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| IJN Kongō-class battlecruiser/battleship 36,600 Tons 728' 4" x 101' 8" x 31' 10" Armament (as built) 16 x 152mm guns 8 x 14" guns 16 x 6" guns 8 x 127mm guns 20 x 25mm AA guns 2 x E8N Dave floatplanes 2 x E7K Alf floatplanes  IJN 1937 |
Ship History Built by Mitsubishi Shipyard of Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha at Nagasaki. Kirishima was the third Kongō-class battlecruiser designed by Vickers naval architect Sir George Thurston. The Kongō-class battlecruisers included Kongō, Hiei, Kirishima, and Haruna. Laid down March 17, 1912 as Kongō-class battlecruiser. Due to a shortage of slipways, Kirishima and Haruna were the first two warships of the Japanese built in private Japanese shipyards. Launched December 1, 1913 as Kirishima 霧島 named for Mount Kirishima on Kyushu in Japan. On December 15, 1915 Captain Rokuro Kamaya is appointed supervisor for construction and ordnance. Commissioned April 19, 1915 in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) under the command of Captain Rokuro Kamaya attached to Sasebo Naval District at Sasebo. On April 9, 1916 departs Sasebo for operations off China and returns ten days later. On December 1, 1916 Captain Junichi Matsumura assumes command. On April 1, 1917 departs Sasebo and returns. On July 16, 1917 assigned to Captain Masaki Nakamura. On December 1, 1917 assigned to Kinzaburô Mimura. On April 17, 1918 arrives Inchon in Korea. On December 1926 placed into third reserve. In January 1927 began her first reconstruction with additional armor, anti-torpedo bulges and new mixed firing Kampon boilers and a forward pagoda mast and the removal of one funnel. On April 16, 1930 the reconstruction was completed and reclassified as a battleship with an additional 4,000 tons of armor added in violation of the terms of the Washington Treaty. During August 1930 until October 1930 added equipment for reconnaissance seaplanes. On November 18, 1934 arrives Sasebo for her second reconstruction into a fast battleship to allow her to keep up with fleet aircraft carriers. Her stern was lengthened by 26' and her superstructure was rebuilt to add new fire-control mechanisms and eight new oil-fired Kampon boilers and geared turbines and the elevation f her main guns and secondary guns was increased with aircraft catapults and launch rails added for four seaplanes. Her armament was upgraded with newer 127mm guns and twin 25mm AA guns. Removed were her older 6" guns and torpedo tubes. Her armor was also upgraded with the main belt strengthened to a uniform thickness of 8" and other upgrades. On June 8, 1936 completed and reclassified as a fast battleship capable of speeds up to 30.5 knots. On August 4, 1936 departs Keelung and patrols off Amoy (Xiamen). On August 7, 1936 arrives Mako. On December 1, 1936 Captain Kakusaburô Makita assumes command. On March 27, 1937 departs Sasebo to patrol off Tsingtao then returns. During the Second Sino-Japanese War between March 1937 to April 1939 supports convoys to China. In November 1938, Kirishima was designated the command vessel of the Third Battleship Division, and was under the command of Rear Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. In November 1939, she was placed in reserve and fitted with additional armor on the front faces of her turrets and barbettes. On November 17, 1941 departs Sasebo and five days later arrives Hitokappu Bay (Kasatka Bay) off Etorofu Island (Iturup) and assigned to the First Fleet and the Combined Fleet as part of BatDiv 3 with Kongō, Hiei and Haruna. On November 26, 1941 the Kido Butai departs Hitokappu Bay (Kasatka) eastward for Operation Z the attack on Hawaii. On December 2, 1941 the Kido Butai receives the coded signal "Niitakayama nobore 1208 (Climb Mt. Niitaka December 8)" indicating hostilities will commence. On December 4, 1941 arrives at rendezvous point at Lat 42°N Long 170°E and refuel from the supply group oilers. Wartime History On December 7, 1941 the battleships including Kirishima launch their floatplanes to patrol to the south of the striking force as the first wave of carrier planes strike Pearl Harbor and Oahu. Afterwards, withdraws westward back to Japan. On December 24, 1941 arrives Kure and three days later enters dry dock. On December 30, 1941 departs for Hashirajima. On January 8, 1942 departs Hashirajima