IJN HYUGA: Tabular Record of Movement
© 1996-2016 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
Revision 12
26 April 1941:
Arrives at Kure with ISE.
8 December 1941: Operation Z – The Attack on Pearl Harbor:
BatDiv 2'S HYUGA and ISE sortie from the Combined Fleet's anchorage at Hashirajima in Hiroshima Bay to an area S of the Bonin Islands with the First Fleet's BatDiv 1's NAGATO and MUTSU and CarDiv 3's light carrier HOSHO escorted by DesDiv 21's WAKABA, NENOHI, HATSUHARU and HATSUSHIMO and DesDiv 27's ARIAKE, YUGURE, SHIRATSUYU, SHIGURE, MIKAZUKI and YUKAZE.
13 December 1941:
Returns to Hashirajima.
13 December 1941-February 1942:
At Hashirajima. BatDiv 2 maintains
'standby alert' and conducts training in the Inland Sea.
20 February 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Matsuda Chiaki of the
Naval General Staff's Third Bureau (Intelligence) assumes command. Captain
(later Rear Admiral) Ishizaki is reassigned to command SubRon 8 at Penang,
occupied Malaya.
HYUGA's crew, like most of the IJN crews berthed at Hashirajima, grows listless under the boredom of the continuous 'standby alert' routine. Captain Matsuda explains the "fleet-in-being" defensive concept to his crew to help raise their morale.
4 March 1942:
Thirty-eight aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Fleet Admiral)
William F. ("Bull") Halsey's Task Force 16's USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), SALT LAKE
CITY (CA-25) and NORTHAMPTON (CA-28) make a dawn raid on Marcus Island,
located between Midway and the Bonin Islands - about 1,000 miles from Tokyo.
6 March 1942:
Headquarters, Combined Fleet orders CarDiv 5's SHOKAKU and
ZUIKAKU, which has just left port for Truk, to divert to Chichi Jima in the
Bonins to intercept Halsey's force if it approaches Japan.
11 March 1942:
The First Fleet's HYUGA and ISE sortie from Hashirajima
to join the search for Halsey. The next day, the light cruisers TAMA and KISO
and destroyers also sortie from Yokosuka in response to the alarm.
15 March 1942:
The IJN warships find nothing and are ordered to return to
their ports.
16 March 1942:
HYUGA and ISE arrive at Ise Bay.
20 March 1942:
Departs Ise Bay.
21 March 1942:
Arrives at Hashirajima, two days before the ISE. Maintains
'standby alert'.
18 April 1942: The First Bombing of Japan:
Halsey's Task Force 16.2's USS
HORNET (CV-8), VINCENNES (CA-44), NASHVILLE (CL-43), oiler CIMARRON (AO-22) and
destroyers GWIN (DD-433), MEREDITH (DD-434), GRAYSON (DD-435) and the
MONSSEN (DD-436) accompanied by Task Force 16.1's USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), SALT
LAKE CITY (CA-25), NORTHAMPTON (CA-26), oiler SABINE (AO-25) and
destroyers BALCH (DD-363), BENHAM (DD-397), ELLET (DD-398) and FANNING
(DD-385) approach to within 668 nautical miles of Japan.
Led by Lt Col (later General/Medal of Honor) James H. Doolittle, 16 Army B-25 "Mitchell" twin-engine bombers of the 17th Bomb Group take off from Captain (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's carrier HORNET and strike targets in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya and Kobe. At Yokosuka, a B-25 damages light carrier RYUHO in a drydock while undergoing conversion from the former submarine depot ship TAIGEI.
Bat Div 2 and ten destroyers depart Hashirajima in pursuit of Halsey's ships.
19 April 1942:
At 30-00N, 135-20E, one of Bat Div 2's Type 95 Nakajima E8N
"Dave" two-seat reconnaissance floatplanes, armed with two bombs, sights a cargo
ship. The biplane drops a message with an order to stop. About 1000, the BatDiv
2 group heading NE encounters neutral Russian merchant ANGARSTROI. A
destroyer sends a boarding party to search the Russian ship. The ship is found
to be carrying 7,555 metric tons of sugar and 10 tons of other products from San
Francisco to Vladivostok. The Japanese order the merchant to proceed with the
destroyer to Kushimoto on Honshu for a further search. The BatDiv 2 group turns
SE and departs in a further unsuccessful pursuit of the Americans. Later, they
return to Hashirajima.
