JUNYOKAN!
(KUMA at Qingdao, China in 1935 - colorized photo by
Irootoko Jr)
IJN KUMA: Tabular Record of Movement
© 1997-2018 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
Revision
12
29 August 1918:
Sasebo Navy Yard. Laid down.
14 July 1919:
Launched at 0900 and named
KUMA
, the lead ship of the KUMA-class light cruisers. Captain (later Rear
Admiral) Aoki Tohei (27)(former CO of ASAMA) is appointed the Chief Equipping
Officer (CEO).
10 January 1920:
Captain Aoki is appointed the Commanding Officer of
KUMA as additional duty.
31 August 1920:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Attached to
Kure Naval District. Captain Aoki is the Commanding Officer.
15 February 1921:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Miyamura Rekizo
(27)(former CO of IZUMO) is appointed the CO.
1 November 1921:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Migita Kumagoro
(29)(former CO of NOJIMA) is appointed the CO.
20 November 1922:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Takahashi Jutaro
(28)(former chief of the 3rd section of the Naval Affairs Bureau) is appointed
the CO.
15 October 1923:
Cdr (promoted Captain 1 December; later Vice Admiral)
Matsushita Shigeru (32)(former CO of KARASAKI) is appointed the acting CO of
KUMA.
1 December 1923:
Captain Matsushita is appointed the CO of KUMA.
10 May 1924:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Hashimoto Saisuke
(30)(former CO of OI) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1924:
Captain Imagawa Magane (31)(current CO of the light
cruiser/coast defense vessel CHITOSE) is appointed the CO of KUMA as additional
duty.
15 January 1925:
Captain Imagawa assumes full-time command of KUMA.
20 April 1925:
Captain Yamamoto Tokihiko (31)(former CO of YAHAGI) is
appointed the CO of KUMA and the target ship SETTSU as additional duty.
15 June 1925:
Cdr (later Captain) Inoue Shigenori (32)(former CO of
CHIHAYA) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1925:
Captain Fukushima Kanzo (32)(former CO of JINTSU)
is appointed the CO.
1 April 1926:
Captain Henmi Tatsuhiko (32)(former CO of ERIMO) is
appointed the CO.
1 November 1926:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Ono Hiroshi (32)(former
Naval Gunnery School instructor) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1927:
Captain Hayashi Yoshihiro (33)(former CO of KARASAKI)
is appointed the CO.
30 November 1929:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Sugisaka Teijiro
(33)(former Naval Attaché to China) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1930:
Captain Yunokawa Tadakazu (34)(former CO of
TSUSHIMA) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1931:
Captain Sumita Sadao (36)(former CO of MUROTO) is
appointed the CO.
6 July 1932:
Near Chisato Island, 60 miles S of Tsingtao (Qingdao),
China. At 0245, in dense fog, DKK steamer CHOSHUN MARU strikes a rock and
damages her hull at 36-15N, 121-23 E. Her boiler and engine rooms are flooded.
At 0500, CHOSHUN MARU signals SOS and then is beached to prevent sinking.
KUMA takes off 50 passengers and 131 crew and lands them at Tsingtao.
1 December 1932:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Kumaoka Yuzuru
(36)(former Naval Submarine School instructor) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1933:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Horiuchi Shigenori
(39)(former CO of SHIKISHIMA) is appointed the CO.
10 April 1935:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Aihara Aritaka
(38)(former CO of TATSUTA) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1935:
Captain (later Vice Admiral), the Marquis, Daigo
Tadashige (40)(former CO of NAKA) is appointed the CO.
1 December 1936:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Sato Tsutomu (40)(former
ComSubDiv 8) is appointed the CO.
15 June 1938:
Captain (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Yatsushiro Sukeyoshi
(40)(former CO of TATSUTA) is appointed the CO.
18 May 1939:
Captain (later Vice Admiral) Kobayashi Kengo (42)(former
Naval Attaché to the US) is appointed the CO.
