© 1997-2019 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
Revision 5
23 January 1924:
Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki Shipbuilding.
24 October 1926:
Launched and named
KINUGASA. Admiral, Prince (later Fleet Admiral) Fushimi Hiroyasu of the
Supreme War Council represents the Imperial family at the ceremony.
1 February 1927:
Captain Tamura Shigehiko (32)(former CO of ISUZU) is
appointed the Chief Equipping Officer (CEO).
30 September 1927:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Attached to
Sasebo Naval District. Captain Tamura Shigehiko is the CO.
30 October 1927:
Participates in the 13th Naval Review off Yokohama
with AOBA.
1 December 1927:
Reassigned to CruDiv 5 with AOBA. Designated the
new flagship of CruDiv 5.
March 1928:
Fitted with a Kure Type No. 1 compressed-air catapult.
KINUGASA becomes the first IJN warship to carry a fully operational catapult.
10 March 1928:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Iwamura Kanekoto
(31)(former CO of KIRISHIMA) is appointed the CO to replace Captain Tamura,
suddenly taken ill.
1 June 1928:
Off Yokosuka. Conducts a test launch of the Nakajima
E2N1 Type 15 Mod. 1 reconnaissance floatplane.
4 December 1928:
Participates in the Coronation Special Naval Review
(14th Naval Review) off Yokohama with AOBA.
10 December 1928:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kitagawa Kiyoshi
(33)(former CO of HOSHO) is appointed the CO.
11 July 1929:
20 miles SW of Odate Shima lighthouse, off Kyushu.
During a simulated underwater attack I-55 accidentally collides with her
target, the heavy cruiser KINUGASA, and receives substantial damage.
1 November 1929:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Otagaki Tomisaburo
(34)(former CO of YURA) is appointed the CO.
March-April 1930:
The 12-cm (4.7in) AA guns receive new shielded
and electro-hydraulically operated sponson mounts.
1 December 1930:
Captain Somekawa Keizo (34)(former CO of Ominato
Sailor Corps) is appointed the CO.
December 1930-March 1931:
A new gunpowder-propelled Kure Type No. 2
catapult is installed.
1 March 1931:
Captain Shibuya Shoji (34)(former CO of Maizuru Sailor
Corps) is appointed the CO.
14 November 1931:
Captain Osaki Yoshio (35)(former CO of JINGEI) is
appointed the CO.
October 1932-February 1933:
During a refit at Sasebo Navy Yard two
quadruple Hotchkiss type 13.2-mm machine gun mounts are installed to sponsons
on each side of the bridge. The floatplane is replaced by a Nakajima E4N2
Type 90 No. 2 Model 2.
1 December 1932:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Tange Kunji
(36)(former CO of HIEI) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1933:
Captain (later Vice Admiral Sakamoto Ikuta
(36)(former Naval Torpedo School instructor) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1934:
Attached to Kure Naval District. Captain (later
Vice Admiral) Takeda Moriji (38)(former CO of KITAKAMI) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1935:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Hatakeyama Koichiro
(39)(former CO of TSUSHIMA) is appointed the CO.
14 August 1936:
During the Special Great Maneuvers in the area S of
Honshu, AOBA misses a signal from KINUGASA and accidentally grazes her at a
speed of 9 kts. Both cruisers receive minor damage.
29 October 1936:
Participates in the 17th Fleet Review in Kobe Bight
with AOBA.
1 December 1936:
Reassigned to Kure Guard Squadron.
1 April 1937:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Matsunaga Jiro
(38)(former CO of NAGARA) is appointed the CO.
7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge Incident ("First China Incident"):
Hun River, Lukuokiao, China. Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) troops on night
maneuvers at the Marco Polo Bridge fire blank cartridges. Chinese troops across
the river think they are under attack. They fire live rounds back, but do not
cause injuries. At morning roll call, the Japanese discover a soldier missing
and assume the Chinese have captured him. The Japanese demand entry to the
Beijing suburb of Wanping to look for the soldier, but the Chinese refuse. The
Japanese then shell the city. An undeclared war on China begins.
15 August 1937:
Placed in reserve for a modernization.
