 10 March 1944: Removed from naval ship lists, and discharged.

    • References

    Terukuni Maru-class ocean liner Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA