Kiyosumi Maru class

Kiyosumi Maru Class

(Kiyosumi Maru in 1937 - U. S. National Archives)

In 1941, passenger-cargo ship KIYOSUMI MARU was requisitioned from her owners by the IJN and converted to an armed merchant cruiser. She was rerated a transport in '43 and sunk at Truk in '44 during Operation "Hailstone." KONGO MARU was also requisitioned in ‘41 from the Kokusai Line by the IJN and converted to an armed merchant cruiser. After participating in the capture of Wake Island, KONGO MARU was sunk in Mar '42 by USN carrier aircraft during the Japanese invasion of Lae and Salamuana, New Guinea.

Builder and Years Completed: Kiyosumi Maru: Kawasaki SB, Kobe
Kongo Maru: Harima SB, Aioi
1934-1935

Displacement: 8,613 to 8,624-tons.

Dimensions: 454' x 61' x 40'
Propulsion: 1 Mitsuibishi-Sulzer diesels, 1 shaft, 7,600 shp, 18 knots.

Armament: 4 x 5.5-inch (140-mm), 2 x 13. 5-mm MG, two 21-inch (533-mm) torpedo tubes.

Aircraft: Kiyosumi Maru: 1 Type 94 Kawanishi E7K2 “Alf” reconnaissance floatplane.