Japanese cruiser Aoba

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Career (Japan)
Japanese heavy cruiser Aoba
Ordered:	1923 Fiscal Year
Laid down:	23 January 1924
Launched:	25 September 1926
Commissioned:	20 September 1927^[1]
Struck:	20 November 1945
Fate:	sunk 28 July 1945 by USN and USAAF aircraft at Kure, Hiroshima 34°14′N, 132°30′E
General characteristics
Class and type:	Aoba class cruiser
Displacement:	8,300 tons (standard); 9,000 (final)
Length:	185.17 meters
Beam:	15.83 meters (initial) 17.56 meters (final)
Draught:	5.71 meters (initial) 5.66 meters (final)
Propulsion:	4-shaft Brown Curtis geared turbines 12 Kampon boilers 102,000 shp
Speed:	36 knots – 33.43 knots
Range:	7,000 nm @ 14 knots (initial) 8,223 nm @ 14 knots (final)
Complement:	643 (initial) - 657 (final)
Armament:	(initial) 6 × 200 mm/50-cal guns (6x1) 4 × 100 mm/40-cal guns 6 × 610 mm torpedo tubes (final) 6 × 203 mm/50-cal guns (3x2) 4 × 120 mm/40-cal guns 50 x 25 mm AA guns 8 × 610 mm torpedo tubes
Armor:	76 mm (belt) 36 mm (deck)
Aircraft carried:	1 x floatplane (initial) 2 x floatplane, 1 catapult (final)

IJN Aoba (青葉重巡洋艦, Aoba jūjunyōkan^?) was the lead ship in the two-vessel Aoba-class of heavy cruisers in the Imperial Japanese Navy. It is named after Mount Aoba, a volcano located behind Maizuru, Kyoto.

1 Background
2 Service career
3 List of Captains
4 References
5 See also

[edit] Background

Aoba and her sister ship Kinugasa were originally planned as the third and fourth vessels in the Furutaka-class of heavy cruisers. However, design issues with the Furutaka-class resulted in modifications including include double turrets and an aircraft catapult. These modifications created yet more weight to an already top-heavy design, causing stability problems. Nevertheless, Aoba played an important role in World War II.

[edit] Service career

[edit] Early career

Aoba was completed at Mitsubishi shipyards at Nagasaki on 20 September 1927 and was assigned to CruDiv5 until 1933 and thereafter to CruDiv6 and CruDiv7, serving as flagship during much of her career. She was frequently dispatched to patrol the China coast in the late 1920s and the 1930s. Aoba was extensively modernized at Sasebo Navy Yard from 1938 - 1940, receiving new torpedo tubes, an enhanced anti-aircraft guns, improved fire controls and better aircraft facilities. Her bridge was rebuilt and bulges added to her hull in an attempt to compensate for the additional weight and improve stability. After re-commissioning in October 1940, Aoba returned to CruDiv6.

[edit] Early stages of the Pacific War

In 1941, Aoba was flagship of Rear Admiral Aritomo Goto as part of the First Fleet under overall command of Vice Admiral Takasu Shiro. CruDiv 6 consisted of Aoba, Kinugasa, Furutaka and Kako. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, CruDiv6 was engaged in the invasion of Guam, following which it participated in the second invasion of Wake Island.

From January through May 1942, Kinugasa was based out of Truk, in the Caroline Islands where it provided protection for the landings of Japanese troops in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea at Rabaul, Kavieng, Buka, Shortland, Kieta, Manus Island, Admiralty Islands and Tulagi.

[edit] Battle of Coral Sea

At the Battle of the Coral Sea, CruDiv 6 departed Shortland and effected a rendezvous at sea with light carrier Shoho. At 1100 on 7 May 1942, north of Taguli Island, Shoho was attacked and sunk by 93 SBD Dauntless dive-bombers and TBM Avenger torpedo-bombers from USS Yorktown and Lexington.

World War II recognition drawings of Aoba

The following day, 8 May 1942 46 SBDs, 21 TBDs and 15 Grumman F4F Wildcats from Yorktown and Lexington damaged Shokaku severely above the waterline and force her retirement. Furutaka and Kinugasa, undamaged in the battle, escorted Shokaku back to Truk. Kako and Aoba continued to cover the withdrawing Port Moresby invasion convoy.

