Japanese cruiser Noshiro

The nihongo|IJN Noshiro|能代 軽巡洋艦|Noshiro keijunyōkan was an "Agano" class light cruiser which served with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Background

"Noshiro" was the second of the four vessels completed in the "Agano"-class of light cruisers, and like other vessels of her class, she was intended for use as the flagship of a destroyer flotilla.

ervice career

Early career

"Noshiro" was launched at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on 19 July 1942 and completed less than a year later on 30 June 1943. Initially assigned to the Japanese 1st Fleet, on 15 August 1943, "Noshiro" was reassigned to Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita's Second Fleet as the flagship of DesRon 2, replacing "Jintsu", which had been sunk a month earlier at the Battle of Kolombangara.

Battles in the Gilbert Islands and Solomon Islands

On 18 September 1943, in reaction to air raids on Tarawa launched by USN aircraft carriers "USS Lexington" (CV-16), "USS Princeton" (CVL-23) and "USS Belleau Wood" (CVL-24), the Combined Fleet sortied to Eniwetok with a massive force but failed to make contact and returned to Truk in the Caroline Islands.

Likewise, from 17 October 1943 – 26 October 1943, the Combined Fleet failed to contact Task Force 15 after it bombed Wake Island.

On 1 November 1943, the United States launched Operation Shoestring to retake Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. The day after the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay (2 November 1943), "Noshiro" departed Truk with CruDiv 4's "Atago", "Takao" and "Maya", CruDiv 7's "Suzuya" and "Mogami", CruDiv 8's "Chikuma" and four destroyers, arriving at Rabaul on 5 November 1943. While refueling in Simpson Harbor from the oiler "Kokuyo Maru" the cruisers were attacked by 97 planes from Task Force 38's "USS Saratoga" (CV-3) and "Princeton" (CVL-23). "Noshiro" was hit by a dud Mark 13 aerial torpedo.

From 12 November 1943, "Noshiro" assisted its sister ship, "Agano", after the latter was torpedoed by "USS Scamp" (SS-277), and attempted to tow it back to Truk.

On 20 November 1943, American "Operation Galvanic" to retake the Gilbert Islands invaded Tarawa. The invasion fleet of 200 ships included 13 battleships and 11 carriers. "Noshiro" responded by sailing from Truk with "Suzuya", "Kumano", "Chokai", "Oyodo" and several destroyers. The group was attacked on 1 January 1944 by aircraft from "USS Bunker Hill" (CV-17) and "USS Monterey" (CVL-26). One of "Noshiro's" gun turrets was put out of action temporarily by the attack and ten crewmen killed.

On 19 January 1944, "Noshiro" was dispatched from Truk to assist the Japanese aircraft carrier "Unyo" after it had been torpedoed by the "USS Haddock" (SS-231) by towing it back to Saipan. "Noshiro" continued on to Yokosuka, going into dry dock for repairs and refit on 1 February 1944. Six triple-mount and eight single-mount Type 96 25 mm AA guns were fitted. This brought the "Noshiro's" 25 mm total to 32 barrels (8x3) (8x1).　

Battles in the Philippines

Retrofit was completed by 28 March 1944, enabling "Noshiro" to depart for Davao and Lingga on 5 April 1944 with CruDiv 4's "Atago", "Takao" and "Chokai", CruDiv 5's "Myoko" and "Haguro" and the destroyer "Harusame".

The cruiser group was attacked by "USS Dace" (SS-247), which missed with all six bow torpedoes, and was also sighted by "USS Darter" (SS-227), which failed to achieve an attack vector. Likewise, the cruiser group was sighted coming out of Davao Bay on 7 April 1944 by the "USS Scamp" (SS-277), which was also unable to attack, and by "USS Gurnard" (SS-254) on 18 May 1944 which fired a full salvo of six bow torpedoes, all of which missed.

"Noshiro" was at "Operation A-Go" – The Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19 June 1944, where it was flagship of Rear Admiral Mikio Hayakawa.

From late June-early July 1944, "Noshiro" again was dry docked and refitted at Kura. Two more triple-mount Type 96 25 mm AA gun mounts were installed amidships bringing the total number of 25 mm guns to 48 barrels (10x3, 18x1). A Type 13 air-search and Type 22 surface-search radar were also fitted.

On 8 July 1944, "Noshiro" departed Kure with the destroyers carrying army troops and material to Singapore, and remained in the vicinity for the following three months conducting training.