22 April 1942:
HYUGA returns to Hashirajima, again two days before
ISE.
5 May 1942:
BatDiv 2 departs Hashirajima for gunnery practice in the Iyo
Nada with BatDiv 1's MUTSU and NAGATO. HYUGA's left gun breech in No. 5
turret blows up. Her two aft magazines are flooded to save the ship. Fifty-one
crewmen are killed. HYUGA makes for Kure escorted by FUSO. The other
battleships return to Hashirajima.
6-25 May 1942:
Repairs are performed at Kure but do not include making the
damaged turret operational. Both 14-inch guns in turret No. 5 are non-working.
The turret is removed and replaced with a circular armor plate placed on top of
the barbette. It supports nine new 25-mm AA guns (three triple mounts). [1]
20-28 May 1942:
A Type 22 surface search radar prototype is installed. HYUGA tests
the set in detecting ISE in the Inland Sea, but it is deemed unsatisfactory
by Captain Matsuda and is removed.
29 May 1942: Operation MI - The Battle of Midway:
BatDiv 2 sorties as
screen for the Aleutian Force with CruDiv 9's light cruisers KITAKAMI and OI, 12
destroyers and the 2nd Supply Unit's oilers.
14 June 1942:
BatDiv 2 returns to Hashirajima. BatDiv 2 resumes 'standby
alert'.
17 June 1942:
HYUGA and ISE return to Yokosuka.
22 June 1942:
Departs Yokosuka.
24 June 1942:
Arrives at Hashirajima. Resumes 'standby alert'.
July 1942:
To partially compensate for the loss of carrier strength at
Midway, plans are begun to convert the ISE-class battleships to hybrid
battleship/carriers.
14 July 1942:
The First Fleet is reorganized. MUTSU and NAGATO are
transferred to BatDiv 2 with YAMASHIRO and FUSO. ISE and HYUGA are detached and attached to Combined Fleet HQ for conversion.
26 October 1942:
At Kure. Enters drydock.
1 November 1942:
Undocked.
10 December 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Obayashi Sueo (former CO of
ZUIHO) is appointed CO. Captain Matsuda is reassigned to command the
Combined Fleet's flagship YAMATO, at Truk.
10 December 1942-30 June 1943:
At Hashirajima. Continues 'standby alert'
and conducts training missions in the Inland Sea.
11 April 1943:
At Kure. The first of HYUGA's 140-mm. (5.5-in.)
secondary casemate armament is removed.
28 April 1943:
HYUGA departs Kure escorted by destroyers NIIZUKI and HAMAKAZE, then the force transits the Bungo Suido supported by subchasers CH-35 and CH-36.
29 April 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.
1 May 1943: Second Rebuild:
Captain Obayashi is promoted to Rear Admiral.
HYUGA is attached to the Sasebo Navy Yard and registered as a 4th rank Reserve ship. This date marks the official start of the rebuild.
1 July 1943:
The Port Master, Captain (later Rear Admiral) Araki Tsuto.
(former CO of FURUTAKA) assumes "paper" command of HYUGA in the dockyard.
(Captain Araki is already also the "paper" skipper of the seaplane carrier
CHITOSE concurrently undergoing conversion to an aircraft carrier at Sasebo.)
Rear Admiral Obayashi is reassigned as Commander of the 51st Air Flotilla that
is engaged in aircrew training.
HYUGA is drydocked and begins conversion to a battleship/carrier. Her aft 36-cm. (14-in.) turret No. 6 and its barbette are removed.
The plan calls for the converted HYUGA to carry 22 aircraft. A hangar surmounted by a flight deck is added. Nine planes are to be carried inside the hangar, 11 on deck and two on each catapult. The designers realize that a single faulty aircraft engine can ruin the whole concept. To prevent jams, the deck is fitted with 12 turntables, rails, trolleys and tie-downs.
The enclosed hangar is 6 meters high, 40 meters long, and tapers from 28 meters wide forward to 11 meters aft. A "T"-shaped 6 metric-ton elevator is fitted in the center of the flight deck. Two sets of rails run around the flight deck for maneuvering the aircraft to the 25-meter Type 1, No. 2, Model 11 catapults that are installed on tall supports on HYUGA's port and starboard sides forward of the flight deck. A collapsible 4-ton derrick crane is fitted port abaft.
