1931 Japanese Ships Menu "Tatsuta Maru" WW2 Troop Ship P.O.W Transport Postcard

Description

Something unusual. A dinner menu from the Japanese Ocean liner "Tatsuta Maru" dated Friday May 22nd, 1931. the Tatsuta Maru had an interesting history.
If you Google "Tatsuta Maru" you can get her statistics, when she was made, how big, sister ship, etc. But you can also read about her more interesting historical
highlights
. some of which are:  She was part of Japan's deception for Japan's attack on Pearl harbor.
Before the war she was a luxury liner making trips all over the world. Even these everyday heavy gauge paper menus were beautiful with a beautiful wood block looking scene depicted. They were so well made, they were also used as a postcard. This can be seen on the back of the menu.
On
December 2nd, 1941 s
he departed Yokohama for San Francisco via Honolulu to bring back Japanese citizens wishing to return to Japan. But actually the voyage was part of a hoax. The captain had received orders that he would receive important instructions December 8th (December 7th on the U.S. side of the date line) which he had to obey. Just after the attack on Pearl Harbor the captain received instructions to turn around and return to Yokohama. The whole trip was only to maintain the illusion that relations between Japan and the U.S. were normal up to the Pearl Harbor attack.
During the war she was used as a troopship and made trips all over the Pacific going to most of Japan's bases there. (Her whole schedule and history is listed on the internet if you Google her name)  In July 1942 she was part of a diplomatic exchange between Japan and England (As America's ally, Japan & Britain were also at war) for British internees and Japanese overseas diplomats, with some supplies thrown in as part of the deal.
In January 1943 she left Hong Kong for Japan carrying 1,180 Japanese troops and 663 Canadian POW's. The POWs were sent to Kawasaki where they were put to work mining coal.
In February 1943 she left Yokosuka for Truk Lagoon / Island (Japan's Main Naval base in the Pacific) with the Japanese destroyer "Yamagumo" as an escort. She had 1,223 troops and passengers and 198 crewmen.   42 miles from Mikura island just after 10:00 at night, she was hit by four torpedoes from the U.S. Submarine,  USS Tarpon (SS-175). Because it was dark, and they were in storm and because the Tatsuta Maru was about 1500 meters ahead of the Yamagumo. The Yamagumo was unable to find any survivors.
In March 1943, she was removed from the Japanese Navy list.
This is a piece of history.
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