Hōkoku Maru-class ocean liner

The Hōkoku Maru-class ocean liner (報國丸型貨客船,, Hōkoku Maru-gata Kakyakusen) was a class of ocean liners of Japan, serving during 1940 and World War II.

O.S.K. Lines Hōkoku Maru in 1940
Class overview
Name: Hōkoku Maru class ocean liner
Builders:
Operators:
Built: 1938 – 1942
In commission: 1940 – 1944
Planned: 3
Completed: 3
Lost: 3
General characteristics [1]
Type: Ocean liner
Displacement: 7,410 long tons (7,529 t) gross
Length: 160.8 m (527 ft 7 in) overall
Beam: 20.1 m (65 ft 11 in)
Draught: 12.5 m (41 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × Mitsui-B&W Model 12-62 VF-115 diesels, 2 shafts
  • cruising: 13,000 bhp
  • full boost: 19,427 bhp
Speed:
  • Hokoku Maru
  • 21.1 knots (24.3 mph; 39.1 km/h)
  • Aikoku Maru
  • 20.9 knots (24.1 mph; 38.7 km/h)
  • Gokoku Maru
  • 20.6 knots (23.7 mph; 38.2 km/h)
Capacity:
  • 400 passengers (48 first class, 48 special-third class, 304 third class)
  • 12,000 cubic meters freight
Crew: 150
Armament:
  • Hōkoku Maru in October 1941
  • 8 × 150 mm (5.9 in) L/40 naval guns
  • 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA guns
  • 4 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes
  • Aikoku Maru in March 1942
  • 8 × 140 mm L/50 naval guns
  • 4 × 25 mm AA guns
  • 4 × 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • Gokoku Maru as built
  • 8 × 150 mm L/40 naval guns
  • 4 × 13 mm AA guns
  • 4 × 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • Gokoku Maru in 1944
  • 2 × 120 mm (4.7 in) L/40 AA guns
  • 4 × 25 mm AA guns
  • 4 × 13 mm AA guns
  • 2 × 7.7 mm machine guns
  • 6 × depth charges
Aircraft carried:
  • Hōkoku Maru and Aikoku Maru in 1941
  • 2 × Kawanishi E7K
  • Hōkoku Maru and Aikoku Maru in August 1942
  • 2 × Aichi E13A
  • Gokoku Maru as built
  • 1 × Aichi E13A

Background
  • 17 May 1937, the Ōsaka Mercantile Steamship Co.Ltd. (大阪商船,, Ōsaka Shōsen Kaisha, O.S.K. Lines) placed an order for three ocean liners to reinforce the Japan-Africa route. They were named Hōkoku Maru, Aikoku Maru and Kōkoku Maru (later renamed Gokoku Maru).
  • They were beautiful, and luxuriously equipped[2] Their suites were named after ancient Japanese cities:[3]

Civilian service
  • Hōkoku Maru was completed on 15 June 1940. Her maiden voyage was 2–12 July 1940, Yokohama-Dalian.
  • On 17 July 1940, she departed to South America on her only overseas voyage. After this she stayed close to the Japanese mainland, as the Japanese Navy (IJN) feared losing her.
  • Aikoku Maru was completed on 31 August 1941.
  • In September 1941, both ships were enlisted by the IJN.
Name Builder Laid down Launched Completed Note
Hōkoku Maru (報國丸) Tama Shipyards 18 August 1938 5 July 1939 15 June 1940 She was enlisted by the navy on 20 September 1941.
Aikoku Maru (愛國丸) Tama Shipyards 28 December 1938 25 April 1940 31 August 1941 She was enlisted by the navy on 1 September 1941.
Gokoku Maru (護國丸)
ex-Kōkoku Maru (興國丸)		 Mitsui, Tamano Shipyard 31 July 1939 as Kōkoku Maru 2 April 1942 as Gokoku Maru (4 August 1942) Renamed Gokoku Maru in early 1942. She was enlisted by the navy on 27 July 1942.

Service in World War II
  • Hōkoku Maru and Aikoku Maru became auxiliary cruisers, and they were assigned to the 24th Raider Division, Combined Fleet. When they learned of the outbreak of war they were north of Tuamotus.
  • 27 April 1942, Aikoku Maru supported submarine I-30 which departed to Germany.
  • 4 August 1942, Gokoku Maru was completed. She acted in the Indian Ocean until 30 November 1942.
  • 11 November 1942, Hōkoku Maru was sunk by HMIS Bengal and tanker Ondina in the Indian Ocean. Aikoku Maru returned to Singapore.
  • January 1943, Aikoku Maru and Gokoku Maru were dispatched to New Guinea They engaged in troop transportation duties afterward.
  • 1 October 1943, they were classified to Auxiliary transport, and removed some armaments.
  • 17 February 1944, Aikoku Maru was sunk by air raid at Chuuk.
  • 10 November 1944, Gokoku Maru was sunk by a US submarine.
Name Career Fate
Hōkoku Maru Classified to auxiliary cruiser on 20 September 1941 Sunk by HMIS Bengal and armed tanker Ondina at southwest of Cocos 20°00′S 93°00′E on 11 November 1942.
Aikoku Maru Classified to auxiliary cruiser on 5 September 1941
Classified to auxiliary transport on 1 October 1943		 Sunk during the Operation Hailstone on 17 February 1944.
Gokoku Maru Classified to auxiliary cruiser on 4 August 1942
Classified to auxiliary transport on 1 October 1943		 Sunk by USS Barb off Gotō Islands 33°31′N 129°19′E on 10 November 1944

Photos
  • O.S.K. Lines Hōkoku Maru
  • O.S.K. Lines Aikoku Maru in 1941
  • O.S.K. Lines Gokoku Maru on 2 April 1942
  • IJN Hōkoku Maru in May 1942 at Penang
  • IJN Hōkoku Maru on 29 July 1942 at Seletar
  • IJN Hōkoku Maru on 18 September 1942 at Seletar
  • IJN Aikoku Maru on 22 August 1942 at Seletar

Footnotes
  1. If there is not an explanatory note, it is Hokoku Maru data, because the Aikoku Maru and Gokoku Maru do not have a career as merchant ship.
  2. They were named the best masterpiece of Dr. Haruki Watsuji. (by Hisashi Noma)
  3. Nara-- Hōkoku Maru; Kyōto -- Aikoku Maru; and Hakone -- Gokoku Maru.

Bibliography
  • Hannig, Marcus (2012). "Japanese WW II Armed Merchant Cruisers". Warship International. XLIX (1): 34–36. ISSN 0043-0374.
  • Tashirō Iwashige, The visual guide of Japanese wartime merchant marine, "Dainippon Kaiga". Archived from the original on December 7, 2002. (Japan), May 2009
  • Hisashi Noma (private publication), The Story of Mitsui and O.S.K. Liners lost during the Pacific War, May 2002
  • Monthly Ships of the World No.535, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), February 1998
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.53, "Japanese support vessels", "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), July 1981
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