This class consisted of ARGENTINA and BRASIL MARUs, both completed in 1939 for the Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) Line. The impending war destined these two streamlined ships to lead very short careers on the commercial runs for which they were designed. After only one year on the westbound round the world service to South America via the Cape of Good Hope, they both were assigned to Kobe – Dairen, Manchuria runs for safety. In May '41, both liners were requisitioned by the IJN as auxiliary transports. With their defeat at Midway and the loss of four fleet carriers, the IJN decided to convert both ships to escort carriers. ARGENTINA MARU was so converted and renamed KAIYO. On her way to Yokosuka for conversion in Aug '42, BRASIL MARU was torpedoed and sunk by an American submarine, NW of Truk, Carolines.
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