Ghost Ship?

MON 17 JAN 1944
Pacific
SBDs and TBFs, covered by fighters, bomb Japanese shipping at Rabaul, sinking repair ship Hakkai Maru, transport Kenshin Maru (ex-British Celebes), and army cargo ship Kosei Maru (which had escaped damage the previous day), and damaging aircraft transport Lyon Maru. Kosei Maru sinks with 14 landing barges still on board, 04°13'S, 152°11'E.

Japanese sources indicate guardboat No.6 Shinko Maru is sunk, but offers no location other than "South Seas area." The only naval air activity on this day that may have been responsible for the loss of a ship the size of No.6 Shinko Maru is a raid by PB4Y aircraft upon Kusaie in the Carolines.

Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) attacks Japanese convoy, gunboat Delhi Maru off west coast of Palawan, 00°18'N, 118°37'E. [Nope, no idea how the Delhi Maru, sunk yesterday, could be attacked today.]

USAAF B-24s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Chiburi Maru 80 miles east of Manus, 02°27'S, 148°58'E, and No.9 Fukei Maru at 02°00'S, 149°00'E.

Atlantic
Airship K 36 crashes in a fog on the lee side of Ilha de Cabo Frio, Brazil.