Across the Line of Death: The Kamakura Maru and Wartime Voyages (1941-1945)

Across the Line of Death: The Kamakura Maru and Wartime Voyages (1941-1945)

During the Pacific War, Japanese transport ships played an important role in carrying troops and supplies. However, as the war progressed, the counterattack by the U.S. forces was extremely fierce, and especially after 1943, the "wolfpack tactics" by submarines devastated the Japanese convoys. The waters around the Philippines and the Bashi Strait became "death passages," and many ships were sunk. The shortage of Japanese destroyers made transports increasingly sail alone, making them easy targets for enemy submarines. Throughout the war, more than 2,000 Japanese transports were sunk.

Under these circumstances, the "Kamakura Maru," which was converted from a luxury liner to a military transport ship, was also destined to cross the battlefield. The ship was packed with soldiers, engineers, and conscripted laborers, and every inch of the deck was filled with people. With thin escort, the "lookout" was an extremely important duty to prevent enemy raids, and suitable men were selected not only from the regular naval crew but also from the flight crew. They stared at the horizon, searching for the enemy's shadow, and constantly kept a close watch for death on the voyage.