Shinyo Maru Incident
Encyclopedia
The Shinyo Maru Incident occurred in the Philippines
on September 7, 1944 during the Pacific theater
of World War II
. In an attack on a Japanese
convoy by the American
submarine
USS Paddle
, 687 Allied
prisoners of war were massacred by the Japanese or killed when their ship, the SS Shinyo Maru
was sunk. Only eighty-two Americans survived the ordeal and they were later rescued.
, thousands of Allied prisoners of war, mostly American, were being held on the islands which by 1944 was soon to be invaded by General
Douglas MacArthur
. In order to prevent the liberation of the prisoners in the Philippines, the Japanese established a system of transportation called "Hell Ship
s" by those being transported. These Hell Ships were ordinary merchant vessels used to transport the Allied prisoners from the Philippines to elsewhere in the Japanese empire. These vessels were called so because several of them were destroyed in friendly fire incidents. SS Shinyo Maru was one of these vessels, displacing 2,634 gross registered tons
, she was built as a tramp cargo steamer in 1941 and crewed by both merchant sailors as well as Imperial Japanese Army
soldiers. The soldiers manned the ship's machine gun
and guarded 750 to 800 Allied prisoners in the holds, many of whom were survivors of the Bataan Death March
. The Japanese commander is said to have been extremely ruthless. Expecting an attack by the Allies, he told the prisoners that if the ship was fired on he would order the guards to begin killing them.
in convoy C-076 with seven other vessels, including two torpedo boat
s, two tanker
s, and four other medium and small cargo ship
s. They were sailing two or three miles off the Lanboyan Point of Zamboanga Peninsula
on the island of Mindanao
, when the USS Paddle found them. A few days previously, American intelligence had reported that the Shinyo Maru was carrying Japanese soldiers so they assigned Paddle to search for it. The Paddle, under the command of Captain
Byron Nowell, was ten miles away when the Japanese were first spotted so Nowell maneuvered forward to attack with torpedoes. A spread of four were then released in the direction of the Shinyo Maru, which was the leading ship in the convoy. Two of the torpedoes struck, both in the hold and a few moments later the Paddle was lined up against one of the cargo ships. It to was struck by two torpedoes so her commander grounded her on the nearby shore to prevent the ship from sinking. Just after the Shinyo Maru was hit the guards opened fire on the prisoners with captured Thompson submachine gun
s though several of the men fought their way out of the hold, with their fists and improvised weapons, and abandoned ship.
The men of the convoy then began launching boats to pick up Japanese survivors and kill all of the remaining prisoners. A machine gun mounted on the grounded cargo ship and a second on the Shinyo Maru were also opened up on the Allied personnel. Marine Corps Sergeant
Onnie Clem later reported the following; "Up on the bridge there was a machine gun spraying the hatch. A burst of machine-gun fire caught all three of us and knocked us back down in the hold. We'd all been hit. I got plowed in the skull. Another bullet chipped out my chin. Nevertheless, I was able to work myself back up on deck, and I was eyeing that bridge when I came out that time. The gun was still there, but the gunner was laying out on deck. Somebody had apparently got up there and killed him. At this time I found out that we were out in the ocean about two or three miles from shore. All I had was a loincloth." Fifteen or twenty others were recaptured and taken aboard one of the torpedo boats where they were executed by firing squad as punishment for trying to escape. One of those men was able to free his hands which had been tied behind his back and he successfully escaped by jumping over board again. The Japanese dropped forty-five depth charge
s and other explosives on the American submarine over the course of two hours and the ship sustained some light damage but nobody was hurt. After that she surfaced and began patrolling the area again.
servicemen. At least forty-seven Japanese personnel were killed as well, only three men of the Shinyo Marus crew survived. Eighty-three Americans made it to the shores of Sindangan Bay
and they received aid from friendly Filippino guerrillas under the command of Brigadier General
Wendell Fertig
who radioed headquarters about the situation. One man died the following day on September 8, the remaining survivors were eventually rescued by the submarine USS Narwhal
save First Sergeant
Joseph P. Coe Jr who remained on Mindanao to continue fighting, for which he later received a Bronze Star.
The crew of USS Paddle did not know they were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Allies until 1946.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on September 7, 1944 during the Pacific theater
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
of World War II
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...
. In an attack on a Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
convoy by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
USS Paddle
USS Paddle (SS-263)
USS Paddle , a Gato-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the paddle, a large ganoid fish of the Mississippi and its larger tributaries....
, 687 Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
prisoners of war were massacred by the Japanese or killed when their ship, the SS Shinyo Maru
Shinyo Maru
Shinyo Maru was a Japanese Cargo steamer during the Second World War. She was one of the hell ships, used to transport prisoners of war. She had served under a number of other names under a long career.-Career:...
was sunk. Only eighty-two Americans survived the ordeal and they were later rescued.
Background
Following the conquest of the Philippines in 1942 and the surrender of the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, thousands of Allied prisoners of war, mostly American, were being held on the islands which by 1944 was soon to be invaded by General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
. In order to prevent the liberation of the prisoners in the Philippines, the Japanese established a system of transportation called "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" by those being transported. These Hell Ships were ordinary merchant vessels used to transport the Allied prisoners from the Philippines to elsewhere in the Japanese empire. These vessels were called so because several of them were destroyed in friendly fire incidents. SS Shinyo Maru was one of these vessels, displacing 2,634 gross registered tons
Gross Register Tonnage
Gross register tonnage a ship's total internal volume expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of . It is calculated from the total permanently enclosed capacity of the vessel. The ship's net register tonnage is obtained by reducing the volume of non-revenue-earning spaces i.e...
