When you look at their service histories and operational problems, you can't help but feel sorry for the Mogami-class. Adm. "Bull" Halsey himself is supposed to have said he felt bad for Kumano, particularly after the rather protracted and brutal way she sank.
boxman said: Adm. "Bull" Halsey himself is supposed to have said he felt bad for Kumano, particularly after the rather protracted and brutal way she sank.
After looking for some info...wow, such overkill she received. thanks for noting that, didnt know about it.
Kumano was the last of the four Mogami-class light cruisers reclassified as heavy cruisers. Kumano was launched on October 15, 1936 and commissioned on October 31, 1937. Her speed is 35 knots, After the reconstruction on October 20, 1939 at Kure Naval Arsenal, she was rearmed with five twin 7.9 inch 50 cal Type 3 naval guns, four twin 5 inch 40 cal dual purpose guns, fifty 25mm anti-aircraft guns, and four triple 24 inch torpedo tubes and reclassified as a heavy cruiser. She could also carry three Type 1 recon floatplane which she can launched on her two aircraft catapults.
Kumano was assigned on CruDiv 7 along with her sisters Mogami, Mikuma, and Suzuya, she departed to Hainan Island, China. She supported the occupation of South Indochina, and escorted troop landings from Saigon. The CruDiv 7 also provided support for several troop landings on British Malaya. During the sinking of Prince Wales and Repulse, two E13A1 floatplanes from Suzuya and Kumano arrived and shadow the incoming Force Z but the two planes lost fuel and forced to ditch, Suzuya's crew was recovered but Kumano's crew was lost. CruDiv 7 together with DesRon 3 were ordered to intercept the incoming Force Z. BatDiv 3 and CruDiv 4 joined with the rest, but they received a report that The Battleship Wales and Repulse were neutralized by aircraft. She resumed supporting further landings and supported the invasion of Borneo and Sumatra.
She participated on the raids in Indian Ocean, she sunk the British steamships Silksworth, Autolycus, Malda and Shinkuang and another American steamship Exmoor along with Suzuya and destroyer Shirakumo.
She participated on the Battle of Midway along with the rest of the CruDiv 7 and encountered the USN submarine USS Tambor SS-198, the CruDiv 7 avoided the submarine but Mogami and Mikuma collided at each other. Mogami was heavily damaged from the collision while Mikuma's portside oil tanks was ruptured but attain slight damage from the collision. Mikuma sunk afterwards.
Kumano, along with Suzuya was transferred to the IJN 3rd Fleet. She was present on the Battle of the Eastern Solomons with the rest of the CruDiv 7. Several days after the battle Kumano was attacked by ten B-17 Flying Fortresses, one of Kumano's AA mount was damaged. Then Kumano was present on the Battle of Santa Cruz Island. She departed for Kure the she makes troop landings within the Southern Pacific. The she was recalled again in Kure for modification. She escorted several ships in the Southern Pacific were she encountered several USN submarines again. While off Kalombangara, she was attacked by land-based TBF Avengers, a near-miss damaged her aft hull plate. Then She provided support to repulse the invasion of Tarawa.
She was also present in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, as part of the reorganized Combined Fleet, she was attacked by enemy aircraft from carrier USS Bunker Hill CV-17 and light carriers, USS Monterey CVL-26 and USS Cabot CVL-28. The attack damaged Haruna, Zuikaku, Jun'you, Chiyoda, and Ryuuhou and sunk the carrier Hiyou.
She returned to Kure and installed addition anti-aircraft guns. She's become a part of the Center Force for Operation Sho-i-go. She departed from Brunei. During the Battle off Samar, she engaged the USN Destroyer USS Johnston DD-557 of the Task Unit 77.4.3, she was hit by a MK-15 torpedo which blew her bow off and badly damage her. She immediately withdraw to San Bernardino Straight at 15 knots and she was attacked by enemy aircraft and suffered another moderate damage.
At Sibuyan Sea, she was attacked by another aircraft and received three 500 lb from USS Hancock CV-19, she somehow survived. She survived another three air raids while en route to Coron then she sailed to Manila where she meet with Ashigara and undergoes repair. At Manila, she was attacked again by aircraft from the TF 38 along with Nachi.
She escorted the convoy Ma-Ta 31 together with Aoba from Manila to Formosa, they were attacked again by aircraft from TF 58. While at Cape Bolinao, they were attacked by USN wolfpack which consists of submarines, Batfish SS-310, Guitarro SS-363, Bream SS-243, Raton SS-270, and Ray SS-271. All submarines fired 23 torpedoes at Kumano, two hit her, one destroyed her recent replaced bow while second damaged her starboard engine room, flooding all four of her engine rooms. She was towed to Dasol Bay by the cargo ship Doryo Maru.
She arrived at Santa Cruz, Luzon and undergoes another emergency repair. On November 9 she was ravaged by a typhoon. Then she was attacked by aircraft from carrier USN Ticonderoga CV-14, She suffered five torpedoes and four 500-lb bombs before sinking at 15:15. 595 of her survivors were rescued, but Captain Hitomi is killed.
Kumano sunk on November 25, 1944 at Santa Cruz Harbor.