Japanese cruiser Isuzu

as flagship of Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka's DesRon 2's DesDivs 15, 24 and 31 (9 destroyers).

From 11-12 October 1942, it led DesDiv 31 against Guadalcanal, accompanied by the battleships , CruDiv 4's and returned to Shortland for emergency repairs, probably by the repair ship "Yamabiko Maru". Additional repairs were performed at Truk on 20 November 1942, but "Isuzu" was forced to retire to Yokosuka, arriving 14 December 1942.

At the Mitsubishi Yokohama shipyard, "Isuzu" was repaired and modified with the installation of a Type 21 air-search radar. The No. 7 140-mm mount was replaced by an unshielded twin 12.7-cm/40-cal HA-gun mount. The No. 5 gun was removed. Two triple 25-mm mounts were added bringing the light AA suite to ten 25-mm AA mounts and one quadruple 13-mm in front of bridge.

On 1 April 1943, with repairs and modification yet incomplete, "Isuzu" was assigned to Rear Admiral Kenzo Ito's new CruDiv 14 with the "Naka". "Isuzu" was finally able to depart Yokosuka on 21 May 1943, returning to Turk with supplies and troop reinforcements on 21 June 1943. It was then assigned to ferry troops for the occupation of Nauru on 25 June 1943. "Isuzu" continued to be based out of Truk to 15 October 1943, when it was recalled to Tokushima and (together with "Naka") re-assigned to ferry troops to Shanghai. On 23 October 1943 "Isuzu" was attacked in the East China Sea by the . However, a third strike sank "Chiyoda" with all hands. While rescuing survivors, "Isuzu" came under fire from American cruisers and 13 crewmen were killed.

"Isuzu" returned to Okinawa on 27 October 1944, and from there to Kure, where it was assigned to make a troop transport run to Manila and Brunei. On 19 November 1944, convert|55|mi|km|0 west of Corregidor, "Isuzu" was attacked by USS|Hake|SS-256|6 and hit by one of six torpedoes fired, with severe damage to its stern and destroying her rudder. After at-sea emergency repairs, "Isuzu", limped into Singapore.

Operations in the Dutch East Indies

After temporary repairs, the "Isuzu" was transferred to Surabaya for more complete repair work on 10 December 1944.

When repairs were completed, on 4 April 1945, "Isuzu" was sent to transport an army detachment from Kupang to Sumbawa Island. It was spotted by a wolf pack with the USS|Charr|SS-328|6, USS|Besugo|SS-321|2 and USS|Gabilan|SS-252)|2, which was joined by the HMS|Spark|P236|6. On 6 April 1945, "Isuzu" was attacked north of Sumbawa by ten B-25 Mitchell bombers of the No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron, based at Batchelor airfield south of Darwin, Australia. "Isuzu" was slightly damaged by near misses off her starboard bow by some of the 60 bombs dropped.Later on 6 April, she landed troops at Bima Bay, on the northeast coast of Sumbawa. Afterwards, while withdrawing near Flores, "Isuzu" was hit in the bow section by bombs from B-24 Liberator bombers, from No. 21 Squadron RAAF and No. 24 Squadron RAAF, based in the Northern Territory of Australia. Two B-24s were shot down by Imperial Japanese Army Air Force fighters.

Between Sumbawa and Komodo Islands, USS "Besugo" fired nine torpedoes at the "Isuzu" group. "Isuzu" was undamaged, but one Japanese minesweeper was sunk. The following day, 7 April 1945, convert|60|mi|km|0 northwest of Bima, "Isuzu" was struck by one of five torpedoes fired by USS "Gabilan". The torpedo hit portside, below the bridge, causing flooding forward. "Isuzu's" speed fell below 10 knots, she took on a list and went down at the bow. While her crew was performing emergency repairs, USS "Charr" fired four torpedoes, hitting "Isuzu" portside twice near the aft engine room. "Charr" fired two more torpedoes, one of which broke off "Isuzu's" bow. "Isuzu" sank at coord|07|38|S|118|09|E, witnessed by "Spark". Its captain and 450 crewmen were rescued, but 190 crewmen went down with the ship.

"Isuzu" was officially removed from the Navy List on 20 June 1945.

