Launched in 1914 and commissioned in 1915, Fuso was the lead ship of her class of dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Fuso played no part in World War One, instead patrolling the coast off China. She underwent extensive rebuilds from 1930–1935 and 1937–1941 with improvements to her armor and propulsion machinery and a rebuilt superstructure in the pagoda mast style.
Due to her age, Fuso was used primarily in auxiliary roles early in the Second World War. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Fusō was part of Vice-Admiral Shōji Nishimura’s Southern Force. On the morning of 24 October1944, Fuso was attacked by aircraft from the USS Enterprise and hit by two bombs. The first destroyed her aircraft catapult and floatplanes, while a second hit near Turret No. 2 and penetrated the decks, killing everyone in No. 1 secondary battery; the ship began to list 2 degrees to starboard.
During the subsequent night action of the Battle of Surigao Strait, Fuso was hit by one or two torpedoes and sank with 1,620 casualties.
Japanese battleship Fusō being launchedJapanese battleship Fusō in 1928.Fusō undergoing renovation and reconstruction in drydock in Kure 1928Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Fusō in 1929Japanese battleship Fusō in 1931Japanese Battleship Fusō during maneuvers with Nagato in 1934.Japanese Battleship Fusō sometime between 1934 and 1935 after modernizationFusō during maneuvers off Abaraiyawan, Japan, early-mid 1935Japanese battleship Fusō after 1930s modernisationImperial Japanese Navy battleship Fusō undergoing post-reconstruction trialsImperial Japanese Navy battleship Fusō undergoing post-reconstruction trials.Japanese Battleship Fusō sometime between 1935 and 1939Yamashiro in Tokyo Bay, Japan, after 1935. Behind her are the battleships Fuso and Haruna (most distant)Japanese battleship Fusō port side of midships section before her 1930-1935 refit.Fusō conducting flooding and drainage tests at Kure, Japan, April 1941.Pagoda tower of the Japanese battleship FusōMain armament of the Japanese battleship FusōImperial Japanese Navy battleship FusōJapanese battleship FusōFusō with Mutsu and Nagato in the backgroundFusō from YamashiroFusō Mogami under attack during the Battle of Leyte Gulf October 1944
