Battle of Danghangpo

The naval Battle of Danghangpo was a naval battle during the Imjin War (1592-1598) between Korean and Japanese naval forces.

Prelude

The morning following the Dangpo Battle and for the next few days Admiral Yi Sun-shin searched for the fleeing Japanese ships. Unsuccessful in his search, Admiral Yi was joined by Admiral Yi Eok-gi on June 4th 1592, increasing the total number of Korean ships to 51. That same day Yi Sun-shin received a report that the Japanese fleet had been sighted near Danghangpo. He immediately sent his fleet towards Danghangpo to verify the report and was pleased to see that it was accurate. Anchored in the harbor of Danghangpo Bay was 26 Japanese ships, including another flagship.

Luring Tactic

Like at Dangpo, the Japanese were harassing the Korean city, pillaging and burning buildings. Admiral Yi sent a few patrol boats into the bay to test out the Japanese defenses. Four of the large Japanese ships immediately moved into line formation in front of the flagship to come to its defense. Just like he had done in the Battle of Dangpo, Yi Sun-sin sent his Turtle Ships into the bay to disrupt the Japanese formation while the panokson warships provided a steady barrage of cover fire.

The Turtle Ships immediately crashed into several ships surprising the Japanese. Fearing that the Japanese soldiers would flee ashore and into the mountains and do a revenge raid on a Korean village, Admiral Yi ordered a false retreat to the open ocean. Encouraged by the sight of the Korean retreat, the Japanese fleet quickly advanced out of the bay in pursuit of the Korean fleet, with the flagship taking the lead. The Japanese began to fire their arquebuses at the Koreans but were not close enough.

As the Japanese ships reached the open sea, in a well rehearsed move, Admiral Yi ordered the panokson warships to encircle the Japanese fleet while the turtleships attacked the Japanese ships by ramming. Within minutes the flagship was burning and its admiral dead. Seeing the horrible fate of their admiral, the remaining Japanese ships attempted to flee to the shore, but were pursued and encircled by the panokson again. Within hours the Japanese fleet succumbed to the overwhelming firepower of the Korean fleet and were completely destroyed.