Tama Maru was
laid down on 28 May 1936 at the shipyard of Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kobe Zosensho at the behest of shipping company, Taiyo Hogei. She was
launched on 5 August 1936 and completed 28 September 1936. The light carrier provided air support accompanied by 4 cruisers (, , , ) and 1 destroyer (). and on 3 May 1942, landed on Tulagi unopposed.
Shōhō with its escorts left the area to support the main Port Moresby operation which allowed planes from of Task Force 17 under Rear Admiral
Frank Jack Fletcher to attack the ships of the invasion force. On 4 May 1942,
Tama Maru was patrolling with
Wa-1 and
Wa-2 north of
Savo Island when it was spotted by a squadron of
Douglas TBD Devastators from the Yorktown.
Wa-1 and
Wa-2 were immediately sunk while
Tama Maru was significantly damaged and sank on 6 May 1942. She was struck from the Navy list on 25 May 1942. ==References==