Laid down on the 17th of January 1911 and launched on the 18th of May 1912, Kongō was the first of the four-ship Kongō-class battlecruisers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her three sisters were Kirishima, Hiei and Haruna. Commissioned into the fleet on the 16th of August 1913, she saw no action during the First World War, although she undertook patrols off the Chinese coast.
In 1929 Kongō underwent a reconstruction to transform her into a battleship. Additional armour was added and her speed increased. In 1935 a more extensive reconstruction was undertaken, with her superstructure completely rebuilt, aircraft facilities added and her machinery upgraded. She was redesignated a fast battleship and primarily used to escort Japan’s fast aircraft carriers.
During the Second World War, she provided support for the invasion of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and in the Indian Ocean raid of April 1942. During the Battle of Midway, she provided escort to Nagumo’s four carriers, before redeploying to the Solomon Islands during the Battle of Guadalcanal. Kongō participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944 (22–23 October), engaging and sinking American vessels in the latter. Kongō was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Sealion while transiting the Formosa Strait on 21 November 1944. She was the only Japanese battleship sunk by a submarine in the Second World War.
Kongo seen on sea trials in 1913Kongo undergoing builder’s trials 19 April 1913Kongo undergoing builder’s trials 19 April 1913Photograph of Kongo printed on a postal card. It was taken between 1925 and 1928Kongo in 1926Kongo in 1928Kongo seen in 1929 before reconstructionKongo seen after her reconstruction in 1931Kongo immediately after reconstructionKongo seen after her reconstruction in 1931Kongo Nov 14 1936 running trials after refitKongō on sea trials 14 November 1936 off the coast of TateyamaKongo in 1937Kongo in 1937Kongo off Amoy, China, in October 1938KongoKongo
First Reconstruction
Kongo Oct 21 1929Kongo Nov 29 1930Kongo Jan 20 1931Kongo Feb 20 1931Kongo seen in drydock first major reconstructionKongo March 1931 with dry dock being flooded to commence trialsKongo May 22 1933 in drydock to have bottom cleaned
Kongō During World War Two
Kongo early 1942. Soryu and Hiryu in the backgroundKongo Feb 25 1942Kongo Feb 25 1942Kongo May 1942Kongo back of bridge Oct 13 1942Kongo or Haruna Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 1944