Kinugasa is the fourth of the four Furutaka-class heavy cruisers (second of the two Aoba-class cruisers). She was built under the 1923 fiscal year. She laid down on October 24, 1924 at Kawasaki Shipyard; she was launched on October 24, 1924 and was commissioned on September 30, 1927. Her initial displacement was 8,300 tons, she’s equipped with four Brown-Curtis geared turbines and twelve Kampon boilers with four shafts capable of producing 102,000 horsepower, and her initial speed could reach up to 36 knots. Her initial armaments were three twin 20cm (7.9 inch) 50 cal. 3rd Year Type ‘Type C’ naval guns, four single 12cm (4.7) 45 cal. Secondary turrets, six twin 61cm (24 inch) torpedo tubes, and two 7.7mm machine guns.
On December of 1937 she was assigned to the CruDiv 5 together with Aoba, she was assigned as flagship, she operated together with the CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 7. On 1928, she received her aircraft catapult making her the first IJN combat ship to be equipped with this facility; she initially carried one floatplane which eventually increased to two. She served off the coast of China on 1928 to 1929. She was attached to the CruDiv 7 together with Aoba from November 15, 1935 to November 30, 1936. Then she was placed on reserve during September of 1937 and undergoes major modernization.
During her reconstruction, her displacement was raised to 9,000 tons which reduced her speed from 36 knots to 33.4 knots; her torpedo tubes were replaced with two quadruple 61cm torpedo tubes, her 7.7cm machine guns were replaced by two twin 13mm Type-93 machine guns and four twin 25mm Type-96 auto-cannons.
On October of 1940, she was once again called on duty, on August 20, 1941; she was assigned to the CruDiv 6 commanded by Rear Admiral Goto Aritomo together with Furutaka, Kako and Aoba. On December 2, 1941, while at Hahajima, Bonin Islands, CruDiv 6 received the signal for the day of hostility will commenced on December 8, 1941, Japanese time. On December 4, 1941, CruDiv 6 departed from Hahajima, they escorted the transport ships carrying the invasion for Guam. On December 10, 1941, the invasion force landed 5,500 troops at Guam, CruDiv 6 departed for Truk on the same day. The first attempt to invade Wake Island failed, the IJN lost Kisaragi during the operation. On December 13, 1941, CruDiv 6 departed from Truk for Wake Island and rendezvous with the 2nd CarDiv and CruDiv 8 to reinforce the invasion force for Wake Island. On December 23, 1941, the American force on Wake Island finally surrendered and the Japanese successfully occupied the island. CruDiv 6 departed for Truk afterwards and arrived on January 10, 1942.
On January 10, 1942, she departed from Truk and covered the invasion force to Rabaul and Kavieng. On January 30, 1942, CruDiv 6 arrived at Rabaul. On February 1, 1942, USS Enterprise CV-6 from Task Force 8 commanded by Vice Admiral Halsey raided Kwajalein and Wotje in the Marshall Islands, the raid damaged sunk a transport ship and damaged light cruiser Katori, sabmarine I-23, submarine-tender Yasukuni Maru and several ships. CruDiv 6 sortied from Rabaul to pursue TF-8 which the failed to accomplished, CruDiv 6 returned to Truk on February 10, 1942. On February 20, 1942, a Kawanishi H6K flying boat spotted USS Lexington CV-2 from Task Force 11 commanded by Rear Admiral Brown which was ordered to raid Rabaul. Since the American lost the surprise, the operation was cancelled. CruDiv 6 sortied from Truk to pursue TF-11 but failed to accomplish afterwards, they returned to Truk on February 23, 1942
On March 2, 1942, CruDiv 6 departed from Truk to Rabaul, CruDiv 6 arrived at Rabaul on March 6, 1942. CruDiv 6 covered the invasion force to Lae and Salamaua on March 8, 1942, together with CruDiv 18, CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 covered several invasion operations within the Southern Pacific. On March 9, 1942, CruDiv 6 and CruDiv 18 arrived at Buka, Bougainville. On March 11, 1942, they returned to Rabaul. On March 15, 1942, the returned to Buka, On March 18, 1942, they arrived at Moewe Passage, near Kavieng, New Ireland. On March 26, 1942, they departed from Moewe Passage to Rabaul. On March 30, 1942, they covered invasion landings at Shortland Islands. On March 31, 1942, they covered the invasion landings at Kieta, Bougainville. On April 1, 1942, they returned to Rabaul to refuel and departed for Moewe Passage on the same day. From Moewe Passage, they proceed to Manus, Admiralty Island on April 7, 1942. From Manus, they proceed to Truk. They arrived at Truk on April 10, 1942, she was refitted afterwards.