The new deck is covered with 200-mm. of concrete to compensate for the unbalanced condition created after removal of the aft armament. Steering rooms are protected with a 1-meter thick layer of concrete poured into adjacent compartments and the steering rooms' horizontal armor protection is improved.
The concept of operations calls for the modified ISE-class BB/CVs to accompany the Carrier Striking Force and catapult their complement of Yokosuka D4Y2 Suisei Judy dive-bombers and Aichi E16A Zuiun Paul seaplanes (capable of diving attacks). These will add another 44 dive-bombers to the Striking Force. The aircraft cannot not take off from, or land on, the small flight deck; rather, they are to be catapult-launched and land either on conventional carriers or land bases. HYUGA's final aircraft allowance calls for eight E16A and 14 D4Y2.
HYUGA's suite of eight 127-mm. (5-inch) AA guns is increased to 16 (8 twin mounts). Her twenty (10 twin-mount) 25-mm (1-in.) AA guns are removed and replaced by 57 (19 triple-mount) 25-mm. AA guns. One Type 21 air-search radar is installed on the bridge. Two Type 22 surface-search radars are also installed.
Bombs and munitions are stowed in former turret No. 5's magazine. It accommodates 44 GP 500kg and 22 GP 250kg bombs, for a total of three strikes. Avgas and oil stores are located in the old turret No. 6 area. Two each 46-foot Daihatsu landing barges are substituted for some lifeboats.
During the rebuild additional fuel tanks are installed that give HYUGA a range of 9,500 n. miles at 16 knots. HYUGA, as modified, now displaces 38,676-tons and carries a crew of 1, 463.
1 September 1943:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Nakagawa Ko (former CO of
AGANO) is appointed the CO "on paper" from Captain Araki who is selected to
command the cruiser ATAGO. Captain Nakagawa does not actually arrive at Sasebo
until mid-November.
1 October 1943:
Leaves drydock.
1 November 1943:
First reserve ship. Captain Nakagawa is promoted Rear Admiral.
18 November 1943:
The rebuild is officially completed.
19 November 1943:
Departs Sasebo for Tokuyama.
20 November 1943:
Arrives at Tokuyama, probably to refuel.
22 November 1943:
Begins four-day trials in the Iyo Nada.
30 November 1943:
Reassigned to BatDiv 2, First Fleet.
1 December 1943:
Battle training in the Kure-Hashirajima area.
5 December 1943:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Nomura Tomekichi (former CO
of KITAKAMI) assumes command. Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral posthumously)
Nakagawa is attached temporarily to the SW Area Fleet HQ, then assumes command
of DesRon 3 (later KIA on Saipan.)
December 1943-June 1944:
HYUGA begins workup, then performs training duties. During this period, additional 127-mm. (5-inch) HA are
installed and eleven (single-mount) 25-mm. AA guns are fitted on the "flight
deck".
25 February 1944:
BatDiv 2, First Fleet is deactivated, then reactivated
as BatDiv 2, Combined Fleet.
1 May 1944:
Kure. Assigned to the Third Fleet in Rear Admiral Matsuda
Chiaki's (former CO of YAMATO) new CarDiv 4's ISE and HYUGA. Captain Amagai
Takahisa's (former Air Officer of KAGA) Air Group 634 is attached to CarDiv
4.
24 May 1944: :
At Kure. Drydocked. Twenty-four 25-mm. AA guns (8
triple-mount) are fitted bringing their final total to 104.
7 June 1944:
Dry-docked at Kure Navy Yard. Two improved Type 22 surface search
radars are fitted. A pair of Type 13 air-search radars and E27 radar detectors
are probably also installed at this time.
23 June 1944:
In Hiroshima Bay. Air Group 634's first catapult takeoff
exercises from HYUGA are held using Aichi E16A Paul reconnaissance
seaplanes.
25 June 1944:
HYUGA is the flagship of CarDiv 4.
27 June 1944:
At Hashirajima. Visited by Vice Admiral Ugaki Matome,
(former CO of HYUGA) ComBatDiv1 who tours his former ship accompanied by Captain
Nomura and Rear Admiral Matsuda.
