RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(MOMOHA MARU, prewar)

MOMOHA MARU: Tabular Record of Movement

© 2014-2017 Bob Hackett

1918:
Stockton-on-Tees. Laid down by Craig, Taylor & Co. Ltd, as Yard No. 200, a 3,143-ton Standard Type C cargo ship for The Shipping Controller (WWI), London.

28 June 1918:
Launched and named WAR ISLAND.

September 1918:
Completed and managed by Gibbs & Co.

1919:
Sold to the Watkin James Williams, Cardiff, U.K. Renamed COSMOS VOLGA.

1920:
Renamed TERRIFIC.

1922:
Sold to St. Mary SS Co. (Williams Bros), Cardiff. Renamed GOLDENWAY,

1928:
Sold to Tatsuuma Kisen K. K., Nishinomiya, Japan. Renamed MOMOHA MARU.

26 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJA to serve as a troop transport. Allotted Army No. No. 663.

29 September 1942:
MOMOHA MARU departs Saeki for Rabaul in convoy OKI, Part 6, also consisting of EHIME, SUMIYOSHI and YASUKUNI MARUs escorted by torpedo boat HATO and patrol boat PB-31.

October 1942:
Convoy OKI, Part 6, arrives at Rabaul.

17 January 1943:
MOMOHA MARU departs Ujina for Rabaul in convoy "U " also consisting of INDUS, KIRIHA, MEIKAI, NAGANO and YAMATO MARUs escorted by patrol boat PB-31 and subchaser CH-36.

E 19 January 1943:
At 29N, destroyer YUNAGI rendezvous with convoy "U" and takes over escort. PB-31 and subchaser CH-36 are detached..

27 January 1943:
Subchaser CH-18 rendezvous with convoy "U" at 00-30N, 149-40E and takes over escort. YUNAGI is detached.

31 January 1943:
At 0120, convoy "U" arrives at Rabaul.

12 March 1943:
At 1420, MOMOHA MARU departs Rabaul in a convoy also consisting of ASAKA, FLORIDA, NISHIYAMA (SEIZAN), TASMANIA, TOHO and TONEI MARUs escorted by destroyer MOCHIZUKI and Navy salvage tug NAGAURA.

15 March 1943:
At 1115, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Roy S. Benson's (USNA '29) USS TRIGGER (SS-237) torpedoes and hits MOMOHA MARU in the engine room. All aboard quickly abandon ship. At 1120, she sinks at 00-02S, 145-05E, but there are no casualties.

At 1355, as the escorts are transferring survivors to FLORIDA MARU, she is also torpedoed and damaged by TRIGGER. Subchaser CH-23, that came to assist, rescues survivors.

Author's Note:
Thanks to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.

Bob Hackett

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