


Yahagi
Country | Japan |
Ship Class | Agano-class Light Cruiser |
Builder | Sasebo Naval Arsenal |
Laid Down | 11 Nov 1941 |
Launched | 25 Oct 1942 |
Commissioned | 29 Dec 1943 |
Sunk | 7 Apr 1945 |
Displacement | 6,758 tons standard; 8,534 tons full |
Length | 571 feet |
Beam | 50 feet |
Draft | 19 feet |
Machinery | 6 Kampon boilers, Gihon geared steam turbines, 4 shafts |
Bunkerage | oil 1405t |
Power Output | 100,000 shaft horsepower |
Speed | 35 knots |
Range | 6,300nm at 18 knots |
Crew | 736 |
Armament | 3x150mm guns, 2x80mm guns 2x3x25mm AA guns, 4x2x610mm torpedo tubes, 48 mines |
Armor | 60mm belt, 20mm deck, 30mm turrets |
Aircarft | 2 seaplanes |
Catapults | 1 |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseYahagi was the second of four Agano-class light cruisers. She was completed at Sasebo, Japan at the end of 1943, and was immediately deployed to Singapore for training and patrols under the command of Captain Matake Yoshimura. In May 1944, she joined carriers Taiho, Zuikaku, Shokaku, and an array of other ships for an offensive in the Mariana Islands. The resulting engagement, the Battle of the Philippine Sea of 13 Jun 1944, in which battle Yahagi and destroyer Urakaze together rescued 570 men from the torpedoed Shokaku. Between Jun and Jul 1944, she was drydocked at Kure, Japan for refitting; she received two additional triple-mount Type 96 25-mm anti-aircraft guns, a Type 13 air search radar, and a Type 22 surface search radar. On 8 Jul 1944, she departed Kure with a number of other battleships, cruisers, and destroyers for Singapore. On 24 Oct 1944, she participated in the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, and on the following day the Battle off Samar; she was not damaged in the two battles in the Leyte Campaign and returned to Brunei. On 16 Nov 1944, Yahagi became the flagship of Rear Admiral Komura Keizo's new Destroyer Squadron 2. Between Dec 1944 and Mar 1945, she was in Japan for refitting; during which time, Captain Tameichi Hara took over command on 20 Dec 1944. On 6 Apr, she departed with battleship Yamato for Operation Ten-Go against the American forces off Okinawa. At 1220 on 7 Apr, the attacking force was attacked by 386 American aircraft in several waves, and a torpedo hit at 1246 in the engine room left her dead in the water. She was hit by at least six more torpedoes and 12 bombs before she capsized at 1405. 445 men were lost in her sinking; Captain Hara and Rear Admiral Komura survived.
ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.
Last Major Revision: Oct 2008
Light Cruiser Yahagi Interactive Map
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Yahagi Operational Timeline
29 Dec 1943 | Yahagi was commissioned into service. |
6 Feb 1944 | Shokaku and Zuikaku western Seto Inland Sea for Singapore; they were escorted by Chikuma, Yahagi, Hatsuzuki, Wakazuki, Akigumo, Kazagumo, and Asagumo. |
13 Jun 1944 | Shokaku, Zuikaku, Taiho, Ryuho, Haguro, Myoko, Yahagi, Asagumo, Isokaze, Urakaze, Hatsuzuki, Wakazuki, Akizuki, and Shimotsuki departed Tawi-Tawi, Philippines toward Saipan, Mariana Islands in anticipation of an American attack. At 1830 hours, Japanese Combined Fleet leadership ordered the preparation of A-Go Operation. |
14 Jun 1944 | Shokaku, Zuikaku, Taiho, Ryuho, Haguro, Myoko, Yahagi, Asagumo, Isokaze, Urakaze, Hatsuzuki, Wakazuki, Akizuki, and Shimotsuki arrived at Guimaras island, Philippines in the afteroon. |
15 Jun 1944 | The Japanese Combined Fleet activated A-Go Operation at 0717 hours as the Americans commenced their invasion of Saipan, Mariana Islands. At 0800 hours, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Taiho, Ryuho, Haguro, Myoko, Yahagi, Asagumo, Isokaze, Urakaze, Hatsuzuki, Wakazuki, Akizuki, and Shimotsuki departed Guimaras Island, Philippines toward Saipan, passing through San Bernardino Strait at 1730 hours. |
16 Jun 1944 | Shokaku, Zuikaku, Taiho, Ryuho, Haguro, Myoko, Yahagi, Asagumo, Isokaze, Urakaze, Hatsuzuki, Wakazuki, Akizuki, and Shimotsuki commenced refueling operations in Philippine waters. |
17 Jun 1944 | Shokaku, Zuikaku, Taiho, Ryuho, Haguro, Myoko, Yahagi, Asagumo, Isokaze, Urakaze, Hatsuzuki, Wakazuki, Akizuki, and Shimotsuki departed Philippine waters ad sailed toward Saipan, Mariana Islands at 1530 hours. At 2015 hours, USS Cavalla made radar contact with the Japanese carrier fleet in the Philippine Sea; Commander Herman Kossler decided to sail away in order to surface later, at 2245 hours, to send the contact report to his superiors. Receiving this news, US Navy leadership ordered search planes to be sent to look for this carrier fleet, thus setting up for the subsequent Battle of the Philippine Sea. |
20 Jun 1944 | At 1130 hours, the Japanese Mobile Fleet, withdrawing west from the losses sustained on the previous day during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, paused to refuel from tankers while Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa transferred his flag aboard Zuikaku. At 1500 hours, cruiser Atago reported seeing an American scout plane, and Ozawa ordered the refueling to be stopped and the fleet was to sail to the northwest at the speed of 24 knots. At 1725 hours, a large incoming American strike was detected. The Japanese mustered 17 fighters for defense, while the Haguro, Myoko, Yahagi, and seven destroyers formed a tight circle around Zuikaku. 95 American fighters, 54 torpedo bombers (most of which were armed with bombs rather than torpedoes), and 77 dive bombers from USS Hornet, USS Yorktown, and USS Belleau Wood arrived at 1730 hours, hitting Zuikaku once with a bomb, causing some damage. |
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» Hara, Tameichi
Event(s) Participated:
» Mariana Islands Campaign
» Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign
» Okinawa Campaign
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