Second World War Archives - Page 11 of 40

Japanese Battleship Hyuga

Japanese Battleship Hyuga

Laid down on 6 May 1915 and launched on 27 January 1917, Hyuga was the second ship of the Ise-class of dreadnought battleships. Although commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy on 30 April 1918, she did not participate in the First World War. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, Hyuga was modernised in two stages, which added aviation facilities, upgraded her anti-aircraft armament and her superstructure was enlarged to a pagoda mast.

From 24 October 1934 until 7 September 1936, Ise underwent a major reconstruction to improve her machinery and armor. Despite this, she was considered obsolete at the start of the Second World War, and played no significant part in the early stages. However, with the loss of four fleet carriers at the Battle of Midway, Hyuga and her sister Ise were rebuilt as partial aircraft carriers. This entailed the removal of the rear two turrets and the installation of a flight deck. A complement of 22 to 24 aircraft could be carried, although due to a lack of trained pilots, she never operated aircraft in combat.

She participated in the Battle off Cape Engaño in late 1944, where she was one of the ships that decoyed the American carrier fleet supporting the invasion of Leyte away from the landing beaches. Afterwards the ship was transferred to Southeast Asia. In early 1945 Hyuga participated in Operation Kita, where she transported petrol and other strategic materials to Japan. The ship was then reduced to reserve until American airstrikes in July sank her. After the war Hyuga was scrapped in 1946–1947.

Under Construction

Hyuga in Service

Hyuga with her original armament — Hyuga shortly after completion

The Wreck of Hyuga Post-War

Hyuga Sunk off Kure, Japan, October 1945

Hyūga sunk in the shallow waters of Hiroshima Bay, 1945, Kure — Hyuga Sunk off Kure, Japan, October 1945

Japanese Battleship Ise

Ise after conversion running full power trial on Aug 24, 1943

Japanese Battleship Ise

Laid down on 10 May 1915 and launched on 12 November 1916, Ise was the lead ship of her two-ship class of dreadnoughts. Although commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy on 10 December 1917, she did not participate in the First World War. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, Ise was modernised in two stages, which added aviation facilities, upgraded her anti-aircraft armament and her superstructure was enlarged to a pagoda mast.

From 1 August 1935 until 23 March 1937, Ise underwent a major reconstruction to improve her machinery and armor. Despite this, she was considered obsolete at the start of the Second World War, and played no significant part in the early stages. However, with the loss of four fleet carriers at the Battle of Midway, Ise and her sister Hyuga were rebuilt as partial aircraft carriers. This entailed the removal of the rear two turrets and the installation of a flight deck. A complement of 22 to 24 aircraft could be carried, although due to a lack of trained pilots, she never operated aircraft in combat.

She participated in the Battle off Cape Engaño in late 1944, where she was one of the ships that decoyed the American carrier fleet supporting the invasion of Leyte away from the landing beaches. Afterwards the ship was transferred to Southeast Asia. In early 1945 Ise participated in Operation Kita, where she transported petrol and other strategic materials to Japan. The ship was then reduced to reserve until American airstrikes in July sank her. After the war Ise was scrapped in 1946–1947.

Under Construction

Ise shortly after being launched — Ise being launched

Ise in Service

Battle off Cape Engano

Ise firing her main guns during the Battle off Cape Engaño, 25 October 1944

Under Attack at Kure

Ise under attack by U.S. Navy aircraft at the Kure Naval Arsenal on 28 July 1945 — Ise burning at Kure 28 July 1945

The Wreck of Ise Post-War

Ise sunk off Kure, 8 October 1945 — Wreck of Ise October1945

US Aircraft Carrier USS Franklin CV-13

USS Franklin CV-13 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. May 4, 1944

US Aircraft Carrier USS Franklin CV-13

Laid down on 7 December 1942 and launched on 14 October 1943, USS Franklin CV-13 was an Essex-class aircraft carrier of the US Navy. Commissioned into the navy on 31 January 1944 she then undertook a work-up phase before moving to the Pacific.

From the end of June 1944, Franklin took part in the Mariana and Palau Islands campaigns which lasted until early August. She then supported the Leyte Landings, where on the 15th of September, she was hit by a bomb on the after outboard corner of the deck edge elevator, killing three men and wounding 22.

On the morning of 24 October, in the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, her planes formed part of the waves that attacked the Japanese First Raiding Force (under Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita), helping to sink Musashi south of Luzon, damage Fusō and Yamashiro, and sink Wakaba. Franklin’s strike groups combined with those from the other carriers on 25 October in the Battle off Cape Engaño to damage Chiyoda (she would be sunk by American cruiser gunfire subsequently) and sink Zuihō.

On 30 October 1944, Franklin was struck by a Japanese kamikaze attack that hit the flight deck and crashed through to the gallery deck, killing 56 men and wounding 60. A second attacker missed Franklin with two bombs before flying into the stern of Belleau Wood. Repairs took until 2 February 1945.

While undertaking strikes against the Japanese mainland on 19 March 1945, Franklin was hit by two semi-armour piercing bombs dropped by a Yokosuka D4Y “Judy” dive bomber. One bomb struck the flight deck centerline, penetrating to the hangar deck, causing destruction and igniting fires through the second and third decks, and knocking out the combat information center and air plot. The second hit aft, tearing through two decks.

At the time, Franklin was preparing a raid an consequently numerous plane were fueled and armed on deck and in the hanger. This added significantly to the damage caused and the intensity of the fires. Casualty figures vary from 724 killed and 265 wounded to 807 killed and at least 487 wounded. This appears to be caused by the inclusion or not of passengers, civilians on board, air group casualties and marines.

USS Franklin was repaired in New York and returned to active duty after the war finished. She was placed in reserve on 17 February 1947. Due to the significant wartime damage, she was never reactivated or upgraded. While in reserve she was redesignated as an attack aircraft carrier CVA-13 on 1 October 1952, an antisubmarine warfare support carrier CVS-13 on 8 August 1953 and, ultimately, as an aircraft transport AVT-8 on 15 May 1959.

USS Franklin was sold for scrap on 27 July 1966.