The Ship

The Enoura Maru was a Japanese freighter used during World War II as a prisoner transport, part of the infamous hellship system. In January 1945, it became a floating prison for Allied POWs who had survived previous sinkings and transfers, including from the Oryoku Maru. The ship docked in Takao Harbor, Formosa (now Kaohsiung, Taiwan), where it was bombed by American planes.

The Bombing

On January 9, 1945, U.S. aircraft attacked Takao Harbor. The Enoura Maru, unmarked as a POW carrier, was struck directly while hundreds of prisoners were confined in the cargo hold. Over 300 POWs were killed instantly, and dozens more died from wounds and exposure in the following days. The dead were buried in mass graves along the shoreline.

“I lay among the dead, pretending to be one of them, hoping they’d leave me.” — U.S. Army POW, Enoura Maru Survivor

Aftermath

Survivors were later transferred to other ships, including the Brazil Maru, where many succumbed to disease, malnutrition, and exposure. The tragedy of the Enoura Maru underscores the inhumane conditions of POW transport and the consequences of failing to mark such ships as carrying prisoners.

Legacy

The Hellships Memorial honors those who perished aboard the Enoura Maru and those who endured unimaginable suffering. It stands as a solemn reminder of wartime atrocities and the enduring spirit of those who lived through them.

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