10 July 1944:
Carrier JUNYO is assigned to CarDiv 4 with ISE and HYUGA
10 August 1944:
Light carrier RYUHO is assigned to CarDiv 4 with
ISE, HYUGA and JUNYO.
September 1944:
Six racks of 30-tube (180) 127mm. (4.7-inch) AA
phosphorous rocket launchers are mounted in sponsons on each beam far aft. The
rockets are armed with multiple incendiary shrapnel charges and a time fuze. The
launching crews must wear special protective suits and withdraw prior to each
launch.
5 October 1944:
HYUGA is reassigned to the Combined Fleet in Vice
Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's (former CO of HARUNA) Mobile Force, Main Body: CarDiv 4
(HYUGA and the ISE), CarDiv 3's ZUIKAKU, ZUIHO, CHITOSE, CHIYODA; Escort
Squadron 31's light cruisers ISUZU, OYODO, TAMA, destroyers HATSUZUKI, AKITSUKI,
WAKATSUKI and SHIMOTSUKI and destroyer escorts MAKI, KIRI, KUWA and SUGI.
15 October 1944:
Captain Nomura is promoted to Rear Admiral.
20 October 1944: Operation SHO-I-GO ("Victory") – The Battle of Leyte Gulf:
CarDiv 4’s HYUGA and ISE depart the Yashima anchorage towards the
Philippines with Admiral Ozawa 's Northern "decoy" Mobile Force, Main Body and a
Supply Force's oilers TAKANE and JINEI MARUs and kaibokans CD-22, CD-29, CD-31, CD-33,
CD-43 and CD-132. CarDiv 3 carries but 108 planes and CarDiv 4 carries no planes since
Air Group 634 was sent to Formosa and decimated in sorties against TF 38.
At 1800, Ozawa's force departs the Inland Sea via the unguarded eastern channel of the Bungo Suido. Ozawa's radar detectors pick up an enemy submarine's radar emissions. The fleet takes evasive action eastwards. About ten aircraft are kept airborne to conduct antisubmarine patrols.
21 October 1944:
About 1200, torpedo noises are heard and the destroyers
drop depth charges. Ozawa's force again turns eastwards.
22 October 1944:
HYUGA's communications-intelligence unit intercepts a
possible American task force's voice transmission. The signal is also
intercepted by Base Force 31 at Manila. Direction-finding measures locate the
American force south of Ozawa's Main Body, heading NNW.
Ozawa's force is refueling at sea when sound contact is made with a submarine. At 2010, ZUIKAKU and cruiser TAMA spot torpedo tracks and make a sharp turn to port. WAKATSUKI is detached to repel the sub. Ozawa is forced to cancel the refueling after receiving only one third of the required amount.
24 October 1944:
ISE, HYUGA and HATSUTSUKI, AKIZUKI, WAKATSUKI and
SHIMOTSUKI form the Vanguard of the Northern Mobile Force under Rear Admiral
Matsuda.
1515: Admiral Ozawa orders CarDiv 4 southward as an advance force to screen ahead of the Main Body. Matsuda's battleships are about 50 miles south of the Main Body when they are spotted by a Task Force 38 scout plane at 18-10N, 124-30E. The scout reports mistakenly that Matsuda's force includes not two, but four battleships, one with a flight deck aft, plus five to six cruisers and six destroyers on course 210 degrees, speed 15 knots.
1700: Ozawa's Main Body is also spotted by another of TF 38's scouts and reported to the Third Fleet's commander, Admiral Halsey aboard flagship USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62), 190 miles away and heading northeastward to engage. It is too late for the Americans to launch and recover a carrier strike before dark.
2230: Matsuda's Vanguard Force turns back towards Ozawa's Main Body.
25 October 1944: The Battle off Cape Engano:
0713: HYUGA's air search
radar picks up enemy aircraft at 105 miles out.
0739: ISE's radar picks up incoming aircraft, bearing 230, range 125 miles.
0807: HYUGA's air search radar picks up another group of enemy aircraft 56 miles out.
