(Revised 5 November 2007)
© 2000 Anthony P. Tully
(revised 2012)
© 2014 Anthony Tully with Gilbert Casse
19 July 1920:
Kobe. Laid down as a TOSA-class battleship at Kawasaki Heavy Industries Shipyard.
17 November 1921:
Launched at Kawasaki and named KAGA (“Increased Joy”, after the Kaga province, now Ishikawa Prefecture).
11 July 1922:
KAGA's hull is transferred to the Navy and towed to the Yokosuka Navy Yard. The plan is to expend her as a target.
1 September 1923:
An earthquake of magnitude 8.3 on the Richter scale strikes the Kanto plain, Honshu killing about 105,000 people. AMAGI, under conversion at the Yokosuka Naval Yard is heavily shaken by the quake that causes significant stress damage to her hull and dislodged her from the ways, making launch impossible. After inspection, the structure is deemed too heavily damaged to be usable and conversion work is abandoned. Henceforth, battleship KAGA is reordered on 19 November as a carrier to replace AMAGI.
14 April 1924:
AMAGI is removed from the Navy’s list. Later sold for scrapping.
For more detail of layout as completed and subsequent alterations see:
KAGA Data page
30 November 1929:
Attached to the Combined Fleet. Planes actually aboard the carrier are 12 (+3 spares) 1MF fighters, 18 (+6 spares) B1M attack aircraft and 6 (+2 spares) 2MR reconnaissance aircraft.
E June 1935:
Returns to service. Assigned to Car Div 2 consisting of KAGA as only carrier with DesDiv 2’s MINEKAZE and OKIKAZE. Her air group (operational aircraft only) includes 16 Nakajima Type 90 A2N1 fighters, 16 Aichi Type 94 D1A “Susie” dive bombers and 28 Mitsubishi Type 89-2 B2M2 attack planes.
1 December 1936:
Captain Mitsunami is relieved by Captain (Vice Admiral posthumously) Inagaki Ayao (38) (former CO of battleship HIEI) as Commanding Officer. KAGA remains attached to CarDiv 2 with DesDiv 22’s SATSUKI, MINAZUKI, FUMIZUKI and NAGATSUKI.
16 August 1937:
At 0300, 12 D1A1, 12 B3Y1 escorted by 4 A2N1-3 fighters take-off for a bombing mission over Sou-Tcheou. 1 D1A1 is lost. That same day, 6 A2N1 fighters engage 4 Chinese aircraft over Kiangwan (now Jiangwan), shooting down 1 Vought V-65 “Corsair” and 2 Douglas O-38 without loss.
20 September 1937:
Nanking is again attacked by 6 KAGA bombers escorted by 2 A5M “Claude”. They are engaged by 9 Hawk III and 2 Boeing 281. The Japanese claim to have shot down 4 Chinese aircraft but none is actually lost. That same day, Vice Admiral Hasegawa orders aerial attacks on Chinese light cruisers NING HAI and PING HAI, patrolling in Hangtcheou Bay.
26 September 1937:
Arrives at Sasebo Naval Base for reprovisionning. Receives new replacement aircraft including 32 B4Y1 “Jean”, 16 D1A2 “Susie” and 16 A5M “Claude”.
15 December 1938:
Captain Ono is relieved by Captain (later Rear Admiral) Yoshitomi Setsuzo (39) (former CO of submarine tender CHOGEI) as Commanding Officer. That same day, KAGA enters dock at Sasebo Naval Yard.
1 May 1940:
Arrives at Sasebo. Hereafter over the following months undergoes extensive refit and maintenance work.
15 October 1940:
Captain Kubo is relieved by Captain (later Vice Admiral) Yamada Sadayoshi (42) (former CO of carrier SORYU) as Commanding Officer.
14 November 1940:
Enters drydock at Sasebo.
15 November 1940:
Joins the First Air Squadron (CarDiv 1), 2nd Fleet.
5 December 1940:
Departs Sasebo; arrives Kagoshima the next day. For next two months cruising between Kagoshima and Makurazaki.
24 January 1941:
Arrives at Ariake Bay.
15 February 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.
19 February 1941:
Departs Sasebo for Okinawa.
21 February 1941:
Arrives at Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa.
25 February 1941:
Departs Nakagusuku Bay for China coast.
3 March 1941:
Arrives at Takao, Formosa.