with BatDiv 3/1 escorting the carrier striking force, cruisers and destroyers bound for Truk arriving six days later. On January 17, 1942 departs Truk as part of Operation R supporting the carrier strike and invasion of New Ireland. On January 27, 1942 returns to Truk. On February 1, 1942 departs Truk with BatDiv 3/1 in pursuit of U.S. Navy (USN) Task Force 8 (TF-8) reported in the Marshall Islands and Gilbert Islands but after three days diverts to Palau arriving four days later. On February 15, 1942 departs Palau supporting the carrier force that proceeds southward. On February 19, 1942 the carrier planes strikes Darwin and afterwards BatDiv 3/1 arrives Staring Bay near Kendari to refuel. On February 25, 1942 departs with BatDiv 3 to support carrier planes attacking Java. On March 1, 1942 in the morning during the Battle of the Java Sea her E8N floatplane drops two 60kg bombs on a fleeing Allied merchant ship. At 5:47pm Hiei and Kirishima open fire with their main guns from a range of 14 1/2 miles targeting USS Edsall (DD-219) but miss. At 6:24pm Hiei score a direct hit and minutes later Tone scores another hit. Later, D3A Vals from Soryu dive bomb and set the destroyer on fire and sinks. On March 26, 1942 departs Staring Bay via the Timor Sea as part of Operation C Indian Ocean raids. On April 13, 1942 passes Singapore then proceeds via the South China Sea. On April 20, 1942 placed under the command of Captain Sanji Iwabuchi and two days later arrives Sasebo and enters dry dock for maintenance and 25mm AA guns are moved towards the forward funnel for better fields of fire. On May 21, 1942 departs Sasebo the next day arrives Hashirajima and conducts training exercises. On May 27, 1942 departs Hashirajima with Haruna escorting the aircraft carriers for Operation MI, the planned invasion of Midway. On June 4, 1942 participates in the Battle of Midway. After the carriers are sunk, rescues survivors then returns to Japan. On August 16, 1942 departs Kure via Yokosuka as part of a task group bound for Truk but instead are refueled at sea from oilers enroute to the Solomon Islands. On August 24, 1942 participates in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and sustains no damage. Afterwards, proceeds northward to Truk arriving August 28, 1942. On October, 26, 1942 during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands assigned to the Vanguard Force under the command of Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe to provide distant cover to the carrier groups. During the engagement, targeted by SBD Dauntless dive bombers but sustains no damage then returns to Truk three days later. On November 9, 1942 departs Truk with Hiei with eleven destroyers bound for Shortland arriving the next day to prepare for a sortie against Guadalcanal. On November 12, 1942 part of the Japanese bombardment force under the command of Vice Admiral Hiroaki Abe that assembled 81 miles north of Indispensable Strait for a planned shore bombardment of Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. The force includes include Hiei (flagship of Vice Admiral Abe) and Kirishima, light cruiser Nagara plus eleven destroyers: Samidare, Murasame, Asagumo, Teruzuki, Amatsukaze, Yukikaze, Ikazuchi, Inazuma, Akatsuki, Harusame and Yūdachi. On November 13, 1942 at midnight the Japanese force slows due to bad weather and a rain squall then after 40 minutes resumes course towards Savo Island. At 1:10am the main guns are loaded with Type 3 San Shiki (Sanshikidan) shells for a shore bombardment of Henderson Field. At 1:25am the start of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal began when Japanese warships entered the western end of Savo Strait between Savo Island to the north and Guadalcanal to the south and steamed to the southeast. The weather was poor with a dark moon making visibility minimal. The U.S. warships were in a single column formation with destroyers in the lead and cruisers in the center. Although five of the ships had SG radar, none were in the front of the column, nor did flagship USS San Francisco (CA-38). At 1:24am the U.S. ships with radar detected the Japanese but the report was not communicated in time due to radio trouble and confusion. Minutes later, both forces spot each other visually at roughly the same time. The Japanese warships were surprised and their guns were loaded