JAPANESE SHIPS IN VICTORIA HARBOUR DURING THE U.S. NAVY AIRSTRIKES OF 16 JANUARY 1945: A Bilingual Listing.

This article focuses on identifying and listing Japanese warships and merchant vessels present in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong, during the U.S. Navy airstrikes of 16 January 1945, part of Operation Gratitude conducted by Task Force 38 under Admiral William F. Halsey. Utilizing a range of Japanese- and English-language primary sources, including tabular records of movement and historical convoy data, the authors provide the first bilingual English-Japanese inventory of ships in port, including those assigned to convoy Hi-87. The airstrikes targeted Japanese tankers and escort vessels, resulting in significant damage and sinking of multiple ships, with some later salvaged and repaired. This detailed vessel listing fills a gap in existing literature on the naval aspects of the air raids on Japanese-occupied Hong Kong and aims to support further scholarly research.