Japanese supply ship Mamiya

Mamiya (間宮) was a food supply ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy which was in service from the 1920s to the Second World War.

Mamiya in 1930
History
Empire of Japan
Name: Mamiya
Namesake: Mamiya Strait
Builder: Kawasaki Shipbuilding Yard
Laid down: 25 October 1922
Launched: 26 October 1923
Completed: 15 July 1924
Decommissioned: 10 February 1945
Fate: Sunk by USS Sealion, 21 December 1944
General characteristics
Type: Supply ship
Displacement: 15,820 long tons (16,074 t) for standard
Length: 144.8 m (475 ft 1 in) overall
Beam: 18.59 m (61 ft 0 in)
Draught: 8.43 m (27 ft 8 in)
Installed power: 10,000 shp
Propulsion:
  • 1 × reciprocating engine
  • 8 × boilers
  • 1 shaft
Speed: 19.2 knots (22.1 mph; 35.6 km/h)
Range: 6,000 nmi (11,000 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement: 283
Armament:
Armour: none

Construction

Mamiya was originally meant to be an oil transporter but was instead outfitted to be a food supply ship. The Imperial Japanese Navy sent her to the Kawasaki Shipbuilding Yard where she was fitted with facilities for carrying enough food for 18,000 men over three weeks, and kitchens to produce large quantities of food including yōkan, manjū, tofu, and konyaku. A number of chefs and pastry chefs were employed aboard and she became part of the Combined Fleet.

Service in Pacific War

Already old by the outbreak of war, she continued to be part of the navy's operations in the Pacific. On 12 October 1943, she was damaged by the US Navy submarine USS Cero near Chichi-jima, and on 6 May 1944, was again damaged by USS Spearfish in the East China Sea. In both cases she was repaired and returned to service. The food supply ship was torpedoed and damaged in the South China Sea (17°48′N 114°09′E) by USS Sealion. She was torpedoed again and sunk (17°48′N 114°09′E) on 21 May by Sealion.

Books
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.34 Japanese Auxiliary ships, Ushio Shobō (Japan), December 1979, Book code 68343-34
  • Collection of writings by Sizuo Fukui Vol.10, Stories of Japanese Support Vessels, Kōjinsha (Japan), December 1993, ISBN 4-7698-0658-2
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