Japanese cruiser Katori

nihongo|"Katori"|香取 was the lead ship of the "Katori" class of three light cruisers which served with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. It is named after the noted Shinto shrine Katori Shrine in Chiba prefecture, Japan.

Background

"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

"Katori" was completed at the Mitsubishi Yokohama shipyards on 20 April 1940 and was based at nearby Yokosuka.

On 28 July 1940, "Kashima" and its sister ship, "Katori" participated in the last pre-war midshipman cruise visiting Etajima, Ominato, Aomori, Dairen, Port Arthur and Shanghai.

Early stages of the Pacific War

On 11 November 1941 Vice Admiral Mitsumi Shimizu, CINC, Sixth Fleet (Submarines) convened a briefing of his commanders aboard the Sixth Fleet's flagship, "Katori" on the planned attack on Pearl Harbor. "Katori" departed for Truk on 24 November 1941. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, "Katori" was at Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands.

On 10 December 1941, the submarine I-6 reported sighting the "USS Lexington" (CV-2)| and two cruisers heading northeast, and Vice Admiral Shimizu ordered his submarines to pursue and sink the carrier, but it escaped.

"Katori" returned to Truk by the end of 1941, and on 3 January 1942 Vice Admiral Shimizu held a briefing to discuss the details of the invasion plans for "Operation R" (the invasions of Rabaul and Kavieng), which took place from 23-24 January 1942.

On 1 February 1942, "Katori" came under attack at Kwajalein by Douglas "Dauntless" SBDs of VB-6 and VS-6 and TBD Devastators from the "USS Enterprise" (CV-6). Vice Admiral Shimizu was wounded in the raid, and "Katori" sustained enough damage to warrant a return to Yokosuka for repairs. It returned to Kwajalein in May, where on 24 May 1942 the new admiral, of the Sixth Fleet (Submarines) Vice Admiral Marquis Teruhisa Komatsu, ordered Captain Sasaki Hankyu detachment of midget submarines to stage the Attack on Sydney Harbour.

"Katori" returned briefly to Yokosuka in August 1942 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, where it continued to be based (with occasional returns to Yokosuka).

On 21 June 1943 Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi assumed command of the Sixth Fleet (Submarines), but after the fall of Kwajalein "Katori" was reassigned on 15 February 1944 to the General Escort Command.

Attack on Truk

In the American attack on Truk of 17-18 February 1944, the American Task Force 58 with nine aircraft carriers, supported by six battleships, ten cruisers and 28 destroyers, launched a massive attack on Truk. "Katori" had departed Truk shortly before the attack, escorting the armed merchant cruiser "Akagi maru", destroyers "Maikaze" and "Nowaki", and minesweeping trawler "Shonan maru No.15" towards Yokosuka, but came under attack by Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters and TBF Avenger torpedo-bombers from the "USS Yorktown" (CV-10), "USS Intrepid" (CV-11), "USS Bunker Hill" (CV-17) and "USS Cowpens" (CVL-25). The "Akagi maru" was sunk, and "Katori" hit by a torpedo which did minor damage. However, several hours later, Task Group 50.9's battleships "USS New Jersey" (BB-62) and "USS Iowa" (BB-61), along with cruiser "USS Minneapolis" (CA-36), and "USS New Orleans" (CA-32) and destroyers "USS Bradford" (DD-545) and "USS Burns" (DD-588) spotted the "Katori" group and opened attack. The screening destroyers fired six salvos of torpedoes at "Katori" (which was already listing slightly to port and on fire amidships), but all torpedoes missed. "Katori" responded with a salvo of torpedoes which were equally ineffective.

The "Iowa" closed with "Katori" and fired forty-six convert|16|in|cm|sing=on high capacity (non-armor piercing) rounds and 124 five-inch shells, straddling the cruiser with eight salvos. Just after "Iowa's" fourth salvo, "Katori" quickly listed to port exposing two large shell holes about six feet in diameter in her starboard side, one under the bridge about six feet below the waterline and the other amidships about at the waterline, plus about six small holes. After being under attack by the "Iowa" for only 11 minutes, "Katori" sank stern first at coord|07|45|N|151|20|E about 40 miles (75 km) northwest of Truk. A large group of survivors were seen in the water after she sank, but the Americans did not recover any.

"Katori" was officially stricken from the Navy list on 31 March 1944.

List of Commanding Officers

* Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Shutoku Miyazato - 1 July 1939 - 1 November 1939
* Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Hisashi Ichioka - 1 November 1939 - 20 April 1940
* Capt. Hisashi Ichioka - 20 April 1940 - 15 October 1940
* Capt. Hisashi Mito - 15 October 1940 - 6 January 1941
* Capt. Noboru Owada - 6 January 1941 - 1 July 1942
* Capt. Nobuki Nakaoka - 1 July 1942 - 28 November 1942
* Capt. Takeji Miyazaki - 28 November 1942 - 20 July 1943
* Capt. Hyoe Mizuguchi - 20 July 1943 - 15 October 1943
* Capt. / RADM* Tamekiyo Oda - 15 October 1943 - 17 February 1944 (KIA)

References

Books

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External links

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

Notes

ee also

*List of World War II ships