15 October 1938-30 October 1940:
Modernization at Sasebo Navy Yard.
The 12-cm AA guns are resited and eight 25-mm Type 96 AA guns (in four
twin mounts) and four 13.2-mm Type 93 AA machine guns (in two twin mounts) are
added. The fixed torpedo tubes are landed and replaced by two quadruple
trainable mounts.
A heavier Kure Type No. 2 Mod. 5 catapult, an aircraft handling boom
and facilities for operating two Kawanishi E7K1/2 "Alf" reconnaissance
floatplanes are fitted.
Two mixed-firing boilers in boiler rooms Nos. 6 and 7 are converted to
oil-firing. Turbine rotor blades are replaced.
1 December 1937:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Matsuyama Mitsuharu
(40)(former CO of KITAKAMI) is appointed the CO.
3 June 1938:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Hirose Sueto (39)(current
CO of AOBA) is appointed the CO of KINUGASA as additional duty.
15 June 1938:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sato Tsutomu (40)(former
CO of KUMA) is appointed the CO.
10 October 1939:
Captain Sato is appointed the CO of NACHI as
additional duty.
15 November 1939:
Captain Nanba Sukenobu (39)(former CO of JINTSU)
is appointed the CO.
25 September 1940:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Kiyota Takahiko
(42)(former CO of NARUTO) is appointed the CO.
20 August 1941:
Captain (Rear Admiral, postumously) Sawa Masao (44)
(former CO of TATSUTA) is appointed the CO. KINUGASA is in Vice Admiral (later
Admiral) Takasu Shiro's (former CO of ISUZU) First Fleet as flagship of Rear
Admiral Goto Aritomo's (former CO of MUTSU) CruDiv 6 with AOBA, FURUTAKA and
KAKO.
2 December 1941:
Haha Jima, Bonin Islands. CruDiv 6 receives the
signal "Niitakayama nobore (Climb Mt. Niitaka) 1208" from the Combined Fleet.
This signifies that X-Day hostilities will commence on 8 December (Japan time).
4 December 1941:
CruDiv 6 departs Haha Jima in support of the
invasion of Guam.
8 December 1941: The Invasion of Wake Island:
Rear Admiral (Vice
Admiral, posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi's (former CO of NAGARA) DesRon 6's
light cruiser YUBARI, eight destroyers, two transports and three submarines
assault Wake Island. The United States Marines beat back the first attack.
Kajioka loses LtCdr Takatsuka Minoru's destroyer HAYATE to Lt John A.
McAlister's 5-inch Battery "L" on Wilkes Island and LtCdr Ogawa Yoichiro's
destroyer KISARAGI to Marine Grumman F4F-3 "Wildcats" of VMF-211.
10 December 1941: The Invasion of Guam:
The Invasion Force lands 4,886
troops of MajGen Horii Tomitaro's South Seas Detachment. CruDiv 6 departs for
Truk, arriving that same day.
12 December 1941:
CarDiv 2's HIRYU and SORYU are detached from Vice
Admiral (Admiral posthumously) Nagumo Chuichi's Striking Force returning from
Pearl Harbor to reinforce Kajioka, as are 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.
13 December 1941:
CruDiv 6 departs Truk for Wake.
23 December 1941- The Second Invasion of Wake:
After a magnificent
stand, Wake's small garrison is overwhelmed and forced to surrender.
10 January 1942:
CruDiv 6 arrives at Truk.
18 January 1942:
CruDiv 6 departs Truk.
23 January: Operation "O"- The Invasion of Rabaul and Kavieng:
CruDiv
6 covers the invasion landings.
30 January 1942:
CruDiv 6 arrives at Rabaul.
1 February 1942:
Vice Admiral (later Fleet Admiral) William F. Halsey
Jr's (former CO of SARATOGA, CV-3) Task Force 8 (USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) raids
Kwajalein and Wotje in the Marshall Islands. USS ENTERPRISE's Douglas
"Dauntless" SBDs of VB-6 and VS-6 and TBD "Devastators" of VT-6 sink a
transport, damage light cruiser KATORI, submarine depot ship YASUKUNI MARU and
several other ships.
