Japanese minelayer Magane Maru
Magane Maru (Japanese: まがね丸) was an auxiliary minelayer, gunboat, and patrol boat of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
Pre-war photo of Japanese auxiliary minelayer Magane Maru | |
History | |
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Name: | Magane Maru |
Builder: | Harima Zosensho |
Laid down: | 14 December 1939 |
Launched: | 15 June 1940 |
Sponsored by: | Nihon Kaiun |
Completed: | 5 August 1940 |
Acquired: | Requisitioned by Imperial Japanese Navy, 5 September 1941 |
Stricken: | 10 March 1944 |
Identification: | 47295 |
Fate: | sunk by torpedo from submarine, 24 January 1944 |
Notes: |
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General characteristics | |
Tonnage: | 3,120 GRT |
Length: | 97 m (318 ft 3 in) o/a[1] |
Beam: | 14 m (45 ft 11 in)[1] |
Draught: | 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)[1] |
Installed power: | 1600 hp[2] |
Propulsion: | 1 x 3 cylinder triple expansion steam engine, single shaft, 1 screw[1] |
Speed: | 10 knots[1] |
Armament: |
1 x 8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval gun[3] 1 twin Type 93 machinegun (jp:九三式十三粍機銃)[3] 1 Type 3 heavy machine gun[3] 120 mines[3] |
History
Magane Maru was laid down on 14 December 1939 at the shipyard of Harima Zosensho at the behest of shipping company, Nihon Kaiun.[3][4] She was launched on 15 June 1940 and completed 5 August 1940.[4] On 5 September 1941, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy and converted to an auxiliary minelayer/gunboat under Reserve Lieutenant Maniwa Kenji (間庭建爾).[4] Armaments mounted were 1 x 8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval gun, 1 twin Type 93 machinegun (jp) (based on the Hotchkiss M1929 machine gun), 1 Type 3 heavy machine gun, and 120 mines.[3] In December 1941, she was assigned to Gunboat Division 10 of the 5th Fleet under Lieutenant Commandeer Sasaki Heiji (佐々木丙二)(jp).[4] On 10 April 1942, she was detached from Gunboat Division 10[4] and attached to the Adak-Attu invasion force under Rear Admiral Sentarō Ōmori during the Aleutian Islands campaign.[5][6] On 25 September 1942, she was reassigned to the Yokosuka Naval District.[4] On 25 May 1943, Sasaki was replaced by Reserve Lieutenant Yamazaki Kiyoichi (山嵜來代一).[4] On 18 September 1943, Yamazaki was replaced by Reserve Lieutenant Shigematsu Yoshioka (吉岡茂松).[4]
On 24 January 1944, she was attacked and sunk by the American submarine USS Snook about 175 miles northwest of Chichi Jima (29°49′N 140°08′E)[4] (Japanese sources indicate 30°06′N 141°19′E).[3] She was struck from the Navy List on 10 March 1944.[4]
References
- Lettens, Jan (11 May 2010). "Magane Maru (まがね丸 Snook) (+1944)". wrecksite.eu.
- Gogin, Ivan (2014). "Imperial Japanese Navy (Japan) - Converted Merchant Vessels - auxiliary gunboats of WW II". navypedia.org.
- Toda, Gengoro S. (21 September 2019). "まがね丸の船歴 (Magane Maru - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
- Niehorster, Leo; Donahoo, Jeff. "Converted Gunboats of the Imperial Japanese Navy". World War II Armed Forces - Orders of Battle and Organizations. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- United States Strategic Bombing Survey (1946). The Campaigns of the Pacific War. U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey (Pacific) Naval Analysis Division, 1946. p. 99.
- Niehorster, Leo; Alsleben, Al; Yoda, Tadashi. "Aleutian Operations". Imperial Japanese Armed Forces.