for the shore bombardment but decided to proceed. Meanwhile, the U.S. warships attempt a "cross the T" maneuver but the Japanese were scattered in several groups and orders were delayed as the U.S. line began to fall apart. The two forces began to overlap as both sides waited for permission to fire. At 1:48am Hiei and Akatsuki turned on their searchlights to illuminate USS Atlanta (CL-51) only 3,000 yards away and opened fire. Simultaneously, several other ships in both forces opened fire and a confused, close range battle began. Hiei and Kirishima plus Inazuma and Ikazuchi fired at USS San Francisco (CA-38) scoring repeated hits with the first salvo from the battleships were their San Shiki shells that caused less damage. Aboard the crew rushed to reloaded with armor-piercing shells for the next salvo allowing their target to escape. Next, Kirishima exchanged gunfire with USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) causing damage then tried to withdraw but stopped dead in the water due to engine damage. The bombardment was abandoned and the Japanese withdraw westward around Savo Island. After the battle, Kirishima attempts to tow damaged Hiei back to Shortland but the effort was abandoned in the morning as the damaged battleship is targeted by U.S. planes and later abandoned and sunk. At 10:10pm Kirishima rendezvous at Ontong Java and form an Emergency Bombardment (Volunteer Attack) Force under the command of Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo including Kirishima, flagship Atago and Takao, Nagara and six destroyers as a screening unit. Finally, light cruiser Sendai and three destroyers as a sweeping unit. On November 14, 1942 at 5:30am the Japanese depart to the southeast with Kirishima, Kongo and Haruna refueling the destroyers. Afterwards, Kongo and Haruna join the covering force as distant cover. At 7:39am spotted by USS Trout (SS-202) but is unable to reach a position to attack. During the day, targeted by U.S. planes from Guadalcanal and USS Enterprise (CV-6) At 4:29pm east of Santa Isabel the submarine again spots Kirishima being attacked by planes and fires five torpedoes. One hits Kirishima but fails to explode. Another passes under a destroyer and another narrowly misses Atago. Afterwards, the Japanese force continues towards Guadalcanal. At 8:45pm a Japanese seaplane spots U.S. warships in the vicinity and a combat is expected when they reach Savo Strait around midnight. Sinking History On November 15, 1942 after midnight at the start of the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal engaged U.S. Navy (USN) Task Force 64 (TF-64) in column formation with destroyers ahead of battleships USS Washington (BB-56) and USS South Dakota (BB-57). At 12:43am Kirishima and Ayanami switch on their searchlights and illuminate USS South Dakota and opens fire when Admiral Kondo realizes the vessel is a battleship and scores a 14" hit on the aft no. 3 turret barbette plus 8" shells from Atago and Takao. Meanwhile, USS Washington (BB-56) opens fire on Kirishima from 5,800 yards away and scored at least 20 hits with her 16" guns plus 17 hits from her secondary guns. These hits penetrated her armor into her forward magazine that was flooded to prevent an explosion. The gunfire also disabled her hydraulic pumps and jammed her rear 14" inch turrets and steering. The superstructure caught fire and flooding created an 18° list to starboard. During the engagement, Kirishima suffered the loss of 212 crew. After the battle, Nagara attempted to tow her away from the area but it proved to be impossible. Instead, destroyers rescued her crew including Captain Iwabuchi. At 3:25am the damage battleship capsized and sank with the loss of 212 crew west of Savo Island. Officially removed from the Navy list on December 20, 1942. Shipwreck During August 1992 the shipwreck was discovered by Dr. Robert Ballard at a depth of 4,000' / 1219m upside down with the bow blown off. References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Japanese Naval and Merchant Shipping Losses During World War II by All Causes pages 4 (Kirishima), 108 (index Kirishima) Combined Fleet - IJN Kirishima: Tabular Record of Movement Contribute
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 Map November 13, 1942 Map Iron Bottom Sound  4,000' 1219m |
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