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CHOJO MARU Class Auxiliary Transport


(CHOJO MARU, wartime, by Ueda Kihachiro)

This class consists of CHOJO, CHOAN and CHOKO MARUs, completed in 1927 for Osaka Shosen K.K. (OSK). They were later sold to Toa Kaiun K.K. CHOJO MARU was requisitioned by the IJA and served as Army transport No. 834. In Nov ’41, CHOAN and CHOKO MARUs were requisitioned by the IJN, converted to auxiliary gunboats in Dec ’41 and respectively renamed CHOAN MARU No. 2 GO and CHOKO MARU No. 2 GO. In Oct ’43, both were converted to auxiliary transports. All were torpedoed and sunk by American submarines between Jan and May ’44.

Builder and Year Completed: Various shipyards
1927
Gross tonnage: 2,610-tons to 2,631-tons.
Dimensions: 284.8' (Lpp) x 45.3' x 23.0'
Propulsion: One Mitsubishi Sulzer Diesel Engine, one shaft, 2,300 bhp
Speed: Cruising: 14 knots – Max: 16.5 knots.
Armament: CHOAN MARU No. 2 Go and CHOKO MARU No. 2 Go: 4 12cm deck guns, 1 Type 93 13mm MG, 1 7.7mm MG, 14 rifles, 6 handguns, 1 3,5m rangefinder, 1 DC thrower, 2 DC racks, 1 75cm searchlight.
CHOJO MARU unknown.