0820-1750: Ozawa's force is attacked by Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher's Task Force 38 carrier planes from USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), ESSEX (CV-9), INTREPID (CV-11), FRANKLIN (CV-13), LEXINGTON (CV-16), INDEPENDENCE (CVL-22), BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24), LANGLEY (CVL-27), CABOT (CVL-28) and SAN JACINTO (CVL-30). TF 38 launches 527 sorties in five strikes against the Northern Force.
HYUGA and light cruiser TAMA attempt to provide AA cover for carriers CHIYODA and CHITOSE. Near-misses by bombs rupture a hull plate and spray HYUGA's upper works with splinters. She takes on water and develops a five-degree list due to holes in her anti-torpedo blister that is corrected quickly. ISE is hit outboard of her port catapult mount and also takes on water. CHIYODA is set afire and her engines are disabled. Rear Admiral Matsuda orders HYUGA and light cruiser ISUZU to attempt to tow crippled CHIYODA. Their efforts are unsuccessful and they depart.
1100: Vice Admiral Ozawa leaves sinking carrier ZUIKAKU and transfers his flag to the former Combined Fleet flagship, light cruiser OYODO. Ozawa orders his force to retire northward.
During the day's action, carriers ZUIHO and CHITOSE and destroyer AKIZUKI are sunk.
1630: Ozawa's force is located 20-08'N, 126-28'E and moved north, heading 010 at 22 knots. HYUGA and SHIMOTSUKI are steaming south of the main group. They are also attacked and receive minor damage from near misses.
1742: LtCdr (later Admiral) I. J. "Pete" Galantin's USS HALIBUT (SS-232) sights the distinctive pagoda superstructure of a Japanese battleship at 31, 000 yards through his high periscope. (HALIBUT, HADDOCK (SS-231) and TUNA (SS-203) are part of a scouting line put in place by ComSubPac to intercept crippled IJN warships escaping from the day's battles.) HALIBUT's radar also tracks destroyers SHIMOTSUKI and WAKATSUKI.
1830: HYUGA and SHIMOTSUKI rejoin the Main Body.
1843: Galantin fires six bow Mark-18 electric torpedoes at an ISE-class battleship, but they all miss. HYUGA's lookouts spot two approaching torpedo wakes to port, bearing 135. The torpedoes pass aft.
ISE's lookouts spot a submarine, bearing 160. HADDOCK sights HYUGA and ISE and pursues them all night, but is unable to get within torpedo range.
1900: Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Laurence T. Du Bose's CruDiv 13's USS SANTA FE (CL-60), BIRMINGHAM (CL-62), MOBILE (CL-63) and RENO (CL-96) and destroyers arrive at the scene of the earlier sinkings where destroyers WAKATSUKI and KUWA are rescuing survivors of ZUIKAKU and ZUIHO covered by destroyer HATSUZUKI. The Americans chase off WAKATSUKI and KUWA and then sink stationary CHIYODA with all hands.
HATSUZUKI radios Admiral Ozawa, who transfers to light cruiser OYODO after ZUIKAKU sinks, that an American cruiser-destroyer force is attacking the destroyers left behind to assist CHIYODA. Ozawa orders OYODO, Rear Admiral Matsuda's CarDiv 4 and their destroyers to engage the Americans. They reverse course to 185 degrees, and set off at 16 knots. Shortly thereafter, HATSUZUKI is sunk with all hands.
2132: ISE is attacked by another submarine. Three torpedoes pass between HYUGA and ISE.
2300: The CarDiv 4 group is again picked up by HALIBUT and tracked, but LtCdr Galantin is unable to gain position for another attack.
2330: The CarDiv 4 group is unable to make contact with American cruiser force. Ozawa orders the CarDiv 4 group to reverse course northward and make port at Amami-Oshima.
The CarDiv 4 group is located and tracked by LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Frederick J. Harlfinger's USS TRIGGER (SS-237), but he is unable to close to attack.
26 October 1944:
At 0610, HYUGA's lookouts spot torpedo tracks to
port, bearing 110. A submarine alert is put into effect immediately. The
torpedoes pass 50 yards ahead of HYUGA's bow.
0630: 90 miles SE of Miyako Island. Ozawa's force turns NW towards Amami-O-Shima.
1734: East China Sea. HYUGA's lookouts spot two approaching torpedoes on bearing 135 port. ISE reports sighting a submarine on bearing 160.
