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Japanese transport ship Nichiai Maru
Nichiai Maru (Japanese:日愛丸) was a transport of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. She was sunk by U.S. Air Force aircraft on 3 February 1944 off New Hanover Island, Papua New Guinea.[2] HistoryShe was laid down on 15 September 1917 at the Tsurumi shipyard of Asano Shipbuilding Company[2] for the benefit of the Suzuki Shoten (jp:鈴木商店), one of Japan's largest pre-war trading companies, and given identification number 25010[4] She was the second ship of the Yoshida Maru No 1-class of 25 standard cargo ships (referred to as Type B at the time) built by Asano Shipyard (one was built at the Uraga Dock Company) between 1918 and 1919.[5] She was launched on 1 March 1919, completed on 1 April 1919, and given the name Yayoi Maru (彌生丸).[4][2] In 1919, she was sold to Kokusai Kisen Co., Ltd. (jp:国際汽船) of Yokohama.[4] In April 1929, she was purchased by Karafuto Kisen K.K. of Tokyo.[4] On 22 November 1937, she was transferred to Nissan Kisen Co Limited of Tokyo which had purchased her former owner[4] and her name was changed to Nichiai Maru on 10 June 1938.[4] On 19 November 1941, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army and immediately sent to Davao arriving on 26 December 1941 where a convoy was assembling nearby to attack the Dutch East Indies.[2] On 6 January 1942, she was assigned to the Tarakan Occupation Force under Rear Admiral Hirose Sueto which departed for Tarakan the same day. FateOn 3 February 1944, she was attacked by North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and Consolidated PBY Catalinas of the United States Army Fifth Air Force and sunk at (03°17′S 149°34′E / 3.283°S 149.567°E) southwest of New Hanover.[2][6][7] References
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