Japanese food ship Mamiya
Encyclopedia
The was a food supply ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy
which was in service from the 1920s to the Second World War.
, Manjū
, Tofu
, Konjac
. A number of chefs and pastry chefs were employed aboard and she became part of the Combined Fleet
.
near Chichi-jima
, and on 6 May 1944, was again damaged by USS Spearfish
in the East China Sea
. In both cases she was repaired and returned to service. She was finally sunk by the USS Sealion
on 20 December 1944 in the South China Sea
at 17°48′N 114°09′E.
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
which was in service from the 1920s to the Second World War.
Construction
The Mamiya was originally meant to be an oil transporter but was instead out-fitted to be a food supply ship. The navy sent her to the Kawasaki Shipbuilding Yard where she was fitted with facilities for carrying enough food for 18,000 men over three weeks, and kitchens to produce large quantities of food including YōkanYokan
is a thick jellied dessert made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. It is usually sold in a block form, and eaten in slices. There are two main types: neri yōkan and mizu yōkan. "Mizu" means "water", and indicates that it is made with more water than usual...
, Manjū
Manju
Manju is a Sanskrit word with following associated meanings - pleasant, sweet, snow, beautiful, Lord Shiva's name, clouds, morning dew and is predominantly an Indian male/female/given name.Manju, means a language of clouds.That is Rain...
, Tofu
Tofu
is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and others. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu...
, Konjac
Konjac
Konjac , also known as konjak, konjaku, konnyaku potato, devil's tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam , is a plant of the genus Amorphophallus...
. A number of chefs and pastry chefs were employed aboard and she became part of the Combined Fleet
Combined Fleet
The was the main ocean-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Combined Fleet was not a standing force, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units normally under separate commands in peacetime....
.
Service in Pacific War
Already old by the outbreak of war, she continued to be part of the navy's operations in the Pacific. On 12 October 1943, she was damaged by the US Navy submarine USS CeroUSS Cero (SS-225)
, a Gato-class submarine, was the first submarine and second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the cero mackerel, a large food and game fish of the mackerel family, found chiefly in the West Indies....
near Chichi-jima
Chichi-jima
, formerly known as Peel Island and in the 19th century known to the English as part of the Bonin Islands, is the largest island in the Ogasawara archipelago. Chichi-jima is approximately 150 miles north of Iwo Jima. The island is within the political boundaries of Ogasawara Town, Ogasawara...
, and on 6 May 1944, was again damaged by USS Spearfish
USS Spearfish (SS-190)
USS Spearfish , a Sargo-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the spearfish, any of several large, powerful, pelagic fishes of the genus Tetrapturus allied to the marlins and sailfishes....
in the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
. In both cases she was repaired and returned to service. She was finally sunk by the USS Sealion
USS Sealion (SS-315)
USS Sealion , a Balao-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sea lion, any of several large, eared seals native to the Pacific....
on 20 December 1944 in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
at 17°48′N 114°09′E.
Books
- The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.34 Japanese Auxiliary ships, Ushio Shobō (Japan), December 1979, Book code 68343-34
- Collection of writings by Sizuo Fukui Vol.10, Stories of Japanese Support Vessels, Kōjinsha (Japan), December 1993, ISBN 4-7698-0658-2