15 November 1939:
Captain Hiratsuka Shiro (40)(former CO of OKINOSHIMA)
is appointed the CO.
15 October 1940:
Captain (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Eguchi Matsuro
(40)(former CEO of TAKASAKI) is appointed the CO.
10 April 1941:
KUMA is assigned to Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's
(former CO of YAMASHIRO) CruDiv 16 in Takahashi's Third Fleet.
20 September 1941:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Shibuya Kiyomi
(45)(former CO of SATA) is appointed the CO.
November 1941:
KUMA is in CruDiv 16 with ASHIGARA (F) and light
cruiser NAGARA.
2 December 1941:
KUMA receives the coded signal "Niitakayama nobore
(Climb Mt. Niitaka) 1208" from the Combined Fleet. It signifies that hostilities
will commence on 8 December (Japan time). Mt. Niitaka, Formosa, is the highest
point in the Japanese Empire.
8 December 1941: Operation "M" - The Invasion of the Northern
Philippines:
KUMA is in Vice Admiral Takahashi's Philippine Seizure Force.
Departs Mako, Pescadores with CruDiv 16's ASHIGARA, CruDiv 4's MAYA, and DesDiv
5's ASAKAZE and MATSUKAZE.
10 December 1941:
W of Luzon. At about 0800, five USN PBY-4
"Catalinas" of Patrol Wing 10 based at Los Banos attack MAYA, CruDiv 16's
KUMA and ASHIGARA, and DesDiv 5's ASAKAZE and MATSUKAZE. At about 1300, four
other PBYs from Sangley Point (Cavite) attack. The "Catalinas" fail to score a
hit. One PBY is shot down by Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 0 "Zeke" carrier fighters of
the IJN's 3rd Naval Air Group (Kokutai).
11 December 1941:
Covers landings at Aparri and Vigan. Off Vigan,
KUMA is attacked unsuccessfully by five Army Air Force Boeing B-17 heavy bombers
of the USAAFE 14th Squadron.[1]
14 December 1941:
Returns to Mako.
19 December 1941:
Departs Mako.
22 December 1941:
Lingayen Gulf, Philippines. Covers the invasion
landings.
23 December 1941:
Returns to Mako.
3 January 1942:
KUMA is assigned to Vice Admiral Sugiyama Rokuzo's
(former CO of HYUGA) Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet with minelayer YAEYAMA
(F).
10 January 1942:
Departs Takao, Formosa. Patrols off Manila Bay
thereafter.
31 January 1942:
Arrives at Lingayen Gulf.
8 February 1942:
Departs Lingayen Gulf. Escorts a convoy to
Manila.
11 February 1942:
Arrives at Lingayen Gulf.
February 1942:
Departs Lingayen. Arrives at Olangapo, Subic
Bay, Philippines.
26 February 1942:
Departs Subic Bay with torpedo boat KIJI.
On the way south, they encounter coaster COMPAGNIA DE FILIPINAS near Batangas.
They seize the coaster and she is escorted to Manila.
27 February 1942:
The Zamboanga invasion force departs
Davao.
1 March 1942:
KUMA and KIJI shell Cebu harbor sinking coasters LEPUS
and REGULUS. LEGAZPI is scuttled. There are 325 casualties including women and
children. KUMA and KIJI continue south to Davao and participate in the planned
seizure of Zamboanga.
2 March 1942: The Invasion of Zamboanga, Philippines:
Covers
the landing at Zamboanga, Mindanao with torpedo boat KIJI, Gunboat Division 1's
KEIKO and BUSHO MARUs, Subchaser Division 51's KYO MARU No. 13 and seven of
Air Group 32's reconnaissance seaplanes.
3 March 1942:
At 0240, the invasion force arrives off
Zamboanga. Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) land on the beach one kilometer W
of Zamboanga. During the night, counter-attacks are made by small units. The IJN
escort vessels open fire to neutralize the opposition. The city is cleared
before sunset. An SNLF unit from KUMA rescues about 80 Japanese nationals who
had been interned. After embarking the civilians on board KEIKO MARU, the SNLF
troops return to KUMA and depart Zamboanga. That evening, in an unequal
firefight, KUMA sinks 12 ships off Cebu in the Sulu Sea.
