World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseLaunched during the war, Noshiro became flagship of Destroyer Squadron 2 on 15 August 1943 under the command of Vice Admiral Takao Kurita. After several engagements with American forces, she returned to Yokosuka for repairs on 24 Jan 1944; during the repair time, she also received several Type 96 25-mm anti-aircraft guns to bring her total of that weapon up to 32 barrels. She left Yokosuka on 28 March 1944 for the region between the Philippines and Singapore where she operated for the next two months, fighting an increasing presence of American submarines and participating in the Battle of Philippine Sea. She returned to port in Kure once again to bring her Type 96 anti-aircraft guns up to 48 barrels. During the Leyte Campaign she participated in the Battle off Samar, where she was credited for several 6-in shell hits on American escort carrier White Plains, but she was also hit with one 5-in shell on the starboard side. On the next day, she was found by American aircraft from carrier Wasp and light carrier Cowpens. She listed after being hit in engine room number three by an aerial torpedo launched by an Avenger bomber. At 1014, she was attacked by Helldiver dive bombers from carrier Hornet and became dead in the water, though she claimed that she downed six American aircraft. At 1105, 328 were taken off of Noshiro as Captain Sueyoshi Kajiwara order the ship be abandoned. She sank at 1113 on 26 Oct 1944 south of Mindoro, Philippines.

Photographs

Noshiro Operational Timeline