| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Kanko Maru (漢江丸) |
| Builder | Nakata Shipyard |
| Laid down | 1940 |
| Launched | 26 December 1940 |
| Sponsored by | Sanko Kisen Co., Ltd. |
| Completed | 1 May 1941 |
| Acquired | Requisitioned byImperial Japanese Navy, 4 December 1941 |
| Commissioned | 20 December 1941 |
| Homeport | Amagasaki[1] |
| Identification | 47973[1] |
| Fate | Torpedoed and sunk, 5 January 1945 |
| Notes | |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Steamer |
| Tonnage | 909 GRT[1][2][3] |
| Length | 56.9 m (186 ft 8 in)o/a[1] |
| Beam | 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)[1] |
| Draught | 5.1 m (16 ft 9 in)[1] |
| Propulsion | 1 diesel engine, single shaft, 1 screw[2] |
| Armament | 1 x8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval gun 1 xType 93 13 mm AT/AA machine gun 1 xLewis gun 24depth charges 4 x Type 14 capture nets 1 x hanginghydrophone |
Kanko Maru (Japanese: 漢江丸) was a steel-hulled steamer that was converted into an auxiliarynet layer by theImperial Japanese Navy duringWorld War II.
She was launched on 26 December 1940 at the Nakata Shipyard (中田造船所) for the benefit of Sanko Kisen K.K. (jp:三光汽船) and completed on 1 May 1941.[1][4] On 4 December 1941, she was requisitioned by theImperial Japanese Navy, commissioned on 20 December 1941 into theSasebo Guard Force,Sasebo Naval District, and then sent to the shipyard of Tochigi Shoji K.K. for conversion into an auxiliarynet layer.[4] On 31 December 1941, she was reassigned to theChinkai Guard District.[4] On 5 November 1942, her net-laying equipment was removed and she was converted into a cargo/transport ship although she retained her mine-sweeping equipment.[4] On 10 November 1942, she was reassigned to theSouthern Expeditionary Fleet.[4]
On 5 January 1945, the US submarineCavalla torpedoed and sankKanko Maru and her fellow auxiliary net layerShunsen Maru in theJava Sea 44 nautical miles north north west ofBawean Island,Netherlands East Indies[5] at coordinates05°00′S112°20′E / 5.000°S 112.333°E /-5.000; 112.333.[4][6]
