KYUHEIKAN!

Stories of the IJN's Ammunition Ships

30 July 2024

By Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

Discussion & Questions



(Cargo ship by Takeshi Yuki)

KASHINO was specifically built to transport the YAMATO-class batttleships' main guns and turrets from Kure Naval Arsenal to the shipbuilders' yard. Later, she served as an ammunition transport.

SOYA was an auxiliary ammunition ship. During the war she was based at Rabaul. She survived the war and then served with the Allied Repatriation Service. Later, she served with the Japanese Martime Safety Agency on expeditions to the South Pole.

ARATAMA MARU was another of the IJN's auxiliary ammunition ships. Torpedoed by USS SEAHORSE in April 1944, she was abandoned off Guam as a total loss.

Auxiliary ammunition ship HITACHI MARU was bombed and sunk by American aircraft off Buin, Bougainville in Feb '43, while auxiliary ammunition ship TATSUTAKE MARU was torpedoed and sunk by USS PLUNGER in May '43.

NICHIRO MARU was torpedoed and sunk off Palau in Feb '44 while auxiliary ammunition ship TATSUGAMI MARU was sunk by USN destroyers off Balikpapan, Borneo in Jan '42.

NICHI MARU was bombed and sunk in the Bismarcks in Nov '43 while NARUTO MARU was torpedoed and sunk off Saipan in Aug '43. KOGYO MARU was bombed and sunk in Coron Bay, PI in Sep '44 and HIDE MARU was torpedoed and sunk off Truk in Jun '43. KOTOKU MARU was bombed and sunk near Salamaua, New Guinea in Jul '42.

(Classes link to specifications summaries)
KASHINO Class

Kashino (revised 10/19/2020)

SOYA Class

Soya(revised 11/17/2017)

ARATAMA MARU Class

Aratama Maru(revised 10/14/2018)

HITACHI MARU Class

Hitachi Maru(revised 8/20/2016)

ONOE MARU Class

Onoe Maru(revised 8/20/2016)

TATSUTAKE MARU Class

Tatsutake Maru(revised 5/12/2018)

NICHIRO MARU Class

Nichiro Maru(revised 8/27/2017)

TATSUGAMI MARU Class

Tatsugami Maru(posted 7/10/2010)

NICHII MARU Class

Nichii Maru(revised 8/27/2017)

KOGYO MARU Class

Kogyo Maru(revised 5/12/2018)

NARUTO MARU Class

Naruto Maru(revised 30 July 2024)

HIDE MARU Class

Hide Maru(revised 10/19/2020)

KOTOKU MARU Class

Kotoku Maru(revised 11/19/2011)