On April 30, 1942, CruDiv 6 together with light carrier Shouhou sortied from Truk to support the invasion force to Tulagi. CruDiv 6 arrived at the Queen Carola anchorage near Buka on May 3, 1942; they provide distant cover for the invasion force. On May 4, 1942, the invasion force occupied Tulagi and its nearby islands, then Task Force 17 commanded by Rear Admiral Fletcher, which composed of USS Yorktown CV-5, 3 heavy cruisers and 6 destroyers, Yorktown launched three strikes at Tulagi and against the invasion force commanded by Rear Admiral Shima, the airstrike sunk Kikuzuki and three minesweepers and damaged four other ships. CruDiv 6 was ordered to pursue TF-17. On May 5, 1942, CruDiv 6 arrived at Shortland Islands; she refueled by oil tanker Iro. On the next day, four B-17 heavy bombes attacked CruDiv 6 while they were at Shortland Islands; the air attack was unsuccessful.
On the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 7, 1942, CruDiv 6 rendezvous with Shouhou, then at 11:00, Shouhou was attacked by aircraft from USS Lexington CV-2 and Yorktown, Shouhou sank afterwards. On May 8, 1942, USN carriers attacked Shoukaku and Zuikaku from the 5th CarDiv, Shoukaku was damaged from the attack, she was detached from CruDiv 6 along with Furutaka to escort Shoukaku back to Truk, then Zuikaku counterattack against the carriers, her planes damaged Yorktown and sank Lexington, but Zuikaku's air complement was depleted during the battle. On May 9, 1942, she departs to Shortland Islands. On May 13, 1942, she arrived at Shortland Islands and refuels. Two days later, they departed Shortland Islands for Truk, she arrived at Truk on May 17, 1942, then she departed for Kure, she arrived at Kure on June 5, 1942, she was docked for maintenance on June 10, 1942.
Kinugasa was undocked on June 15, 1942; she departed from Kure on June 28, 1942 together with Furutaka. They arrived at Truk on July 4, 1942, three days later, they departed Truk. On July 9, 1942, she departed from Kieta and refuels. On July 14, 1942, the IJN undergone to a major reorganization, this also creates the IJN 8th fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi. From July 14, 1942 onwards, she responded to several calls from various IJN bases within Solomons, New Britain and New Ireland together with Furutaka, then she proceeds to Kavieng afterwards. On July 27, 1942, CruDiv 6 was reassigned to the IJN 8th Fleet, they were based at Kavieng. On August 7, 1942, CruDiv 6 sortied from Kavieng and proceeds to Guadalcanal.
