Japanese aircraft carrier Chitose

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Career

Laid down:	26 November 1934
Launched:	29 November 1936
Commissioned:	25 July 1938
Conversion:	1942 to 1944
Recommissioned:	1 January 1944
Fate:	Sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, 25 October 1944.
General Characteristics
Displacement:	11,200 tons (standard), 15,300 tons (max.)
Length:	192.5 m
Beam:	20.8 m
Draught:	7.5 m
Propulsion:	2 geared turbines. 2 steam turbines, 2 shafts, 56,800 shp
Speed:	28.9 knots
Fuel:	3,000 tons
Complement:	800
Armament:	8 - 127 mm, 30-48 (in 1944) 25 mm
Aircraft:	30

Chitose (千歳) was a light aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. It should not be confused with the earlier Japanese cruiser Chitose. First laid down as a seaplane tender in 1934 at Kure Navy yard, the ship originally supported reconnaissance float planes Kawanishi E7K Type 94 "Alf", and the Nakajima E8N Type 95 "Dave". Although it has been speculated that Chitose also carried Type A midget submarines, only her sister ship, the Chiyoda had that capability. Chitose saw several naval actions, taking part in the Battle of Midway though seeing no combat there. She was heavily damaged off Davao, Philippines on 4 January 1942. She covered the Japanese landings in the East Indies and Gilbert Island in January 1942, and was damaged in the Eastern Solomons in August 1942.

[edit] Conversion

Chitose after conversion to a light carrier in 1944

As the Japanese became aware of the importance of carrier aviation the Chitose was converted to a light carrier at Sasebo Navy Yard in 1943, and was recommissioned 1 January 1944 as CVL (24) and assigned to CarDiv 3.

[edit] Final battle

Both Chiyoda and Chitose were sunk from a combination of attacks by naval bombers, cruiser shellfire and destroyer torpedo attack during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. According to the plan for the Sho-ichi go operation, both carriers were denuded of aircraft and successfully used to decoy the main body of the American fleet away from the landing beaches in the Philippines. Chitose was sunk from torpedo hits during the first air strike made by naval aircraft of Task Force 38 from the carrier Essex off Cape Engano.

At 0835 she took 3 torpedo hits, or possibly near misses from bombs on the port side forward of the number 1 elevator. This resulted in boiler rooms 2 and 4 being flooded with an immediate list to 27 degrees and rudder failure. The list was reduced to 15 degrees but by 0855 further flooding had brought it to 20 degrees. At 0855 the starboard engine room floods cutting speed to 14 knots. The port engine room follows at 0925. The Chitose is dead in the water with a list of 30 degrees. At 0937, at 19 degrees 20" N, 126 degrees 20" E, she rolls over to port and noses under. The loss is 903 men with Isuzu rescuing 480 and Shimotsuki a further 121.