Conway Maritime Press - Warship 44

During the Battle for Leyte Gulf,
Chikurna was sunk and Tone was damaged
by one bomb and several near
misses from the attacking American
carrier-based aircraft. During repafus in
Naval Arsenal, Maizuru, from 17 November
1944 until 17 February 1945
the cruiser received four triple 25mm MG
mounts, installed on the quarterdeck and
the 25mm single MG on naval pedestals
was reduced to 18. The type 21 radar was
replaced by a type 22 and the mattress
aerial changed to the horn aerial. It is
said that the horn aerials on both sides of
the bridge tower were also removed.
Careers of Tone and
L:72:34 Tone laid down
2l:ll:37 ?one launched
20:11:38 Tone completed,
registered as a ship ofthe Naval
Station Yokusuka.
Reserve ship (Yijbikan) First
classt Captain Kenzb Hara in
commano.
20:5:39 Joins krd trleet, CruDiv.
Chikum.a
Chikuma 7:10:'35
Chikuma 19:3:38
C hikurna registered 20:5:39
Joined 2nd Fleet, 6th CruDiv;
Captain Hidehiko Nishio in
command.
Captain Kenzd Hara takes
command; remains Captain
Tone,75:10:39
15:11:39 Formed the 8th CruDiv,
2ndFleetCaptainShinzoOnishi Captain Shintoro Hashimoto
1:12:39 Registered as warships of the Naval Station, Maizuru
27:3:40 Sortied from the Bay of Nakashiro to south China,
participated in several operations.
17:9:40 Sortied from Kure to south China, returned on 6:10140 to
Yokusuka.
10:10:40 Participated in the special Naval Review on the occasion of
the 26fth anniversary of the Government constitution, departed frorn
Yokohama on following day
14:10:40 Both ships arrived Maizuru
15:10:40 Captain Masao Nishida
takes command
30:10:40 Departed from Maizuru;
cruised in western Sea of Japan
and Bay of Ariake.
17-27:17:40 Drydocked at
Maizuru
Drvdocked at Maizuru
4:2:41 Arrived Bay of Ariake,
departed on 13:2, arrived Sasebo
on 15:2
19:2:4 Departed Sasebo via
South China for operations on
11:3 in Bav of Ariake. Departed Sasebo; arrived Bay of
Nakashiro on 21st; left on 26th;
arrived Takao on 3:3; anchored
Bay of Ariake 11:3.
28:3:41 Departed from Bay of Ariake; arrived at Maizuru on 30:3
10-21.4.41Docked at Maizuru Docked at Maizuru 2-10.4.4L.
24:4:47 Depafied Maizuru; arrived
Bay of Mikawa on 27th; left
3:6; cruised to Bdy of Sukumo. Departed Maizuru; arrived Bay of
Mikawa on 27th; left 3:5; arrived
off Ise shrine on same day; left
next day; arrived at Kure on 6th.
20:5:41 left Kure; arrived Bay of
Mikawa on 22nd.; departed on 3:6;
arrived Bay of Beppu on 6th; left
on 10th; arrived Bay ofSukumo on
same day.
22:6 :47 lefl B ay of Sukumo ; arrived
at Bay ofAriake on 23rd; departed
on 27lh; arrived at Yokusuka on
30th; left and arrived at Kisarm on
same day; arrived atBay of Ariake
on 11:7; departed 16th; arrived
Komakushima next day; left 20th;
anchored Saeki on 22nd.
1:8:41 left Saeki; arrived Bay of
Beppu on same day; left 5th;
anchored Bay of Sukima next day;
left, 24th and arrived Bay of Saeki
on same day.
11:8:41 Captain Keiz6 Komura
takes over.
of
Captain Gunji Kogure took cornmand
1:11:40
Departed to cruise in western Sea
of Japan 25:12:40
27:8:41 Arrived Maizuru
1-8:9;41 Docked Maizuru
10:9:41 Captain Tameji (or
Kamchugu) Okada took com-
26:8:47 l-eft, Bay of Saeki; arrived
Maizuru next day.
Docked at Maizuru &16:9:41
mand.
10:9:41 Left Maizuru; arrived off Murozumi next day; departed on
14:10; arrived Bay of Saeki on same day left on 19th; arrived Bay of
Sukumo on 22nd; left 1:11; arrived Bay of Ariake next day; departed
on 4th; anchored at Kagoshima on 7th ; left and arrived at Kure on 9th ;
prepared for scu and fuelled until 13th.
