sea trucks

[elcid]

There is not the slightest trace of the sea truck in UV. This is vital to Japanese logistics in forward areas. The sea truck is between a landing craft and a small merchant ship. It is a mini-merchant ship. The largest displace 600 tons. Many are about 250 tons. They are also pretty slow. They are rather efficient, using tiny engines, and mainly holding cargo. They are rather better armed against aircraft than landing craft are. And they are superbly camoflaged - I have a picture of one that looks like an island - but this "island" has a wake! [Islet would be more correct]. This is not obvious in many conditions, and of course they can turn off the engine and drift. The sea truck was built in numbers, and is more or less half the size of the smallest Japanese AKs, and more numerous. See John Parillo, The Japanese Merchant Marine in World War II, University of Kansas Press.