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Japanese tugboat Hokkai Maru

History
Empire of Japan
NameHokkai Maru
BuilderOsaka Iron Works Co., Ltd.
Laid down6 November 1941
Launched18 February 1942
Sponsored byMinistry of the Army
Completed10 August 1942
Stricken12 November 1942
HomeportHiroshima
FateSunk by torpedo attack from USS Grenadier, 12 November 1942
Notes
General characteristics
TypeHigh-powered tugboat
Tonnage457 GRT[1]
Length45 m (147 ft 8 in) o/a[1]
Beam8.8 m (28 ft 10 in)[1]
Draught4.1 m (13 ft 5 in)[1]

Hokkai Maru (Japanese: 北海丸) was a rescue tug of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. She was the first of three ships of her class succeeding the Shōkai Maru class of high-powered tugboats.

History

Hokkai Maru was laid down on 6 November 1941[2] by Osaka Iron Works Co., Ltd. (株式會社大阪鐵工所本社造船所) at the behest of the Ministry of the Army (陸軍省).[1][3] She was launched on 18 February 1942 and completed on 10 August 1942.[2] She was made of steel and registered in Hiroshima.[1] She was fitted as a rescue tug.[2] On 12 November 1942, she was attacked and sunk by torpedoes fired from the American submarine USS Grenadier off the coast of Vietnam, south of Cam Ranh Bay (11°18′N 109°02′E / 11.300°N 109.033°E / 11.300; 109.033).[2][4] She was struck from the Navy List on 12 November 1942.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Toda, Gengoro S. "Kyoryoku Eisen (powered tugs) stats". Imperial Japanese Navy (in Japanese).
  2. ^ a b c d e Toda, Gengoro S. (21 September 2019). "北海丸の船歴 (Hokkai Maru - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
  3. ^ Toda, Gengoro S. (21 September 2019). "Kyoryoku Eisen (powered tugs)". Imperial Japanese Navy (in Japanese).
  4. ^ Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1942, November". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 15 May 2015.