5 March 1942:
Arrives at Lingayen Gulf.
25 March 1942:
Departs Lingayen. Arrives at Subic Bay.
4 April 1942:
Departs Subic Bay.
5 April 1942:
KUMA, DesDiv2 (less 2 destroyers) HARUSAME, MURASAME,
SAMIDARE and YUDACHI, torpedo boat KIJI, gunboat BUSHO MARU and auxiliary
subchasers KIYO MARU No. 12 and KIYO MARU No. 13 depart Lingayen for Cebu,
Philippines escorting an invasion convoy consisting of BORNEO. INDIA, MEXICO,
NAGANO, RISSHUN, RYUUN, TAIRYU and TOTTORI, MARUs The convoy carries 4,852 men
of the Kawaguchi Detachment's consisting of 35th Infantry Brigade HQ, 124th
Infantry Regiment, 1 platoon of the 16th Reconnaissance Regiment, 4th Company,
22nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Company, e 21st Field Heavy Artillery
Battalion, the main force of the 44th Anchorage HQ, 1 platoon of the 23rd
Independent Engineer Regiment [type "E"], 1 company (less 2 platoons) of the
26th Independent Engineer Regiment [type "D"] and part of the Logistics Units.
8/9 April 1942:
Off Cebu. That night, KUMA and torpedo boat KIJI are
attacked by Lt(jg) Robert B. Kelly's (later SS/2) USS PT-34 and Lt (later
Vice Admiral/MOH) John D. Bulkeley's (former CO of SACRAMENTO, PG-19) PT-41 of
Bulkeley's Motor Torpedo Squadron 3. KUMA is hit in the bow by one of eight
Mark 8 torpedoes fired, but it is a dud and breaks in two after the hit.[2]
9-10 April 1942:
Cauit Island. PT-34 is bombed, strafed, set afire
and forced ashore by four Japanese floatplanes, probably Mitsubishi F1M "Petes",
from seaplane tender SANUKI MARU.
10 April 1942:
The convoy arrives at Cebu. KUMA covers the landings
of the Kawaguchi Detachment's 35th Infantry Brigade HQ and the 124th Infantry
Regiment with DesDiv 2's SAMIDARE and MURASAME, SANUKI MARU, torpedo boat KIJI,
gunboat BUSHO MARU and two subchasers. BORNEO MARU and NAGANO MARUs land troops
on the east coast (Argao) of Cebu Island with unknown landing craft. The two
transports land the 124th Infantry Regiment HQ, 1st Battalion, the 124th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion (minus 7th Co), the 124th Infantry Regiment,
Rapid-fire Gun Company (lessus 1 platoon), the main force of Regiment Signal
Unit, 1 platoon of the brigade radio signal unit, 1 armored car platoon of the
16th Reconnaissance Regiment, 4th Company, the 22nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1
platoon of the 14th Army Road Construction Unit, part of the 14th Army
Propaganda Section, 2nd Company, 21st Field Heavy Artillery Battalion and a
temporarily formed anti-air machine cannon unit. Meanwhile, INDIA, TAIRYU,
MEXICO, TOTTORI and RISSHUN MARU begin to land troops at Cebu City. Seaplane
tender SANUKI MARU covers the landings.
16 April 1942:
KUMA covers the landings on Panay, Philippines of the
Kawamura Detachment's 9th Infantry Brigade HQ and the 41st Infantry Regiment
with DesDiv 24's UMIKAZE, KAWAKAZE and YAMAKAZE, torpedo boat KIJI and SANUKI
MARU.
29 April 1942:
Arrives at Subic Bay.
5/6 May 1942:
Covers the final assault on the American bastion on
Corregidor Island in Manila Bay.