After refueling at Shortland on 9 May, Aoba returned to Kure on 22 May 1942 for repairs, and returned back to Truk on 23 June 1942, and from Truk to Rekata Bay, Santa Isabel Island, where it was assigned patrols through July.

In a major reorganization of the Japanese navy on 14 July 1942, Aoba was assigned to the newly created Eighth Fleet under Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi and was assigned to patrols around the Solomon Islands, New Britain and New Ireland.

[edit] The Battle of Savo Island

On 7 August 1942, an Aichi E13A1 “Jake” from Aoba spotted “one battleship, one auxiliary carrier, four cruisers, seven destroyers and 15 transports” off Lunga Point near Tulagi.

In the Battle of Savo Island on 9 August 1942, CruDiv 6, Chokai, light cruisers Tenryu and Yubari and destroyer Yunagi engaged the Allied force in a night gun and torpedo action. At about 2300, Chokai, Furutaka, and Kako, all launched their reconnaissance floatplanes. The circling floatplanes dropped flares illuminating the targets and all the Japanese ships opened fire. USS Astoria, Quincy, Vincennes and HMAS Canberra were sunk. USS Chicago was damaged as were the USS Ralph Talbot and USS Patterson. On the Japanese side, Chokai was hit three times; Kinugasa twice, Aoba once, and Furutaka was not damaged. As CruDiv6 retired towards Kavieng, Kako was sunk by USN submarine USS S-44, but Aoba escaped without further damage. Through the rest of August and September, Aoba and CruDiv6 provided cover to the “Tokyo Express” reinforcement convoys to Guadalcanal.

[edit] Battle of Cape Esperance

At the Battle of Cape Esperance on 11 October 1942, CruDiv 6's (Aoba, Furutaka and Kinugasa), and destroyers Fubuki and Hatsuyuki departed Shortland to provide cover for a troop reinforcement convoy by shelling Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. Two American OS2U Kingfisher reconnaissance aircraft spotted the fleet coming down the "Slot" at 30 knots.

So alerted, the radar-equipped American cruisers USS San Francisco, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Helena and five destroyers steamed around the end of Guadalcanal to block the entrance to Savo Sound.

Aoba, photographed off Buin, Bougainville after the Battle of Cape Esperance

At 2235, the Helena's radar spotted the Japanese fleet, and the Americans successfully cross the Japanese "T". Both fleets opened fire, but Admiral Goto, thinking that he was under friendly-fire, ordered a 180-degree turn that exposed each of his ships to the American broadsides. Furutaka was sunk. Aoba was hit by up to forty 6-inch and 8-inch shells. The bridge was wrecked, the No. 2 turret was knocked out and the No. 3 turret destroyed. Other hits put four of the Aoba’s boilers off line. Admiral Goto was mortally wounded and 80 other crewmen were killed. After temporary repairs and Shortland, Aoba limped back to Truk on 15 October, where Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto personally inspected the damage and ordered the ship back to Japan.

Aoba returned to Kure, Hiroshima on 22 October. During repairs, the wrecked No. 3 turret was covered over with steel plates, and a |Type 96 triple-mount 25-mm AA gun installed in its place. Aoba was sent back to Truk on 24 February 1943.

On 3 April, while moored at Kavieng, New Ireland, Aoba was bombed by Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the Fifth Air Force's 43rd Bomb Group. A direct hit on Aoba caused two Type 93 Long Lance torpedoes to explode and set the ship on fire while the B-17's strafed the decks with machine guns. Aoba had to be beached to avoid sinking.

After being towed back to Truk, and again to Kure on 1 August, Aoba was again repaired and re-fitted. The 8-inch gun was restored to the No. 3 turret and a Type 21 air-search radar and two Type 96 twin-mount 25-mm AA guns were installed. However, Aoba's maximum speed was reduced to 25 knots due to irreparable engine damage.

