Sinking History
This ship is also sometimes spelled 'Kenshin'. Built at Kobe as and launched on August 3, 1940, completed on October 10, 1040. Commandeered by the Navy on July 8, 1943 and used as a cargo ship.
Wartime History
Operated at Yokosuka, Truk and Kwajalein.
Sinking History
On January 17, 1944 the ship was at Simpson Harbor off Rabaul and bombed sunk by American air attack, possibly when it arrived in the harbor, as the port anchor was still retracted. Hit by a bomb on the starboard side near stern, causing heavy damage and causing it to sink.
Shipwreck
The shipwreck lies upright on a sandy bottom in 140'
of water, with a list to the port and stern. On the deck were 6" shells, ammunition, fuses, etc.
Cargo Holds
The ship's bell was located by Roslyn Scott, confirming its identity as 'Kensin Maru, 1940, Kobe'. In the forward hold is a field gun with ammunition. In the next hold is ammunition and a truck with the crank handle still
in place and human remains. In the rear forward hold is an upside down gun and shells and torpedoes. The rear hold contains human remains.
Near the shipwreck, in the sea floor is an unexploded bomb, and other muntions. Likely these munitons were dumped in the harbor post war or at some other point.
During the 1994 volcano eruption, this shipwreck was covered in ash, and is no longer
diveable.
References
Hostages to Freedom page 408-411, 471 [Kenshin]
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Last Updated
October 1, 2009
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