In Search of the Awa Maru

[JOHN THURSTON]

It has been many years since I read that cryptic book.

In the the author represent that 4000 died, which does not seem to be correct.

There was only one survivor, this is correct.

That there millions in bullion along with massive quantities of war material aboard the ship, including the remains of the famous Peking Man.

the latter, the bullion and Massive Amounts of war material, now are called into question.

Dives have been made onto the ship, apparenty by both China and Japan, since the publishing if the first book.

At the time of the writing of "In serach of the Awa Maru" the Author stated he was in fear for his life, because he was the only one who knew exactly where the Ship went down.

However the subsquent dive teams got their information, it did no appear the of of "Awa Maru" ws killed or tortured into orded to obtian the location of the ship.

What remains true is that the Skipper of the American sub sank the ship in violation of treaty law and his orders, received whwt should have been a career ending censure in his file, but yet went on to have a full and apparently unhindred naval career.

Hmmm. Several possibilities exist : 1. the captain made a mistake and did not take due diligence to make sure this what not the "protected ship" whose float plan included his patrol area. 2. The Awa Maru was not on the Course specifeid and thus stryed into a patrol area in which American skippers where not aware of its presence. 3. The Awa Maru was so heavily laded that her "published" silouhette dis not resemble her appearance at the time of the sinking. 4. US Naval intelligence knew the Awa Maru was laden with 'contraband, and no POWS, and were tired of the Japanese running this scam and gave the Captain a go ahead tosink the ship.

I really think the latter was the case. I do not believe even a credible story of mistaken identity would havev been suffiv=cient to save the Captain'c career.