7063 JAPANESE AUXILIARY GUNBOAT - CHOUN MARU IJN 1945

The Choun Maru was a Japanese transport ship, converted into an auxiliary gunboat, under which the keel was laid in 1939 and launched in June 1940. The total length of the vessel at the time of launching was approx. 82.8 m, width approx. 12.2 m, and displacement - approx. 1,900 tons. The maximum speed was 12-13 knots. The ship's armament included: a single 80 mm gun, a single 25 mm anti-aircraft gun, and 2 heavy 13 mm machine guns. Choun Maru was originally built for a Japanese shipping line as a Peacetime Standard Ship D. However, in November 1941, the unit was commandeered by the Imperial Japanese Navy and quickly converted into an auxiliary gunboat. From the beginning of 1942, the ship performed patrol tasks in the home waters. In May of the same Choun Maru was sent to the Marianas area, and in the same month she reached the Truk base. In the summer of the same year, he participates in the transfer of forces to Saipan. After completing this mission, until the end of 1942, it operated in the area of Mariana and Karolinów. In April-May 1943, the ship undergoes overhaul at the Jokosuce base, and at the end of May she is directed to the Truk base. In the first half of 1944, the unit was directed to the mother waters and remained there until the end of the war. The unit performed civilian roles after 1945 and was scrapped only in 1965.