© 2007-2020 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
Revision 4
11 November 1898:
Newcastle upon Tyne, Elswick, England. Laid down at Sir W.
G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd's shipyard.
17 June 1899:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Yamada Hikohachi (5)(former
CO of SUMA) is appointed the Chief Equipping/Transfer Officer and travels to Great
Britain.
29 March 1900:
Launched and named IWATE.
1 September 1900:
Captain Yamada is appointed the CO.
18 March 1901:
Completed. Rated a first-class cruiser and attached to
Yokosuka Naval District.
17 May 1901:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
6 July 1901:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Taketomi Kunikane (former CO
of AKAGI) is appointed the CO.
28 December 1903:
Assigned to Second Squadron, Second Fleet as the
flagship of Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Misu Sotaro (5).
8 February 1904: The Russo-Japanese War:
Without waiting for a
declaration of war, Japan opens hostilities with a surprise attack on the main
Russian fleet base at Port Arthur (Lushun), Manchuria.
13 August 1904:
The Russian command orders Rear Admiral Nikolai Essen
to depart Vladivostok with his cruisers and rendezvous with the main Russian
Port Arthur Squadron in the Sea of Japan. However, the fleet had not been
sighted by the following morning. As the Russian squadron approached Pusan,
Korea, Admiral Essen orders his squadron back to Vladivostok. During the night,
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kamimura Hikonojo's (4) squadron of armored
cruisers IWATE, AZUMA, TOKIWA and IZUMO and protected cruisers NANIWA and
TAKACHIHO passes close to the Essen's squadron, but on opposite courses. Neither
is aware of the other.
14 August 1904: The Battle off Ulsan:
At dawn, soon after Admiral
Essen starts back to Vladivostok, the four Japanese armored cruisers are
sighted. By 0520, the fleets had closed to 8,500 yards, and the Japanese ships
open fire. Russian armored cruiser RURIK, subjected to heavy bombardment, loses
most of her officers. The Japanese take some hits, but the Russians sheer away.
Strangely, Admiral Kamimura holds his course during the Russian turn, and when
he turns, it is to a new course that lengthens the range. The Russian cruisers
try to cover RURIK, but at 0830, Admiral Essen orders RURIK scuttled and heads
back to Vladivostok. Kamimura's cruisers chase them, but at 1115, after less
than three hours pursuit, Admiral Kamimura the chase, turns back to Pusan. IWATE
loses 10 officers and sailors as KIA.
12 January 1905:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Kawashima Reijiro
(11)(former CO of MATSUSHIMA) is appointed the CO.
26 May 1905:
In October 1904, Russian Vice Admiral Zinovi P.
Rozhestvenski's Baltic fleet departed on an epic eight-month journey to the Far
East. Rear Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov's Third Pacific Squadron joins
Rozhestvenski's fleet in May 1905. Today, the 45-ship Russian fleet is sighted
entering Japanese waters.
27 May 1905:
The Combined Fleet under Admiral Togo sorties from
Chinhae, Korea to engage the Russians.
27-28 May 1905: The Battle of Tsushima:
IWATE is the flagsip of Rear
Admiral (Fleet Admiral, posthumously) Baron Shimamura Hayao's Second Battle
Division of the Second Fleet. In a running gun battle off Okinoshima, Admiral
(later Fleet Admiral) the Marquis, Togo Heihachiro's fleet of battleships,
cruisers, including IWATE, and smaller ships battle Rozhestvenski. Thirty-four
Russian vessels are sunk, scuttled or captured. Only two Russian destroyers and
a light cruiser reach Vladivostock, Siberia. Six other smaller ships reach
neutral ports and are interned. 4,830 Russian officers and men are KIA and 5,917
captured. Togo loses three torpedo boats and several capital ships are damaged.
2 February 1906:
Captain (later Admiral) Yamashita Gentaro (10)(former
staff officer of the NGS 1st bureau) is appointed the CO.
22 November 1906:
Captain (later Admiral) Arima Ryokitsu (12)(former
CO of KASAGI) is appointed the CO.
27 December 1907:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ishida Ichiro
(11)(former CO of CHINEN/ex-Chinese ironclad ZHENYUAN) is appointed the CO.
15 September 1908:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Mano Iwajiro
(12)(former CO of KONGO) is appointed the CO.
4 March 1909:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kitano Katsuya (former CO
of CHINEN) is appointed the CO.
16 February-19 March 1910:
Captain Kitano is appointed the CO of
cruiser KASAGI as additional duty.
1 December 1910:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Matsuoka Shuzo
(14)(former CO of MISHIMA/former Russian coast defense ship ADMIRAL SENIAVIN) is
appointed the CO of IWATE and OKINOSHIMA (former Russian coast defense ship
GENERAL-ADMIRAL APRAKSIN) as additional duty.
1 April 1911:
Captain Matsuoka is appointed the CO of Sasebo Sailor
Corps as additional duty.
23 May 1911:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Hashimoto Matakichiro
(13)(former inspector at Sasebo Navy Yard) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1911:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Funakoshi Kajishiro
(16)(former CO of HASHIDATE) is appointed the CO.
13 July 1912:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Hara Seigo (13)(former CO
of YAKUMO) is appointed the CO.
7 March 1913:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Yamaguchi Kujuro (13)(the
current CO of battleship SATSUMA) is appointed the CO of IWATE as additional
duty.
24 May 1913:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Uemura Tsunekichi (14)(the
current CO of SATSUMA) is appointed the CO of IWATE as additional duty.
31 August 1913:
Captain (later Admiral) Ide Kenji (16)(former Japanese
naval attaché in London) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1913:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Hirose Koki (17)(former
CoS, Mako Guard District) is appointed the CO.
September-November 1914:
World War I. IWATE is the flagship of Vice
Admiral (later Admiral) Tochinai Sojiro's (13) Fourth Squadron, 2nd Fleet. She
is sent to Tsingtao, China, and later to the Indian Ocean, where she escorts
Allied convoys between Singapore and the Suez Canal.
27 October 1914:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Yamaguchi Ei (17)(former
CO of CHITOSE) is appointed the CO.
19 July 1915:
Captain (later Admiral) Hyakutake Saburo (19)(former XO
of ASAHI) is appointed the CO.
20 April 1916:
IWATE and AZUMA depart Yokosuka for Southeast Asia and
Australia on a training cruise with the cadets of Etajima's 43rd class.
22 August 1916:
Returns to Yokosuka.
1 December 1916:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Nakazato Shigetsugu
(20)(former CO of KASUGA) is appointed the CO.
2 March 1918:
IWATE and ASAMA depart Yokosuka for the West Coast of
North America on a training cruise with the 45th class.
6 July 1918:
Returns to Yokosuka.
15 August 1918:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Tsukudo Jiro (24)(former
chief of Naval General Staff 3rd Section 2nd Bureau) is appointed the CO.
9 July 1919: The 11th Naval Review:
Yokosuka. Emperor Taisho reviews
26 warships that participate in the review.
20 November 1919:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Torisaki Yasuzo
(27)(former CO of AKITSUSHIMA) is appointed the CO.
21 August 1920:
IWATE and ASAMA depart Yokosuka for South America and
the South Seas islands on a training cruise with the 48th class.
2 April 1921:
Returns to Yokosuka.
15 June 1921:
Captain Arita Hidemichi (27)(former CO of Tsingtao
Defense Unit) is appointed the CO.
1 September 1921:
Rerated as a first-class coast defense ship.
20 November 1921:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Odera Ryokichi
(27)(former CO of TATSUTA) is appointed the CO.
26 June 1922:
IWATE, IZUMO, ASAMA and the Training Squadron depart
Yokosuka with the 50rd class of Etajima bound for Honolulu, Los Angeles, the
Panama Canal, Rio de Janeiro (to attend a naval review commemorating the 100th
anniversary of Brazil's independence), Buenos Aires, Argentina, Capetown and
Durban, S Africa. Lays over at Colombo, Ceylon, Singapore and Hong Kong.
8 February 1923:
Arrives back at Yokosuka.
5 March 1923:
Captain (later Admiral) Yonai Mitsumasa (29)(former CO
of KASUGA) is appointed the CO.
7 November 1923:
IWATE, ASAMA and YAKUMO depart Yokosuka for Southeast
Asia and Australia on a training cruise with the 51st class.
5 April 1924:
Arrives back at Yokosuka.
18 July 1924:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Yasumi Saburo (29)(former
chief of Naval General Staff 5th Section 3rd Bureau) is appointed the CO.
Captain Yonai is reassigned as the CO of FUSO.
1924:
Rearmed with eight 3-in/40 cal and one 3-in/40 3rd Year Type AA
guns.
1 November 1924:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ishikawa Kiyoshi
(30)(former CO of YURA) is appointed the CO.
10 November 1925:
IWATE departs Yokosuka for Southeast Asia and
Australia on a training cruise with the 53rd class.
1 December 1925:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Edahara Yurikazu
(31)(former CO of OI) is appointed the CO. Captain Ishikawa is later reassigned
as the CO of HARUNA.
6 April 1926:
Arrives back at Yokosuka.
15 September 1926:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Isumi Kizo (31)(former
ADC to Prince Fushimi) is appointed the CO.
1 February 1927:
Rear Admiral (later Admiral of the Fleet Rear
Admiral) Nagano Osami (28) is appointed the CO of the Training Fleet.
