Page 214 - Micronesia

OITE 327’ (100m), 1,523-ton Kamikaze Class Destroyer built in
1924 in Tokyo. In February 1944 Oite was on her way to Japan
from Truk with the Agano, and a U.S. Submarine torpedoed the
Agano. Survivors were brought aboard the Oite, and the Oite
was ordered to return to Truk while the Agano sank. The Oite
arrived on February 18th, 1944 while Truk was under attack, and
was struck amidships by a torpedo. The destroyer was blown in
half and immediately sank.
FUJISAN MARU 512’ (156m), 9,524-ton Naval Tanker was one
of the largest ships in Truk Lagoon at the onset of Operation
Hailstone. It appears that Fujisan Maru was under way, with her
anchors up, and outside of the crowded anchorages. Neverthe-
less, she suffered severe athwartship bomb damage, mostly on
the aft end port side, and went down in a hurry.
SEIKO MARU 394’ (120m), 5,385-ton Cargo Ship was built for
world-wide cargo hauling, but she was brought into the Navy for
auxiliary duties, serving Japan’s conquests in the Pacific. This
ship proved very difficult to conquer as she survived attacks by
submarines USS Pogy and USS Steelhead, which listed Seiko Maru
as officially “known sunk” on July 31, 1943. After massive morn-
ing attacks on February 17, 1994 by aircraft from USS Enterprise,
followed by afternoon attacks by bombers from USS Essex, she
still remained afloat, finally sinking the next day, with the loss of
only one man.
I-169 SUBMARINE 337’ (103m), 1,400-ton Cruiser-Submarine
launched on February 15th, 1934 and one of a class of six. This
submarine was present at the attack on Pearl Harbor December
7th, 1941. On April 2nd, 1944 while in Truk an air raid took place,
and the submarine submerged. Afterward it failed to resurface,
and a diver discovered that the upper valve of the storm ventila-
tion tube in the aft part of the conning tower was open a couple
of inches. Attempts to raise the sub failed, and the crew suffo-
cated to death.
Battleship Iowa helped in the search and attack on the fleeing
Destroyer Nowake. Iowa raised her 16-inch main battery and
unloaded, but missed. Nowake fled at flank speed and escaped
to Yokosuka, at the entrance to Tokyo Bay.
MOMOKAWA MARU 354’ (108m), 3,829-ton Cargo Ship built in
1940 for transport of Siberian timber. Since the route is icy,
she was reenforced with steel, essentially making her armor
plated. She was requisitioned by the Japanese Navy in 1943.
Momokawa Maru was bombed on February 17, 1944, but was not
in danger of sinking until it was struck again the next day by a
1,000-lb bomb amidships which caused a huge fire and explo-
sion. The Momokawa Maru burned as she sank stern first.