CruDiv 6 departs Rabaul that day in response to Halsey's raids.
4 February 1942:
CruDiv 6 arrives at Roi.
6 February 1942:
CruDiv 6 arrives at Kwajalein.
10 February 1942:
CruDiv 6 arrives at Truk.
20 February 1942:
Vice Admiral Wilson Brown's (later President
Roosevelt's Naval Aide) Task Force 11's USS LEXINGTON (CV-2) is en route to
attack Rabaul. The task force is spotted by a Kawanishi H6K Mavis
flying boat of the Yokohama NAG. Since surprise is lost, the American
attack is cancelled.
That same day, KINUGASA, FURUTAKA and KAKO sortie from Truk in an
unsuccessful pursuit of the Americans.
23 February 1942:
KINUGASA, FURUTAKA and KAKO arrive back at Truk.
2 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 departs Truk.
5 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 arrives at Rabaul.
8 March 1942:Operation "SR" - The Invasion of Lae and Salamaua, New
Guinea:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 support the invasions.
9 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrive at Buka, Bougainville.
11 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrive at Rabaul.
14 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 depart Rabaul.
15 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrive at Buka.
17 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 depart Buka.
18 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrive at the Moewe Passage,
near Kavieng, New Ireland.
26 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 depart the Moewe Passage.
27 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrive at Rabaul.
28 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18depart Rabaul.
30 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 cover the invasion landings at
Shortland.
31 March 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 cover the invasion landings at
Kieta, Bougainville.
1 April 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrive at Rabaul. Refuel and
depart that same day.
2 April 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrive at the Moewe Passage.
5 April 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 depart the Moewe Passage.
7 April 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrive at Manus, Admirality
Islands.
8 April 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 depart Manus.
10 April 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrive at Truk. Refit.
30 April 1942: Operation "MO" - The Invasions of Tulagi, Solomons and
Port Moresby, New Guinea:
CruDiv 6, light carrier SHOHO and destroyer
SAZANAMI sortie from Truk in Rear Admiral Goto Aritomo's MO Main Force,
tasked with providing cover for the invasion convoy. CruDiv 6 operates in two
sections, 6/1 with AOBA (F) and KAKO, and 6/2 with KINUGASA and FURUTAKA.
3 May 1942:
CruDiv 6 arrives at the Queen Carola anchorage near Buka
and provides distant cover for the landings at Tulagi.
4 May 1942:
Rabaul, New Britain. Rear Admiral Kajioka's Port Moresby
Attack Force departs with DesRon 6's light cruiser YUBARI, four destroyers and a
patrol boat escorting Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Abe Koso's (former CO of
HIEI) Transport Force of 12 transports, three oilers, minelayer TSUGARU and
three minesweepers towards the Jomard Pass in the Louisiade Archipelago.
Tulagi, Solomons. That same day, Rear Admiral (MOH-'14/later Admiral)
Frank Jack Fletcher's (former CO of USS VERMONT, BB-20) Task Force 17's USS
YORKTOWN (CV-5), cruisers USS CHESTER (CA-27), USS PORTLAND (CA-33) and USS
ASTORIA (CA-34) with six destroyers launches three strikes, comprising 99
planes, at Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Shima Kiyohide's (former CO of OI).
Tulagi Invasion Force. YORKTOWN's TBD torpedo planes and SBD dive-bombers sink
destroyer KIKUZUKI and three minesweepers and damage four other ships.
Queen Carola. CruDiv 6 departs towards Guadalcanal in response
to reports of YORKTOWN's raids on Tulagi.
5 May 1942:
Fletcher's force turns to engage Vice Admiral (Admiral,
posthumously) Takagi Takeo's (former CO of MUTSU) Carrier Strike Force: Rear
Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hara Chuichi's (former CO of TATSUTA) CarDiv 5's
SHOKAKU and ZUIKAKU, Takagi's CruDiv 5's MYOKO and HAGURO, six destroyers and an
oiler.
CruDiv 6 arrives at the Shortland anchorage that day to refuel from
oiler IRO.
