Completed as a passenger cargo ship in 1920 for Nippon Yusen Kaisha
K. K. (Japan Mail
Steamship Co.), LYONS MARU was in NYK service until the outbreak
of the Pacific War. Her sisters were LIMA, LISBON, MATSUMOTO, MATSUE,
TAKETOYO, TATSUNO and
TAKAOKA MARUs.
In 1937, LYONS MARU was requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) as a
transport. In 1941, she was
released by the IJA, but requisitioned by the Imperial Navy (IJN) that
same day and was converted to an armed auxiliary aircraft transport.
In 1944, LYONS MARU was attacked at Rabaul, New Britain by USMC TBFs,
supported by USN, USMC,
USAAF and RNZAF fighters and sunk.
