JUNYOKAN!

© 1997-2020 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
Revision 6

12 December 1941:
CarDiv 2's HIRYU and the SORYU detach from Vice Admiral (Admiral posthumously) Nagumo Chuichi's (former CO of YAMASHIRO) Striking Force returning from Pearl Harbor to reinforce Kajioka, as do Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Abe Hiroaki's (former CO of FUSO) CruDiv 8's TONE, CHIKUMA and two destroyers. Seaplane tender KIYOKAWA MARU and two other destroyers also reinforce Kajioka. Abe, the senior officer present, is in overall command.

Hara's SHOKAKU and ZUIKAKU launch a 78-plane strike against a reported American carrier and cruiser sighted to the south. An hour later, another report advises that an American carrier and about ten other ships were sighted 280 miles NW. CarDiv 5's planes do not find "a carrier and cruiser", but find two other American ships. They damage oiler USS NEOSHO (AO-23) and sink her escort, destroyer SIMS (DD-409).

NE of Misima Island, Louisiades. At 1100, SHOHO is attacked by 93 SBD dive bombers and TBD torpedo-bombers from Fletcher's YORKTOWN and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Aubrey W. Fitch's (former CO of USS LEXINGTON, CV-2) Task Force 11's USS LEXINGTON, USS MINNEAPOLIS (CA-36), USS NEW ORLEANS (CA-32) and five destroyers. SHOHO is sunk as a result of the air attack. Both sides contemplate sending their surface ships out for a night attack on the opposing carrier force.

8 May 1942:
Forty-six SBDs, 21 TBDs and 15 Grumman F4F "Wildcats" from USS YORKTOWN and USS LEXINGTON find Hara's CarDiv 5. They damage SHOKAKU severely and force her retirement. ZUIKAKU's air group also suffers heavy losses.

Thirty-six of CarDiv 5's Type 97 Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" attack planes with 24 Type 99 Aichi D3A1 "Val" dive-bombers covered by 36 Type 0 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters damage USS YORKTOWN and USS LEXINGTON. Hit by torpedoes and several bombs, USS LEXINGTON is further damaged when gasoline vapors ignite and trigger massive explosions that cause her to be abandoned. Later she is scuttled by destroyer USS PHELPS (DD-360).

KAKO and AOBA cover the withdrawing Port Moresby invasion convoy.

9 May 1942:
Refuels at Shortland.

11 May 1942:
Departs Shortland with AOBA for the Queen Carola Harbor.

12 May 1942:
KAKO is stranded on a reef entering the harbor, but is refloated.

14 May 1942:
KAKO departs Queen Carola with AOBA.

22 May 1942:
Refit at Kure with AOBA.

16 June 1942:
Refit is completed. Departs Kure with AOBA. Joins CruDiv 18's TENRYU and TATSUTA for training in the Bungo Suido (Strait), then departs for Truk.

23 June 1942:
Arrives at Truk.

30 June 1942:
Departs Truk with AOBA.

5-6 July 1942:
Arrives at Kieta.

7-14 July 1942:
At the seaplane base at Rekata Bay, San Ysabel.

14 July 1942:
The IJN undergoes a major reorganization. The Eighth Fleet is created under Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi (former CO of KIRISHIMA) and based at Rabaul.

27 July 1942:
CruDiv 6 is reassigned to the Eighth Fleet.

7 August 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CHOKAI depart the Moewe Passage through the "Slot" towards Guadalcanal with light cruisers TENRYU and YUBARI and destroyer YUNAGI. At Rabaul, CHOKAI embarks Mikawa and his Eighth Fleet staff.

8 August 1942:
N of Guadalcanal. After 2310 KAKO launches a three-seat Aichi Type 0 reconnaissance seaplane E13A1 "Jake" reconnaissance floatplane, later splashed by a Douglas SBD "Dauntless" of VS-72 from the USS WASP (CV-7).