6 May 1942:
CruDiv 6 departs Shortland to rendezvous with SHOHO W of
Bougainville. The cruisers are attacked unsuccessfully by three USAAF Boeing
B-17 "Flying Fortresses".
7 May 1942:The
Battle of the Coral Sea:
CruDiv 6 departs Shortland and effects
a rendezvous at sea with light carrier SHOHO.
Rear Admiral 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).
N of Tagula Island. At 1100, SHOHO is attacked by 93 SBD dive-bombers and
TBD torpedo-bombers from Fletcher's USS YORKTOWN and Rear Admiral (later
Admiral) Aubrey W. Fitch's (former CO of USS LEXINGTON, CV-2)Task Force 11's USS
LEXINGTON, NEW ORLEANS (CA-32) and MINNEAPOLIS (CA-36) and five destroyers.
SHOHO is sunk off Misima Island.
8 May 1942:
Forty-six SBDs, 21 TBDs and 15 Grumman F4F "Wildcats" from
YORKTOWN and LEXINGTON find Hara's CarDiv 5. They damage SHOKAKU severely above
the waterline and force her retirement. ZUIKAKU's air group also suffers heavy
losses.
Thirty-six of CarDiv 5's Nakajima B5N2 Kate
attack planes with 24 Aichi D3A1 Val
dive-bombers covered by 36 Mitsubishi A6M Zekes
damage USS YORKTOWN and USS LEXINGTON. Hit by at least five torpedoes and
several bombs, 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).
KINUGASA and FURUTAKA, undamaged in the battle, detach from CruDiv 6 to
escort SHOKAKU back to Truk. AOBA and KAKO cover the withdrawing Port Moresby
invasion convoy.
9 May 1942:
Refuels at Shortland.
10 May 1942:
The Battle of the Coral Sea halts the Japanese thrust
toward Port Moresby and they cancel Operation MO. KINUGASA and FURUTAKA arrive
at Kieta.
13 May 1942:
KINUGASA and FURUTAKA arrive at Shortland and refuel.
15 May 1942:
KINUGASA and FURUTAKA depart Shortland.
17 May 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
31 May 1942:
KINUGASA and FURUTAKA depart Truk.
5 June 1942:
Arrives at Kure.
10 June 1942:
In dock.
15 June 1942:
Undocked.
28 June 1942:
KINUGASA and FURUTAKA depart Kure.
4 July 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
7 July 1942:
KINUGASA and FURUTAKA depart Truk.
9 July 1942:
Arrives at Kieta and refuels.
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.
14-26 July 1942:
KINUGASA and FURUTAKA pay calls at various IJN bases
in the Solomons, New Britain and New Ireland arriving at the Mowe Passage, near
Kavieng.
27 July 1942:
CruDiv 6 is reassigned to the Eighth Fleet.
7 August 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CHOKAI depart the Mowe Passage through
the "Slot" towards Guadalcanal with light cruisers TENRYU and YUBARI and
destroyer YUNAGI. At Rabaul, CHOKAI embarks the Commander of the Eighth Fleet,
Vice Admiral Mikawa and his staff.
9 August 1942: The
Battle of Savo Island.
Rear Admiral (VC-'18/later Admiral Sir) Victor
A. Crutchley's, RN, (former CO of HMS 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). Before detaching to
Guadalcanal with his flagship, cruiser AUSTRALIA, Crutchley approves the
disposition of his screen around the entrances to Savo.
CruDiv 6, CHOKAI, light cruisers TENRYU and YUBARI and destroyer YUNAGI
prepare to engage the Allied Forces in a night gun and torpedo action. At about
2300, CHOKAI, FURUTAKA and KAKO all launch their spotter float planes. At 0138,
CHOKAI launches a salvo of Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes at the Allied force
from only 5,000 yards. The circling float planes then drop flares to illuminate
the targets and all the Japanese ships open fire. Captain William G. Greenman's
ASTORIA (CA-34), Captain Samuel N. Moore's QUINCY (CA-39), Captain (later Rear
Admiral) Frederick L. Riefkohl's VINCENNES (CA-44) and Captain Frank E.
