Japanese cruiser Yura

Coordinates: 08°15′S 159°57′E / 8.250°S 159.950°E / -8.250; 159.950
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Yura anchored in Tateyama Bay in early August 1923
History
Empire of Japan
NameYura
NamesakeYura River
Ordered1920 Fiscal Year
BuilderSasebo Naval Arsenal
Laid down21 May 1921
Launched15 February 1922
Commissioned20 March 1923
Stricken20 November 1942
FateScuttled, 25 October 1942
General characteristics (as built)
Class and typeNagara-class cruiser
Displacement5,170 long tons (5,253 t) (standard)
Length162.15 m (532 ft) (o/a)
Beam14.17 m (46 ft 6 in)
Draft4.86 m (15 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 12 Kampon boilers
  • 90,000 
    kW
    )
Propulsion4 shafts; 4 geared steam turbines
Speed36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement450
Armament
Armor
  • Belt: 63.4 mm (2.5 in)
  • Deck: 28.6 mm (1.1 in)
Aircraft carried1 × Floatplane
Aviation facilities1 ×
Flying-off platform

Yura (由良) was the fourth of the six ships completed in the Nagara class of light cruisers for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), and like other vessels of her class, she was intended for use as the flagship of a destroyer flotilla. She served in the early stages of World War II.

Background and description

The second batch of three Nagara-class cruisers, including Yura, was authorized by the

enlisted men. When serving as a flagship, an additional 5 officers and 22 enlisted men were embarked.[2]

The Nagaras propulsion system consisted of four geared

sea trials on 18 February 1923. The ships carried enough fuel oil and coal to give them a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph), an increase of 1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) from their designed range.[3][4]

Armament, fire control and protection

Ship recognition diagram of the Nagara-class cruisers from the US Office of Naval Intelligence

The cruisers'

anti-aircraft (AA) guns abreast the middle funnel and two 6.5-millimeter (0.26 in) Type 3 heavy machine guns on a platform between the middle and rear funnels, one on each broadside. The ships were equipped with four rotating Type 8 twin-tube mounts for 61-centimeter (24 in) Type 8 torpedoes, two mounts on each broadside. Each tube was provided with a single reload torpedo forward of the mount. The Nagara-class ships were fitted with two rails at the stern that could accommodate 48 No. 1 naval mines These were actually a pair of mines that were connected by a 100-meter (110 yd) cable and were intended to be dropped ahead of ahead of enemy ships so that hitting the cable would draw one or both mines in towards the ship's hull.[5]

The main guns were controlled by a Type 13 director located at the top of the tripod mast. To determine the distance to the target, a pair of 2.5-meter (8 ft 2 in) rangefinders were fitted, one on the bridge and the other near the 6.5 mm machine guns. An additional 1.5-meter (4 ft 11 in) rangefinder was positioned on a platform between the forward and middle funnels.[6]

The armor of the 5,500-ton cruisers was designed to protect against American 4-inch (102 mm) shells and the ships were equipped with a

double bottom below. The deck armor was also high-tensile steel, 28.6 millimeters (1.13 in) thick.[2]

Aircraft

Inspired by the British deployment of aviation facilities aboard their

catapult installed on the platform in mid-1930 for trials with an Aichi E3A1 floatplane. Numerous accidents caused its replacement in October by a cordite-powered, 17-meter (55 ft 9 in) Kure Type 2, Model 2 catapult.[7]

During Yura's September 1933 – January 1934 refit, the hangar was converted into offices for the admiral's staff, radio rooms and storage compartments, the flying-off platform, its catapult and the derrick was removed and a rotating 19.4-meter (63 ft 8 in) Kure Type 2, Model 3 catapult was installed forward of the

mainmast, between two gun mounts. The pole mainmast was converted into a tripod mast with a stronger derrick to handle the aircraft. The cruiser operated a Nakajima E4N2 floatplane until the end of 1934 when a Kawanishi E7K floatplane was embarked.[8]