7 March 1941:
Departs Takao for Ariake Bay.
11 March 1941:
Arrives at Ariake Bay.
26 March 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo after stopover at Kagoshima. At Sasebo undergoes repairs and maintenance.
10 April 1941:
The First Air Squadron joins the newly organized First Air Fleet and assigned to Cardiv 1. Subsequently operatesions in and around Kyushu's coastal waters.
1 May 1941:
Enters dock at Sasebo Naval Yard for maintenance and is probably fitted with an external degaussing coil.
14 May 1941:
Undocked.
19 May 1941:
Departs Sasebo; arrives at Ariake Bay the next day.
21 May 1941:
Becomes flagship of CarDiv 1.
29 May 1941:
Departs Ariake Bay.
30 May 1941:
Arrives at Beppu Bay.
6 June 1941:
Departs Beppu Bay; arrives at Kagoshima two days later.
20 June 1941:
Arrives at Ariake Bay; departs next day.
21 June 1941:
Departs Sasebo.
1 July 1941:
Arrives at Yokosuka.
8 July 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
12 July 1941:
Arrives at Ariake Wan (Bay). Later, departs for the Inland Sea and Kyushu subsequently.
20 July 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo. Hereafter carries out refitting, repairs, and maintenance work.
15 September 1941:
Captain Yamada is relieved by Captain (later KIA, Rear Admiral posthumously) Okada Jisaku (42) as commanding officer.
20 September 1941:
Arrives at Ariake Bay.
16 October 1941:
Departs Ariake Bay for Kagoshima.
19 October 1941:
Arrives back at Ariake Bay.
22 October 1941:
Sails to Hososhima, eastern Kyushu.
23 October 1941:
Flag of ComCarDiv 1 is shifted to AKAGI.
31 October 1941:
Departs Hososhima and arrives at Kagoshima.
2 November 1941:
Arrives at Ariake Bay. Departs two days later.
11 November 1941:
Enter dock at Sasebo Navy Yard.
14 November 1941:
Undocked.
18 November 1941:
Arrives at Hososhima. Departs same day and arrives Saeki Wan (Bay), Kyushu, to load 100 special torpedoes for the impending Hawaii Operation. Those Type 91 Model 2 torpedoes have just been modified by Mitsubishi at Nagasaki to enable them to be used in Pearl Harbor anchorage’s shallow waters.
19 November 1941:
Departs Saeki for Hittokapu Wan (Tenzan Bay), Etorofu-To (now Iturup), Kuriles, the secret assembling point for the Pearl Harbor attack.
22 November 1941:
Arrives at Hittokappu Wan as part of the assembling Mobile Force. KAGA air group’s consists of 18 Type 0 Mitsubishi A6M2 Reisen “Zeke” fighters, 27 Type 97 Nakajima B5N2 “Kate” attack planes and 27 Type 99 Aichi D3A1 “Val” dive bombers.
26 November: 1941:
At 0600, Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) Nagumo Chuichi's (36) (former CO of battleship YAMASHIRO) First Air Fleet Striking Force, ("Kido Butai") CarDiv 1's KAGA and AKAGI, CarDiv 2's HIRYU and SORYU and CarDiv 5's SHOKAKU and ZUIKAKU, BatDiv 3, Section 1's HIEI and KIRISHIMA with Vice Admiral Mikawa's (38) Support Force: Rear Admiral Abe Hiroaki’s (39) CruDiv 8's TONE and CHIKUMA, DesRon 1's light cruiser ABUKUMA, flagship of Rear Admiral Omori Sentaro's (41) that includes DesDiv 17's ISOKAZE, URAKAZE, TANIKAZE, HAMAKAZE, DesDiv 18's ARARE, KASUMI, KAGERO and SHIRANUI departs Hittokapu Wan in the "Hawaii Operation"...the surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Refueling operations are needed during the mission and two Supply Groups join the warships: Captain Ota Masanao's (39) Supply Group No. 1's oilers KYOKUTO (F), KOKUYO, KENYO and SHINKOKU MARUs and Captain Niimi Kazutaka's (40) Supply Group No. 2's oilers TOHO (F), TOEI and NIPPON MARUs.
7 December 1941: Operation "Z" - The Attack on Pearl Harbor: (Hawaii Date Time)
At 0618, the Carrier Striking Force first wave is launched against Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
23 December 1941:
Arrives Hashirajima, Yamaguchi Prefecture, with AKAGI, SHOKAKU and ZUIKAKU.
