Japanese aircraft carrier Ryuho
Encyclopedia
The was a Japanese Light aircraft carrier
. Sole ship of her class, she was converted from a submarine tender. During World War II she operated mainly as aircraft transport but did participate in the First Battle of the Philippine Sea.
. During conversion at Yokosuka, the Ryūhō gained the distinction of being the only major warship damaged in the Doolittle Raid
on 18 April 1942. She received one direct hit from a 500 lb (227 kg) bomb on the bow, plus several small incendiary bomb hits.
On 30 November, conversion and repairs were complete and the Ryūhō joined the 3rd Combined Fleet under the command of Captain Soma Nobishiro. On her first mission on 11 December , she was sent to the great naval base at Truk escorted by the destroyer Tokitsukaze
. Her normal aircraft complement consisted of 15 Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" fighters and 16 Aichi D3A
"Val" dive bombers, but for this mission, she was carrying 20 light bombers with their pilots and crews on a ferry mission.
. She was forced to return to Yokosuka for more repairs. On 19 March 1943 she began a series of uneventful aircraft ferry missions to occupied islands in the South Pacific. On 11 June, the Ryūhō embarked the marooned survivors of the air group of the Hiyō
, which had been damaged by an American submarine. When the Hiyō completed repairs in August 1943, those aircraft and crews were returned to her.
In October, the Ryūhō was sent on another aircraft ferry mission to Singapore
, returning to Kure
on 5 November 1943. On 25 November, she departed with the Hiyō and escorts on a long circular patrol and training mission, sailing to Manila
, then to Singapore, then to Tarakan
, then Palau
, then Truk, then Saipan
, and finally returning to Kure on 2 January 1944.
After two more uneventful patrol and training missions between Japan and the Marianas Islands, Ryūhō was sent to the Japanese anchorage at Tawi Tawi in May 1944 to join the Combined Fleet. From there, she sailed with the Combined Fleet to participate in the First Battle of the Philippine Sea. On 19 June, she launched an air strike against Task Force 58, but scored no hits; nearly all of the Ryūhō's aircraft were shot down by the swarms of American F6F Hellcat
fighters and the anti-aircraft guns of the American fleet. At 6:10 pm on 20 June, as part of "Force B" (with Hiyō, Junyō
, Nagato
, Mogami
and eight destroyers), the Ryūhō was attacked by four TBF Avenger
torpedo bombers from the Enterprise
, which were loaded with 500 lb (227 kg) bombs. She suffered only slight damage from near misses.
The Ryūhō engaged in several more patrol and training missions near Japan. On 25 October 1944, with the Kaiyō, the Ryūhō set sail from Sasebo on another aircraft ferry mission to Keelung, Taiwan. They were escorted by the destroyers Momi
, Ume and Momo
. They returned to Kure on 2 November. From 7 November to 15 November, Ryūhō briefly flew the flag of the Commander of the Mobile Fleet, Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa
.
kamikaze
planes. Accompanying her were nine empty oil tankers bound for Singapore, and the destroyers Hamakaze
, Isokaze
, Yukikaze
, Shigure
and Hatakaze
.
Upon reaching Taiwan and unloading her cargo, Ryūhō was among the targets of a major series of American carrier-based air raids all over the island. Twelve TBF Avengers attacked her but none scored a hit, and Ryūhō's gunners shot down one of them. Ryūhō departed for Japan on 2 January 1945 escorted by Isokaze; when she arrived at Kure on 18 January, Ryūhō also gained the distinction of being the last Japanese aircraft carrier to venture outside the home waters of Japan.
Ryūhō was attacked by Task Force 58 aircraft on 19 March near Kure, suffering hits by three 500 lb (227 kg) bombs and two 5.5-inch (140 mm) rockets. The damage was severe: the flight deck bulged upward between the two elevators, the No. 1 boiler was punctured by a bomb fragment, the stern settled six feet (2 m) into the water, and a raging fire broke out. Twenty crewmen were killed and 30 were wounded. Upon returning to Kure on 1 April, Ryūhō was considered to be a total loss. She was struck from the Navy List on 30 November and scrapped in 1946.
Light aircraft carrier
A light aircraft carrier is an aircraft carrier that is smaller than the standard carriers of a navy. The precise definition of the type varies by country; light carriers typically have a complement of aircraft only ½ to ⅔ the size of a full-sized or "fleet" carrier.-History:In World War II, the...
. Sole ship of her class, she was converted from a submarine tender. During World War II she operated mainly as aircraft transport but did participate in the First Battle of the Philippine Sea.
Conversion and commission
The Ryūhō started life as the submarine depot ship Taigei, and was taken out of service in December 1941 for conversion into a light aircraft carrierAircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
. During conversion at Yokosuka, the Ryūhō gained the distinction of being the only major warship damaged in the Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
on 18 April 1942. She received one direct hit from a 500 lb (227 kg) bomb on the bow, plus several small incendiary bomb hits.
