Arisan Maru
Encyclopedia
A 6,886-ton freighter, Arisan Maru was destined to become one of Imperial Japan's World War II
hell ship
s.
On October 24, 1944, Arisan Maru was transporting 1,782 US and Allied POWs together with about fifty allied civilians when she was hit by a torpedo strike from an American submarine (either USS Shark
or USS Snook
), at about 5 p.m.; she finally sank about 7 p.m. Of the prisoners, only nine survived. Five escaped and made their way to China in one of the ship's two life boats. They were reunited with U.S. Forces and returned to the United States. The four others were recaptured by Imperial Japanese naval vessels.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hell ship
Hell Ship
A hell ship is a ship with extremely unpleasant living conditions or with a reputation for cruelty among the crew. It now generally refers to the ships used by the Imperial Japanese Navy to transport Allied prisoners of war out of the Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore during World War II. The...
s.
On October 24, 1944, Arisan Maru was transporting 1,782 US and Allied POWs together with about fifty allied civilians when she was hit by a torpedo strike from an American submarine (either USS Shark
USS Shark (SS-314)
, a Balao-class submarine, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the shark, a large marine predator.- History :Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, on 28 January 1943. She was launched on 17 October 1943 , a Balao-class submarine, was...
or USS Snook
USS Snook (SS-279)
USS Snook , a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the common snook, an Atlantic marine fish that is bluish-gray above and silvery below a black lateral line....
), at about 5 p.m.; she finally sank about 7 p.m. Of the prisoners, only nine survived. Five escaped and made their way to China in one of the ship's two life boats. They were reunited with U.S. Forces and returned to the United States. The four others were recaptured by Imperial Japanese naval vessels.