2032: ISE is attacked by another submarine. Three torpedoes pass between ISE and HYUGA.
27 October 1944:
At 1200, CarDiv 4 arrives arrives safely at Sakawa Bay,
Amami-Oshima. Ozawa transfers the Combined Fleet's flag to HYUGA from
OYODO. OYODO is detached.
28 October 1944:
The CarDiv 4 group refuels from oilers at Amami-Oshima.
CarDiv 4 and the destroyers depart for the Inland Sea. At 2120, LtCdr (later
Vice Admiral) Vernon L. Lowrance's USS SEA DOG (SS-401) attacks the CarDiv
4 group. He misses with six Mark 18 electric torpedoes.
29 October 1944:
CarDiv 4 and the destroyers depart Amami-Oshima for the
Inland Sea. At 0415, the group is picked up at 24,000 yards and tracked on radar
by LtCdr O. C. Robbins' USS STERLET (SS-392). Robbins goes to full
emergency power and closes to 12,000 yards but CarDiv 4, making 22 knots,
outruns the submarine.
The CarDiv 4 group is picked up by radar then visually sighted by USS BESUGO (SS-321) and USS RONQUIL (SS-396) but neither submarine is able to close for an attack. CarDiv 4 arrives safely at Kure.
7 November 1944:
Arrives at Sasebo from Kure. The two Type 1 No. 2 Model
11 catapults aft are removed to improve the firing arcs of aft turrets No. 3 and No. 4.
11 November 1944:
CarDiv 4 departs for Manila with DesDiv 43's KIRI, UME and DesDiv 61's SHIMOTSUKI. CarDiv 4's battleships carry elements of of the 127th Airfield Battalion and each carries about 1,000 metric tons of munitions, mostly in hangars, for IJA air and ground units defending the Manila area. The munitions include land mines, rockets and aircraft drop tanks. HYUGA also ferries some elements of the 3110th Naval Construction Battalion (Setsueitai).
When nearing the Philippines, reports of heavy air raids on Manila cause CarDiv 4 to divert to the Spratly Islands.
15 November 1944:
The Mobile Fleet is disbanded. HYUGA and ISE are
reassigned to CarDiv 4, Second Fleet. Carriers JUNYO and RYUHO are
reassigned to CarDiv 1, Combined Fleet.
16 November 1944:
CarDiv 4 arrives at the Spratlys. Troops, munitions and
supplies are unloaded for transshipment to the Philippines. DesDiv 43 detaches
and joins the escort of Vice Admiral Kurita's battleship group's YAMATO, KONGO
and NAGATO enroute from Brunei to Kure.
18-19 November 1944:
Spratlys. Battleship HARUNA, cruisers
ASHIGARA and HAGURO and light cruiser OYODO arrive from Brunei. Vice
Admiral Shima Kiyohide (former CO of OOI), Commander of the Fifth Fleet,
arrives from Manila aboard DesDiv 21's HATSUSHIMO accompanied by DesDiv 2's
ASASHIMO and DesDiv 7's KASUMI and USHIO. Shima transfers his Fifth Fleet
flag to cruiser ASHIGARA.
20 November 1944:
CarDiv 4 departs the Spratlys with HARUNA, ASHIGARA, HAGURO, OYODO and the destroyers. [1]
22 November 1944:
Arrives at Lingga (near Singapore).
22 November-10 December 1944:
CarDiv 4's HYUGA and ISE at Lingga.
12 December 1944:
CarDiv 4, ASHIGARA and OYODO depart Lingga.
14 December 1944:
Arrives at Camranh Bay, Indochina. Assumes 'standby
alert' to intercept an American supply convoy heading for Mindanao. USS
BASHAW (SS-241) and USS GUAVINA (SS-362) sight CarDiv 4 at Camranh, but
neither submarine is able to attack.
Vice Admiral Shima transfers his Fifth Fleet flag from ASHIGARA to HYUGA. ASHIGARA is detached.
16 December 1944:
USS MINGO (SS-261) sights CarDiv 4 at Camranh, but
the submarine is unable to attack.
18 December 1944:
Departs Camranh, arrives at Cap St. Jacques that
day.
