World War II Database

1. Christine Jacobson says:
28 Jul 2021 12:55:04 PM

I cannot find any reason for the sinking of this ship. Why did the United States do it? Did they know it had so many children on board? Who was the person that ordered it?

2.  David Stubblebine says:
28 Jul 2021 05:15:14 PM

Christine Jacobson (above):
Tsushima Maru was certainly a victim of the doctrine of unrestricted submarine warfare, practiced by all sides in World War II. The policy was controversial at the time and would probably not find its way into the rules of engagement today. Tsushima Maru’s cargo and passenger compliment was almost certainly unknown to Commander Corbus, commander of submarine USS Bowfin. The Bowfin action report is quite detailed and devotes far more attention to evading detection and setting up the attack than to what the nature of the targets were. He recognized that the convoy’s two large ships were cargo or troop ships but paid little attention to their types beyond that. He was there to sink Japanese shipping and that’s what he did. These were the rules of engagement that were equally well-understood by the Japanese. If placing so many civilians on one ship to ply these waters was putting them in such peril, part of the responsibility for their loss rests with those who placed them there.

3. Anonymous says:
7 Jun 2024 02:33:34 PM

i would like information on obtaining a passenger manifest for the Tsushima Maru, as I was told an uncle of mine was one of the children lost @ sea....one Seiyu Kaneshiro Kin Town.