Maya file photo [2034]

Maya

CountryJapan
Ship ClassTakao-class Heavy Cruiser
BuilderKawasaki Shipyard, Kobe, Japan
Laid Down4 Dec 1925
Launched8 Nov 1930
Commissioned30 Jun 1932
Sunk23 Oct 1944
Displacement9,850 tons standard; 15,490 tons full
Length668 feet
Beam68 feet
Draft20 feet
Power Output130,000 shaft horsepower
Speed34 knots
Range8,000nm at 14 knots
Crew921
Armament8x203mm guns, 12x120mm guns, 100x25mm AA guns, 8x torpedo tubes
Aircraft3

Contributor:

ww2dbaseMaya was one of the heavily-armored and heavily armed Takao-class heavy cruisers. Captain Jisaburo Ozawa, later WW2-era vice admiral, was her captain between 15 Nov 1934 and 28 Oct 1935. At the start of the Pacific War, she supported the invasion of the Philippine Islands. Between Jan and Mar 1942, she supported the invasion of the Dutch East Indies. On 3 Mar 1942, she was present at the sinking of the American gunboat Asheville south of the island of Java. In Apr 1942, she search for the carriers that launched the Doolittle Raiders, but did not succeed. In Jun 1942, she supported in the invasion of the Aleutian Islands in the North Pacific Ocean. In Aug 1942, she was sent to the Solomon Islands, and participated in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons between 23 and 25 Aug 1942. On 14 Nov 1942, she was attacked by submarine USS Flying Fish with six torpedoes, though all six missed. Later, she was attacked by a SBD Dauntless dive bomber of US Navy VB-10 squadron which crashed into Maya, igniting 120-millimeter shells, killing 37. She returned to Yokosuka, Japan for repairs and refit in 1943. Upon completion, she was assigned to the Northern Fleet to run supply missions to the Kurile Islands and the Aleutian Islands. On 26 Mar 1943, she participated in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, receiving some damage that sent her back to Yokosuka. In Aug 1943, she was the flagship of the Fifth Fleet charged with evacuating the Japanese garrison at Attu in the Aleutian Islands. In Sep 1943, she began transport missions between Truk and Rabaul. In Nov, she was attacked by SBD Dauntless dive bombers from carrier USS Saratoga, receiving a bomb hit on the aircraft deck which started a major fire, killing 70. She received temporary repairs at Rabaul, and returned to Yokosuka for repairs at the end of 1943. Between Dec 1943 and Apr 1944, she had her No. 3 turret and various armament were removed to make space for 13 Type 96 triple-mount 25-millimeter anti-aircraft guns, 6 twin 127-millimeter dual purpose guns, 4 quadruple Type 92 torpedo mounts for Type 93 Long Lance torpedoes, and a Type 22 surface search radar. She served in the Philippine Islands area between Apr and Jun 1944, and then participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, in which she received damage by near misses. While being repaired, she received 18 single-mount Type 96 25-millimeter anti-aircraft guns to combat the increasingly menacing American air power. On 23 Oct, she was among the ships ambushed at Palawan Passage. Torpedoed by USS Dace at about 0550 hours, she received four hits on the port side, one in the forward chain locker, one opposite No. 1 turret, one in the No. 7 boiler room, and the last one in the aft engine room. Secondary explosions disabled her by 0600 hours, and she sink five minutes later to port. 336 men died in the sinking including commanding officer Captain Ranje Oe, and 769 were rescued by destroyer Akishimo. Some of the survivors were delivered to battleship Musashi, which sank the following day, and 143 of Maya's men were lost with Musashi.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Mar 2009

Heavy Cruiser Maya Interactive Map

Photographs

Japanese heavy cruiser Maya as seen on a 1930s postcardJapanese heavy cruiser Maya, circa early 1930sMaya at rest, Jun 1943Japanese heavy cruiser Maya on a training run off Tawi-Tawi, Philippine Islands, May 1944

Maya Operational Timeline

30 Jun 1932 Maya was commissioned into service.
2 Mar 1942 Japanese cruiser Maya, destroyer Arashi, and destroyer Nowaki sank British destroyer HMS Stronghold in the Indian Ocean at 1900 hours, killing 75.
26 Mar 1943 During the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, Japanese cruisers Nachi, Maya, Tama, and Abukuma with destroyers Wakaba, Hatsushimo, Ikazuchi, Inazuma, and Usugumo plus three transport ships engaged United States Navy cruisers Salt Lake City and Richmond escorted by destroyers Coghlan, Bailey, Dale, and Monaghan in one of the very few pure naval surface battles of World War II involving long-range guns. Nachi was forced to push one of her floatplanes overboard (concussion damage from her own guns), fired several Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes at the US forces (none of which hit), and received five hits (killing 14). Salt Lake City sustained moderate damage and was dead in the water for a short time. Bailey, Coghlan, and Monaghan made a bold torpedo attack that became known as the Charge of the Irish Destroyers.
5 Nov 1943 During the US raid on Rabaul, New Britain, Maya was damaged by a hit on the port side scout plane deck, resulting in a fire that would raise the total death toll to 70 when all battle damage came under control.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. TheMadPenguin says:
21 Jan 2018 07:12:41 PM

"13350 tons standard; 9850 tons full"
Unless you're packing LOTS of helium, these numbers are wackbirds.
2. Commenter identity confirmed C. Peter Chen says:
23 Jan 2018 07:26:04 AM

TheMadPenguin: The two numbers were entered into the incorrect database fields. This has been corrected.

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Search WW2DB
More on Maya
Personnel:
» Niimi, Masaichi
» Ozawa, Jisaburo

Event(s) Participated:
» Invasion of the Philippine Islands
» Dutch East Indies Campaign, Java
» Battle of Midway and the Aleutian Islands
» Solomon Islands Campaign
» Aleutian Islands Campaign
» Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot
» Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign

Document(s):
» Interrogation Nav 82, Captain Tsuneo Shiki

Partner Sites Content:
» Maya Tabular Record of Movement

Heavy Cruiser Maya Photo Gallery
Japanese heavy cruiser Maya as seen on a 1930s postcard
See all 4 photographs of Heavy Cruiser Maya


Famous WW2 Quote
"Goddam it, you'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!"

Captain Henry P. Jim Crowe, Guadalcanal, 13 Jan 1943


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