Fuso Maru
| History | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: |
|
| Owner: | Osaka Shosen K. K. - OSK Line |
| Port of registry: |
Osaka, Japan |
| Route: | |
| Builder: | Barcay Curle Co. Ltd. |
| Yard number: | 470 |
| Laid down: | 1907 |
| Launched: | 19 March 1908 |
| Completed: | February 1909 |
| Maiden voyage: | 2 June 1909 |
| In service: | 2 June 1909 |
| Out of service: | 31 July 1944 |
| Fate: | Torpedoed and sunk |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Ocean Liner |
| Tonnage: | 8,596 GRT |
| Length: | 144.78 metres (475 ft 0 in) |
| Beam: | 17.53 metres (57 ft 6 in) |
| Depth: | 11.2 metres (36 ft 9 in) |
| Installed power: | 2 Triple expansion steam engines |
| Propulsion: | Double Screw propeller |
| Speed: | 16 knots |
| Capacity: | 1724 |
| Crew: | 144 |
SS Fuso Maru was a Japanese ocean liner that was torpedoed by USS Steelhead in the South China Sea 280 nautical miles (520 km) North West of Cape Mayraira, Luzon (18°51′N 122°55′E / 18.850°N 122.917°ECoordinates: 18°51′N 122°55′E / 18.850°N 122.917°E), while she was travelling in Convoy MI-11 from Moji, Japan to Miri, Borneo.
Construction
Fuso Maru was constructed in 1907 at the Barcay Curle Co. Ltd. shipyard in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom. She was launched on 19 March 1908 and was completed in February 1909. She was built for the Russian East Asiatic Steamship Company and was named Russia. She was renamed Fuso Maru when she was bought by the Japanese Company Osaka Shosen K. K. - OSK Line on 24 December 1923. The ship was 144.78 metres (475 ft 0 in) long, with a beam of 17.53 metres (57 ft 6 in) and a depth of 11.2 metres (36 ft 9 in). The ship was assessed at 8,596 GRT. She had two Triple expansion steam engine driving two screw propellers and the engine was rated at 7113 ihp. She also had two funnels and four masts
Pre-War Career
She completed her Maiden Voyage from Libau to New York, United States on 2 June 1909 and her last on 26 June 1914, she was then laid up at Kronstadt until 1917 when she was renamed Rossija and later Russ. In 1921 she was transferred to the Baltic American Line and was renamed Latvia. She started her first Libau - Danzig - Halifax - New York route sailing on 11 July 1921. Her ninth and last transatlantic voyage started 7 Febebruary 1923, she was then sold to Osaka Shosen Kaisha, Japan on 24 December 1923 and renamed Fuso Maru. Two of her masts were removed at this stage.
In total Fuso Maru served under two different Companies and four different names before finally being purchased by the Japanese Company Osaka Shosen K. K. - OSK Line. Fuso Maru sailed the Kobe, Japan ~ Kirun, Taiwan route from 18 July 1924 until March 1934. She then proceeded to sail the Kobe, Japan ~ Dairen, Manchukuo route from March 1934 until November 1941. She had accommodation for 42 First Class, 56 Second Class, 212 Third Class and 1,414 Fourth Class passengers, as well as 144 crewmen.
War career
In November 1941 Fuso Maru was chartered by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) as a Troop Transport ship. She was most likely painted grey overall and armed with a suite of AA guns.
She participed as a Troop Transport ship in Operation “E” - The Invasion of Malaya on 13 December 1941. But in late December 1941 Fuso Maru was rerated as a Byoinsen (Hospital ship). She was most likely disarmed because Hospital ships aren't allowed to carry any armnement, and she was painted white with a green horizontal strip and red crosses on the sides and funnel.
On 15 April 1943 near the Shortland Islands shortly after sunrise, Hospital ship Fuso Maru was bombed by Allied planes three times near (03°33′S 152°20′E / 3.550°S 152.333°E). Fuso Maru was also re-used as a Troop Transport ship in 1943 and repainted overall grey and armed again with AA guns.
Sinking
On 31 July 1944 Fuso Maru was part of Convoy MI-11, which consisted of 23 ships, including tankers Koei Maru, Taketoyo Maru, Shichiyo Maru, Ayagumo Maru, Harima Maru and Ogura Maru No. 1 and cargo/transport ships Fuso Maru, Ayayuki Maru, Yoshino Maru, Miho Maru, Enoshima Maru, Manko Maru, Hachijin Maru, Dakar Maru, Teiritsu Maru, Fukuju Maru, Banshu Maru No. 16 and escorted by destroyers Shiokaze Maru, Kaibokan Shimushu Maru; minesweepers W-38 and W-39, subchaser CH-55 and auxiliary gunboat Kazan Maru. when the convoy was attacked in the South China Sea 280 nautical miles (520 km) North West of Cape Mayraira, Luzon while they were sailing from Moji, Japan to Miri, Borneo[1]
A wolfpack patrolled the Luzon Strait under command of Captain (later Rear Admiral) Lewis S. Parks. Consisting of Lt.Cdr (later Vice Admiral) Lawson P. Ramage's USS Parche (SS-384), Lt.Cdr (later Captain) David L. Whelchel's USS Steelhead (SS-280) and Lt.Cdr John C. Martin's USS Hammerhead (SS-364).
