Re: Kasato Maru in WW2
The only reference to this vessel I can find in my references is in Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1869-1945 by Jentschura, Jung, & Mickel. It is listed in Chapter 34 Miscellaneous Merchantile Auxiliary Vessels on pg. 276. This references the Russian Kazan captured during the Russo-Japanese War and commissioned as a transport for Japan. No information is available as to the armament carried. There is no mention of the vessel in the Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945 by Rohwer and Hummelchen. So it would seem the vessel was not used in any major operations or convoy actions. There is also no information in The World's Merchant Fleets 1939 by Jordan. In checking the Nihon Kaigun Combined Fleet website, I did not find anything in either Naval or Army Transports listings. Due to the vessels age and slow speed it was probably used for transport duties between Japan and China. As a transport we could probably expect the vessel to have carried one or two 80mm guns mounted on front and/or rear bandstands. I have the MoM model also and have not decided on how to finish it. Maybe someone else will find additional information on the Kasado Maru.
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