''Awazisan Maru'' (淡路山丸), also known as ''Awajisan Maru'' or ''Awagisan Maru'', was a motor cargo vessel built by Tama Zosensho of
Tamano for
Mitsui & Co. Ltd. with intention of serving on their
Yokohama to
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
route. The ship remained in service between Japan and United States for two years before being requisitioned by the
Imperial Japanese Army. She was bombed and damaged during her first Army mission and subsequently torpedoed and sunk by a Dutch submarine in December 1941.
Design and construction
The ship was launched in 1939 and was notable for being the most advanced freighter of its time.
It was commissioned by the
Imperial Japanese Army to transport troops in
World War II and was part of the
Japanese Invasion of Malaya on 8 December 1941.
Operational history
Imperial Japanese Army
Along with its sister ship and ''Sakura Maru'', she was carrying around 5,000 troops during the landings at
Kota Bharu. ''Awazisan Maru'' was bombed by a
Lockheed Hudson aircraft of
No. 1 Squadron RAAF
, colors=
, colors_label=
, march=
, mascot=
, battles=World War IWorld War II Malayan Emergency
, anniversaries=
, decorations=
, battle_honours= Egypt 1915–1917 Palestine 1917–1918 Malaya 1948–1960
, commander1= Richard Williams (1917†...
, set afire and was abandoned to drift. It is believed that the freighter sunk or was subsequently torpedoed by the Dutch submarine
K XII.
The invasion of
Malaya
Malaya refers to a number of historical and current political entities related to what is currently Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia:
Political entities
* British Malaya (1826–1957), a loose collection of the British colony of the Straits ...
preceded the attack on
Pearl Harbor by an hour and a half, making it the first Japanese campaign of
World War II, likely making ''Awazisan Maru'' the very first casualty in the war.
''Awazisan Maru'' now lies in of water off the coast of Pantai Sabak in Kota Bharu and is fast becoming a popular diving destination due to its remarkable history. It is more popularly known amongst local divers as the ''Japanese Invasion Wreck''.
Citations
External links
The Japanese landings in 1941 on MalayaDiving The Awazisan Maru* Ahmad, Sager & Tiong, John
"End Of Western Rule" ''New Straits Times Press (Malaysia)''.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Awazisan Maru
1938 ships
Ships built in Japan
World War II merchant ships of Japan
Troop ships of Japan
Maritime incidents in December 1941
World War II shipwrecks in the South China Sea
Ships sunk by Dutch submarines