Japanese aircraft carrier Unyō

"Unyō" was a "Taiyō"-class escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.

Construction and conversion

The "Yawata Maru" (八幡丸) liner of the shipping line Nippon Yusen, laid down in the Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki in December 1938, launched in October 1939 and commissioned in July 1940, was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy in October 1941. Between November 25, 1941, and May 31, 1942, "Yawata Maru" was rebuilt in Kure to an auxiliary aircraft carrier. Her flight deck measured 150 x 23 meters and was equipped with two elevators. She had no island, catapults or arresting gear. On July 31, 1942, she was reclassified as an escort carrier and renamed "Unyo" (雲鷹, "Hawk tear the cloud”).

Operational history

"Unyo" was used primarily for flight training and aircraft transport. She often sailed with her sister-ships "Taiyō" and "Chuyo".

On July 10, 1943 she was hit by a single torpedo off Truk, fired by USS "Halibut".

On January 19, 1944, while en route to Yokosuka, she was hit and heavily damaged by three torpedoes fired by the USS "Haddock". While sheltering at Garapan Anchorage, Saipan on January 23 a follow-up attack by "Halibut" was driven off. Following repairs, she was back in service by June 1944.

On September 17, 1944, "Unyo" was struck by two torpedoes fired by the USS "Barb". Her crew’s struggle to keep "Unyo" afloat was not successful. Of the approximately 1,000 persons aboard (crew and passengers), there were 761 rescued.

Commanding Officers

Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Keisho Minato - 10 December 1941 - 31 May 1942

Capt. Keisho Minato - 31 May 1942 - 28 January 1943

Capt. Ichiro Aitoku - 28 January 1943 - 14 April 1943

Capt. Ikuya Seki - 14 April 1943 - 1 March 1944

Capt. Shiro Hiratsuka - 1 March 1944 - 1 July 1944

Capt. / RADM* Ikuzo Kimura - 1 July 1944 - 17 September 1944 (KIA)

Notes and references

* Dr. Bak József et al (1984): Hadihajók. Típuskönyv. Zrínyi Katonai Kiadó. ISBN 963-326-326-3
* [http://www.combinedfleet.com/taiyo_c.htm Imperial Japanese Navy Page]
* [http://www.voodoo.cz/ww2car/ships/japan/unyo.html Carriers of World War Two]
* [http://candamo.iespana.es/japon/tecnicas/itaiyote.htm]
* [http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNJAP_47-45_10ns.htm Naval Weapons of the World]
* [http://www.warship.get.net.pl/Japonia/Aircraft_Carriers/CVE_1941_Taiyo_class/_Taiyo_class.html Warship.get.pl]
* [http://nihonkaigun.modellmarine.de/phpwebsite/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=714#unyo2 Nihon Kaigun – Die kaiserliche japanische Marine]
* [http://homepage3.nifty.com/jpnships//showa1/showa1_oshu_nyk.htm]