Getting's cruiser HMAS CANBERRA are sunk. Captain Howard W. Bode's CHICAGO is
damaged as are RALPH TALBOT (DD-390) and PATTERSON (DD-392).
On the Japanese side, at 0156, KINUGASA is hit in her No. 1 engine room
by a 5-inch shell from PATTERSON and later her port steering gear is hit by a
shell from VINCENNES. CHOKAI is hit three times and AOBA once.
The heavily-laden American invasion transports off Guadalcanal are
unprotected and in harm's way, but Admiral Mikawa, unaware that Admiral Fletcher
has withdrawn his carriers covering the invasion, fears an air attack at
daybreak. At 0220, Mikawa orders a retirement. Captain Sawa, frustrated,
unleashes a spread of four torpedoes at Admiral Turner's transports; they all
miss.
10 August 1942:
CruDiv 6 retires towards Kavieng. On the way back,
LtCdr John R. Moore's S-44 sets up on the last cruiser in the line of ships.
Moore sinks KAKO with three torpedoes. KINUGASA and the remainder of CruDiv 6
arrive at the Moewe Passage, Kavieng for emergency repairs and refit.
17 August 1942:
CruDiv 6 departs the Moewe Passage.
19 August 1942:
CruDiv 6 arrives at the seaplane base at Rekata Bay,
San Ysabel.
20 August 1942:
CruDiv 6 departs Rekata Bay.
22 August 1942:
CruDiv 6 arrives at Shortland.
23 August 1942:
CruDiv 6 and CHOKAI depart Shortland to provide
distant cover for the Guadalcanal reinforcement convoys.
26 August 1942:
Returns to Rabaul with CHOKAI.
28 August 1942:
KINUGASA arrives at Shortland.
1 October 1942:
CruDiv 6 is at Shortland.
11 October 1942: The Battle of Cape
Esperance:
Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Goto
Aritomo's (former CO of MUTSU) CruDiv 6's AOBA (F), KINUGASA and FURUTAKA and
DesDiv 11's FUBUKI and HATSUYUKI depart Shortland towards Guadalcanal. Goto's
mission is to provide cover for a troop reinforcement convoy by shelling
Henderson Field.
Rear Admiral Joshima Takatsugu's (former CO of SHOKAKU) convoy of
seaplane carriers CHITOSE and NISSHIN and six destroyers, reaches Tassafaronga,
Guadalcanal and lands the IJA's 2nd Infantry Division, tanks and artillery.
A B-17 of the 11th Bomb Group (H) reports sighting a Japanese force
approaching Guadalcanal. ComTaskFor 64's Rear Admiral Norman Scott (MOH
posthumously), who has just completed escorting 6,000 troops of the Army's
Americal Division from New Caledonia to Guadalcanal, launches two Curtiss SOC
"Seagull" reconnaissance planes. They report Goto's force coming down the "Slot"
at 30 knots. So alerted, Scott's radar-equipped Task Force 64: USS SAN
FRANSCISCO (CA-38) (F), USS SALT LAKE CITY (CA-25), light cruisers USS BOISE
(CL-47), USS HELENA (CL-50) and five destroyers steams around the end of
Guadalcanal to block the entrance to Savo Sound.
At 2235, Rear Admiral Goto's three cruisers and two destroyers are picked
up by Captain Gilbert C. Hoover's USS HELENA's radar. Scott reverses course and
crosses the Japanese "T". Both fleets open fire. ComCruDiv 6, Rear Admiral Goto,
thinking that he is under friendly fire, orders a 180-degree turn that
exposes each of his ships to the Americans' broadsides. Flagship AOBA is damaged
heavily. Admiral Goto is mortally wounded on her bridge. FURUTAKA is hit by a
torpedo that floods her forward engine room. Destroyer FUBUKI is sunk and
HATSUYUKI damaged.
KINUGASA straddles USS BOISE and USS SALT LAKE CITY with 8-inch salvos
and then knocks out BOISE's No. 1 and 2 turrets. KINUGASA hits USS SALT LAKE
CITY and causes her to lose speed. KINUGASA sustains four hits in the
engagement. USS FARENHOLT (DD-491) and USS DUNCAN (DD-485) are also damaged.