9 May 1942:
Arrives at Manila. Remains as a guardship.
7 August 1942:
Departs Manila.
12 August 1942:
Arrives at Kure. Begins refit.
29 August-10 September 1942:
Drydocked at Kure Navy Yard.
15 September 1942:
The refit is completed. Departs Kure.
20 September 1942:
Arrives at Manila. That same day, KUMA is
reassigned from the Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet (Philippine Force) to
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Takasu Shiro's (former CO of ISUZU) Second Southern
Expeditionary Fleet (Netherlands East Indies Force) in Shiro's Southwest Area
Fleet.
22 September 1942:
Departs Manila.
24 September 1942:
Arrives at Hong Kong. Embarks troops of the 38th
Infantry Division.
26 September 1942:
Departs Hong Kong.
4 October 1942:
Arrives at Palau.
5 October 1942:
Departs Palau.
10 October 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Disembarks troops and departs.
18 October 1942:
Arrives at Makassar, Celebes. Remains as a guardship.
14 November 1942:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Yokoyama Ichiro
(47)(Naval Attaché, Wash, DC - 10 Sep '40-7 Dec '41) is appointed the CO.
17 November 1942:
In the afternoon, Captain Yokoyama arrives aboard
and assumes command of the ship. Captain Shibuya is reassigned and becomes the
CO of JUNYO in Feb '44. [3]
19 November 1942:
Departs Makassar.
25 November 1942:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops.
27 November 1942:
Departs Manila.
3 December 1942:
Arrives at at Rabaul. Disembarks troops and departs.
11 December 1942:
Arrives at Makassar. Remains as a guardship.
28 December 1942:
Departs Makassar.
2 January 1943:
On that day, codebreakers at the USN Fleet Radio Unit,
Melbourne (FRUMEL), Australia, provide the translation of a radio message
transmitted by an unidentified unit at 1850 on 31 December 1942:
"Request arrangements be made for installation of radar in KUMA, OI, KITAGAMI
and 19th Destroyer Division (URANAMI and SHIKINAMI). Perhaps this could be done
at Singapore."
8 January 1943:
Arrives at Ambon.
22 January 1943:
Departs Ambon.
24 January 1943:
Arrives at Makassar.
6 February 1943:
Departs Makassar. Cruises in the Java Sea.
12 February 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya, Java.
21 February 1943:
Embarks Army troops. Departs Surabaya.
27 February 1943:
Arrives at Kaimana, New Guinea, disembarks some
troops and departs.
27 February 1943:
Arrives at Kabui, New Guinea, disembarks the
remaining troops and departs.
15 March 1943:
Arrives at Makassar. Remains as a guardship.
12 April 1943:
Departs Makassar.
13 April 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya.
25 April 1943:
Departs Surabaya.
13 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore, Malaya. Begins refit at the
Seletar Naval Base.
1 May 1943:
Drydocked.
8 May 1943:
Undocked.
25 May 1943:
The refit is completed. Departs Singapore.
27 May 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya.
29 May 1943:
Embarks Army troops. Departs Surabaya.
30 May 1943:
Arrives at Makassar.
31 May 1943:
Departs Makassar.
2 June 1943:
Arrives at Ambon. Dismbarks troops and departs.
3 June 1943:
Arrives at Batjan, Halmahera.
6 June 1943:
Arrives at Batjan.
8 June 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
9 June 1943:
Departs Balikpapan.
10 June 1943:
Arrives at Makassar.
23 June 1943:
Makassar Roads. CruDiv 16's KUMA and KINU are anchored
at Juliana Quay alongside OI and KITAKAMI. The cruisers are attacked by 17
Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" bombers of the 319th Squadron/90th Bomb Group (H)
of the 5th Air Force. All four light cruisers are straddled by near-misses, but
suffer only slight damage. A fuel dump is set afire and many buildings along
Juliana Quay and in the town area are damaged or demolished.