E 25 December 1941:
Arrives at Kure.
15 January 1942:
Arrives at Truk, joining carrier AKAGI.
17 January 1942: - Operation "R" - The Invasions of Rabaul and Kavieng:
Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) Nagumo Chuichi’s (36) Carrier Striking Force's CarDiv 1’s AKAGI and KAGA, CruDiv 5’s SHOKAKU and ZUIKAKU, BatDiv 3/1 HIEI and KIRISHIMA, CruDiv 8’s TONE and CHIKUMA and DesRon 1’s light cruiser ABUKUMA with DesDiv 17's ISOKAZE, URAKAZE, TANIKAZE, HAMAKAZE, DesDiv 18's ARARE, KASUMI, KAGERO, SHIRANUI and unattached destroyer AKIGUMO departs Truk.
20-22 January 1942:
N of New Ireland. CarDivs 1 and 5 launch 100 bombers and fighters to attack Rabaul, New Britain. KAGA provides 27 B5N2 “Kate” and 9 A6M2 “Zeke”. Norwegian cargo ship HERSTEIN, chartered to the Australian Government, is hit by three bombs, resulting in a fire that quickly spread all over the ship. During the night, HERSTEIN drifts across to the other side of Simpson Harbour and burns until the next morning before becoming beached and deemed a total loss. 1 B5N2 “Kate” is shot down by AA fire. That evening, CarDiv 5 is detached and moves to a position in the Bismarck Sea.
21 January 1942:
CarDiv 1 attacks Allied positions at Kavieng, New Ireland, of which KAGA contributes 9 A6M2 “Zeke” and 16 D3A1 “Val” with no casualties sustained. That same day, CarDiv 5 launches attacks on Madang, Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea. After CarDiv 5 recovers her aircraft, it departs the Bismarck Sea area that evening to rendevous with CarDiv 1.
27 January 1942:
CarDiv 1 arrives at Truk.
29 January 1942:
CarDiv 5 arrives at Truk. Later that day, SHOKAKU departs for Yokosuka.
2 February 1942:
Pursuit of U.S. Task force is abandoned, and the Japanese Carrier Strike Force proceeds to Palau.
8 February 1942:
Arrives at Palau, Western Carolines with AKAGI and ZUIKAKU.
9 February 1942:
KAGA strikes a reef at Palau while shifting mooring positions. Bilges forward are damaged, and only temporary repairs can be made at Palau. Leakage in her bow remains and maximum speed is reduced to 18 knots. (1)
15 February 1942:
Despite the damage to her hull, KAGA departs Palau with AKAGI, CarDiv 2’s HIRYU and SORYU, and Crudiv 8’s TONE and CHIKUMA, screened by DesRon 1's light cruiser ABUKUMA, that includes DesDiv 17's ISOKAZE, URAKAZE, TANIKAZE, HAMAKAZE, DesDiv 18's KASUMI and SHIRANUI and DesDiv’s 27 ARIAKE and YUGURE for the attacks on Port Darwin, Australia.
19 February:
At 0830, raid on Port Darwin is launched. The first wave led by Cdr (later Captain) Fuchida Mitsuo (52) consists of 81 B5N2 “Kate”, escorted by 18 A6M2 “Zeke” to which KAGA contributes 27 B5N2 “Kate”. At 0900, the second wave is launched with 71 D3A1 “Val escorted by 18 A6M2 “Zeke” to which KAGA contributes 18 D3A1 “Val” and 9 A6M2 “Zeke”. The second wave catches up with the first one before arriving over Darwin.
21 February 1942:
The Carrier Striking Force “Kido Butai) CarDiv 1's AKAGI and KAGA, CarDiv 2's HIRYU and SORYU and CruDiv 8's CHIKUMA and TONE, DesRon 1's light cruiser ABUKUMA with DesDiv 17's URAKAZE, ISOKAZE, TANIKAZE and HAMAKAZE, DesDiv 18's KASUMI and SHIRANUI and DesDiv 27’s YUGURE and ARIAKE arrive at Staring Bay, Celebes (now Sulawesi) to refuel. They are joined by First Section of BatDiv 3 HIEI and KIRISHIMA. Vice Admiral Kondo Nobutake (35) ) also arrives from Palau with BatDiv 3/2's KONGO and HARUNA, CruDiv 4's ATAGO, MAYA and TAKAO and DesDiv 4’s ARASHI, NOWAKI, MAIKAZE and HAGIKAZE.
