Hit and sunk by three 500 pound bombs in its stern, the Nippo Maru was a 106m (350ft) transport ship mostly carrying water. Originally a passenger and cargo freighter, she was seized in 1941 by the Japanese and sits mostly upright with a 20 degree port list between 15 and 45m (50-150ft).
The Nippo Maru has a very noticeable wheelhouse with an intact telegraph and steering helm. Hold #4 is particularly interesting with its aluminum water containers, bottles and bike parts. On the port side bow a small, mostly intact tank is found as well as a truck chassis.
The transport ship (a.k.a Nichiho Maru) was torpedoed and sunk on October 27, 1944 in the Balabac Strait west of the Palawan Passage (07°17′N 116°45′E) by USS Bergall.
Huge masts of the Nippo Maru. (Credits: Argunners)
Inside the wheelhouse of the Nippo Maru shipwreck. (Credits: Argunners)
Huge masts of the Nippo Maru. (Credits: Argunners)
Shipwreck of the Nippo Maru resting in Truk Lagoon. (Credits: Argunners)
Wheelhouse of the Nippo Maru shipwreck. (Credits: Argunners)
Artillery piece on the deck of Nippo Maru. (Credits: Argunners)
Read also:
- Shipwrecks of Truk Lagoon, list with all known shipwrecks in Chuuk.
- Ship graveyard in Truk Lagoon, stunning pictures and informative article on the Ghost Fleet of Chuuk.
- Airplane wrecks in Truk Lagoon, next to dozens of Japanese vessels also Japanese airplane wrecks can be found in Chuuk Lagoon.
- San Fransico Maru, sunk on the 18th of February, 1944 taking 5 crewmen with her.
- Rio de Janeiro Maru, bombed and damaged in the Pacific Ocean east of Umon Island, Truk by United States Navy aircraft. She sank the next day.
- Heian Maru, ocean liner converted into a submarine tender, sunk in February 1944.
- Kiyosumi Maru, auxiliary cruiser which was sunk in the Pacific Ocean off Fefan Island, Truk by United States Navy aircraft.
- Yamagiri Maru, sank by dive bombers from the Yorktown and Bunker Hill.
- Fujikawa Maru, she was sunk on February 18, 1944 by diver bombers.
- Fumitsuki Destroyer, one of only two made-for-war ships sunk in Chuuk.
- Shinkoku Maru, naval tanker that was sunk in February, 1944.
- Hoki Maru, a British/New Zealand cargo and passenger ship launched in 1921 and seized by the Japanese in 1942. Sunk.
