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SAN FRANCISCO MARU 385’ (117m), 5,831-ton Passenger-Cargo 18, 1944. Radioman, ARMC Reuben F. Hickman is on the wing
Ship was built in 1919 as part of a fleet involved in world trade hooking the hoist, while pilot Denver F. Baxter waits. Blair’s F6F
operations. She arrived in Truk on February 5, 1944. After escap- Hellcat from the USS Essex had been shot down by anti-aircraft
ing her inevitable demise on day one of Operation Hailstone, on fire. U.S. aircraft, submarines or boats rescued almost every air-
February 18, 1944 she was struck by six 500-lb bombs dropped man who was shot down over Truk Lagoon.
by aircraft from the Carrier Essex, after which she burned and
sank. Five crewmen were killed. AIKOKO MARU 492’ (150m), 10,437-ton Ex-Armed Merchant
Cruiser & Raider never worked as an African-Japan ocean liner
SHONAN MARU NO. 15, a 355-ton, Japanese sub-chaser was ap- as intended. She and two sister ships were Japan’s best, able
proaching Truk Lagoon from the north when it was discovered to cruise at 17 knots and out-distance most ships of her time.
and sunk by U.S. Aircraft. Pressed into naval service, an unknown Avenger either bombed
her or crashed into her forward hold setting off a magazine
CH 24, a small sub-chaser was discovered by the same patrolling explosion so violent that she was obliterated from midships for-
aircraft that had just put down SHONAN MARU NO. 15. Having ward and she sank in seconds.
been damaged by the attacking aircraft, the small ship was then
sunk by the USS BURNS. NIPPO MARU 354’ (107m), 3,764-ton Passenger-Cargo Ship was
launched in Kobe, Japan in 1936. In 1941 Nippo Maru was req-
SHIGURE & HURUSAME, a pair of Japanese destroyers were at- uisitioned by the Japanese Navy for transport. On February 17,
tacked by aircraft in the northern part of Truk Lagoon, and then 1944 she was at anchor, carrying water, firewood, troop arma-
just outside of North Pass. Both escaped. ments, a battle tank and a truck to various Pacific Islands. She
was set ablaze and sunk by a trio of 500-pound bombs from TBF
Vought OS2U Kingfisher aircraft is brought onto USS Baltimore Avengers from the Carrier Essex.
after the rescue of Lt. Goorge M. Blair (seated in back) on Feb.
