World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseTenryu was completed in late 1919 and shortly after was made the flagship of 2nd Destroyer Squadron of the Japanese 2nd Fleet, a role that she was purpose-built to fill, having light armament and fast speed. She patrolled the eastern coast of Russia in 1920, serving as a troop transport during the Siberian Intervention conflict on several occasions. In 1927, she protected Japanese interests in the Shanghai, China area, off the mouth of the Yangtze River. In 1928, she returned to Japan to serve as a training vessel, remaining in this role until 1931. Between Oct 1931 and Oct 1933, she was again assigned to China; during this time she saw combat during the First Battle of Shanghai of 1932. In Nov 1936, Tenryu and her sister ship Tatsuta were assigned to 10th Cruiser Squadron of Japanese 3rd Fleet. At the start of WW2 in Asia, she supported the landings at Shanghai in 1937, Xiamen in 1938, and Guangzhou in 1938. In late 1940, she was drydocked for modernization, which saw the replacement of her coal-oil boilers and the installation of additional anti-aircraft weaponry. In Sep 1941, she was transferred to Truk, Caroline Islands to join Cruiser Division 18 of Japanese 4th Fleet in preparation of aggression against the Western Allies. At the outbreak of the Pacific War, she supported the landings at Wake Atoll; Kavieng, New Ireland; Gasmata and Rabaul, New Britain; Admiralty Islands; and other locations in Central and South Pacific. Tenryu sailed with the Port Moresby, Australian Papua occupation fleet, but Operation Mo was ultimately canceled due to the result of the Battle of Coral Sea. On 20 Jul 1942, she covered the landings at Buna, Australian Papua; she came under attack by US B-17 and B-26 bombers on her return back to Rabaul in New Britain, but did not incur any damage. On 9 Aug 1942, she saw action in the Battle of Savo Island, during which she sank USS Quincy with two torpedoes and contributed to the sinking of USS Astoria, USS Vincennes, and HMAS Canberra; she suffered a hit by USS Chicago, which killed 23. Later that month, she covered the landing of Kure No. 5 Special Naval Landing Force troops at Milne Bay, Australian Papua; she would return in the area to evacuate surviving troops after this campaign failed. In the coming weeks, she delivered supplies from Rabaul to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands and evacuated troops in the reverse direction. On 14 Nov, while sailing with a task force for the bombardment of Guadalcanal, she came under attack by US submarine and US carrier aircraft; she escaped the engagement unscathed but the same could not be said for other ships of the task force. On 18 Dec 1942, after successfully delivering troops and supplies to Madang, Australian New Guinea, the supply convoy returning to Truk was attacked by US submarine USS Albacore. Tenryu was hit by one torpedo in the stern and sank. 33 were lost in the sinking.

Light Cruiser Tenryu Interactive Map

Photographs

Tenryu Operational Timeline