By Sander Kingsepp of Estonia.
This is from a story in a Soviet Paramilitary magazine called Technica-Molodyozhi. In it are the memoirs of the CO of the Angarstoi and should still be the most detailed account in Russian.
Mr Robert D. Hackett from Florida was the first to connect that account with USS Grenadier.
The following account is based on heavily censored memoirs published in Soviet magazine Technica-Molodyozhi some 20 years ago.
On 19 April shortly after 1000, the cargo ship ANGARSTROI carrying 7,555 ts sugar from San Francisco to Vladivostok encountered a major Japanese task force including "4 BBs, 4 large DDs and 6 regular DDs". To save coal, the Russian skipper (author of the aforementioned memoirs) had decided to take a shortcut through the Japanese war zone; his position at that moment was recorded as 30-00'N, 135-20'E. A 100-meter long DD armed with 4 guns, torpedo tubes and "plenty of machine guns" came alongside and sent a party of 13 sailors to Angarstroi. Their CO named Yato inquired about her cargo and destination.
Upon hearing that she was returning from the States, the Japanese started a thorough search including all holds and coal bunkers. Before leaving they instructed the Russian skipper to proceed further via Osumi and Tsushima straits. Meanwhile the TF that had been heading NEE turned SE.
All of a sudden the DD got a blinker message and sent aboard a new boarding party of 11 seamen led by a Lt. Kato who brought along a written order to proceed to Kushimoto for further search. The DD escorted her quarry until morning of the 20th, when weather went rough and the ships lost each other.
The Russians were indeed giving a good thought to the idea of recapturing their ship or at last the radio shack as they outnumbered the Japanese party 6 to 1. Anyway, there were passengers aboard and all their weapons had been already confiscated. On 22 April Angarstroi was near her new destination but the Russians refused to enter the 12-mile zone until they were escorted by the armed merchant cruiser BANKOKU (Bangkok?) MARU ("a 1,000 ts tub with two 3-in guns and 4 machine guns"). In Kushimoto the other Soviet merchant VANZETTI (the second candidate) was already waiting. Officially both ships were charged with reporting Japanese fleet movements to Vladivostok and no word was said about American fliers. On 24 April Angarstroi was searched once again by 70 policemen armed with a variety of special tools, such as grappling hooks. The CO of the local naval district Masafumi Zushi then provided the ships with food, coal and new charts. After an 8-day stay the Angarstroi departed Kushimoto. On 1 May at 2225 she was torpedoed by an "unidentified submarine" in position 31-55'N, 127-42'E. After 2 hits to port side she went down without sending a distress signal. None of her crew or passengers was killed, although the third torpedo passed right between one of the lowered lifeboats and the ship hull.
4.5 hrs later they were picked up by Japanese merchant KOYA MARU bound for Shanghai where the Russians were released. Vanzetti made it home without any troubles.
The issue of sinking the Angarstroi was brought up again during the Tokyo trial in 1946 where the Soviets presented it together with 2 other vessels sunk under similar circumstances.