Agano-class Light Cruiser

Agano-class Light Cruiser

Country

This article refers to the entire Agano-class; it is not about an individual vessel.

ww2dbaseThe Agano-class light cruisers were designed as a new generation of about 5,000 ton displacement ships to lead destroyer and submarine squadrons. The armor platings were light having required to protect against 6-inch guns only, and their main armaments were equally light with only six 155-millimeter guns, especially considering that they were designed in the late 1930s. They were only the first Japanese warships to be equipped with bulbous bows. They were each equipped with a single catapult forward of the main mast with carrying capacity of two floatplanes.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Mar 2009

Agano-class Light Cruiser Interactive Map

Agano-class Light Cruiser Operational Timeline

17 Oct 1943	Yamato, Musashi, Fuso, Nagato, Kongo, Haruna, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Takao, Atago, Maya, Chokai, Mogami, Suzuya, Tone, Chikuma, Agano, Oyodo, and a destroyer screen sortied from Truk, Caroline Islands to Eniwetok, Marshall Islands with Combined Fleet under Admiral Mineichi Koga's command in response to US Task Force 16 carrier raids on Wake Island.
19 Oct 1943	Yamato, Musashi, Fuso, Nagato, Kongo, Haruna, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Takao, Atago, Maya, Chokai, Mogami, Suzuya, Tone, Chikuma, Agano, Oyodo, and a destroyer screen arrived at Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands.
23 Oct 1943	Yamato, Musashi, Fuso, Nagato, Kongo, Haruna, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Takao, Atago, Maya, Chokai, Mogami, Suzuya, Tone, Chikuma, Agano, Oyodo, and a destroyer screen departed Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands and sortied to a position 250 miles south of Wake Island.
26 Oct 1943	Yamato, Musashi, Fuso, Nagato, Kongo, Haruna, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Takao, Atago, Maya, Chokai, Mogami, Suzuya, Tone, Chikuma, Agano, Oyodo, and a destroyer screen arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands.
5 Nov 1943	During the US raid on Rabaul, New Britain, Agano was damaged by a near miss, killing one.
5 Nov 1943	During the US raid on Rabaul, New Britain, Noshiro suffered punctured hull by strafing of dive bombers and a dent in the hull by a torpedo dud hit.
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.
30 Nov 1944	Sakawa was commissioned into service.

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Agano-class Light Cruiser