Japanese transport ship Oigawa Maru

History
Japan
NameOigawa Maru
OwnerToyo Kaiun K.K.
BuilderKawaminami Kogyo K.K., Nagasaki
Laid downc. 1940[1]
Launched30 January 1941
Completed8 May 1941
In service1941
FateRequisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army as an auxiliary transport ship, 23 September 1941
History
 Imperial Japanese Army
NameOigawa Maru
OperatorImperial Japanese Army
Acquired23 September 1941
In service1941-1943
IdentificationNo. 408[1]
FateSunk by PT boats off Finschhafen, 3 March 1943
General characteristics [1][2]
Tonnage
Length445 ft 10 in (135.89 m)
Beam58 ft 5 in (17.81 m)
Height32 ft 2 in (9.80 m)
Propulsion3500 shp gas turbine engine
Speed15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) max
ArmamentAnti-aircraft guns

Oigawa Maru (大井川丸) was a 6,494 GRT transport ship of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.

On 10 December 1941, while unloading troops at Pandan, Philippines, she was bombed and damaged and beached to prevent sinking.

She left Rabaul, New Britain on 1 March 1943, as part of Operation 81, carrying a cargo of troops, equipment, fuel, landing craft and ammunition for Lae, New Guinea.[3] The convoy was attacked by aircraft of the United States Army Air Forces and Royal Australian Air Force from 2 March 1943, known as the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Oigawa Maru was bombed and damaged on 3 March, and was later sunk by motor torpedo boats PT-143 and PT-150 and sank at (06°58′S 148°16′E / 6.967°S 148.267°E / -6.967; 148.267)

There were 78 crewmen and 1,151 troops of the 51st Division who were killed in action.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Hackett, Robert. "OIGAWA MARU: Tabular Record of Movement". CombinedFleet. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Standard Merchant Type 1A Cargo Ships". CombinedFleet. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  3. ^ McAulay 1991, p. 39
  4. ^ "Oigawa Maru (+1943)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 2016-10-01.

References