13:11:41 departedKure;anchored departed Kure, arrived Saeki Bay
off Saeki on 14th; deparied on on 14th; fuelled between 15th and
15th (1000hrs); retumed 1735hrs;18th; departed 18th and arrived
engagedin gunnerypractice. Tomkon(Hitokappu)Bayon22nd;
carried out training 18th - 22nd.
18:11:41 left Saeki; arrived Tomkon Bay on 22nd; Practised fuelling
in tandem from lfth to 25th.
26:ll:41 participated in surprise attack on Hawaii. Departed
Tomkon Bay on 26th at 0758hrs (?oze), 0800hrs (Chikuma);
proceeded under alert in fog until 7.12; declared war on 8th;
between 0100hrs and 0700hrs planes nos 1 and 2 of Tone caried
out pre-attack search and co-operated with air attack force. Flom
0210hrs no 1 shipboard alert maintained. Both ships participated
as part of the combined fleet, first mobile force, support unit.
&16:72:41headed for invasion of Wake Island.
76-2I:12:47 separated from the first mobile force and operated
nntrl 24:12 under the tactical command of CinC Fourth Fleet. On
21st plane no 7 of Chikumo reconnoitered Wake, while planes nos
4 and 5 of Tone co-operated with CarDiv 2 (Hiryu & Soryu) for
recce.
22:1241 plane no 3 of Tone co-operated with CarDiv 2 in attack.
23:12:410905hrs landed and occupied Wake.
24:12:41 planes nos 2 and 4 of Tone, and nos 3 and 4 of Chikuma
carried out anti-submarine patrols and screening.
24-29:72:41 returned to Kure; planes canied out patrols and A/S
screening. Arrived Kure 29th; carried out maintenance until
8:l:42.
975:7:42 departed Kure; anchored in Hiroshima Bay; departed
10th; proceeded under alert to T!uk, arriving on 15th.
16:1:42 planes carried out A,/S patrols and screening.
l7-27:l:42 participated in R-Operation, supporting invasion of
Rabaul. Departed Truk 17th; attacked Rabaul in concert with CV
air strike on 20th; attacked Lae and Salamoa on 2lst; Tone's
floatplanes left to attack Bicha on ?3td; Chihurna's floatplanes
attacked the Admiralties on 24th: ?oze's planes canied out a
reconnaissance attack on the Admiralties inflicting some damage
on 25th: arrived Tluk on 27lh at 0744hrs.
27:37:7:42 loaded fuel and fresh provisions; carried out drills
including gunnery practice on 31st.
7-14:2:42 departed Tluk on lst; formed pahol disposition; arrived
Palau on 8th. Ship's aircraft carried out A/S screening. ?one's
aircraft sighted and bombed a surfaced submarine. Results of
attack not known.
75-21:2:42 participated in the first nobile force surface operation,
Port Darwin, attack. Departed Palau on 15th. Both ships'aircraft
involved in attack; beginning 0616hrs, Tone's aftcraft scored a
near miss on a large merchant ship. At 0815hrs Tone's floal,plane
engaged an enemyflying boat; at 1200hrs bombed a large
merchant ship, later sunk by CV aircraft. Arrived Starring Bay
on 21st.
2l-24:2:42 prepared for second mobile surface operation, refueling,
maintenance, and gunnery drill. Floatplanes carried out A,/S
screening.
25:2-1"1:3:42 participated in second mobile surface operation (East
Indian Ocean); departed Starring Bay on 25th; on 1:3, at 1125hrs
Chihurna sighted enemy merchant ship on 13'S/106'E; at
1143hrs opened fire; 1155hrs ship sank after firing 49 rounds of
20.3crn. Later at 1715hrs, sighted enemy ships; 1737h.rs, enemy
ship made smoke and fled; 1752hrs, all forces attacked; 1814hrs,
opened fire; 1836hrs, shells hit enemy ship (Tone);1845hts, enemy
ship heavily on fire; 1858hrs, ceased fire; 1859hrs, US Destroyer
Edsall sunk.
Ammunition expended: ?oze, 500 rounds; Chikuma,347 rounds.
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