Enigmatic Submerging of the Royal T. Frank Ship
The U.S. Army transport ship Royal T. Frank met its tragic end in the Alenuihāhā Channel off the coast of Maui's Hana coast on January 28, 1942. The ship, which was part of a three-ship convoy that included a Navy destroyer, sank in less than a minute, leaving 24 people dead and only 36 survivors.
In the months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Royal T. Frank's mission changed to transporting new recruits and ammunition. The ship was a vital link in the military's efforts to strengthen its presence in Hawaii and Maui before World War II.
The Japanese submarine unit that sank the Royal T. Frank was the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-1. Just after seven o'clock on the morning of January 28, 1942, the submarine fired on the transport. The third torpedo hit the ship opposite the starboard boiler, causing a terrific explosion.
The survivors spent hours in the ocean, many clinging to debris, before they were picked up by an ammunition barge. Among the survivors was Haruo Yamashita, a member of a group of eight Big Island soldiers known as the Torpedo Gang. The group served throughout the duration of the war and all survived.
Tragically, the Captain Wiechert and many others were killed in the explosion. Wiechert's widow was informed of the sinking of the Royal T. Frank. The Torpedo Gang would gather annually to remember those who died on the Royal T. Frank.
Despite advances in technology, the wreck of the Royal T. Frank has never been found. Many families were told by the military that the incident never happened and they should not talk about it. However, researcher Ramona Ho started investigating the story of the Royal T. Frank while a student at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.
One of the survivors, Marciel, left his personal possessions, including his wedding ring, at home before his last voyage. The sinking of the Royal T. Frank remains a tragic reminder of the sacrifices made during World War II. Shigeru Ushijima, another member of the Torpedo Gang, took a group photograph of the other 25 Big Island soldiers just two days before the sinking. The photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the lives lost and the bonds formed in times of war.
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