Completed as a passenger cargo ships in November 1924, both ASUKA MARU and sister ATAGO MARU were placed in Nippon Yusen Kaisha’s K. K. (Japan Mail Steamship Co.), (NYK) service. Some time after the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in’37, ASUKA MARU was requisitioned by the Imperial Army. In ’41, she was converted to an aircraft depot repair ship. In ‘42, ATAGO MARU was converted to an emergency tanker.
ASUKA MARU torpedoed and sunk by anb American submarine off Okinawa in '44. ATAGO MARU bombed and sunk by USAAF B-24 heavy bombers off Miri, Borneo also in ‘44.
| Builders and Year Completed: |
ASUKA MARU: D. W. Henderson Co.,Glasgow Scotland
ATAGO MARU: Lithgow & Company, Glasgow. 1924 |
| Gross tonnage: | 7,543-tons. |
| Dimensions: | 456' x 57'2 "x 28'3" |
| Propulsion: | Two Sulzer (Winterthur) diesels, 997 n.h.p, 2 shafts. |
| Speed: | 12 knots cruising, 14 knots max.. |
| Oil Cargo Capacity: | E 6,500-tons |
| Armament: | Unknown. |