On the Battle of Savo Island on August 8 to 9, 1942, CruDiv 6 engaged Task Force 62 commanded by Rear Admiral Crutchley, which composed of 6 heavy cruiser, 2 light cruisers and 15 destroyers, TF-62 were ordered to provide cover to the transport ship for the invasion of Guadalcanal. At 23:00, Choukai, Furutaka and Kako launched their floatplanes, the aircraft drops flare to illuminate the Allied ships. Then all Japanese ships began to open fire. At 01:56, Kinugasa was struck by 5-inch shell from USS Patterson DD-392 which damaged her No. 5 Engine Room, and then another shell from USS Vincennes CA-44 damaged her port steering wheel. In the battle, the USN lost 4 heavy cruisers and 1 heavy cruiser and 2 destroyers were damaged while Tenryuu and Choukai took moderate damage and Aoba was lightly damaged. The 8th Fleet immediately retired to Rabaul after the engagement while CruDiv 6 retreated to Kavieng. While steaming back to Kavieng, on August 10, 1942, they were spotted by USN submarine USS S-44 SS-155, the submarine fires four torpedoes, three torpedoes hit Kako, Kako blows up and sunk afterwards, CruDiv 6 arrived at Kavieng on the same day, Kinugasa undergoes repairs afterwards. On August 17, 1942, she departed from Kavieng and proceeds to Rekata Bay, on August 20, 1942; she departed from Rekata Bay and proceeds to Shortland Islands, on August 23, 1942, CruDiv 6 departed with Choukai and provided distant cover for the reinforcement convoys to Guadalcanal. On August 28, 1942, she arrived at Shortland Islands. She remained at Shortland Islands until CruDiv 6 was reunited on October 1, 1942.
On the Battle of Cape Esperance on October 11, 1942, CruDiv 6 with Fubuki and Hatsuyuki from DesDiv 11 departed from Shortland Islands to provide distant cover for the Tokyo Express by shelling Henderson Field. The IJN force engaged Task Force 64 commanded by Rear Admiral Scott, which composed of 2 heavy cruiser, 2 light cruisers and 4 destroyers. TF-64 was escorting transport ships to Guadalcanal before the engagement. At 22:35, USS Helena CL-50 detected the approaching IJN force from her radar, TF-64 reversed course and crossed the IJN's 'T', Aoba, leading the IJN force, was heavily damaged from the engagement, Fubuki sunk and Hatsuyuki was also damaged, Furutaka and Kinugasa covered the damaged Aoba and engaged the USN ships. Destroyer USS Duncan DD-485 launched two torpedoes at Furutaka but do no damage. Kinugasa straddles USS Boise CL-47 with 8-inch shells that knocked the light cruiser’s No. 1 and No. 2 turrets and USS Salt Lake City CA-25 which cuts down the heavy cruiser’s speed. Kinugasa towed Aoba and withdraws from the battle while Furutaka provides cover for them by relentlessly keeps on firing her guns until she was put out of action, Kinugasa sustained four hits from the engagement. On October 12, 1942, Furutaka sunk meanwhile Kinugasa was attacked by five American planes but sustained no damage from the attack; the two heavy cruisers arrived at Shortland Islands afterwards. Rear Admiral Goto died from his wounds from the previous engagement.
On October 13, 1942, she departed with Choukai escorted by Amagiri and Mochizuki. On October 14, 1942, Kinugasa was assigned as flagship of the CruDiv 6. On October 15, 1942, they were ordered to bombard Henderson Field; the cruisers fired a total of 752 8-inch shells at the airfield, they withdraw to Shortland Islands afterwards. On October 24, 1942, she provides cover for the Tokyo Express together with Choukai, she reicieved the same task on November 1 to 5, 1942. On November 13, 1942, she was assigned together with the main body of the IJN 8th Fleet to bombard Henderson Field, she departed from Shortland Islands. The 8th Fleet accompanied the Bombardment Force commanded by Rear Admiral Nishimura.
On November 14, 1942, 10 SBD-3 dive-bombers from USS Enterprise CV-6 with several TBF torpedo-bombers from Guadalcanal spotted the 8th Fleet at 09:15. At 09:36, the dive-bombers commenced attacking, Kinugasa was struck by a 500-lb bomb in front of her bridge; the explosion immediately killed CO. Sawa. She takes on 10-degree list to port, another four to five torpedoes struck Kinugasa at her port and starboard sides and several near-misses which caused additional fires and flooding. At 10:45, another 17 SBD-3s from Enterprise launch another attack, 1 near-miss from a 1000-lb bomb knocked down her rudder and engines. The bombs opened more compartments to the sea. At 11:22, she capsized, 511 of her crew were killed.
Kinugasa sunk on November 14, 1942, southwest of Rendova Island.