25 February 1942:
Departs Staring Bay with the Striking Force to cover the invasion of Java.
27 February 1942:
Close to launch attack against USS LANGLEY (AV-3), but the allied vessel is dispatched by land-based aircraft before Kido Butai strike can be launched.
1 March 1942:
Involved in mop-up operations off southwest Java coast.
- 1240 KAGA and SORYU D3A1 "Vals" ordered to take off and sink enemy merchant ship sighted at noon. (This is USS PECOS AO-6).
- 1255 KAGA launches nine dive-bombers.
- 1327-1330 KAGA's nine planes attacked PECOS. They claim one direct hit and eight near-misses. (Three more strikes of nine Vals each from the other three carriers follow in succession.)
- 1718 PECOS sank. KAGA planes could count only one bomb hit among the 12 hits claimed.
- 1745 Enemy warship identified as light cruiser sighted pursuing and closing KdB from astern. The Support Force is ordered to turn and sink it with gunfire. (This was actually destroyer USS EDSALL DD-219, apparently seeking to come to the rescue of USS PECO's crew. However, the gunfire of the battleships and cruisers is surprisingly ineffective, and despite growing darkness it is necessary to launch air strikes.)
- 1815 KAGA planes ordered (with CarDiv 2) to take-off for night attack to finish off fleeing USS EDSALL. KAGA launches eight dive-bombers, and the Cardiv 2 carriers nine each. They reach the target within thirty minutes. KAGA's bombers claim five hits; SORYU's three, and HIRYU's one.
- 1901 EDSALL heeled over and sank stern first. CHIKUMA rescued 8 survivors.
- 1946 KAGA recovered her dive-bombers.
5 March 1942:
0945: Launch strikes against Tjilatjap, Java, N.E.I (now Cilacap, Indonesia). KAGA contributes 27 B5N2 “Kate” and 9 A6M2 “Zeke”. No losses are sustained.
1405: Strike recovered. KAGA bombers claim heavy damage to one large merchantman.
6 March 1942:
1103: CarDiv 2 is detached and with two BBs and DesDiv 17 heads to raid Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean. CarDiv 1 continues east.
10 March 1942:
CarDiv 2 force rejoins CarDiv 1 and all head for Staring Bay.
11 March 1942:
Arrives at Staring Bay, Java having surrendered two days prior.
15 March 1942:
Departs Starting Bay for Sasebo, Kyushu escorted by Desdiv 15 (KUROSHIO, OYASHIO, HAYASHIO) having been ordered to return home for full repairs by CinC 2nd Fleet.
22 March 1942:
Arrives at Sasebo for permanent hull repairs from reef damage and maintenance. Her air group is flown off to Tateyama Air Base for training during the maintenance period.
27 March 1942:
Enters Sasebo Naval Yard drydock.
26 March - 18 April 1942: “Operation C” – The Raids in the Indian Ocean:
Nagumo's force departs Staring Bay for the Indian Ocean Operation. KAGA is unable to participate due to repairs still in progress at Sasebo.
8 April 1942:
Combined Fleet requests repairs to KAGA be expedited, as it is hoped to include KAGA in Operation "MO."
18 April 1942:
2110 :Following the Doolittle raid on Japan, KAGA’s air group is ordered to join the ship and depart as soon as possible to search for the enemy force in conjunction with SHOHO.
22 April 1942:
Nagumo fleet less CarDiv 5 arrives at Yokosuka after abortive pursuit of the "Doolittle Raiders" who had bombed Tokyo on 18 April. KAGA is still under repairs at Sasebo.
4 May 1942:
Repairs are completed. Undocked. Departs Sasebo for the Inland Sea to rejoin CarDiv 1. Arrives same day at Hashirajima.
6 May 1942:
Becomes flagship of First Air Fleet.
8 May 1942:
Departs Hashirajima for training at Kagoshima area.
16 May 1942:
Nagumo holds conference in Kagoshima.
18 May 1942:
AKAGI that had departed Yokosuka, joins KAGA at Hashirajima.
24 May 1942:
Nine A6M2 "Zekes" from the 6th Air Group assigned to be based at Midway are flown out to KAGA by 1st Air Fleet pilots and landed aboard.
