Japanese cruiser Kashima

nihongo|IJN Kashima |鹿島 練習巡洋艦|Kashima renshūjunyōkan was the second vessel completed of the three light cruisers in "Katori" class, which served with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. It is named after the noted Shinto shrine Kashima Jingu in Ibaraki prefecture, Japan.

Background

The "Katori"-class cruisers were originally ordered to serve as training ships in the 1937 and 1939 Supplementary Naval Budget. With the Pacific War, they were used as administrative flagships for various fleets, such as submarine command and control and to command escort squadrons. The ships were upgraded as the war progressed with additional anti-aircraft guns and depth charges.

ervice career

Early career

"Kashima" was completed at the Mitsubishi Yokohama shipyards on 31 May 1940 and was initially based at Kure Naval Base in the Inland Sea.

On 28 July 1940, "Kashima" and its sister ship "Katori" participated in the last pre-war midshipman cruise visiting Etajima, Ominato, Dairen, Port Arthur and Shanghai. Soon after its return to Japan, "Kashima" was reassigned to the Japanese Fourth Fleet as flagship for CruDiv 18. On 1 December 1941, "Kashima" became flagship for Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue's Fourth Fleet based at Truk in the Caroline Islands. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, "Kashima" was at Truk.

Early stages of the Pacific War

During "Operation R" (the invasions of Rabaul and Kavieng), which took place from 23-24 January 1942, "Kashima" sortied from Truk to cover the landings of Japanese troops. "Kashima" later (20 February 1942) sortied from Truk in an unsuccessful pursuit of the " USS Lexington (CV-2) " and American Task Force 11.

On 4 May 1942, during "Operation MO”(the invasions of Tulagi and Port Moresby), the "Kashima" arrived at Rabaul, New Britain to direct operations, and was thus absent at the Battle of the Coral Sea, which occurred around the same time. After the successful landings of Japanese forces on New Guinea, the "Kashima" returned to its base at Truk.

In July 1942, the "Kashima" returned briefly to Kure for upgrading with two twin Type 96 25 mm AA guns, which were fitted in the forward part of the bridge. It then returned to Truk on 3 September 1942, where it continued to be based.

On 8 October 1942, a conference was held aboard "Kashima" to discuss the construction of defenses in the Pacific. The conference was attended by Rear Admiral Matome Ugaki Chief of Staff, Combined Fleet, and Imperial Japanese Army officials of the Defense Construction Department.

Later that month, on 26 October 1942 Vice Admiral Baron Tomoshige Samejima assumed command of the Fourth Fleet. He was replaced on 1 April 1943 by Vice Admiral Masami Kobayashi. During this time, the "Kashima" was assigned to guard duty at Truk, with an occasional cruise around the Marshall Islands, or occasional return to Kure or Yokosuka for maintenance.

On 1 November 1943, "Kashima" was relieved as flagship of the Fourth Fleet by the light cruiser "Nagara" and was reassigned back to the Kure Training Division. On 18 November 1943, "Kashima" departed Truk with the submarine tender "Chogei" escorted by destroyers "Wakatsuki" and "Yamagumo". Shortly after departing Truk, the group was attacked by the submarine " USS Sculpin" (SS-191), which the "Kashima" group managed to sink without Japanese casualties. "Kashima" arrived at Kure on 25 November 1943, and was in dry-dock until 12 January 1944.

From 23 January-15 April 1944, "Kashima" resumed its original role as a training ship for the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy at Etajima, and it makes numerous cruises in the Inland Sea.

Later stages of the Pacific War

However, as the war situation continued to deteriorate for Japan, "Kashima" was pressed into service as a transport. From 26 May 1944 to 11 July 1944, it made four runs from Shimonoseki to Okinawa carrying army reinforcements and supplies. Likewise, from 11 July 1944 in "Operation Ro-Go", "Kashima" was assigned to transport personnel and supplies to Taiwan, making numerous voyages from Kagoshima and Kure to Keelung.

On 20 October 1944, "Kashima" was spotted by the "USS Tang" (SS-306), which closed to within convert|2000|yd|m|-3, but was unable to attack as its new Mark 18-1 electric torpedoes lacked the speed and range.

On 20 December 1944, "Kashima" was modified at Kure Arsenal with its torpedo tubes replaced by two unshielded twin 40-caliber Type 89 127 mm HA-gun mounts, four triple-mount Type 96 25 mm AA guns, along with a Type 22 surface-search radar, hydrophones and sonar. Two Type 2 infra-red communication devices were also installed. "Kashima's" aft compartments were modified into concrete-protected magazines for up to 100 depth charges, with four depth charge throwers and two rails installed on the quarterdeck. In addition, eight Type 96 single mount 25 mm AA guns were added, bringing the total number to 38 barrels, and a Type 13 air-search radar was also installed.

From February 1945, "Kashima" was assigned to anti-submarine patrol duty in the South China Sea and off Korea. On 19 May 1945, "Kashima" collided with and sank the cargo ship "Daishin Maru" in Tsushima Strait. A gasoline tank in "Kashima's" port bow was damaged in the collision, causing a fire, but she managed to make it to Chinkai, Korea for repairs. "Kashima" continued its convoy escort and anti-submarine patrols off Korea until the end of the war.

"Kashima" was officially stricken from the Navy list on 5 October 1945.

Post war career

After the war, the American authorities used "Kashima" as a repatriation transport. A deck house was constructed around her main mast, and the barrels of her guns were sawn off.

From 10 October 1945 - 12 November 1946 "Kashima" made a total of 12 voyages to New Guinea, the Solomon islands, Marshall islands, Singapore, French Indochina, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong, transporting some 5,800 former Imperial Japanese Army troops and POWs back to Japan.

From 15 November 1946 - 15 June 1947 "Kashima" was broken up for scrap at Nagasaki.

List of Commanding Officers

Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Shutoku Miyazato - 25 September 1939 - 1 November 1939

Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Hisashi Ichioka - 1 November 1939 - 10 March 1940

Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Shunsaki Nabeshima - 10 March 1940 - 31 May 1940

Capt. Shunsaki Nabeshima - 31 May 1940 - 1 November 1940

Capt. Isamu Takeda - 1 November 1940 - 1 September 1941

Capt. Kinji Senda - 1 September 1941 - 7 September 1942

Capt. Sakae Takada - 7 September 1942 - 1 July 1943

Capt. Shigechika Hayashi - 1 July 1943 - 21 October 1943

Capt. Sueyoshi Kajiwara - 21 October 1943 - 3 December 1943

Capt. Mitsuru Nagai - 3 December 1943 - 9 December 1943

Capt. Chusaboru Yamazumi - 9 December 1943 - 15 May 1944

Capt. Masayoshi Takame - 15 May 1944 - 15 August 1944

Capt. Yoshikata Hiraoka - 15 August 1944 - 28 April 1945

Capt. Chojuro Takahashi - 28 April 1945 - 21 September 1945

Capt. Shojiro Iura - 21 September 1945 - 17 January 1946

Capt. Minoru Yokota - 17 January 1946 - 15 November 1946

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
*cite book
last = Worth
first = Richard.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 2001
chapter =
title = Fleets of World War II
publisher = Da Capo Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-30681-116-2

External links

* [http://www.combinedfleet.com/katori_c.htm CombinedFleet.com: "Katori" class]
* [http://www.combinedfleet.com/kashima_t.htm CombinedFleet.com: "Kashima" history]

Notes

ee also

*List of World War II ships