24 June 1943:
CruDiv 16's flag is transferred from KINU to KUMA.
Both cruisers then depart Makassar.
25 June 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya.
27 June 1943:
Departs Surabaya.
28 June 1943:
Arrives at Makassar.
29 June 1943:
Departs Makassar.
30 June 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
2 July 1943:
Departs Balikpapan.
4 July 1943:
Arrives at Halmahera.
13 July 1943:
Departs Halmahera.
15 July 1943:
Arrives at Tarakan. Refuels.
16 July 1943:
Departs Tarakan.
17 July 1943:
Arrives at Balikpapan.
22 July 1943:
Departs Balikpapan.
24 July 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya.
30 July 1943:
Departs Surabaya.
1 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
14 August 1943:
Captain Sugino Shuichi (46)(former ComDesDiv 11) is
appointed the CO.
16 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
17 August 1943:
Arrives at Belawan, Sumatra. Embarks Army troops.
18 August 1943:
Departs Belawan.
19 August 1943:
Indian Ocean. Arrives at Port Blair, Andaman Islands.
Disembarks troops and departs.
21 August 1943:
Arrives at Penang, Malaya. Refuels.
23 August 1943:
Departs Penang. Arrives at Belawan. Embarks Army
troops.
25 August 1943:
Arrives at Port Blair. Disembarks troops and
departs.
28 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
9 September 1943:
Departs Singapore.
10 September 1943:
Arrives at Sabang, Sumatra. Tasked with escorting
the Italian submarine COMANDANTE CAPPELLINI (AQUILA III) to Singapore, but the
mission is canceled after the Italian skipper threatens to scuttle his boat.
13 September 1943:
Departs Sabang.
14 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
15 September 1943:
Departs Singapore. Arrives at Lingga. Training
thereafter.
1 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Departs on a transport run.
7 October 1943:
Arrives at Port Blair.
10 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Departs that same day.
11 October 1943:
Arrives at Penang.
14 October 1943:
Departs Penang. Cruises in the Straits of Malacca.
23 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Begins refit.
1 November 1943:
Drydocked. KUMA's No. 5 140-mm gun is removed as are
her catapult and derrick. Two triple mount Type 96 25-mm AA guns are fitted.
This brings KUMA's 25-mm AA suite to ten barrels (2x3, 2x2).
8 November 1943:
Undocked.
12 November 1943:
The refit is completed. Departs Singapore. Arrives
at Lingga. Training thereafter.
28 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
30 November 1943:
Departs on a transport run.
8 December 1943:
Arrives at Port Blair.
15 December 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Loads cargo and departs.
17 December 1943:
Arrives at Surabaya. Unloads cargo.
20 December 1943:
Departs Surabaya.
21 December 1943:
Arrives at Batavia, Java.
23 December 1943:
Departs Batavia.
25 December 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
3 January 1944:
Departs Singapore with cruisers ASHIGARA and AOBA and
destroyer URANAMI. Embarks Army troops and supplies.
4 January 1944:
Arrives at Penang, Malaya.
5 January 1944:
Departs for Penang.
6 January 1944:
Arrives at Mergui, Burma.
7 January 1944:
Departs Mergui.
8 January 1944:
Arrives at Penang. KUMA and URANAMI are detached
while ASHIGARA and AOBA return to Singapore.
9 January 1944:
Departs Penang with URANAMI to serve as a target
for the torpedo planes of the 551st and 732nd NAGs. Returns to Penang later
that day.
11 January 1944:
Departs Penang with URANAMI for the second stage
of exercises with the 551st and 732nd NAGs, with a Mitsubishi Type O F1M2
"Pete" floatplane and a Mitsubishi G4M1 "Betty" providing anti-submarine
cover. At 1142, when the cruiser is passing 17 miles W of Penang Island at
24 knots, one of her lookouts reports the sighting of an "upended cylinder"
painted green, resembling a periscope on starboard bow, 3,600 yds away. It
is LtCdr (later Captain) Leslie W. A. Bennington's (formerly of HMS
PORPOISE) submarine HMS TALLY HO! based at Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
After the change of the watch just around that time the replacement
lookouts fails to spot the periscope. KUMA contacts the escorting aircraft
and URANAMI, who identifies that object as a false periscope, probably
released by a friendly submarine. Both airplanes fail to spot the periscope.