26 May 1942:
Arrives at Hashirajima.
27 May 1942:
At 0600 KAGA departs Hashirajima for the MI Operation (Invasion of Midway) with flagship AKAGI as CarDiv 1 of Vice Admiral Nagumo's First Mobile Force, Carrier Strike Force also consisting of CarDiv 2's HIRYU and SORYU, BatDiv 3/2’s HARUNA and KIRISHIMA, CruDiv 8's TONE and CHIKUMA, DesRon 10's light cruiser NAGARA with DesDiv 4’s NOWAKI, ARASHI, HAGIKAZE and MAIKAZE, DesDiv 10’s KAZAGUMO, YUGUMO and MAKIGUMO and DesDiv 17’s URAKAZE, ISOKAZE, TANIKAZE and HAMAKAZE. (CarDiv 5 is unable to participate, due to damage to SHOKAKU and aircraft losses to ZUIKAKU suffered at Coral Sea on 8 May.)
KAGA’s air group consists of 18 A6M2 “Zeke”, 18 D3A1 “Val” and 27 B5N2 “Kate”. Additionally, nine A6M2 “Zeke from the 6th Air Group, destined to Midway’s future garrison, and two spare D3A1 “Val” are embarked.
28 May 1942:4 June 1942/(5 June JST) - The Battle of Midway:
Note: For convenience and familiarity local times and date are used herein until KAGA's sinking as the vast majority of sources, even some Japanese ones, utilize this approach. To convert to Tokyo (JST) or Zone 9 time, subtract three hours but advance one one day ahead of a Midway Local time - (Tully)
- 0430 (0130 JST), the air strike led by Lt. (later KIA, Cdr posthumously) Tomonaga Joichi (59) is launched against Midway Island with 36 B5N2 “Kate”, 36 D3A1 “Val” and 36 A6M2 “Zeke”. KAGA contributes 18 D3A1 “Val” and 9 A6M2 “Zeke”. 1 D3A1 “Val” and 2 A6M2 “Zeke” are lost. In addition, KAGA launched one B5N2 to participate in the morning long-range search covering No.2 Search line along 158 Degrees, and two fighters for the CAP.
- 0700 (Enemy planes sighted approaching in force from 90 degrees. Launch six fighters. At same time, HIRYU radios that per strike leader, there is need for second strike against Midway Island.
- 0707 KAGA notifies AKAGI: "Sand Island bombed; great results obtained." (2)
- 0710-0725 AKAGI and HIRYU under attack by land-based bombers and twin-engine torpedo planes.(Six TBFs and four B-26s) No damage.
- 0715 Nagumo orders second attack wave to arm for land strike against Midway.
- 0730 KAGA recovers three fighters.
- 0745 Nagumo directs that the preparations for the second wave to attack Midway be halted, and land-bombs switched to torpedoes (in the case of AKAGI and KAGA) for ship attack. (3)
- 0755-0815 In this time frame B-17s are bombing the carrier force (no hits).
- 0805 First Midway strike wave returns, but is unable to home due to American air raids. They orbit at a distance to wait.
- 0815 Launch five fighters. (Sixteen SBDs were attacking HIRYU in this time frame.)
- 0830 Launch three fighters. (Eleven Vindicators from Midway were attacking).
- 0837 Midway strike recovery begins.
- 0850 All KAGA first wave aicraft recovered.
- 0905 Nagumo orders force to head north to destroy enemy force after completion of recovery operations.
- 0910 Recover five fighters.
- 0917 Fleet course 70 degrees. Preparations continue to launch anti-ship attack wave armed with torpedoes and armor-piercing bombs.
- 0920 Launched six CAP fighters to repel incoming enemy torpedo plane attack. Set course westward to head away from enemy.
- 0930 Attack ended; all enemy planes shot down.
- 0938 Second enemy torpedo plane group sighted approaching from the south.(This is USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) Torpedo Squadron VT-6’s Douglas TBD “Devastators” led by LtCdr (KIA, Navy Cross posthumously awarded ) Eugene E. Lindsey (USNA ’27) which directly targeted KAGA. Carrier force turns to course 300 degrees to head away.
- Enemy torpedo planes attack both sides of KAGA in an "anvil" attack. But assisted by CAP the carrier dodges a total of six torpedoes, the “Zeke” CAP shooting down 10 out of the 14 attacking aircraft.
