 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - Musi wa6 Nyamavhuvhu 1941, Kongō Maru yakatorwa neImperial Japanese Navy uye yakashandurwa kuita ngarava ine zvombo zvekutengesa zvombo kuHarima Shipyards kuAioi. Single mount a href1420cm50203rd20Year20Type20naval20gun14 cm50 3rd Year Type naval gunas akaiswa pachigadziko nechigadziko, sezvakanga zviri zviviri Type 93 13.2-mm pfuti uye maviri torpedo machubhu. Kutendeuka kwake kwakapedzwa musi wa14 Gumiguru uye akapiwa kuIJN 4th Fleet South Seas Force uye akaendeswa kuTruk. Panguva yekurwiswa kwePearl Harbor, Kongō Maru akanga ari kuKwajalein, kubva kwaakaendeswa sechikamu chebasa reJapan mukuedza kwekutanga kupinda muWake Island musi wa 8 December 1941. Yakaputirwa neUSMC F4F Wildcat ndege ichishandisa zvakadzika zvinoputika, uye yakatsva moto. Moto wacho wakadzorwa uye akadzokera kuKwajalein. Gare gare akapinda muchikamu chechipiri chekurwisa paWake Island musi wa 21 Zvita 1941, iyo yakabudirira kutora chitsuwa ichi. Pashure pehondo, Kongō Maru yakatumirwa kupfurikidza neSaipan, Truk neGuam kuti igoverane muhondo yeRabaulmusi wa22 January 1942. 