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This
ship has not been fully identified as to name or even type. This wreck
is
generally called the “ Japanese Patrol Boat”. The overall design of the
boat is
that of a fishing vessel. While it is clear that it was being used in a
military mission, it is not clear if it was a fishing vessel converted
for use
or a military vessel designed using fishing craft designs. It seems
most likely
that it was originally a small coastal trawler. Starting as early as
1918, the
Japanese government started to standardize boat building with an eye
for
conversion from civilian to military usage. Deep sea trawlers, coastal
trawlers, whalers and even fishing boats all incorporated features that
would
allow easy conversion.
Our
wreck appears to be a small coastal
trawler. It has an overall length of about 105 feet and an estimated waterline length to be around 100 feet. It
has a beam of 18 feet. Her estimated gross tonnage would be around 150
to about
200 tons. She has extensive damage forward having been struck with an
aerial
explosive of some sort, followed by a fire. One source has her listed
as sinking in March 1942. However there was very limited air operations
in that month and she does not fit the description of any vesseled
attacked Since air operations against
Japanese forces at Subic did not
restart until
late 1944, we can assume that the boat sank in 1944 or 1945. Small
trawlers
were often converted to use as auxiliary sub-chasers (XPC) or as
auxiliary mine
sweepers (XAM). The XPC’s were used for harbor and coastal sub-hunting.
They
were also used as escorts for coastal convoys but were better suited
for patrol
duties around bases. Typically, they would have been armed with a 57mm
or 3
inch gun on the forecastle, four light machine guns and depth charges
in fan
tail racks. To complete it mission two-way radio, radio direction
finding, and
hydrophone equipment would complete its conversion.
Vessels converted, as an XAM, would also have
minesweeping equipment. It interesting to note that even while
performing
patrol or mine sweeping duties the vessels often carried out secondary
task.
They would often be used as cargo ships carrying supplies on its deck
and hold.
Divers who had dived on the “patrol boat” years ago tell of finding
munitions
in the forward hold. Whether this was cargo or its own magazines can
only be a
guess at this point. The amount being carried is unknown and the hold
has a
thick layer of silt now. It possible that there are still clues hidden
inside
the hold but any attempt to sift through the silt reduces visibility to
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