PropertyValue
rdf:type
rdfs:label
  • Indian Ocean raid (1944)
rdfs:comment
  • In March 1944, a force of three Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) heavy cruisers raided Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean. The cruisers departed Japanese-held territory on 1 March with the support of other IJN vessels and aircraft. On 9 March, they encountered and sank the British steamer Behar, with the heavy cruiser Tone picking up over 100 survivors. Fearing detection, the Japanese force subsequently returned to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), arriving on 16 March. Two days later, most of Behar's crew and passengers were murdered on board Tone. Following the war the commander of the raid, Rear Admiral Naomasa Sakonju, was executed for this war crime and Tone's captain Haruo Mayazumi was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
owl:sameAs
Strength
  • 3
dcterms:subject
dbkwik:military/property/wikiPageUsesTemplate
Partof
Date
  • --03-16
Commander
  • Rear Admiral Naomasa Sakonju
Caption
  • U.S. Navy recognition drawing for Japanese Aoba-class heavy cruisers
Casualties
  • 1
  • 3
  • none
  • unknown wounded
Result
  • Japanese failure
Notes
  • *Either 72 or 89 British survivors were executed by Japanese forces after being taken prisoner.
combatant
  • Empire of Japan
Place
  • Indian Ocean
Conflict
  • Second Indian Ocean raid
abstract
  • In March 1944, a force of three Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) heavy cruisers raided Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean. The cruisers departed Japanese-held territory on 1 March with the support of other IJN vessels and aircraft. On 9 March, they encountered and sank the British steamer Behar, with the heavy cruiser Tone picking up over 100 survivors. Fearing detection, the Japanese force subsequently returned to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), arriving on 16 March. Two days later, most of Behar's crew and passengers were murdered on board Tone. Following the war the commander of the raid, Rear Admiral Naomasa Sakonju, was executed for this war crime and Tone's captain Haruo Mayazumi was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.