At 1143 Bennington fires a seven-torpedo spread from 1,900 yds. A
minute later KUMA's lookouts report incoming torpedo wakes. Captain Sugino
puts his rudder hard over to port, but KUMA is hit starboard aft by two
torpedoes. She settles by the stern and takes a 15-degree list to starboard.
Smoke from the burning cruiser can be seen from 20 miles away. Bennington
heads towards the shallows along the shore. URANAMI attacks the submarine and
drops 18 depth charges, but TALLY HO! slips away and returns to Trincomalee.
Seven minutes after the hit the damage control teams manage to reduce
the list to 13 degrees, but then her own depth charges on the quarterdeck
detonate and the cruiser starts to go down rapidly. The CO of KUMA orders to
abandon ship. URANAMI takes off her survivors including Captain Sugino, but 138
crewmen are lost.[4]
At 1157, KUMA sinks by the stern in the vicinity of 05-26N, 99-52E.[5]
Later, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message from the CO of
KUMA that reads: "While enroute to take part in torpedo practice speed 24 knots,
was hit by 2 torpedoes at 1145 in position bearing 270 degrees, distant 18 miles
from -----. Began sinking from the bow, disappearing from sight at 1157."
10 March 1944:
Removed from Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
[1] Postwar, this attack is mentioned by Captain Ishihara in
the USSBS "Interrogations of Japanese Officials", but American sources do not
mention an attack against the cover force.
[2] Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley (1911-1996) received the Medal of Honor
for evacuating General (later General of the Army) Douglas MacArthur from
Corregidor on 12 March 1942. Bulkeley was on active duty from his entry in the
Naval Academy in 1929 until 1988 - an incredible 58 years! An Arleigh
Burke-class destroyer was christened USS JOHN D. BULKELEY (DDG-84) in his honor
and commissioned in the USN on 8 December 2001.
[3] On 2 September 1945, Rear Admiral Yokoyama, who attended Yale
University in the 30's, is one of three representatives of the Imperial Navy in
the Japanese delegation on board USS MISSOURI (BB-63) at the surrender
ceremonies held in Tokyo Bay.
[4] Captain Sugino takes command of TAIYO in March 1944 and survives her
sinking in August 1944. He assumes command of NAGATO in August 1945.
[5] In March 2004, Australian diver/photojournalist Kevin Denlay and a
group of divers operating off MV EMPRESS out of Singapore using side-scan sonar
discover KUMA at a depth of about 155 feet/46 m. KUMA is lying on her starboard
side covered in snagged nets and fishing line. Her bridge is fairly intact
although half-buried in bottom silt. Her funnels have fallen off. Her port
waist 5.5-inch gun is intact, except the top of the mount's enclosure has
disintegrated. The circular rotating base of the forward port torpedo rack is
intact, but there are no tubes on it. Denlay reports that the fire amidships
melted and fused glass on many portholes along her hull. The base of her port
aft torpedo mount has fallen off. KUMA's stern is missing, all that remains is
a jagged edge, but the port outboard propeller is still in place.
[6] In May 2014, Denlay noted that the STAR online reported illegal
salvagers have plundered scrap metal from at least five shipwrecks, including
KUMA.
Special thanks for assistance in researching the IJN officers mentioned
in this TROM go to Jean-François Masson of Japan. Thanks also go to Aldert
Gritter/"Adm. Gurita" of the Netherlands and the late John Whitman for info on
CNO intercepts of Japanese messages.
Special thanks go to Hans Mcilveen of the Netherlands for info on FRUMEL
intercepts.
- Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.
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