Modifications

During her September 1933 – January 1934 refit, the ship's anti-aircraft suite was upgraded; the 76 mm AA guns was replaced by twin mounts for

foremast, and adding 195 long tons (198 t) of ballast. The IJN took advantage of the ship's time in the shipyard to convert the mixed-firing boilers to fuel oil only and converting the lower coal bunkers to oil storage and the upper bunkers to a radio room and storage compartments. The ship was also modified to pump 199 long tons (202 t) of seawater aboard to her improve her stability as necessary.[9]

After several of the 5,500-ton cruisers suffered structural damage during the

2.5 cm Type 96 AA guns in twin mounts in 1938.[10]

Construction and career

Front oblique view of Yura underway

Yura, named after the

Yangtze River delta, Qingdao (Tsingtao) and Dalian (Dairen) from 25 March to 23 April 1925. The squadron made another cruise off Qindao beginning on 29 March 1926, but Yura returned to Sasebo on 1 April.[13] She was commanded by Captain Soemu Toyoda from November 1926 to November 1927[14] and became flagship of Submarine Squadron 1 on 1 December. Two weeks later, the ship began trials with a Yokosuka E1Y2 floatplane and led her squadron on a patrol off Qindao from 26–27 March to 16 April 1927 together with the Third Cruiser Squadron. Yura was reduced to reserve at Sasebo on 1 December 1927.[15]

On 10 December 1928,[16] the ship was reactivated with Captain Otagaki Tomisaburō[14] in command and became flagship of the Third Cruiser Squadron of the First Fleet. Escorted by the First Destroyer Squadron, the unit patrolled Chinese waters off Qindao, Dalian, and Qinhuangdao (Chinwangtao) from 29 March to 21 April 1929.[17] Captain Wada Senzō replaced Otagaki on 1 November.[14] The following year, the cruiser squadron visited Dalian in March–April. Yura was fitted with a spring-powered catapult for trials mid-year, but they were unsatisfactory and the catapult was replaced by a cordite-powered one in October 1930. The ship was placed in reserved on 1 December at Sasebo, but she was reactivated on 1 December 1931 and rejoined the Third Cruiser Squadron[18] under the command of Captain Umataro Tanimoto.[14]

Yura in Shanghai, China, 18 August 1932

Following the

Yangtze River estuary. Yura and the Yubari supported attacks by the 9th Division and continued to provide gunfire support until their departure on 20 March. Upon her arrival back in Sasebo, Yura was docked for several months to repair damage inflicted by the muzzle blast of her own guns.[20]

The ship remained part of the Third Cruiser Division until 20 May 1933 when all three sisters were transferred to the newly formed 7th Cruiser Squadron.

Kurile Islands on 7 February 1935 and returned on 25 February. It participated in the Great Maneuvers of the Combined Fleet from 20 July to 2 October. Yura was assigned to the Sasebo Guard Squadron, formed from ships in reserve, on 15 November and had her hull strengthened and her engines repaired during a refit from 10 June 1936 to March 1937.[23]

Yura became the flagship of Cruiser Squadron 8, commanded by

amphibious landings by the IJA on the northern coast of Hangzhou Bay, south of Shanghai, in early November and arrived back at Sasebo on 22 November,[24] after Captain Ichioka Hisashi had taken command on 15 November.[14] Yura became a private ship on 1 December and had a brief refit from 24 March to 7 April 1938. The squadron patrolled southern Chinese waters later in April and the area off Shanghai in September. It reinforced the blockade of southern Chinese waters in October and November. The 8th Cruiser Squadron made a brief cruise of northern Chinese waters between 22 March 1939 and 2 April. Yura spent most of the month of August operating in southern Chinese waters. On 15 November the cruiser became the flagship of the Fifth Submarine Squadron which was assigned to the newly formed Fourth Fleet which was tasked with the defense of the islands of the South Seas Mandate. To this purpose Yura and her submarines operated there between 16 May 1940 and 22 September. The squadron was transferred to the Combined Fleet on 15 November and the ship patrolled the South China Sea in February–March 1941.[25]

