World War II Database

Soryu was launched from Kure, Japan in Dec 1937. As the lead ship of her class of fleet carriers, she was built around a sleek cruiser-style hull and powerful engines, enabling her to outrun the carrier Kaga at only about 40% power. In fact, at the time of her launch, Soryu was the fastest aircraft carrier in the world. She participated in many early Pacific War battles as one of the main fleet carriers of Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo's Mobile Force, including the attack on Pearl Harbor. During the Battle of Midway, her aircraft were responsible for attacking the Midway islands, and was caught by American carrier Yorktown's SBD Dauntless aircraft as her own were caught in the middle of refueling and rearming. Commander Hisashi Ohara, the Soryu's executive officer, just received the reports that Soryu's attack aircraft were ready to be launched when the American dive bombers were spotted. By then, it was already too late. He recalled:

Not unlike other unfortunate ships that fell victim in naval engagements, the boiler room was often the most dangerous place to be. The seamen who worked in Soryu's boiler room were literally cooked alive by steam when the pipes bursted from the pressure of the explosions, which also immediately rendered the ship immobile. Despite the raging fires after receiving three direct bomb hits (first through the flight deck, second near the forward elevator, three near the after elevator), the watertight hull of the carrier remained in tact, therefore had she been left alone, she would remain afloat indefinitely. At 1045, abandon ship order was given, but the hull continued to hold the ship together. No official records exist as to what contributed to her ultimate sinking, but Ohara and other survivors noted a possible torpedo hit around 1915 that day. That torpedo possibly originated from a friendly destroyer that began scuttling Soryu prematurely. After the battle Nagumo claimed that Soryu sank from battle damage; it was likely that he provided altered information in order to save the face of the task force.

Soryu Operational Timeline

Photographs

Share this article with your friends:   Facebook   Reddit   Twitter   Digg   StumbleUpon   Delicious Stay updated with WW2DB:   RSS Feeds

Advertisement                    Close

Advertise on ww2db.com

Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Edward Chen says:
   26 Nov 2005 09:38:58 PM
   
   Good entry. Just to point out:
   - the bomb hits were 1,000lb bombs delivered by Yorktown SBDs
   - From Shattered Sword: Soryu was scuttled by destroyer Isokaze. USS Nautilus attacked carrier Kaga but scored only one dud hit.
2. Anonymous says:
   19 Dec 2005 12:47:49 PM
   
   thanks so much for not forgetting the Soryu and Midway and our guys too
3. DOUGLAS JONES says:
   17 Jun 2010 07:36:29 PM
   
   FROM SHATTERED SWORD: NONE OF THE JAPANESE CARRIERS HAD STRIKE AIRCRAFT ON DECK (SPOTTED) AT THE TIME OF THE DECISIVE HITS. ALL WERE STILL IN THE HANGER BEING ARMED AND FUELED. THIS WAS STANDARD JAPANESE DOCTRINE AND THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE MASSIVE DAMAGE TO NOT ONLY SORYU, BUT AKAGI AND KAGA AS WELL.

Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
	Your email will not be published
Your Comments
Security Code

Note: Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment.