Fishing Fleet losses

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Spearfish
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Fishing Fleet losses

#1

Post by Spearfish » 19 Mar 2020, 12:03

Is there any on-line source which lists ships of the Japanese fishing and whaling fleets lost during he Second World War?

Sid Guttridge
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Re: Fishing Fleet losses

#2

Post by Sid Guttridge » 19 Mar 2020, 14:02

Hi Spearfish,

You touch on an interesting gap in the historiography of WWII. There appears to be absolutely no book specifically dedicated to the naval use of whale-catchers in WWII, even though the British alone used over 200 of them and they based their Flower Class corvette design on them. Other countries used dozens more.

Cheers,

Sid.


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fontessa
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Re: Fishing Fleet losses

#3

Post by fontessa » 19 Mar 2020, 15:58

Unfortunately there is no record about fishing boats and whaling boats losses.
In Japan, fishing vessels were recruited as patrol boats.22nd Squadron was patrol unit consisted of fishing boats.

The below is its composition.
- HQ: Commanding Officer was RADM HORIUCHI Shigenori 堀内茂礼 (39)
- 1st Patrol Boat Unit: established on 1 February 1942, consisted of 16 fishing boats (25 fishing boats on 25 February 1942)
- 2nd Patrol Boat Unit: established on 1 February 1942, consisted of 16 fishing boats (25 fishing boats on 25 February 1942)
- 3rd Patrol Boat Unit: established on 25 February 1942, consisted of 26 fishing boats

They were deployed along the north-south patrol line off the east coast of Japan in preparation for a US counterattack. On 18 April 1942, 23rd Nitto Maru of 2nd Patrol Boat Unit found Halsey's Task Force carrying B-25s for air raids on Japan mainland. 23rd Nitto Maru reported the enemy fleet by radio, but was sunk by the light cruiser Nashville. The captain (IJN NCO) and crew (conscripted fishermen) all died in refusing to rescue by U.S. ships.

After the fall of Saipan and Tinian, 4th to 6th Patrol Boat Units were increased, and 22nd Squadron was placed on east-west lines in the southern Japan waters to report B-29 attacks.

The below is 23rd Nitto Maru on fire,

23rdNittoMaru.jpg
23rdNittoMaru.jpg (35.06 KiB) Viewed 2185 times

fontessa

Spearfish
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Re: Fishing Fleet losses

#4

Post by Spearfish » 20 Mar 2020, 13:34

Gentlemen
Very many thanks for your prompt response although it was understandably disappointing.
I am aware of 265 fishing vessels/whalers converted to sub chasers, about 100 converted to minesweepers and another 400 which became auxiliary patrol boats, often quaintly referred to by US sources as picket boats.
What I was hoping to discover was the grt displacement of 11 fishing vessels which were lost and I wonder if anyone might be able to help here?
They were
Waei M. off the Ryukyus on January 22 1943
Yusho and Takatori M east of the Marianas on December 8 1943
Taigyo M #38 off Aitpe on March 8 1944
Aiko and Kyoei M off Hollandia April 12 1944
Taikok M # 31 at Windessi June 20 1944
Tenyo M off Saipan July 19 1944
Tairyu, Takuyo and Tasuei M off Kai Island September 6 1944
Any help would be very much appreciated

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fontessa
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Re: Fishing Fleet losses

#5

Post by fontessa » 23 Mar 2020, 22:01

Spearfish wrote:
19 Mar 2020, 12:03
Is there any on-line source which lists ships of the Japanese fishing and whaling fleets lost during he Second World War?
With the above question, no one think you're talking about "Converted Sub Chasers", "Converted Mine Sweepers" etc..

The bellow is the list IJN Converted Ships.
http://www.tokusetsukansen.jpn.org/J/index.html

(1) Click 特務艦船の部 of 目次
(2) Click 特務駆潜艇 of 特設特務艇
You will get 256 Converted Sub Chasers' TROMs.

(1) Click 特務艦船の部 of 目次
(2) Click 特務掃海艇 of 特設特務艇
You will get 111 Mine Sweepers' TROMs.

Unfortunately I don't know what you mean by "400 auxiliary patrol boats".
But if you check these thumbnails one ship by one ship, you will get more information than you have now.

fontessa

Spearfish
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Re: Fishing Fleet losses

#6

Post by Spearfish » 31 Mar 2020, 03:58

Fontessa-san
Very many thanks for this information and your message. It will be extremely useful.

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