World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseMikuma was originally completed in Aug 1935, but was sent back to the shipyards again the next year to repair serious design defects. In 1939, she was equipped with ten 8-in guns and was reclassified a heavy cruiser. Early in the Pacific War she took part in the sinking of the American cruiser Houston and the Australian light cruiser Perth during the Battle of Sunda Straight on 1 Mar 1942. During the Battle of Midway, she was under the command of Rear Admiral Takeo Kurita; after the Japanese carrier fleet was routed, Kurita's task force was recalled to rendezvous with Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto to the west, but the fleet was sighted by American submarine Tambor. During emergency maneuvers to avoid a possible torpedo attack by American submarine Tambor, Mikuma and other ships in her group turned violently. As she avoided being hit by cruiser Kumano, she sailed directly in the path of Mogami, which rammed her. Mikuma's heavy armor lessened the damage, but the port side fuel tank was ruptured, leaving thick oil trail as she sailed; Mogami's bow was crushed, crumpled up for about 40 feet. The two ships slowed to about twelve knots while the other two ships, along with Kurita, continued to steam full speed toward the rendezvous point; although Mikuma was capable of steaming at a high speed, Captain Shakao Sakiyama chose to stay behind to escort the damaged sister ship. On 6 Jun 1942, the trail of leaking oil brought aircraft from American carriers Enterprise and Hornet. After damage by three attack waves and damage from the explosion of her own torpedoes, she sank along with a number of officers and men who chose to go down with the ship. On 9 Jun, American submarine Trout found and rescued two survivors (Chief Radioman Hatsuichi Yoshida and Fireman 3rd Class Kenichi Ishikawa) and took them to Pearl Harbor.

Mikuma Operational Timeline

Photographs

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