30 June 1927:
IWATE and ASAMA depart Yokosuka for Australia on a
training cruise with the 55th class.
19 July 1927:
Arrives at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
22 July 1927:
Departs Pearl Harbor.
26 December 1927:
Arrives back at Yokosuka.
28 December 1927:
Captain Kuge Taneji (33)(former ComDesDiv 5) is
appointed the CO. Captain Isumi is reassigned as the CO of HARUNA.
10 December 1928:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Suzuki Giichi
(32)(former CO of HYUGA) is appointed the CO.
1 July 1929:
IWATE and ASAMA depart Yokosuka for the Mediterranean Sea
on a training cruise with the 57th class.
24 December 1929:
Captain Inoue Katsuzumi (34)(former CO of YAHAGI) is
appointed the CO.
27 December 1929:
Returns to Yokosuka.
1 April 1931:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Okada Shunichi (35)(former
CO of OI) is appointed the CO.
1 June 1931:
Following a refit at Yokosuka Navy Yard, IWATE is rerated
as a coast defense ship. She is reboilered with six Yarrow boilers enabling to
generate 7,000 ihp for 16 knots. All torpedo tubes are landed. Two 3-in/40 3rd
Year Type AA guns are added.
1 March 1932:
IWATE and ASAMA depart Yokosuka for the West Coasts of
North and Central Americas on a training cruise with the 59th class.
26 September 1932:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Suzuki Kasuke
(36)(former XO of KAGA) is appointed the CO. Captain Okada is later reassigned
as the CO of KAGA.
14 July 1932:
Returns to Yokosuka.
6 March 1933:
IWATE and YAKUMO depart Yokosuka on a training cruise
with the 60th class for the West coast of North and Central America.
28 March 1933:
IWATE and YAKUMO arrive at Seattle, later visiting
Tacoma (1 April), Vancouver (5 April), San Francisco (11 April), Los Angeles
(19 April), Acapulco (30 April), Balboa (13 May), Manzanilla (27 May) and
Honolulu (13 June).
7 July 1933:
IWATE and YAKUMO arrive at Truk.
11 July 1933:
IWATE and YAKUMO arrive at Saipan.
26 July 1933:
Return to Yokosuka.
25 August 1933:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Hara Kiyoshi (38)(former
chief of the Naval Affairs Bureau's 2nd section) is appointed the CO.
15 February 1934:
IWATE and ASAMA depart Yokosuka for the Southeast
Asia and Australia on a training cruise with the 61st class.
26 July 1934:
Returns to Yokosuka.
1 September 1934:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Fujimori Seiichiro (37)
(former CoS, Manchurian Expeditionary Force) is appointed the CO. Captain Hara
is later promoted Rear Admiral and reassigned as the chief of Shipbuilding
Section at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
15 November 1934:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Yamada Seizo
(37)(former CO of ISUZU) is appointed the CO. Captain Fujimori, promoted Rear
Admiral, is later reassigned as the CO of Kure Guard Force.
1 August 1935:
Assigned to the 1st Training Squadron with IZUMO.
15 November 1935:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Kakuta Kakuji
(39)(former CO of FURUTAKA) is appointed the CO.
9 June 1936:
IWATE and YAKUMO depart Yokosuka for the East Coast of
North America on a training cruise with the 63rd class.
20 November 1936:
Completes a voyage of 23,272 miles and returns to
Yokosuka.
1 December 1936:
Captain (later Vice Admiral), the Marquis, Daigo
Tadashige (40)(former CO of KUMA) is appointed the CO.
7 June 1937:
IWATE and YAKUMO depart Yokosuka for Suez and the
Mediterranean Sea on a training cruise with the 64th class.
19 October 1937:
IWATE and YAKUMO return to Yokosuka.
1 December 1937:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Ichise Shinichi (41)
(former CO of SATA) is appointed the CO.
6 April 1938:
IWATE and YAKUMO depart Yokosuka for Southeast Asia on a
training cruise with the 65th class.
29 June 1938:
Returns to Yokosuka.
15 July 1938:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Koyanagi Tomiji (42)(former
instructor at Naval Academy) is appointed the CO. Captain Ichise is later
reassigned as the CO of NAGARA.
16 November 1938:
IWATE and YAKUMO depart Yokosuka for Southeast Asia
on a training cruise with the 66rd class.
28 January 1939:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Iwagoe Kanki
(38)(current CO of NACHI) is appointed the CO of IWATE as additional duty.
Captain Koyanagi is reassigned as ComDesDiv 8.
30 January 1939:
Returns to Yokosuka.