9 August 1942: The Battle of Savo Island.
Rear Admiral (VC-'18/later Admiral Sir) Victor A. Crutchley's, RN, (former CO of WARSPITE), Task Group 62.6 of cruisers and destroyers is screening the invasion transports at Savo Island off Guadalcanal. Crutchley is ordered to attend a meeting with ComTaskFor 62 Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner (former CO of ASTORIA, CA-34) and detaches to Guadalcanal with his flagship, cruiser AUSTRALIA.

CruDiv 6, CHOKAI, light cruisers TENRYU and YUBARI and destroyer YUNAGI prepare to engage the Allied Forces. At 0138, CHOKAI launches a salvo of Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes at the Allied force. About the same time, KAKO launches a salvo of torpedoes at ASTORIA. The circling floatplanes then drop flares to illuminate the targets and all the Japanese ships open fire. KAKO's gunfire hits USS VINCENNES (CA-44) in the hangar and destroys all of her Curtiss SOC "Seagull" floatplanes. In the ensuing in a night gun and torpedo action, USS ASTORIA, USS QUINCY (CA-39), USS VINCENNES and Australian HMAS CANBERRA are sunk. USS CHICAGO (CA-29), USS RALPH TALBOT (DD-390) and USS PATTERSON (DD-392) are damaged.

On the Japanese side, CHOKAI is hit ten times, KINUGASA twice and AOBA once, but KAKO is not damaged. During the battle KAKO expends 192 main caliber rounds, 124 12-cm and 149 25-mm AA rounds as well as ten torpedoes, claiming damage to KENT and ASTORIA class cruisers.

The heavily-laden American invasion transports off Guadalcanal are now virtually unprotected and in harm's way. Admiral Mikawa, unaware that Admiral Fletcher has withdrawn his carriers covering the invasion, fears an air attack at daybreak. He orders a retirement and leaves Admiral Turner's transports untouched for which he is later reprimanded.

10 August 1942:
In the morning, after no air attack is mounted against his ships, Vice Admiral Mikawa detaches CruDiv 6's four heavy cruisers unescorted to Kavieng, New Ireland. Mikawa returns to Rabaul with the remainder of his striking force.

At 0650, LtCdr John R. Moore's old S-44 sights CruDiv 6 on a track less than 900 yards away, making 16 kts. At 0706, Moore fires four Mk.10 torpedoes from 700 yds at the rear ship in the group. The Kawanishi E7K2 "Alf" floatplane from AOBA, patrolling overhead, fails to send a timely warning and at 0708 three torpedoes hit KAKO in rapid succession. The first strikes to starboard abreast No. 1 turret. Water enters through open scuttles of the hull as the bow dips and twists further within three minutes of being hit. The other torpedoes hit amidships, in the vicinity of the forward magazines, and further aft, abreast boiler rooms Nos. 1 and 2. KAKO rolls over on her starboard side with white smoke and steam belching from her forward funnel. An enormous roar ensues as seawater reaches her boilers.

At 0712, the Japanese start depth charging the S-44, but without success. S-44 slips away.

At 0715, KAKO disappears bow first in the sea to the surprise and dismay of her squadron mates. She sinks off Simbari Island at 02-28S, 152-11E. Sixty-eight crewmen are killed, but Captain Takahashi and 649 of KAKO's crew are rescued by AOBA, FURUTAKA and KINUGASA.

15 September 1942:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors' Notes:
[1] Mt. Niitaka, located in Formosa (now Taiwan), was the highest point in the Japanese Empire at the time.

Special thanks for assistance in researching the IJN officers mentioned in this TROM go to Mr. Jean-François Masson of Canada, Matthew Jones of USA and Fontessa-san of Japan. Special credit goes to Randy Stone and Tony Tully of the United States for providing information about the KAKO's last moments. Thanks for assistance also goes to "Adm. Gurita" of the Netherlands and Andrew Obluski of Poland.

Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.

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