Page 226 - Micronesia

TACHIKAZE 337’ (103m), 1,215-ton Destroyer was built post- HOKI MARU 450’ (138m), 7,113-ton Cargo Ship was built in 1921
World War I based on British design, and was becoming obsolete for the Union Steam Ship Co. of New Zealand for trans-Pacific
in World War II. Apparently she accidentally ran hard aground trade, mostly to Australia. In July, 1942 she was ambushed by
against the Kuop Atol in early February, 1944, where she was Japanese armed merchant cruisers Hokoku Maru and Aikoku
stuck. USS Intrepid, USS Essex and USS Bunker Hill aircraft at- Maru and captured, with her crew sent to the horrible Ofuna
tacked and their bombs shook her off the reef into deeper water POW Camp in Tokyo. On February 17, 1944 she was repeatedly
where she sank on February 17, 1944. Although she suffered attacked by USS Essex and USS Yorktown bombers and then
many casualties, the captain and 114 crewmen were rescued. torpedoed by planes from USS Bunker Hill CV17. She burned and
She also reportedly shot down three of the 34 attacking aircraft. sank before the next day’s attacks.

SHOTAN MARU 286’ (87m), 1,999-ton Cargo Ship was used for KIKUKAWA MARU 384’ (116m), 4,862-ton Passenger-Cargo ship
auxiliary duties and was less than a year old when it was an- was built in 1938, but found duties of transporting military sup-
chored at Truk Lagoon with a cargo of Zero aircraft components. plies such as ammunition and personnel. She was apparently
After attackers from the USS Enterprise hit her on Feb. 18, 1944, attacked at Kwajalein in 1943, and was towed to Truk lagoon,
her captain tried to run her into shallow water toward Fanamu Is- only to succumb to an accidental fire and a resultant explosion
land to prevent sinking. But a huge hole aft of midships flooded of munitions on October 7, 1943. Her entire aft half was oblit-
the ship too quickly and she went down in deep water before erated by the violent blast and she went to the bottom before
she could get there. the smoke could even rise.

OJIMA 161’ (49m), 812-ton Tategami Class Salvage Tug built in HOKUYO MARU 368’ (112m), 4,739-ton Passenger-Cargo Ship
1937. On October 7th, 1943 the Ojima was assisting the Ki- served the Far East until the war, when she became a Naval Mis-
kukawa Maru, which had a fire onboard. Attempts were be- cellaneous Auxiliary Ship. She was carrying cement bags when
ing made to extinguish the fire when a tremendous explosion she was torpedoed to the sea floor during Operation Hailstone.
erupted and both vessels were sent to the bottom with many Little is known about this ship or her pre-Truk Lagoon actions.
lives lost.