1 May 1939:
Captain (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Ogata Masaki
(41)(former CO of KAKO) is appointed the CO. Captain Iwagoe resumes full-time
command of NACHI.
October 1939:
IWATE and YAKUMO depart Yokosuka for Hawaii and the
Mandate Islands on a training cruise with the 67rd class.
20 November 1939:
Returns to Yokosuka.
27 December 1939:
Captain Shimizu Takio (39)(former ComDesDiv 8) is
appointed the CO. Captain Ogata is reassigned as the CO of HAGURO.
1 February 1940:
Reassigned to the 12th Squadron, 3rd Support Fleet.
10 November 1940:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Owada Noboru
(44)(former ADC to the chief of the NGS) is appointed the CO.
6 January 1941:
Captain Hiratsuka Shiro (40)(former CO of KUMA) is
appointed the CO. Captain Owada is reassigned as the CO of KATORI.
15 October 1941:
Captain Ishihata Shiro (46)(former staff officer at
Naval Technical Department) is appointed the CO. Captain Hiratsuka is reassigned
as the CO of the 5th Defense Unit.
15 January 1942:
Captain Oka Tsuneo (41)(former CO of 8th Gunboat
Division) is appointed the CO.
25 May 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Matsumoto Takeshi
(45)(former staff officer of Makung Guard District) is appointed the CO.
1 July 1942:
Rerated as a first-class cruiser, used as a training
vessel thereafter.
5 September 1942:
Captain Sasaki Kiyoji (40)(former staff officer at
the shipbuilding section of Yokosuka Navy Yard) is appointed the CO. Captain
Matsumoto is later reassigned as the CO of MAYA.
18 February 1943:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Inose Masamori
(40)(former CO of NISSHIN) is appointed the CO. Captain Sasaki is later
reassigned as the CO of YAKUMO.
1 October 1943:
Attached to Sasebo Naval District.
10 October 1943:
Captain Oishi Kenshiro (42)(former CO of ATAKA) is
appointed the CO. Captain Inose is later reasigned as the CO of HAKKAI MARU.
25 July 1944:
Captain Tamura Yasuo (45)(former CO of MAMIYA) is
appointed the CO. Captain Oishi is later reassigned as the CO of SHINKO MARU.
20 October 1944:
Captain Okada Yusaku (47)(former ComSubDiv 15) is
appointed the CO. Captain Tamura is later reassigned as the CO of Ominato
Communications Unit.
6 January 1945:
Captain Shimizu Takio (39)(former CO of KAMOI) is
appointed the CO (his second tour as the CO of that cruiser). Captain Okada is
reassigned as the CO of TONE.
19 March 1945:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Marc A. Mitscher's (former
CO of HORNET, CV-8) 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
OOD (CVL-24) make the first carrier attack on the Kure Naval Arsenal. More than
240 aircraft attack battleships HARUNA, YAMATO, ISE, HYUGA, carriers RYUHO,
KAIYO, AMAGI, KATSURAGI 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 (52)(of AKAGI at Pearl Harbor) 343rd NAG based at Matsuyama
airfield.
IWATE, en route from Kure to Bungo Nada to conduct gunnery practice, is
attacked by Grumman aircfaft that bomb and strafe the ship. She suffers three
near misses by bombs, and one man KIA, but no damage to the superstructure.
April 1945:
The main guns are removed to make place for four
additional 12.7-cm AA guns.
13 April 1945:
Captain Shimizu Takeo (47)(former CO of KAMOI) is
appointed the CO.
May 1945:
Towed into the channel separating Etajima Island and the
mainland, moored SW of Tenno, off Kure, with the bow pointing SW.
24 July 1945: The
Final Destruction of the Imperial Japanese Navy:
Aircraft from Vice
Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's (former CO of RANGER, CV-4) TF 38
attacks Kure. IWATE is attacked by four aircraft. They score three near misses
with heavy bombs, but no direct hits are sustained. The hydrodynamic shock of
the near misses causes underwater damage to the old ship's seams and plates as
rivets pop. IWATE floods, goes down by the bow and then settles by the stern.
In their last major action, 343rd NAG "George" fighters attack the
retiring American carrier planes over the Bungo Straits and claim 19 aircraft
shot down against four losses.
25 July 1945:
Off Etajima Island. About 24 hours after the attack,
IWATE capsizes and sinks at 34-14N, 132-30E.
15 August 1945:
Placed in fourth reserve.
20 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
1946-1947:
Kure Dockyard. Raised and scrapped at Harima.
Authors' Note:
Thanks go to Matt Jones of MS and Fontessa-san of Japan for
additional CO info in Revisions 1 & 2. Special thanks go to Tullys Port at
CombinedFleet.com forum reader Hornet10 for adding details about IWATE's 1933
training cruise.
- Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.
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