IJN
Cargo
Tons
6,940
August 7, 1946
Ship History
Built by Kokusai Kisen
Wartime History
On July 26, 1942 at 1000 departed Kataoka Bay on Shumushu Island. On July 28, 1942 arrived Holtz Bay on Attu Island at 0200. Unloading commenced. The vessel departed at 1200 with only 5 passengers for Kiska Island.
On July 30, 1942 at 0800 at a point 36 km north of Kiska, the ship ran into dense fog. The ship quickly slowed from 15 knots and drifted. The following day at 0547 a sudden torpedo attack and the starboard engine room torpedoed and the ship lost power.
At 0557 in a second attack 2 torpedoes passed under ship. A third attack occurred at 0607 and a fourth attack off the port side with a direct dud torpedo hit ahead of the ship’s bridge directly amidships. Into this dangerous situation Kikukawa Maru was summoned to tow ship to safety. On 1/8/42 at midnight safely entered Kiska Bay. At once unloading of 1000 cubic metres of general cargo, 4 Daihatsu, and clothing began. All coal was removed to allow ship to be repaired.
Sinking History
September 15, 1942 an air attack and the port side near missed by bombs splitting ship open. The ship began sinking and run aground and then the current and strong wind blew ship across to south shore and ran aground a second time near to South Head. Ship was wrecked and as this rapidly became apparent that salvage repair options were negligible and the ship was abandoned.
Gross tonnage is shown in all other records as 8572. Listed as Kashima Maru in Mono 116. Photos of the wreck show the vessel aground but settled aft with the leeward side being used as a harbour for Daihatsu/Shohatsu barges.
