Japanese minesweeper Otowa Maru

History
Empire of Japan
Name	Otowa Maru
Builder	Osaka Tekkosho Sakurajima Kojo
Launched	March 1934
Sponsored by	Nippon Suisan K.K.
Acquired	requisitioned by Imperial Japanese Navy, 15 September 1940
Stricken	3 May 1947
Homeport	Tobata
Identification	27092
Fate	Sunk by aircraft, 12 January 1945
Notes	Call sign: JIJA; ;
General characteristics
Class and type	trawler
Tonnage	220 GRT
Length	35.9 m (117 ft 9 in) o/a
Beam	6.8 m (22 ft 4 in)
Draught	3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
Armament	1 x 8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval gun; 8 depth charges; minesweeping equipment;

Otowa Maru (Japanese: 音羽丸) was a Japanese fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II and converted into an auxiliary minesweeper.

History

She was laid down at the shipyard of Osaka Tekkosho Sakurajima Kojo for the benefit of Nippon Suisan K.K. and launched in March 1920.^[2]^[3] In 1921, her port of registry was changed from Hiroshima to Shimonoseki; and in 1930, to Tobata.^[2] She worked as a fishing vessel until 15 September 1940 when she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy.^[2] Her conversion to an auxiliary minesweeper was started on 25 September 1940 at the Mako Naval Base and completed on 15 November 1940.^[2] She was assigned to the Sasebo Guard Force until 1 September 1941 when she was assigned to the Southern Expeditionary Fleet^[2] organized to invade and occupy French Indochina with Reserve Lieutenant Nagahashi Kimata (長橋喜間太) as her commanding officer.^[4] She spent most of her time on patrol, conducting anti-submarine and escort duty between the ports of Sai Kung, Hong Kong, and Cam Ranh Bay.^[2]

On 12 January 1945, off Cam Ranh Bay in the South China Sea (11°50′N 109°00′E / 11.833°N 109.000°E / 11.833; 109.000), she was attacked and sunk by aircraft from Vice Admiral John S. McCain, Sr.'s Task Force 38 that had entered the South China Sea to raid Japanese shipping.^[2]^[5] Otowa Maru was struck from the Navy List on 3 May 1947.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Toda, Gengoro S. "Tokusetsu Sokaitei (Ship Stats)" (PDF). Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsu Kansen (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 April 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Toda, Gengoro S. "音羽丸の船歴 (Otowa Maru - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy -Tokusetsu Kansen (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 April 2020.
^ Toda, Gengoro S. "Tokusetsu Sokaitei (converted mineswepers)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 April 2020.
^ Niehorster, Leo; Donahoo, Jeff. "Converted Minesweepers of the Imperial Japanese Navy". World War II Armed Forces - Orders of Battle and Organizations. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
^ "Chapter VII: 1945". The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. 2006. Retrieved 19 January 2012.