On 18 October 1944, "Noshiro" was ordered to Brunei, in preparation for the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which begins on 22 October 1944. Noshiro, as DesRon 2's flagship, sortied with Admiral Kurita's First Mobile Striking Force, Force "A" (Center Force). At the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea on 24 October 1944, Force A was attacked 11 times by over 250 carrier aircraft from Task Force 38 with "USS Essex (CV-9), USS Lexington (CV-16), USS Intrepid (CV-11), USS Cabot (CVL-28), USS Franklin (CV-13)" and the "USS Enterprise (CV-6)." Although the "Yamato", "Nagato", "Haruna", "Myoko" and "Tone" were damaged, "Noshiro" escaped unharmed.

The following day, at the Battle off Samar, "Noshiro" hit the escort carrier USS "White Plains" (CVE-66) with several 6-inch shells, but was in turn hit starboard side by a 5-inch shell from an American destroyer.

On 26 October 1944, west of Panay, Kurita's force was attacked by 80 Grumman TBM-1C Avenger torpedo-bombers from "USS Wasp" (CV-18) and "USS Cowpens" (CVL-25). One bomb exploded in "Noshiro's" AA shell magazine, starting a fire that was quickly extinguished.

In the second attack, six more Avengers attacked "Noshiro", which dodged their torpedoes, but in the third wave, an Avenger launched a Mark 13 aerial torpedo that hit in the No. 3 boiler room. It instantly flooded, and the No. 1 boiler room flooded shortly thereafter. The inrush of water threw all of "Noshiro's" boilers off line, and she came to a halt with a 16-degree list to port.

While emergency repairs were carried out and "Noshiro" dead in the water, the destroyer "Hamanami" came alongside and removed Rear Admiral Hayakawa, who later transferred to "Yamato". At 1014, a fourth attack of 28 TBMs and SB2C-3 Helldiver dive-bombers from "USS Hornet" (CV-12) struck with another torpedo to starboard beneath "Noshiro's" No. 2 main turret. Noshiro's AA gunners later claimed to have shot down six of the attacking planes. Captain Kajiwara ordered the forward magazines flooded in an attempt to righten the ship. Five minutes later, with the forward deck awash and the list steadily increasing, Kajiwara gave the order to abandon ship. At 1113, "Noshiro" sank at coord|11|42|N|121|41|E south of Mindoro.

The destroyers "Akishimo" and "Hamanami" rescued Captain Kajiwara and 328 survivors.

"Noshiro" was removed from the Navy List on 20 December 1944.

List of Captains

*Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Yoshioki Tawara - 1 May 1943 - 30 June 1943
*Capt. Yoshioki Tawara - 30 June 1943 - 15 December 1943
*Capt. Sueyoshi Kajiwara - 15 December 1943 - 26 October 1944

References

Books

*cite book
last = Brown
first = David
authorlink =
year = 1990
title = Warship Losses of World War Two
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 1-55750-914-X
*cite book
last = D'Albas
first = Andrieu
authorlink =
year = 1965
title = Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II
publisher = Devin-Adair Pub
location =
id = ISBN 0-8159-5302-X
*cite book
last = Dull
first = Paul S.
authorlink =
year = 1978
chapter =
title = A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-87021-097-1
*cite book
last = Evans
first = David
authorlink =
year = 1979
title = Kaigun : Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-87021-192-7
*cite book
last = Howarth
first = Stephen
authorlink =
year = 1983
title = The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945
publisher = Atheneum
location =
id = ISBN 0-68911-402-8
*cite book
last = Jentsura
first = Hansgeorg
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1976
chapter =
title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-87021-893-X
*cite book
last = Lacroix
first = Eric
authorlink =
coauthors = Linton Wells
year = 1997
chapter =
title = Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-87021-311-3
*cite book
last = Whitley
first = M.J.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1995
chapter =
title = Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 1-55750-141-6

External links

*cite web
last = Parshall
first = Jon
coauthors = Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp, & Allyn Nevitt
year =
url = http://www.combinedfleet.com/nagara_c.htm CombinedFleet.com: "Nagara" class
title = Imperial Japanese Navy Page (Combinedfleet.com)
work =
accessdate = 2006-06-14 tabular record: [http://www.combinedfleet.com/noshiro_t.htm CombinedFleet.com: "Moshiro" history]

Notes

See also

* List of World War II ships