Japanese cruiser Agano

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Career

Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:	31 October 1942
Commissioned:	31 October 1942
Decommissioned:	15 February 1944
Fate:	Sunk
Struck:	15 February 1944
General Characteristics
Displacement:	6650 tons
Length:
Beam:
Draft:
Speed:	35 knots
Complement:
Armament:	(See details in article)

The Agano (阿賀野) was the lead ship of her class of four light cruisers which served with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

1 Description
2 History
- 2.1 Commanding officers
3 See also

[edit] Description

Range: 6300 nm at 18 knots
Main armament: six 6 inch / 50 caliber guns (100 pound shell; 600 pound broadside; 23,000 yard range; rate of fire of 6–10 rounds per minute)
Secondary armament: four 3 inch / 60 or 65 caliber dual purpose guns (13 pound shell; 14,870 yard range; 29,850 foot ceiling; rate of fire of 40 rounds per minute)
Antiaircraft armament: sixteen 25 mm antiaircraft guns
Torpedo armament: eight 24 inch tubes
Antisubmarine armament: 16 depth charges
Aircraft: two aircraft carried, launched by a single catapult
Propulsion: 100,000 shp with 1405 tons of oil

[edit] History

Built at Sasebo, Agano was completed on 31 October 1942 and originally assigned to Destroyer Squadron 10 of the Third Fleet. On 16 December 1942, she began her first operation, joining the Junyō and others to escort troops to Wewak and Medang, being involved in a standoff against the American submarine USS Sculpin.

The Agano was next involved in the evacuation of Japanese troops from Guadalcanal, after which the ship received further minor modifications and repairs, before being assembled with powerful fleet units intended to counterstrike against American forces which had landed on Attu in the Aleutians. However, by the time the force was assembled, the Americans had completed their capture of the island, and the strike was called off.

In June, 1943, Agano put in at Kure for refit, including the addition of air search radar Type 21 and ten 25 mm Type 96 antiaircraft guns in two twin and two triple mounts, adding to the original two triple mounts for a total of sixteen guns. After refitting and drydock, she departed for Truk with a large Japanese force. Despite numerous spottings by American submarines and an attack on the Zuihō, Agano made it safely to Truk where she began ferrying troops to Rabaul.

Agano sortied with the fleet to attempt to intercept the American raiding forces near Eniwetok in September 1943, but failed to make contact. Another attempt to intercept the Americans in October was a failure as well. However, on 2 November 1943, while part of the fleet supporting the defense of Rabaul, Agano participated in a major action against American units in which the Sendai and Hatsukaze were both sunk. Three days later, back in port at Rabaul, Agano was barely missed by an American air strike launched by the USS Saratoga and USS Princeton, sustaining slight damage. The fleet put to sea to engage American forces but this was cancelled and the fleet returned to Rabaul by 7 November.

In harbor at Rabaul, another American air strike was launched, and a torpedo launched by a Grumman TBF Avenger aircraft hit the Agano in the stern, causing significant damage and injuring Rear Admiral Osugi. The next day, with three other ships, Agano departed for Truk, but en route she was torpedoed by American submarine USS Scamp. The USS Albacore was also ordered to attack but was held off by Japanese depth charge barrage. Agano was taken under tow and arrived at Truk on 16 November 1943.

After three months of hasty repairs, Agano was able to operate on two of her four screws and departed Truk on 15 February 1944 for the home islands where she was to be properly repaired. Escorted by the Oite, after only 160 miles of sailing, she was struck by two torpedoes from the USS Skate, setting the ship ablaze. 523 survivors were rescued by the Oite, and at 05:17 the next morning, Agano sank. Returning to Truk, the Oite was sunk by TBF Avengers during Operation Hailstone, taking all but twenty of her own crew down with her. All of the Agano crewmembers originally rescued were lost.

[edit] Commanding officers

Captain Nakagawa Ko (15 February 1942 to 5 August 1943) (to later be promoted posthumously to Vice Admiral)
Captain Matsubara Hiroshi (5 August 1942 to 16 November 1943)
Captain Matsuda Takamutsu (16 November 1943 to 17 February 1944) (posthumously promoted to Rear Admiral)