- 1000 Launched six fighters to engage torpedo planes. Attack repulsed. Fleet course set to 030 degrees to close and attack enemy carrier to the northeast. Preparations continue to launch anti-ship attack wave armed with torpedoes and armor-piercing bombs.
- 1005 KAGA recovered long-range search B5N2 torpedo plane.
- 1010 Fleet turns to port to course 300 degrees to put sterns to third enemy torpedo plane group approaching from southeast.
- 1020 Cardiv 1 ordered to launch CAP fighters as soon as ready.
- 1022 (0722 JST) As fighters prepare to launch, approximately 30 enemy dive-bombers overhead reported by HIRYU and also sighted by lookouts about to attack. KAGA takes evasive action to starboard, avoiding first three bombs but is struck by a minimum of one 1,000-pound (450-kg) and three 500-pound (230-kg) bombs from USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6)’s Douglas SBD “Dauntless” VS-6 and VB-6 led by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Wade McClusky (USNA ’26) inducing explosions among armed and fueled torpedo planes on the hangar decks, aggravated by unstored ordnance, starting a raging aviation gasoline fire. One of the bombs destroyed the bridge, killing most there including Captain Okada, Executive Officer Capt. Kawaguchi Masao (47), Navigator Cdr. Kodota Kazuharu, Gunnery Officer LtCdr. Miyano Tosaburo (52). As a result, KAGA is left with only surviving damage control officers, inexperienced personnel, and aviators to fight the fires. The fires are soon out of control. Switched to emergency steering. (At the same time, AKAGI and SORYU also set afire by bombing.)
- 1130: Comcardiv 2 (Rear Admiral Yamaguchi Tamon on HIRYU) orders ComCrudiv 8 (Rear Admiral Abe Hiroaki) to assign one destroyer each to the three damaged carriers, and have the damaged carriers retire toward Yamamoto's Main Body. The order is repeated at 1147. KAGA under supervision of the First Damage Control Officer attempts to comply, still making about 5-8 knots.
- 1300 (1000 JST) About this time KAGA's engine gang is either overcome, or ordered to stop the ship (Only a third of them would survive; 213 of them perished.) The carrier goes dead in the water. HAGIKAZE moves up to assist.
- 1325: The Imperial Portrait is transferred via the forecastle to HAGIKAZE. Elsewhere, the senior surviving officer Air Officer Cdr. Amagai Takahisa (51) directs all non-essential personnel, particularly aviators, to abandon ship and jumps into the sea with them.
- 1410: (1110 JST) KAGA is attacked by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral, retired) William H. Brockman’s (USNA ’27) submarine USS NAUTILUS (SS-168). One torpedo hits the starboard quarter, but fails to explode. Counter-attack by depth charge is made, but results unknown.
- 1640 The situation judged hopeless, all remaining personnel are ordered (apparently by the First Damage Control Officer) to abandon ship. They are removed or subsequently rescued from the sea by destroyers HAGIKAZE and MAIKAZE.
- 1715: HAGIKAZE reports to Nagumo that all remaining personnel on KAGA having earlier been ordered to abandon ship, have now been taken aboard the two destroyers.
- 1750 Nagumo reports to Yamamoto: "KAGA is inoperational in (grid) position HE E A55. All survivors have been transferred to destroyers."
- 1800 Comdesdiv 4 on ARASHI orders HAGIKAZE to "keep a watch on KAGA until further notice." He also asks KAGA and SORYU's escorts if either carrier was starting to sink.
- 1830: ComDesdiv 4, having received false report of approaching enemy forces, orders NOWAKI, HAGIKAZE, HAMAKAZE, and ISOKAZE to continue to screen their assigned damaged carriers, but if the enemy approaches, to engage them.
- 1856: Sunset. Shortly after this time, KAGA and SORYU are apparently ordered scuttled. A final caretaker crew is removed from KAGA by a written order.
- Sunk: 1925 (1625 JST) destroyer HAGIKAZE fires two torpedoes into her starboard side amidships aft. The KAGA begins to settle by the stern, yet remains on an even keel until she slides from sight in approximate position 30-23.3'N, 179-17.2' W. (See Notes). She suffers a loss of 814 officers, petty officers, and men. (4)
10 August 1942:
Removed from Navy List.
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