12 October 1942:
At 0228, the wallowing FURUTAKA sinks. In the morning,
Lt Cdr W. G. Cooper's McCALLA (DD-488) attempts to salvage DUNCAN. Despite her
efforts, DUNCAN sinks about 6 miles N of Savo Island.
At 0700, KINUGASA is attacked by five American planes but is not damaged.
90 miles WNW of Savo Island, MURAKUMO is retiring up the Slot when she is
attacked and set afire by planes from Henderson Field. Destroyer NATSUGUMO is
also sunk while assisting MURAKUMO. SHIRAYUKI rescues MURAKUMO's survivors, then
scuttles her with a torpedo. ASAGUMO rescues the survivors of NATSUGUMO.
KINUGASA and AOBA arrive at Shortland.
13 October 1942:
Departs Shortland for Guadalcanal with CHOKAI, DesDiv
20's AMAGIRI and DesDiv 30's MOCHIZUKI.
14 October 1942:
KINUGASA is designated the flagship of Crudiv 6.
15 October 1942:
KINUGASA and CHOKAI bombard Henderson Field,
Guadalcanal with destroyers AMAGIRI and MOCHIZUKI. The cruisers fire a total of
752 8-in shells. Returns to Shortland.
24-26 October 1942:
Provides cover for the Guadalcanal reinforcement
convoy with CHOKAI.
1-4 November 1942:
Designated the ad hoc flagship of DesRon 3.
Reassigned to 1st Attack Unit with light cruiser SENDAI and destroyers AMAGIRI
and HATSUYUKI.
1-5 November 1942:
Provides cover for the Guadalcanal reinforcement
convoy with CHOKAI.
2 November 1942:
During a dusk recce mission to Guadalcanal a
floatplane from KINUGASA reports an encounter with three SBD dive-bombers and
goes MIA thereafter.
13 November 1942:
Vice Admiral Mikawa departs Shortland for
Guadalcanal with his Main Body: CHOKAI and KINUGASA, light cruiser ISUZU,
destroyers ARASHIO and ASASHIO.
The Main Body accompanies Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Nishimura
Shoji's (former CO of HARUNA) Bombardment Unit: MAYA and SUZUYA, light cruiser
TENRYU, DesDiv 4's MICHISHIO, DesDiv 10's KAZAGUMO, MAKIGUMO and YUGUMO.
14 November 1942: The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal:
From 0130-0200,
MAYA and SUZUYA bombard Henderson Field. After an rendezvous at 0750 Mikawa's
task force retires towards Shortland.
SW Rendova the task force is attacked by six Douglas SBD-3 "Dauntless"
dive-bombers of VMSB-132 from Guadalcanal, led by Maj. Joseph Sailer Jr.
After 0830 2/Lt Robert E. Kelly scores a 1,000-lb bomb hit on KINUGASA's bridge;
followed by four near misses. The bomb explodes on the lower deck below the
waterline, blowing out a section of the hull and setting the forward light oil
storage afire. The forward generator compartment is flooded. Captain Sawa, his
XO, Cdr Miyazaki Fusao (48) and several sailors are killed. KINUGASA takes on
a 10-degree list to port. Lt Tanaka Hirokuni (60), the torpedo officer, takes
over the conn, orders to counterflood and extinguish the fire.
After 0915 KINUGASA, low in the water and still burning, but now
steering on a northwesterly heading and escorted by MAKIGUMO and YUGUMO, is
attacked by two SBD-3s of USS ENTERPRISE's VB-10. Lt(jg) Robert D. Gibson
and Ens Richard M. Buchanan score two near misses, causing additional flooding
and disabling the cruiser's steering gear.
At 1122, KINUGASA capsizes and sinks SW of Rendova at 09-15S, 157-45E.
511 crewmen are killed; the survivors are rescued by MAKIGUMO and YUGUMO.
Captain Sawa is promoted Rear Admiral and Cdr Miyazaki Captain, both
posthumously.
15 December 1942:
Removed from Navy List.
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 and Fontessa-san of Japan.
- Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.
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