IJN
Shoho Class
Light
Aircraft Carrier
Tons
13,950
Aircraft
24-30
Crew
Captain Izawa Ishinosuke
631 crew KIA
1941
Ship History
Originally the fast submarine support ship Tsurugisaki,
which had been completed at Yokosuka Dockyard in 1939 and served in this
role for two years. The ship was renamed and converted to an aircraft
carrier begun in 1941. On November 30, 1941 the carrier was commissioned
at Nagasaki.
Captain Izawa Ishinosuke assigned as commanding officer. Listed as Special
Duty Ship. On December
22, At Yokosuka, Shoho was assigned to 1st Air Fleet, Carier Division 4.
Shuttle Runs to Truk
The carrier
made several suttle runs between Truk and
Rabaul to deliver
aircraft at a top speed of 28 knots, including the first A6M2
Zeros to Lakunai. In late April was assigned to operation "MO" the
seaborne invasion of Port
Moresby, sailing with Crudiv 6, RAdm Goto.
Air Cover For Occupation of Tulagi
On
May 3, 1942, Shoho launched aircraft to cover the landings at Tulagi,
this proved to be a sucessful mission without any losses.
Attacked By B-17s
At 1030 6 May B-17s flying from
Australia located and bombed the Shoho south of Bougainville.
Their bombs fall wide, but report its presence.
Battle of the Coral Sea
United States Navy search planes located a portion
of the Japanese transport force including the aircraft carrier Shoho
near
Misma Island,
Sinking History
On May
7, 1942 at 0755 during the Battle
of the Coral Sea was attacked by aircraft from both
USS Yorktown and USS Lexington, a total of 92 planes. Bomb and torpedo sank the Shoho within 15 minutes. (Reportedly
7 torpedoes and 14 bomb hits during the 23 minute attack.) At
0835 she sinks stern first on an even keel. Captain Izawa Ishinosuke and 131
men and 72 wounded were rescued by the destroyer Sazanami. Half an
hour after the attack had begun, US Navy Admiral Fletcher on Yorktown received
the famous message, "Scratch
one flattop", sent by Lt.Cmdr. R.E. Dixon. The rest of the Port
Moresby groups returned to Rabaul. Shoho was the first Japanese carrier
lost during the Pacific war. Three Zeros were still airborne when the carrier was sunk.