28 December 1944:
At Cap St. Jacques. CarDiv 4 is rejoined by ASHIGARA
and light cruiser OYODO that arrive after participating with Rear Admiral
(later Vice Admiral) Kimura Masatomi's (former CO of SUZUYA) Operation
"REI-GO" force in the bombardment of the American beachhead at San Jose on
Mindoro Island, the Philippines.
Ulithi Anchorage. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, CINCPAC, visits Admiral Halsey, Commander, Third Fleet, aboard his flagship battleship USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62). Halsey asks for Nimitz's permission to take Task Force 38 into the South China Sea to pursue HYUGA and ISE. Nimitz consents, but orders Halsey not to move west of the Philippines until Task Force 38's fast carriers finish supporting General MacArthur and the Seventh Fleet's landings at Lingayen Gulf scheduled for 9 January 1945.
30 December 1944:
The 'standby alert' is canceled. CarDiv 4, ASHIGARA,
OYODO, DesDiv 2's ASASHIMO and DesDiv 18's KASUMI depart Camranh via Cap St
Jacques. Enroute south, they pass escort carrier KAIYO accompanying convoy
HI-84 northward from Singapore to Japan.
1 January 1945:
The CarDiv 4 group arrives at Singapore. Vice Admiral
Shima transfers his flag from HYUGA to OYODO. ASHIGARA and
OYODO are detached for repairs at Seletar Naval Base at Singapore. CarDiv 4
continues on to Lingga. CarDiv 4 is reassigned to the Southwest Expeditionary
Fleet. Arrives at Lingga, assumes 'standby alert'.
1 January-5 February 1945:
At Lingga.CarDiv 4's departure for Japan is
delayed by Vice Admiral McCain's Task Force 38 Operation "Gratitude"strike on
Indochina. McCain's aircraft sink two tankers that were to have refueled CarDiv
4 off Saigon.
12 January 1945:
Halsey stands off Camranh Bay with the Third Fleet. Vice
Admiral McCain flies off almost 1,500 sorties looking for the Japanese fleet.
Task Force 38 bombs Indochina, Hong Kong and Southern Formosa and sinks 44
ships, but never locates HYUGA and ISE at their Lingga anchorage.
6 February 1945:
CarDiv 4, the OYODO and KASUMI and DesDiv 21's
ASASHIMO and HATSUSHIMO depart Lingga for Singapore.
6-9 February 1945: Operation Kita ("North"):
Singapore. Temporary repairs
are carried out. HYUGA and ISE are each loaded with 5,000 drums of aviation gasoline, 100 kiloliters of aviation gasoline in ship storage tanks, 330 drums of ordinary gasoline, 520 tons of rubber, 820 tons of tin, 50 tons of tungsten and 30 tons of mercury. OYODO takes on 300 tons of rubber, zinc, mercury, tin and gasoline. Their destroyers take on 140 tons of rubber and tin. The ships also embark 1,150 oil field technical personnel.
10 February 1945:
OYODO is attached to CarDiv 4. At 2100, the "Completion Force" (KAN-Butai) comprised of ISE, HYUGA, OYODO and destroyers KASUMI, ASASHIMO and HATSUSHIMO sorties from Singapore.
11 February 1945:
Lt (later Vice Admiral Sir) Hugh "Rufus" MacKenzie's submarine HMS TANTALUS sights the "Force". TANTALUS tries an "end-around" but is bombed by an air escort and forced to go deep, unable to attack.
13 February 1945:
1213: South China Sea. LtCdr John M. Hyde's USS BERGALL (SS-320) picks up the Force in poor weather conditions off Hainan Island at 15-34N, 110-50E. Hyde, submerged on the track, cannot get closer than 4,800 yards. He fires six torpedoes at a battleship, but they all miss. BERGALL is counter-attacked by the escorts with new, larger explosive depth-charges but escapes.
1340: LtCdr James H. Campbell's USS BLOWER (SS-325) fires five torpedoes at a battleship and one at OYODO, but they all miss. One of the torpedoes is exploded by fire from one of ISE's AA-guns.
1530: The Force comes out of a rainsquall. One of its ships launches a floatplane.
1618: Lookouts aboard HYUGA sight LtCdr H. S. Simpson's USS BASHAW (SS-241) on the surface, 22 km port side ahead. HYUGA opens fire with her 14-inch main armament. One 14-inch shell comes within a mile starboard astern of BASHAW. Simpson crash-dives and breaks off his attack.
