The Unkai Maru was built in 1905 by the W. Grey Shipyard of England as the freighter S/S Venus. The ship was sold in 1911 to the Japanese Nakamura Kisen Line and later requisitioned for use by the Japanese Navy as a general cargo transport. Unkai Maru survived several of the “Hailstone” raids before being…
The Yamagiri Maru was built in 1938 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as a passenger/cargo carrier for the Yamashita Kisen Line. Requisitioned by the Japanese Navy in September 1941 she was converted to a military transport for moving special cargoes. The ship saw service transporting war material between Solomons and the Caroline Islands until she was…
The Pugh is a former USN YFR, a type of vessel designed and built to supply the anchored fleet at large congested naval stations/bases. Three types of vessels were in her class … one being a YO for Yard Oiler carrying special lubes to large ships, another was a YF for supplying dry stores, and…