Aoba was reassigned to the First Southern Expeditionary Fleet and arrived at Singapore on 24 December 1943. It remained based out of Singapore to the end of February 1944, escorting supply convoys to Burma, the Andaman Islands and along the Malaya coast. On 25 February, it was assigned to CruDiv16, with which it participated in the Indian Ocean raid during March 1944. Through April, May and June, Aoba resumed its escort duties through the Dutch East Indies and New Guinea. During a refit at Singapore in July, Aoba gained four triple-mount and 15 single-mount Type 96 25-mm AA guns and a Type 22 surface-search radar.

Aoba sunk at Kure at end of World War II

On 11 October, Aoba accidentally collided with Kinu, but the damage was minor. However, on 23 October 1944, Aoba was attacked by the USS Bream. One of six torpedoes hit Aoba in the No. 2 engine room. Aoba limped into Cavite Navy Yard near Manila, but while under emergency repairs the following day and on 29 October it was bombed by carrier based planes from Task Force 38. Repairs still incomplete, Aoba was assigned to a convoy returning to Japan. The convoy was attacked on 6 November off Luzon by USS Guitarro, Bream, Raton and Ray. Altogether the submarines fire 23 torpedoes, two of which hit Kumano, but Aoba escaped without further damage. On arrival at Kure on 12 December, Aoba was examined but declared irreparable, and re-rated as a reserve ship.

During a US air raid on Kure harbor on 24 April 1945, Aoba was further damaged by bombing, and settled on the shallow bottom of the harbor. Rather than repair the crippled vessel, four additional twin 25-mm AA guns were fitted around the mainmast bringing the total number of 25-mm guns to 50 barrels (5x3, 10x2, 15x1) and Aoba was re-rated as a floating AA battery. On 24 July 1945, about 30 planes attack from TF38 attacked Kure, and bombed Aoba again. At 2200 hours, Aoba settled to the bottom in 25 feet of water at 34°14′N, 132°30′E. On 28 July 1945, the hulk was again attacked by ten of Task Force 38's carrier aircraft. Four more direct bomb hits set it on fire, and the fire attracted 7th Air Force B-24 Liberator bombers, which hit it again with four more 500-lb. bombs, breaking off the stern.

Aoba was formally removed from the Navy List on 20 November 1945. Her wreck was scrapped in 1946-47.

[edit] List of Captains

Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Shiro Otani - 1 April 1927 - 20 September 1927

Capt. Shiro Otani - 20 September 1927 - 15 November 1927

Capt. Choji Inoue - 15 November 1927 - 10 December 1928

Capt. Toshiu Higurashi - 10 December 1928 - 30 November 1929

Capt. Eikichi Katagiri - 30 November 1929 - 1 December 1930

Capt. Mineichi Koga - 1 December 1930 - 1 December 1931

Capt. Kurayoshi Hoshino - 1 December 1931 - 15 November 1932

Capt. Shiro Koike - 15 November 1932 - 15 November 1933

Capt. Rokuzo Sugiyama - 15 November 1933 - 20 February 1934

Capt. Gunichi Mikawa - 20 February 1934 - 15 November 1934

Capt. Keijiro Goga - 15 November 1934 - 15 November 1935

Capt. Kumeichi Hiraoka - 15 November 1935 - 15 November 1937

Capt. Sueto Hirose - 15 November 1937 - 15 November 1939

Capt. Katsuzo Akiyama - 15 November 1939 - 1 November 1940

Capt. Tomoichi Mori - 1 November 1940 - 25 July 1941

Capt. Sojiro Hisamune - 25 July 1941 - 10 November 1942

Capt. Tsutau Araki - 10 November 1942 - 31 December 1942

Capt. Yoshioki Tawara - 31 December 1942 - 24 February 1943

Capt. Kamenosuke Yamamori - 24 February 1943 - 1 June 1944

Capt. Chusaboru Yamazumi - 1 June 1944 - 1 January 1945

Capt. Seiroku Murayama - 1 January 1945 - 28 July 1945

[edit] References

[edit] Books

Brown, David (1990). Warship Losses of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-914-X.
D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN 0-8159-5302-X.
Dull, Paul S. (1978). A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-097-1.
Howarth, Stephen (1983). The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945. Atheneum. ISBN 0-68911-402-8.
Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
Lacroix, Eric; Linton Wells (1997). Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-311-3.
Whitley, M.J. (1995). Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-141-6.