Tsushima Maru
Tsushima Maru was a Japanese passenger/cargo ship that was sunk by the submarine during World War II, while carrying hundreds of schoolchildren from Okinawa to Nagasaki.
Events
Tsushima Maru was carrying a large number of Japanese civilians evacuating from Okinawa to Kagoshima in compliance with government orders to prepare for an invasion of the Ryukyu Islands. The passengers were primarily school-aged children, as well as a few parents and school teachers. The ship was estimated to have carried 1,788 passengers, of whom only 254 survived. 1,534 passengers and crew died including 780 of the schoolchildren. Just 59 young boys and girls survived.Sinking
On 22 August 1944, at between 10:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. local time, attacked the convoy in which Tsushima Maru was sailing and sank her, close to the island of Akusekijima. Tsushima Maru Commemoration Association Survey Data reported a total of 1,661 civilian evacuees, including 834 schoolchildren. Shortly after the sinking a "gag order" was enforced by the Japanese government and families and survivors rarely spoke about the incident. The number of victims that have been identified by name, based on notifications from bereaved families, include 780 schoolchildren.The ship was part of Convoy Namo 103, which consisted of the following ships:Tsushima Maru Kazuura Maru Gyōkū Maru
- Destroyer Hasu
- Gunboat Uji