© 2012 Bob Hackett
TACOMA MARU's sisters were CANADA, CHICAGO, MEXICO, PANAMA and SEATTLE MARUs.
PANAMA MARU was lost pre-war. During the Pacific War, the others were sunk by American submarines.
TACOMA MARU was completed in 190 9 as the first of of Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) Line's
six new 6,000-ton passenger-cargo ships for service on OSK's Hong Kong ~ Japan ~ Tacoma, Washington route. Later, she was
transfered to OSK's South American route, then their Kobe~ Darien, Manchuria route. She was
chartered by the Imperial Army in '37 for service between Japan and
China. In Feb '44, TACOMA MARU was torpedoed and sunk by an American submarine.
| Builder and Years Completed: |
Kawasaki Kisen, K. K., Kobe 1909-1911 |
| Gross tonnage: | 5, 8637-6,178 tons. |
| Dimensions: | 419.8’ (BPP) x 49.6’ x 29.11’ |
| Propulsion: | 2 triple expansion steam engines, 4,975 h.p., 2 shafts |
| Speed: | 13 knots |
| Armament: | None as AH, unknown as AP. |