List of Captains

* Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Takenori Ishiwata - 29 October 1921–15 August 1923
* Capt. Takenori Ishiwata - 15 August 1923–20 November 1923
* Cmdr. / Capt. Teikichi Hori - 20 November 1923–3 March 1924 (Promoted to Captain on 1 December 1923.)
* Capt. Hisao Ichimura - 3 March 1924–1 December 1924
* Capt. Shigeru Matsuyama - 1 December 1924–20 November 1925
* Capt. Shigehiko Tamura - 20 November 1925–25 April 1926
* Capt. Sadaichi Matsunaga - 25 April 1926–1 December 1926
* Capt. Takemi Tsudome - 1 December 1926–20 August 1928
* Capt. Isoroku Yamamoto–20 August 1928–10 December 1928
* Capt. Rokuro Hani - 10 December 1928–26 September 1929
* Capt. Kenichi Ikenaka - 26 September 1929–27 November 1929
* Capt. Shiro Takasu - 27 November 1929–1 December 1930
* Capt. Terumichi Goto - 1 December 1930–14 September 1931
* Capt. Rokuro Horie - 14 September 1931–14 November 1931
* Cmdr. / Capt. Aritaka Aihara - 14 November 1931–16 February 1932 (Promoted to Captain on 1 December 1931.)
* Capt. Katsuji Masaki - 16 February 1932–20 June 1932
* Cmdr. Seizo Yamada - 20 June 1932–15 November 1932
* Capt. Minoru Yamaguchi - 15 November 1932–15 November 1933
* Capt. Mitsuru Yamada - 15 November 1933–15 November 1934
* Capt. Kakusaburo Makita - 15 November 1934–15 November 1935
* Capt. Keizo Chiba - 15 November 1935–7 January 1936
* Capt. Kenzaburo Hara - 7 January 1936–25 April 1936
* Capt. Sadaichi Matsunaga - 25 April 1936–1 December 1936
* Capt. Tamon Yamaguchi - 1 December 1936–1 December 1937
* Capt. Motoji Nakamura - 1 December 1937–20 November 1938
* Capt. Aiji Hashimoto - 20 November 1938–15 November 1939
* Capt. Nobumichi Tsuruoka - 15 November 1939–1 September 1941
* Capt. Koichi Ura - 1 September 1941–30 January 1943
* Capt. Kiyohiko Shinoda - 30 January 1943–20 June 1944
* Capt. Gengo Matsuda - 20 June 1944–7 April 1945

References

Books

*cite book
last = Brown
first = David
year = 1990
title = Warship Losses of World War Two
publisher = Naval Institute Press
id = ISBN 1-55750-914-X
*cite book
last = D'Albas
first = Andrieu
year = 1965
title = Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II
publisher = Devin-Adair Pub
id = ISBN 0-8159-5302-X
*cite book
last = Dull
first = Paul S.
year = 1978
chapter =
title = A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941–1945
publisher = Naval Institute Press
id = ISBN 0-87021-097-1
*cite book
last = Evans
first = David
year = 1979
title = Kaigun : Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887–1941
publisher = Naval Institute Press
id = ISBN 0-87021-192-7
*cite book
last = Howarth
first = Stephen
year = 1983
title = The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895–1945
publisher = Atheneum
id = ISBN 0-68911-402-8
*cite book
last = Jentsura
first = Hansgeorg
year = 1976
chapter =
title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945
publisher = Naval Institute Press
id = ISBN 0-87021-893-X
*cite book
last = Lacroix
first = Eric
coauthors = Linton Wells
year = 1997
chapter =
title = Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War
publisher = Naval Institute Press
id = ISBN 0-87021-311-3
*cite book
last = Whitley
first = M.J.
year = 1995
chapter =
title = Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia
publisher = Naval Institute Press
id = ISBN 1-55750-141-6

External links

*cite web
last = Parshall
first = Jon
coauthors = Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp, & Allyn Nevitt
url = http://www.combinedfleet.com/nagara_c.htm CombinedFleet.com: "Nagara" class
title = Imperial Japanese Navy Page (Combinedfleet.com)
accessdate = 2006-06-14 tabular record: [http://www.combinedfleet.com/isuzu_t.htm CombinedFleet.com: "Isuzu" history]

Notes

ee also

*List of World War II ships