A global Memorial and Research initiative dedicated to Allied prisoners of war who perished aboard Japanese transport ships during World War II.
Honoring Allied POWs and Preserving the History of the Hellships
The Hellships Memorial is dedicated to the Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees who suffered and died aboard Japanese transport ships during World War II. This site serves as both a memorial and a research center, bringing together ship histories, archival resources, maps, casualty data, and remembrance.
What Were the Hellships?
During World War II, Japanese transport ships were used to move Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees between prison camps, occupied territories, labor sites, and the Japanese home islands. Survivors later called these vessels the Hellships because of the overcrowding, heat, thirst, disease, and suffering endured below deck.
Explore the Archive
Explore the history of the Hellships through ship pages, historical background, research tools, maps, and memorial resources.
Learn what the Hellships were, why they were used, what prisoners endured, and how these voyages fit into the wider history of World War II.
Browse individual Hellship histories, including major ships such as Arisan Maru, Oryoku Maru, Junyo Maru, Lisbon Maru, and more.
Use casualty data, POW transport research, historical documents, and source pages to study the Hellships in greater depth.
Learn about the Hellships Memorial, its history, and how to plan a visit.
Featured Hellships
These ships are among the best known in the history of Japanese POW transport during World War II.
One of the worst maritime POW disasters of the war.
A major Hellship associated with prisoner transport from the Philippines.
One of the worst maritime POW disasters of the war.
An early and important Hellship disaster involving British prisoners of war.
Researching a Relative
Many visitors come to this history through family memory. If you are researching a relative who may have been transported aboard a Hellship, this site can help you begin.
Start Here:
Browse the complete ship list
Review POW transport research
Compare casualty statistics
Explore route pages
Contact the archive with any known details
Routes, Losses, and the Geography of the Hellships
The Hellships followed sea routes across the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Dutch East Indies, Taiwan, Japan, and surrounding waters. Many were lost in dangerous war zones such as the South China Sea, the Luzon Strait, and regional convoy routes.
Research Tools
Use the site’s research pages to compare voyages, track loss patterns, and explore the documentary record behind Hellships history.
Compare estimated prisoners aboard, deaths, and survivors across major Hellships.
Learn who was transported, where they were captured, and why they were moved by sea.
Learn who was transported, where they were captured, and why they were moved by sea.
Follow the major voyages, sinkings, and developments from 1942 to 1945.
The Hellships Memorial
The memorial exists to honor Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees who suffered and died aboard these ships. It is a place of remembrance, reflection, and historical awareness.
Resources for Students, Historians, and Families
This site is designed to support family history research, academic and museum research, public education, memorial work, and general historical learning.
Help Preserve the History of the Hellships
The history of the Hellships is still being documented through research, archives, testimony, and family memory. If you have information, documents, photographs, or family history connected to this subject, we welcome your contribution.
Waterfront Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Philippines.
The Hellships Memorial is located on the Subic Bay Freeport (SBF), which forms part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. The memorial is located on the shoreline near the headquarters of the SBF, Bldg 229.
The sunken remains of the Oryoku Maru lie about 500 yards from the site
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email
info@hellshipsmemorial.org
Phone
(63) 928 281 7629