Hague Maru Class Transport

(Sister HAVRE MARU, prewar)

This class consisted of four ships. HAGUE MARU was completed as a passenger-cargo ship in 1920 for the Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) Line. HAGUE MARU's sisters were HAVANA, HAVRE MARUs and HONOLULU MARUs. All were also built for OSK in 1920.

HAGUE MARU was requisitioned by the Imperial Army in '41 and served as an attack transport for the invasion of the Philippines. In Oct '42, HAGUE MARU was sunk off Japan by an American submarine.

HAVANA MARU was also requisitioned by the IJA in '41 as a troop transport. She was sunk off Bougainville by USAAF B-17 heavy bombers in Nov ‘42.

HAVRE MARU, also requisitioned by the IJA in '41, served as an attack transport for the invasion of the Philippines and carried troops to Burma. In Jun '44, while transporting reinforcement troops, HAVRE MARU was sunk NW of Saipan by an American submarine.

HONOLULU MARU was renamed HOKUSHIN MARU in 1934. She was requisitioned by the IJA in '37 and '41, and served as a hospital ship. Lost due to an unknown cause off Hainan Island, China in '44.

Builder and Year Completed:	Osaka Iron Works, Innoshima Yard 1920
Gross tonnage:	Nominal 5,800-tons.
Dimensions:	403 (LPP) x 48.75' x 11'
Propulsion:	Steam triple expansion engine, 3,632 h.p., single screw.
Speed:	9 knots cruising, 13.7 knots maximum
Armament:	Unknown