SS Kembu Maru (1942)
History | |
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Name |
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Owner | Japanese Government (1942–43) |
Operator | Imperial Japanese Navy |
Builder | Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Company, Hong Kong |
Yard number | 303 |
Laid down | May 1941 |
Launched | 1942 |
Completed | February 1943 |
Out of service | 4 December 1943 |
Fate | Bombed 4 December 1943 and sank, 5 December 1943 |
General characteristics | |
Tonnage | |
Length | 137.20 m (450 ft 2 in) |
Beam | 17.30 m (56 ft 9 in) |
Propulsion | 1 x triple expansion steam engine |
Armament | 1 x 5" gun |
Kembu Maru also Kenmu Maru (Kanji:
Description
[edit]Empire Blossom was built as a 6,603 GRT cargo ship by Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Company of Hong Kong Ltd. She was laid down in May 1941,[2] as yard number 303.[3] The ship was completed in February 1943. She was 137.20 metres (450 ft 2 in) long, with a beam of 17.30 metres (56 ft 9 in). On completion she was 6,816 GRT, 9,925 DWT. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine.[3]
Career
[edit]The engine and boilers intended for Empire Blossom were sent to Singapore on 1 December 1941 aboard the Blue Funnel Line ship Ulysses.[2] The ship was launched as Empire Blossom. It was completed in February 1943 and put into service by the Imperial Japanese Navy as Kembu Maru.[3][4]
On 4 August 1943, Kembu Maru was damaged by USS Seadragon at 07°33′N 161°12′E / 7.550°N 161.200°E.[5] On 4 December 1943, Kembu Maru was bombed and torpedoed by aircraft from USS Lexington. She was carrying a cargo of aviation fuel in drums. The bombing caused the ship to explode, with a column of smoke 10,000 feet (3,000 m) being seen. She sank the next day.[4] At the time of her sinking she was in the Kwajalein Atoll (09°19′N 167°25′E / 9.317°N 167.417°E).[3][1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Captured Vessels in Japanese Service as Auxiliary Transports". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ a b Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d "5617419". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ a b "Kembu Maru". Pacific Wrecks. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- ^ "4 August, Wed". Ibiblio. Retrieved 27 November 2009.