POW Research Network Japan>Researches>Sunken Japanese Ships with the Allied POWs in transit>Katori

Katori

Operator Imperial Navy
Classification Training Cruiser
Standard displacement 5,890 tons
Speed 18 knots
Departure point Truk Island
Departure date 17 February 1944
Destination Yokosuka, Japan
No. of POWs 8
Location of disaster Northern waters of Truk Island
Date of disaster 17 February 1944
POW casualties 8
POW survivors Nil
Photo Courtesy of Kojinsha

Katori, and two destroyers Maikaze and Nowake had left Truk Island for the Japanese homeland on the early morning of 17 February 1944, were attacked by the carrier-based aircraft of the US Task Force 58, which made a large-scale air attack on Truck Islands. Nowake successfully evaded the air raid and bombardment of the enemy surface force, and then barely made it back to Yokosuka. However, Katori and Maikaze were damaged by the air raid and came to a stop. Then they were finished off by the gun fire of the enemy surface force.