Japanese cruiser Abukuma

Coordinates: 09°20′N 122°32′E / 9.333°N 122.533°E / 9.333; 122.533
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see Japanese ship Abukuma.

Abukuma in 1941, showing Kawanishi E7K1 "Alf" floatplane on catapult, ready to launch
History
Empire of Japan
NameAbukuma
Ordered1920 Fiscal Year (1918 “8-6 Fleet” Plan)
BuilderUraga Dock Company
Laid down8 December 1921
Launched16 March 1923
Commissioned26 May 1925[1]
Stricken20 December 1944
Fate
  • sunk 26 October 1944
  • bombed by
    B-24 Liberator
    bombers
  • off
    Mindanao Sea
  • 09°20′N 122°32′E / 9.333°N 122.533°E / 9.333; 122.533
General characteristics
Class and typeNagara-class cruiser
Displacement5,570 long tons (5,659 t) normal
Length
  • 162.1 m (531 ft 10 in) o/a
  • 158.6 m (520 ft 4 in)
    w/l
Beam14.2 m (46 ft 7 in)
Draft4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
Propulsion
  • 4 shaft Gihon geared turbines
  • 12 Kampon boilers
  • 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
Speed36 knots (41 mph; 67 km/h)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km) at 14 kn (26 km/h)
Complement450
Sensors and
processing systems		Type 21 air-search radar
Armament
Armor
  • Belt: 60 mm (2.4 in)
  • Deck: 30 mm (1.2 in)
Aircraft carried1 x floatplane
Aviation facilities1x aircraft catapult

Abukuma (阿武隈) was the sixth and last of the

Battle of Surigao Strait in October 1944, then bombed and sunk by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) off the coast of the Philippines
.

Background

Following the production of the five

8-4 Fleet Program were ordered by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1920. Due to minor changes in design, primarily due to advances in torpedo technology, these three vessels were initially designated as “modified Kuma-class”, or “5500-ton class Type II”, before being re-designated as a separate class named after the lead vessel, Nagara. A second set of three vessels was authorized in late 1920.[2]

Design

Main article: Nagara-class cruiser

The Nagara-class vessels were essentially identical to the previous Kuma-class cruisers, retaining the same hull design, engines and main weaponry, with the addition of the new 610 mm

bridge, which incorporated an aircraft hangar. Initially, a 33-foot platform was mounted above the No.2 turret, extending over the forward superstructure below the bridge. This was later replaced by an aircraft catapult
. Even so, the arrangement proved unwieldy, and the catapult was moved to the rear of each ship in the class, between the No.5 and No.6 turrets during retrofits in 1929-1934. Abukuma and Kinu, were scheduled to receive the new Type 93 torpedoes in early 1941. However, shortages meant that only Abukuma was refitted quadruple mounts in place of the aft twin mounts between March and May 1941, and her forward twin mounts were removed. Abukuma carried sixteen Type 93 torpedoes, including eight reloads.[2] Abukuma was also the first vessel in her class to receive radar (in 1943) .[2]

Construction and career

Early career

Abukuma was

launched on 16 March 1923 and completed at the Uraga Dock Company on 26 May 1925, her commissioning having been delayed due to the Great Kantō earthquake. From November 1927 to December 1928, she was under the command of Captain Teijirō Toyoda
.

On 20 October 1930, during large-scale fleet maneuvers, Abukuma rammed the cruiser

bow and had to be towed by the battleship Mutsu to Tateyama, Chiba, and from there she was returned to Yokosuka Naval Arsenal by tugboats. Repairs with a temporary bow were completed by 22 November 1930, but a permanent bow with a slightly different design was refitted at Kure Naval Arsenal from 1 April to 30 December 1931.[4] From December 1931 to November 1932, she was under the command of Captain Seiichi Iwamura [jp
].

In 1932, Abukuma was assigned to the

Yangtze River through 1938. Her anti-aircraft weaponry was upgraded in 1933 and 1936, and her torpedo launchers in 1938. From November 1934 to November 1935, she was under the command of Captain Takeo Kurita
.

Early stages of the Pacific War

Abukuma set sail from Hitokappu Bay on

Rear Admiral Sentarō Ōmori's Destroyer Squadron 1 ("DesRon1"), consisting of the destroyers Shiranui, Arare, Kagerō, Kasumi, Tanikaze, Hamakaze, Isokaze, and Urakaze.[4]

DesRon1 served as the anti-submarine escort for the six aircraft carriers (Akagi,Kaga, Sōryū, Hiryū, Shōkaku, Zuikaku), two battleships (Hiei and Kirishima) and two heavy cruisers (Tone and Chikuma) that carried the offensive power of the Carrier Striking Force.[4] Nearly 360 aircraft were launched against Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, inflicting heavy damage: sinking four American battleships, damaging three others, destroying more than 100 aircraft. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Abukuma led DesRon1 with most of the Carrier Striking Force on the return to Japan, and received a hero's welcome on 23 December 1941.[5]

Actions in the South Pacific

In January 1942, DesRon1 escorted the Japanese invasion fleet for the invasion of Rabaul, New Britain and Kavieng, New Ireland from its forward base at Truk in the Caroline Islands.

