| Kinugawa Maru shortly after its destruction by artillery and air bombardment on Bonegi beach. You can see Japanese landing craft, fuel drums, and debris on the beach. The ships’ 75 millimeter (3 inch) Type 88 anti-aircraft guns on the bow are pointed skyward. In early November 1942, Kinugawa Maru assigned to the assault convoy under the command of Rear Admiral Raizō Tanaka (April 27, 1892 – July 9, 1969) that included 23 ships (11 transports escorted by 12 destroyers) to land reinforcements and supplies on Guadalcanal. The transports have embarked the Imperial Japanese Army 38th Division, Japanese Navy Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF), plus equipment and provisions. On November 14, 1942, the convoy is attacked repeatedly by United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Army Air Force TBF Avengers, SBD Dauntlesses, and B-17 Flying Fortresses. 7 of the transports are sunk or severely damaged, and only Kinugawa Maru, Hirokawa Maru, Yamaura Maru, and Yamatsuki Maru are intact and operational. After hiding in a rain squall to determine the outcome of the 2nd phase of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, the 4 transports beach themselves on Guadalcanal and begin unloading men and supplies. From 19,500 yards – 11 miles (17 kilometers) – away, American artillery began shelling the Japanese transports, and USS Meade (DD-602) shelled the transports seaward from Ironbottom Sound. B-17s attacked from Henderson Field. These strikes caused Hirokawa Maru to roll over, and Kinugawa Maru to catch fire. By 1200 Hours, all 4 transports were sunk in shallow water near shore with most of their cargo destroyed before it could be unloaded. At least 75 of the crew made it ashore and remained on Guadalcanal. In early January 1943, the United States Army 147th Infantry Regiment overran a field hospital and killed all the patients including most of the crew from Kinugawa Maru. Kinugawa Maru was built by Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (“Mitsubhishi Heavy Industries Share Company”) at Nagasaki. She was laid down 1938 as a 6,937 ton cargo vessel. She was launched as Kinugawa Maru and registered in Tokyo. During 1941, Kinugawa Maru was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) for conversion into an armed transport. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1695.jpg |
| Image Size | 923.30 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 3000 x 2400 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | November 15, 1942 |
| Location | |
| City | Bonegi |
| State or Province | Guadalcanal |
| Country | Solomons |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | 111-SC-180156 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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