IJN
Kamikawa Class
Seaplane Tender

1938 via Kamino

Dimensions
479' | 62' | 30'

Tons
6,863

Armament
2 x 5.9" Guns
2 x 13mm MG
Two catapults, cranes

Aircraft
12 seaplanes or
24 as cargo

Ship History
Construction was completed in 1937 at Kawasaki's Kobe shipyard.

Wartime History
After the Kiyokawa Maru was bomb and heavily damaged on March 10, 1942 and transfered its remaining seaplanes to the Kamikawa Maru.

Arriveds at Deboyne Lagoon on May 6th. The next day, launches several floatplanes at 06:30 for search. At 08:20 on spots enemy cruisers 150 miles SSW of Deboyne. The Kamikawa Maru departs on May 10th.

19 September 1942:
Arrives at Shortland. Kamikawa Maru off-loads floatplanes including A6M2-N Rufe, then departs for Rabaul.

18 October 1942:
Arrives at Shortlands, then departs.

3 November 1942:
Shortland. Designated as the flagship of the 11th Seaplane Tender Division.

7 December 1942:
Arrives at Shortland.

13 December 1942:
Shortland. KAMIKAWA MARU, depleted of pilots, is assigned as the tender of the 802nd Air Group.

29 January 1943:
Arrives at Shortland.

Damaged
Damaged by a torpedo fired by USS Wahoo SS-238 on May 4, 1943 that hit between the stack and bridge; the other two missed. Kamikawa Maru turned away and was making only 11 knots with a slight list.

Sinking History
While sailing 255 miles to the NNW of Kavieng near Emirau, enroute to Palau, she was sun by a torpedo attack by USS Scamp (SS-227) over two days while in a storm. 39 of the crew and 3 civilian employees went down with the ship on May 29, 1943.

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