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| IJN Mogami-class Heavy Cruiser 8,500 Tons (initial) 13,668 Tons (final) 646' x 59' x 18' (initial) 650' x 66' x 19' (final) Initial Armament 15 x 15.5cm guns (5 x 3) 8 x 12.7cm guns (4 x 2) 4 x 40mm AA guns 12 x 610mm torpedo tubes 3 x Floatplanes Final Armament 10 x 20.3cm guns (5x2) 8 x 12.7cm guns (4x2) 8 x 25mm AA guns 4 x 13.2mm MG 12 x 610 torpedo tubes  IJN June 6, 1942 |
Ship History Built at the Mitsubishi shipyard at Nagasaki. Laid down December 24, 1931 as the second ship of the Mogami-class Heavy Cruiser. Launched May 31, 1934 as Mikuma 三隈 named for the Mikuma River in Japan. Commissioned August 29, 1935 in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). During 1939, the heavy cruiser underwent reconstruction replacing the initial armament of triple 15.5cm gun turret with twin 203mm gun turrets and adding torpedo bulges to improve stability but reduced her speed. Wartime History In July 1941 departs with Cruiser Division 7 for Samah on Hainan Island, and participated in Operation FU to occupy southern Indochina. On December 8, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War, Mikuma was part of the southern expeditionary fleet, providing close support for the Japanese landings at Singora, Patani and Kota Bharu in Malyasia. On February 28, 1942 during the Battle of the Sunda Strait at 11:55pm, USS Houston CA_30 scored hits on Mikuma that knocked out her electrical power, but it was quickly restored. Aboard, six were killed and eleven wounded. On June 5, 1942 at dawn, Mogami and Mikuma were spotted by a PBY Catalina from Midway and an air raid was launched six SBDs and six SB2Us from VMSB-241 that were sent to bomb bomb "two enemy battleships [sic crusiers] (one crippled)". The SBDs made dive bombing attacks from 10,000' targeting Mogami and scored six near misses. The SB2Us glide bombing attacks from 4,000' targeting Mikuma. Afterwards, bombed by eight B-17s led by LtCol Brooke E. Allen from high altitude but fail to score any hits. Sinking History On June 6, 1942 during the Battle of Midway Mikuma and Mogami were headed for Wake Island when attacked by three waves of 81 SBD Dauntless dive bombers from USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Hornet (CV-8). Mikuma is hit by at least five bombs in the forecastle, bridge area and amidships and set afire. The hit on the forecastle puts the forward guns out of commission. The hit near the bridge area sets off some ready service AA shells and causes considerable damage to the bridge and personnel. The hit amidships detonated several torpedoes and the resultant explosions cause further damage. Captain Sakiyama is severely wounded. Mikuma turns on her portside and sinks at roughly Lat 29-22N, Long 176-34E. In total, 650 of the crew are killed. Fates of the Crew After the sinking, Asashio rescued Captain Sakiyama. Later, he is transferred to Suzuya for medical attention. Mogami, Asashio and Arashio rescue 240 survivors, then they depart for Truk. Later, Admiral Kondo orders Asashio back to search for more survivors from Mikuma and to scuttle her. She searches, but fails to find the cruiser. References Combined Fleet IJN MIKUMA: Tabular Record of Movement Contribute
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 29-22N 176-34E |
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