Japanese battleship Mutsu

"Mutsu" (陸奥) named after Mutsu Province, was the Imperial Japanese Navy's second Nagato class battleship, laid down at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on 1 June 1918, launched on 31 May 1920, and completed on 24 October 1921.

"Mutsu" sailed with the "Yamato," "Nagato," "Hosho," "Sendai," nine destroyers and four auxiliary ships as Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's Main Body during the Battle of Midway in June 1942.

"Mutsu" suffered a catastrophic explosion in the number 3 ammunition magazine 3km North of, the present-day, Mutsu Memorial on Oshima Island, on 8 June 1943. Although the direct cause of the explosion was never substantiated, it was ruled by the Japanese Government as "human interference". The explosion was so severe that it instantly sheared the stern from the ship forward of turret 3 causing major flooding the in the boiler rooms and main engine room. The convert|535|ft|m|sing=on front section of the ship rolled to starboard and sank almost instantly resulting in the loss of over 1,100 officers and men, including 140 instructors and cadets from an aviation training group on a familiarization tour. The stern upended and remained floating for nearly 12 hours before coming to rest just a few hundred feet south of the main wreck. Only 350 survivors were recovered.

The Japanese fleet was quickly mobilized and combed the small bay for enemy ships, or submarines but came up empty. After a coverup operation was launched, and all hope of raising Mutsu was abandoned, the precious fuel-oil was pumped out and ammunition was recovered. Mutsu remained untouched for 25 years.

The wreck was subjected to extensive salvage operations between 1970 and 1978. A large section of the bow was lifted, along with the anchors, screws, rudder, main guns, the entire stern section, and the complete number 4 turret. Many artifacts are displayed at the Mutsu Memorial Museum in Tôwa Chô. The complete number 4 turret is on display at the former naval academy at Etajima, while one of the 140 mm secondary guns is displayed at Yasukuni Museum in Tokyo. One convert|16|in|mm|sing=on gun is on display at the Museum of Maritime Science, Shinagawa, Tokyo.

Currently, what remains of Mutsu is lying upside-down, port-side up at a 45 degree angle in convert|134|ft|m of water. The shallowest point of the wreck is at convert|55|ft|m of water and while unmarked, can be easily found by sonar and navigation chart.

A few dedicated divers continue to visit this largely forgotten wreck to photograph and document it before it's gone forever.

Commanding Officers

Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Shizen Komaki - 1 May 1920 - 24 October 1921

Capt. Shizen Komaki - 24 October 1921 - 18 November 1921

Capt. Seiichi Kurose - 18 November 1921 - 1 December 1922

Capt. Heigo Teraoka - 1 December 1922 - 1 December 1923

Capt. Kanjiro Hara - 1 December 1923 - 10 November 1924

Capt. Mitsumasa Yonai - 10 November 1924 - 1 December 1925

Capt. Tanin Ikeda - 1 December 1925 - 1 December 1926

Capt. Yurikazu Edahara - 1 December 1926 - 1 December 1927

Capt. Teikichi Hori - 1 December 1927 - 10 December 1928

Capt. Zengo Yoshida - 10 December 1928 - 30 November 1929

Capt. Kiyoshi Anno - 30 November 1929 - 1 December 1930

Capt. Isao Monai - 1 December 1930 - 1 December 1931

Capt. Shigeru Kikuno - 1 December 1931 - 10 May 1932

Capt. Senzo Wada - 10 May 1932 - 1 November 1932

Capt. Takashi Ando - 1 November 1932 - 15 November 1933

Capt. Soichi Kasuya - 15 November 1933 - 15 November 1934

Capt. Boshiro Hosogaya - 15 November 1934 - 15 November 1935

Capt. Atsushi Kasuga - 15 November 1935 - 2 December 1935

Capt. Hidesaburo Kori - 2 December 1935 - 16 November 1936

Capt. Eiji Goto - 16 November 1936 - 1 December 1937

Capt. Takeo Takagi - 1 December 1937 - 15 November 1938

Capt. Aritomo Goto - 15 November 1938 - 1 November 1939

Capt. Zenshiro Hoshina - 1 November 1939 - 1 November 1940

Capt. Kengo Kobayashi - 1 November 1940 - 11 August 1941

Capt. / RADM Gunji Kogure - 11 August 1941 - 20 June 1942(Promoted to Rear Admiral on 1 May 1942.)

Capt. Teijiro Yamazumi - 20 June 1942 - 10 March 1943

Capt. / RADM* Teruhiko Miyoshi - 10 March 1943 - 8 June 1943 (KIA)(Posthumously promoted to Rear Admiral on 8 June 1943.)

External links

* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/japan/battleships/mitsu_page_1.htm Maritimequest.com: "Mutsu" photo gallery]
* [http://www.combinedfleet.com/Mutsu.html Tabular record of movement] from [http://www.combinedfleet.com/ combinedfleet.com]