At 3:32 AM, USS Parche torpedoed and sank Koei Maru with 4 torpedoes. Although she was carrying a unit of 1,050 Imperial Japanese Army Troops, the casualties were relatively light, about 150 troops and nine crewmen were KIA. About the same time, tanker Ogura Maru No. 1 was hit by 2 torpedoes killing 5 men, but she did not sink. At 3:40 AM, USS Parche torpedoed and sank Yoshino Maru with 4 torpedoes. She carried down 2,442 of the 5,063 Imperial Japanese Army troops she was carrying, 18 gunners, 35 crewmen and 400 cubic meters of ammunition. At 4:20 AM, USS Steelhead torpedoed Dakar Maru with 2 torpedoes killing 6 men, but she did not sink and she quickly beached herself.
Aboard Fuso Maru, 40 men were assigned to the ships lookouts including Imperial Japanese Army artillery troops and IJA soldiers. At 4:55 AM, one lookout spots torpedo’s approaching the ship and the captain turns the rudder hard to port. But it was to late. USS Steelhead's torpedo hit Fuso Marus engine room on the port side of the ship. Fuso Maru bucked and trembled from the explosion and the blast blew upwards, destroying several life boats that were on deck. Fuso Maru took on a 25 degree list to port in heavy seas when the Abandon Ship order was issued. The deck cargo vehicles broke loose and fell onto men swimming in the water.
At 5:10 AM, Fuso Maru sank only 15 minutes after the torpedo hit, taking down 1,316 of 4,500 troops aboard. Including 70 men of second Company and Sixth Aviation Signal Regiment, 12 other passengers and 22 crewmembers also perished taking the death toll to 1,384 people. A cargo consisting of food and medical supplies, oil, trucks, 36 railway carriages and 1,120-tons of other military supplies were also lost.
At 5:14 AM, USS Parche torpedoed and sank Manko Maru. She carried several hundred naval personnel, 17 crewmen, about 20 gunners and a cargo of ammunition down with her. All together 4 of the 23 ships of Convoy MI-11 sank and 2 were damaged. The ships took down several thousand military personnel, crewmen and their cargoes of ammunition and other supplies. Thousands of troops were left floating in the waters of Balintang Channel.[2]
Aftermath Of The Attack
| Ship Name | Ship Type | Fate | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayagumo Maru | Tanker | Survived | None |
| Ayayuki Maru | Cargo | Survived | None |
| Banshu Maru No. 16 | Cargo | Survived | None |
| CH-55 | Subchaser | Survived | None |
| Dakar Maru | Cargo | Badly Damaged | 6 |
| Enoshima Maru | Cargo | Survived | None |
| Fukuju Maru | Cargo | Survived | None |
| Fuso Maru | Transport | Sunk by USS Steelhead | 1,384 |
| Hachijin Maru | Cargo | Survived | None |
| Harima Maru | Tanker | Survived | None |
| Kaibokan Shimushu Maru | Destroyer | Survived | None |
| Kazan Maru | Auxiliary Gunboat | Survived | None |
| Koei Maru | Tanker | Sunk by USS Parche | 159 |
| Manko Maru | Transport | Sunk by USS Parche | 137-337 |
| Miho Maru | Cargo | Survived | None |
| Ogura Maru No. 1 | Tanker | Badly Damaged | 5 |
| Shichiyo Maru | Tanker | Survived | None |
| Shiokaze Maru | Destroyer | Survived | None |
| Taketoyo Maru | Tanker | Survived | None |
| Teiritsu Maru | Troop | Survived | None |
| W-38 | Minesweeper | Survived | None |
| W-39 | Minesweeper | Survived | None |
| Yoshino Maru | Transport | Sunk by USS Parche | 2,495 |
Total: 4 Ships Sunk, 2 Damaged and 4186-4386 Fatalities[3]
Wreck
The wreck lies at (18°51′N 122°55′E / 18.850°N 122.917°E), but the wreck's current condition is unknown.[4]
References
- ↑ "Fuso Maru". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
- ↑ "Fuso Maru". combinedfleet.com. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
- ↑ "Battle Surface!". Retrieved 10 November 2015.
- ↑ "Fuso Maru (+1944)". Wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 10 November 2015.