15 February 1945:
At 1900, the Force anchors at Matsu Island Anchorage (26-09N, 119-56E), Fukien Province, China.
16 February 1945:
Formosa Strait. At 0000, the Force departs Matsu Island Anchorage for Kure via the Korean coast and the Shimonoseki Strait. Destroyers NOKAZE and KAMIKAZE join the escort briefly, then are detached southbound.
LtCdr (later Captain) Benjamin E. Adams, Jr's USS RASHER (SS-269) is alerted by Ultra to the movement of the Force. At 0507, RASHER makes radar contact south of Wenchow, China at 26-55N, 122-03E. RASHER picks up three escorts, range nine miles, heading 030 at 18 knots. In a driving rain, Adams targets the second ship. At 1,800 yards, he fires six Mark-18 electric torpedoes, but the Force changes course. All six torpedoes miss.
At 2106, the Force anchors N of Chusan (Zhoushan) Island, SE of Shanghai.
18 February 1945:
At 0700, the Force departs Chusan Island.
18 February 1945:
At 1600, the Force anchors off E side of Shozen-To (Ch´angson-do) island an SE of Sanzenpo Harbor, S Korea. (34-51N, 128-01E).
19 February 1945:
At 0700, the Force departs Shozen-To. At 1600, anchors of Mutsure-Jima. In all, the Force escapes pursuit by 23 U.S. and Allied submarines.
20 February 1945:
At 1000, arrives at Kure.
1 March 1945:
CarDiv 4 is disbanded. HYUGA is designated as as a 1st
rank Reserve Ship and moored at Ourazaki, at Nasake-Jima.
Rear Admiral Kusakawa Kiyoshi (38)(former CO of IZUMO), a recalled retiree, assumes command. Rear Admiral Nomura is reassigned to the Naval General Staff's Fourth Bureau (Communications).
19 March 1945:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's Task Force
58 carriers USS ESSEX (CV-9), INTREPID (CV-11), HORNET (CV-12), WASP (CV-18),
HANCOCK (CV-19), BENNINGTON (CV-20) and BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) make the first
carrier attack on the Kure Naval Arsenal. More than 240 aircraft attack the
battleships HYUGA, ISE, YAMATO, HARUNA, carriers AMAGI, KATSURAGI, RYUHO,
KAIYO and other ships.
The fleet is defended vigorously but unsuccessfully by 54 Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai ("George") fighters of Captain (later General and CINC, JSDF) Genda Minoru's (of AKAGI at PH) 343rd NAG based at Matsuyama airfield. The 343rd's pilots claim 52 aircraft shot down against 16 losses. [2]
Aircraft of USS WASP's (CV-18) Air Group 86 attack HYUGA. During the day HYUGA receives three direct hits; 37 sailors are killed, 52 injured. There are also many near misses. HYUGA's AA gunners claim one of the attacking SB2C "Helldivers", possibly piloted by Lt (jg) John D. Welsh of VB-84 from BUNKER HILL (CV-17).
28 March 1945:
At Kure. HYUGA is attacked unsuccessfully by Task Force
58 carrier aircraft.
20 April 1945:
Reassigned to 4th reserve. During the next two months HYUGA is heavily camouflaged. Dark gray with dark green curves are painted on the turrets. By the end of the month HYUGA is towed to a new location off the NW coast of Nasake Jima and anchored there.
1 June 1945:
HYUGA, ISE, NAGATO and HARUNA are assigned to the Special (Coast) Guard Fleet.
24 July 1945:
Off Nasake Jima, south of Kure. From early morning to afternoon, about 200 aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's Task Force 38's USS ESSEX (CV-9), TICONDEROGA (CV-14), RANDOLPH (CV-15), HANCOCK (CV-19), BENNINGTON (CV-20), MONTEREY (CVL-26) and BATAAN (CVL-29) attack the Kure area.
20 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
2 July 1946-4 July 1947:
Raised and scrapped by the Kure Drydock of
Harima Zosen Yard.
30 July 1946:
Kure. During salvage, former kaibokan CD-59 collides with the hulk of HYUGA and receives heavy damage.
