Japanese aircraft carrier Chuyo
Encyclopedia
Chūyō was a Taiyō-class
escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy
in World War II
.
of the Nippon Yusen
shipping line
, laid down in the Mitsubishi
shipyard in Nagasaki in May 1938, launched in May 1939 and commissioned on 23 March 1940. Requisitioned for use as a military transport in February 1941, she made a few voyages, including a number for transferring of American Prisoners of War (POWs) from Wake Island
to Japan.
The first transfer of POWs departed Wake Island on 12 January 1942, arriving in Yokohama
on or around 20 January. After departing Yokohama, the Japanese took five men topside, and to "honor their bravery," tortured and beheaded them. The bodies were mutilated with bayonets and thrown overboard.
After the Battle of Midway
, it was decided to convert her to an escort carrier. The conversion took place in Kure
between 20 August and 25 November 1942. She was renamed Chūyō (冲鷹, "Hawk which soars").
Her flight deck measured 150 by 23 m (492.1 by 75.5 ft) and was equipped with two elevators. She had no island, catapults
or arresting gear
.
s and .
On 4 December 1943, Chūyō and Unyō were sailing from Truk to Yokosuka—carrying prisoners the Japanese took from the American
submarine —when Chūyō was hit by a torpedo fired by at 32°37′N 143°39′E, close to the island of Hachijōjima
. During the next few hours, Sailfish attacked the damaged carrier two more times. After taking four of the five torpedoes the submarine had fired at her, Chūyō sank quickly, taking about 1250 people with her; 20 of the 21 prisoners she was carrying were among them. She was stricken from the naval list in 1944.
Taiyo class escort aircraft carrier
The was a three-strong class of escort carriers operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.- Overview :These ships were ocean liners built by the shipping line Nippon Yusen, requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy and converted to escort carriers. They were usually employed as...
escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Construction and Conversion
The (新田丸) was an ocean linerOcean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
of the Nippon Yusen
Nippon Yusen
Japan-based or NYK Line, is one of the largest shipping companies in the world. It is a core Mitsubishi company. The company has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo.-1870-1900:...
shipping line
Shipping line
-History of shipping lines:Large-scale shipping lines became widespread in the nineteenth century, after the development of the steamship in 1783. At first, Great Britain was the centr of development; in 1819, the first steamship crossing of the Atlantic Ocean took place and by 1833, shipping lines...
, laid down in the Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
shipyard in Nagasaki in May 1938, launched in May 1939 and commissioned on 23 March 1940. Requisitioned for use as a military transport in February 1941, she made a few voyages, including a number for transferring of American Prisoners of War (POWs) from Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
to Japan.
The first transfer of POWs departed Wake Island on 12 January 1942, arriving in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
on or around 20 January. After departing Yokohama, the Japanese took five men topside, and to "honor their bravery," tortured and beheaded them. The bodies were mutilated with bayonets and thrown overboard.
After the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
, it was decided to convert her to an escort carrier. The conversion took place in Kure
Kure, Hiroshima
is a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².- History :...
between 20 August and 25 November 1942. She was renamed Chūyō (冲鷹, "Hawk which soars").
Her flight deck measured 150 by 23 m (492.1 by 75.5 ft) and was equipped with two elevators. She had no island, catapults
Aircraft catapult
An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch aircraft from ships—in particular aircraft carriers—as a form of assisted take off. It consists of a track built into the flight deck, below which is a large piston or shuttle that is attached through the track to the nose gear of the aircraft, or in...
or arresting gear
Arresting gear
Arresting gear, or arrestor gear, is the name used for mechanical systems designed to rapidly decelerate an aircraft as it lands. Arresting gear on aircraft carriers is an essential component of naval aviation, and it is most commonly used on CATOBAR and STOBAR aircraft carriers. Similar systems...
.
Operational history
Chūyō was used primarily for flight training and aircraft transport. She often sailed with her sister shipSister ship
A sister ship is a ship of the same class as, or of virtually identical design to, another ship. Such vessels share a near-identical hull and superstructure layout, similar displacement, and roughly comparable features and equipment...
s and .
On 4 December 1943, Chūyō and Unyō were sailing from Truk to Yokosuka—carrying prisoners the Japanese took from the American
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
submarine —when Chūyō was hit by a torpedo fired by at 32°37′N 143°39′E, close to the island of Hachijōjima
Hachijojima
is a volcanic Japanese island in the Philippine Sea, administered by Tōkyō and located approximately south of the Special Wards of Tōkyō. It is the southernmost and most isolated of the Izu Seven Islands group of the seven northern islands of the Izu archipelago...
. During the next few hours, Sailfish attacked the damaged carrier two more times. After taking four of the five torpedoes the submarine had fired at her, Chūyō sank quickly, taking about 1250 people with her; 20 of the 21 prisoners she was carrying were among them. She was stricken from the naval list in 1944.