, she was built as a tramp cargo steamer in 1941 and crewed by both merchant sailors as well as Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
soldiers. The soldiers manned the ship's machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
and guarded 750 to 800 Allied prisoners in the holds, many of whom were survivors of the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
. The Japanese commander is said to have been extremely ruthless. Expecting an attack by the Allies, he told the prisoners that if the ship was fired on he would order the guards to begin killing them.
Incident
On September 7, the Shinyo Maru was sailing for ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in convoy C-076 with seven other vessels, including two torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s, two tanker
Tanker
- Transportation :* Tanker , a ship designed to carry bulk liquids** Chemical tanker, a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk** Oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker...
s, and four other medium and small cargo ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
s. They were sailing two or three miles off the Lanboyan Point of Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga Peninsula / Western Mindanao is a peninsula and an administrative region in the Philippines. Designated as Region IX, the region consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay, its component cities of Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, and...
on the island of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, when the USS Paddle found them. A few days previously, American intelligence had reported that the Shinyo Maru was carrying Japanese soldiers so they assigned Paddle to search for it. The Paddle, under the command of Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Byron Nowell, was ten miles away when the Japanese were first spotted so Nowell maneuvered forward to attack with torpedoes. A spread of four were then released in the direction of the Shinyo Maru, which was the leading ship in the convoy. Two of the torpedoes struck, both in the hold and a few moments later the Paddle was lined up against one of the cargo ships. It to was struck by two torpedoes so her commander grounded her on the nearby shore to prevent the ship from sinking. Just after the Shinyo Maru was hit the guards opened fire on the prisoners with captured Thompson submachine gun
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
s though several of the men fought their way out of the hold, with their fists and improvised weapons, and abandoned ship.
The men of the convoy then began launching boats to pick up Japanese survivors and kill all of the remaining prisoners. A machine gun mounted on the grounded cargo ship and a second on the Shinyo Maru were also opened up on the Allied personnel. Marine Corps Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Onnie Clem later reported the following; "Up on the bridge there was a machine gun spraying the hatch. A burst of machine-gun fire caught all three of us and knocked us back down in the hold. We'd all been hit. I got plowed in the skull. Another bullet chipped out my chin. Nevertheless, I was able to work myself back up on deck, and I was eyeing that bridge when I came out that time. The gun was still there, but the gunner was laying out on deck. Somebody had apparently got up there and killed him. At this time I found out that we were out in the ocean about two or three miles from shore. All I had was a loincloth." Fifteen or twenty others were recaptured and taken aboard one of the torpedo boats where they were executed by firing squad as punishment for trying to escape. One of those men was able to free his hands which had been tied behind his back and he successfully escaped by jumping over board again. The Japanese dropped forty-five depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s and other explosives on the American submarine over the course of two hours and the ship sustained some light damage but nobody was hurt. After that she surfaced and began patrolling the area again.
Aftermath
Of almost 800 Allied prisoners of war, 687 were killed, most of whom were American, Filippino, and DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
servicemen. At least forty-seven Japanese personnel were killed as well, only three men of the Shinyo Marus crew survived. Eighty-three Americans made it to the shores of Sindangan Bay
Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte
Sindangan is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According to the Dec 2010 CBMS Survey on Population and Households, it has a population of 89,546 people in 20,217 households...
and they received aid from friendly Filippino guerrillas under the command of Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Wendell Fertig
Wendell Fertig
Wendell Fertig was an American civil engineer, in the American-administered Commonwealth of the Philippines, who organized and commanded an American-Filipino guerrilla force on the Japanese-occupied, southern Philippine island of Mindanao during World War II.Fertig held a U.S...
who radioed headquarters about the situation. One man died the following day on September 8, the remaining survivors were eventually rescued by the submarine USS Narwhal
USS Narwhal (SS-167)
USS Narwhal , the lead ship of her class of submarine and one of the "V-boats", was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the narwhal. She was named V-5 when her keel was laid down on 10 May 1927 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine.V-5 was launched on 17 December 1929...
save First Sergeant
First Sergeant
First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
Joseph P. Coe Jr who remained on Mindanao to continue fighting, for which he later received a Bronze Star.
The crew of USS Paddle did not know they were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Allies until 1946.
See also
- Oryoku MaruOryoku Maruwas a Japanese passenger cargo ship. In World War II, Oryoku Maru was used as a troop transport and prisoners of war transport ship . She left Manila on December 13, 1944, with 1620 POWs, mostly American, packed in the holds. 1900 Japanese civilians & military personnel occupied the cabins...
- Hell Ship sunk December 1944 - Junyō MaruJunyo MaruThe was a Japanese cargo ship that was sunk in 1944 by the British submarine , resulting in the loss of over 5,000 lives.The ship was built in 1913 by Robert Duncan Co. Glasgow. It displaced 5,065 tons, was long, wide, and deep. The engines were rated at...
- Hell Ship sunk September 1944 - War Crimes of World War II
- Japanese war crimesJapanese war crimesJapanese war crimes occurred during the period of Japanese imperialism, primarily during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Some of the incidents have also been described as an Asian Holocaust and Japanese war atrocities...