In early February, DesRon1 accompanied the Carrier Striking Force in an unsuccessful pursuit of Vice Admiral

attack on Port Darwin
, Australia.

At the end of February and into April, DesRon1 escorted the Carrier Striking Force in attacks on

Indian Ocean raids. The fleet returned to Singapore on 11 April 1942.[4]

Battle of the Aleutian Islands

In May, Abukuma and its destroyer squadron were reassigned to the Northern Force under Vice Admiral

Battle of the Aleutian Islands
.

In June and July, DesRon1 returned to Japan to escort a convoy of reinforcements to the two freshly captured islands in the Aleutians. After uneventful patrolling in the

Kurile Islands, DesRon1 escorted three more reinforcement and supply convoys to the Aleutians in October, November and December.[4]

Abukuma returned to

Type 96 25 mm AA guns were installed, and the No. 5 14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun and the quad 13.2 mm machine gun mount in front of the bridge were replaced by a twin 13.2 mm machine gun mount. After refit, Abukuma returned to northern waters to continue reinforcement operations to Attu and Kiska in January, February and March 1943.[4]

Abukuma participated in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands on 26 March 1943, during which time she fired 95 rounds from her 140mm guns and four torpedoes.[2] Abukuma was undamaged during the battle, but the heavy cruiser Nachi was badly damaged and the Japanese Fifth Fleet was forced to abort its supply mission to the Aleutians. The fleet commander, Vice Admiral Hosogaya, disgraced because he had been forced to withdraw by the weaker American fleet, was forced to retire.

From April through May 1943, Abukuma underwent refit at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal, during which time a Type 21 air-search radar was installed, and it was thus not present during "Operation Landcrab", during which American forces recaptured Attu.

In July, Abukuma and DesRon1 provided support for the evacuation of Kiska. On 26 July 1943, the

B-25 Mitchell aircraft.[4]

In

Hokkaidō and the Kurile Islands to June.[4]

On 21 June 1944, during yet another refit at

Type 93 13.2 mm machine guns were also added. Work was completed by 13 July 1944, after which Abukuma had a total of thirty 25-mm and ten 13-mm AA guns.[4]

Battle of Surigao Strait

Abukuma remained in Japanese home waters through the middle of October 1944, when she was reassigned to sortie with its seven destroyers against the U.S. fleet off

Shoji Nishimura against the U.S. Navy in the Philippines. Abukuma was joined by the heavy cruisers Nachi, Ashigara and seven destroyers in a flotilla commanded by Vice Admiral Kiyohide Shima. During 15–22 October, this flotilla was spotted by six different American submarines, but only one was able to maneuver close enough to fire torpedoes: USS Seadragon. The flotilla was cruising at 19 knots (35 km/h) and zigzagging through the Luzon Strait
on 22 October. Seadragon fired four torpedoes through her stern tubes, but all missed. All six submarines reported the flotilla's course, position and speed to American fleet units approaching the area.

Abukuma met her fate at the

boiler room
, killing 37 crewmen.

Abukuma was disabled and fell behind the rest of the flotilla, but after emergency repairs, was able to get under way and by 0445, she was making 20 knots (37 km/h). By 0535, Abukuma had caught up to the rest of the flotilla. However, she was down at the bow and shipping at least 500 tons of seawater; at 0830 she was ordered to Dapitan for repairs, escorted by the destroyer Ushio.

On 26 October, Abukuma and Ushio departed Dapitan for

Negros Island. At 1242, she sank by the stern at 09°20′N 122°32′E / 9.333°N 122.533°E / 9.333; 122.533
with 250 of her crew. Ushio rescued her captain and 283 crewmen.

Abukuma was removed from the Navy List on 20 December 1944.[2]

Notes

  1. ^ Lacroix, Japanese Cruisers, p. 794
  2. ^ a b c d e Stille, Imperial Japanese Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45 , page 22-26;
  3. ^ Gardner, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921; page 238
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i [1] CombinedFleet.com: Abukuma Tabular Record of Movement
  5. ^ Dull, A Battle History Imperial Japanese Navy

References

External links
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