As of 1 September 1941, Yura was the flagship of Rear Admiral

Daigo Tadashige, commander of the Fifth Submarine Squadron. The squadron was ordered to proceed to Palau with four submarines, I-62, I-64, I-65, and I-66 on 26 November. They were diverted to Sanya, Hainan Island, where they arrived on 3 December and assigned to the Malaya Invasion Force.[26]

Early stages of the Pacific War

When the

Poulo Condore Island until they were located and sunk by IJN torpedo bombers based in Indochina on 10 December, after which the ship proceeded to Cam Ranh Bay.[26]

Yura was then attached to No. 2 Escort Unit for the rest of the month,

Cap St. Jacques (Vũng Tàu) and Natuna Besar until her return to Cam Ranh Bay on 3 February.[26]

The cruiser was assigned to No. 2 Escort Unit in February to command the escort force for the

Merak on Java during the rest of the month.[28][29]

On 1 March 1942, the Dutch submarine HNLMS K XIV fired two torpedoes at Yura, but both either missed or were duds. On 4 March, the ship rescued the crew of the oil tanker Erimo that had been sunk by the American submarine USS S-39. Assigned to the No. 1 Escort Unit on 6 March, Yura escorted the invasion convoy for and covered the landings in Northern Sumatra (Operation T) until 15 March when she arrived at Penang, Occupied Malaya.[14]

Indian Ocean Raids

To prepare for offensive operations against the Royal Navy in the Indian Ocean and to secure the line of communication between Singapore and

Ross Island three days later.[30] Yura arrived at Mergui, Burma, on 28 March.[14]

In April, Yura was assigned to the

Calcutta to Karachi. Yura and Yūgiri also sank the Dutch motorship Banjoewangi and the British steamer Taksang. At the end of April, Yura returned to Sasebo Naval Arsenal
for a refit.

Battle of Midway

On 10 May 1942, Yura was made flagship of Rear Admiral Shōji Nishimura's 4th Destroyer Squadron. At the Battle of Midway, the squadron also included Captain Ranji Oe's 3rd Destroyer Division of 4 destroyers and Captain Yasuo Satō's 9th Destroyer Division of 3 destroyers. The 4th Destroyer Squadron was under the overall command of Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondō, but did not see combat at Midway.

Solomon Islands Campaigns

On 7 August 1942 the United States began "

B-17 Flying Fortress bombers of the USAAF 11th Bomb Group based at Espiritu Santo and was slightly damaged.[14]

On 11 October 1942, the submarine

Mark 14 Torpedoes at Yura. One hit but did not explode, and Yura departed the area with a dent in her port side.[14]

On 24 October 1942, Yura departed Shortland to bombard Guadalcanal with the No. 2 Attack Unit consisting of Rear Admiral

navy list
on 20 November 1942.

Notes

  1. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 14, 28
  2. ^ a b Lacroix & Wells, pp. 794–796
  3. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 23, 795–796
  4. ^ Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 107
  5. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 37–39
  6. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 33, 37
  7. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 39-40, 165–166, 746–748
  8. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 171, 175, 193, 195, 747
  9. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 167–169, 171, 173
  10. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 168–169, 205, 208
  11. ^ Lacroix & Wells, p. 28
  12. ^ Whitley, p. 162
  13. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 181–184
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Hackett & Kingsepp
  15. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 184–185
  16. ^ Lacroix & Wells, p. 185
  17. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 185–186
  18. ^ Lacroix & Wells, p. 187
  19. ^ Jordan, pp. 10–23
  20. ^ a b Lacroix & Wells, p. 189
  21. ^ Lacroix & Wells, p. 191
  22. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 191–192, 196
  23. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 198, 202, 721
  24. ^ Lacroix & Wells, p. 204
  25. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 206–208, 210–211
  26. ^ a b c d e Lacroix & Wells, p. 409
  27. ^ Konstam, pp. 44–45
  28. ^ Remmelink, pp. 260, 262, 282, 313, 390
  29. ^ Lacroix & Wells, pp. 409–410
  30. ^ Piegzik, I, p. 45
  31. ^ Stille, pp. 22–26

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yura (ship, 1922).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Japanese_cruiser_Yura&oldid=1209149800"