On 30 November, conversion and repairs were complete and the Ryūhō joined the 3rd Combined Fleet under the command of Captain Soma Nobishiro. On her first mission on 11 December , she was sent to the great naval base at Truk escorted by the destroyer Tokitsukaze
Japanese destroyer Tokitsukaze
was the tenth vessel to be commissioned in the 19-vessel destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late-1930s under the Circle Three Supplementary Naval Expansion Program .-Background:...
. Her normal aircraft complement consisted of 15 Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" fighters and 16 Aichi D3A
Aichi D3A
The , Allied reporting name "Val") was a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It was the primary dive bomber in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and participated in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor....
"Val" dive bombers, but for this mission, she was carrying 20 light bombers with their pilots and crews on a ferry mission.
Routine missions
At 9:10 am on 12 December, the Ryūhō was hit by a single torpedo on the starboard side from the submarine DrumUSS Drum (SS-228)
USS Drum is a Gato-class submarine of the United States Navy, the first Navy ship named after the drum, any of various types of fish capable of making a drumming sound. Drum is presently on display as a museum ship in Mobile, Alabama, at Battleship Memorial Park.Drum was laid down on 11 September...
. She was forced to return to Yokosuka for more repairs. On 19 March 1943 she began a series of uneventful aircraft ferry missions to occupied islands in the South Pacific. On 11 June, the Ryūhō embarked the marooned survivors of the air group of the Hiyō
Japanese aircraft carrier Hiyo
Hiyō was a of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Begun as an ocean liner in 1939, she was purchased by the Navy Ministry in 1941 for conversion to an aircraft carrier...
, which had been damaged by an American submarine. When the Hiyō completed repairs in August 1943, those aircraft and crews were returned to her.
In October, the Ryūhō was sent on another aircraft ferry mission to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, returning to 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 :...
on 5 November 1943. On 25 November, she departed with the Hiyō and escorts on a long circular patrol and training mission, sailing to Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, then to Singapore, then to Tarakan
Tarakan Island
Tarakan is an island off the coast of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is a marshy island situated in the eastern Celebes Sea, off the northeastern coast of Borneo. The island occupies an area of .-Petroleum:...
, then Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
, then Truk, then Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, and finally returning to Kure on 2 January 1944.
After two more uneventful patrol and training missions between Japan and the Marianas Islands, Ryūhō was sent to the Japanese anchorage at Tawi Tawi in May 1944 to join the Combined Fleet. From there, she sailed with the Combined Fleet to participate in the First Battle of the Philippine Sea. On 19 June, she launched an air strike against Task Force 58, but scored no hits; nearly all of the Ryūhō's aircraft were shot down by the swarms of American F6F Hellcat
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
fighters and the anti-aircraft guns of the American fleet. At 6:10 pm on 20 June, as part of "Force B" (with Hiyō, Junyō
Japanese aircraft carrier Junyo
was a of the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was laid down at Nagasaki as the passenger liner Kashiwara Maru, but was purchased by the Japanese Navy in 1941 and converted to an aircraft carrier. Completed in May 1942, the ship participated in the invasion of the Aleutian Islands the following month...
, Nagato
Japanese battleship Nagato
Nagato was a battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy; the lead ship of her class. She was the first battleship in the world to mount 16 inch guns, her armour protection and speed made her one of the most powerful capital ships at the time of her commissioning.She was the flagship of Admiral...
, Mogami
Japanese cruiser Mogami
was the lead ship in the four-vessel Mogami-class of heavy cruisers in the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was named after the Mogami River in Tohoku region of Japan. The Mogami class ships were constructed as "light" cruisers with 5 triple 6.1" DP guns...
and eight destroyers), the Ryūhō was attacked by four TBF Avenger
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
torpedo bombers from the Enterprise
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise , colloquially referred to as the "Big E," was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Launched in 1936, she was a ship of the Yorktown class, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to...
, which were loaded with 500 lb (227 kg) bombs. She suffered only slight damage from near misses.
The Ryūhō engaged in several more patrol and training missions near Japan. On 25 October 1944, with the Kaiyō, the Ryūhō set sail from Sasebo on another aircraft ferry mission to Keelung, Taiwan. They were escorted by the destroyers Momi
Japanese destroyer Momi
was a of the Imperial Japanese Navy, sunk on January 5, 1945 by an American air attack west of Manila, in the South China Sea.-Operational history:...
, Ume and Momo
Japanese destroyer Momo
Momo was the name of more than one Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer, and may refer to:*Japanese destroyer Momo , a destroyer commissioned in 1916 and sold in 1940...
. They returned to Kure on 2 November. From 7 November to 15 November, Ryūhō briefly flew the flag of the Commander of the Mobile Fleet, Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa
Jisaburo Ozawa
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He was the last Commander-in-Chief of Combined Fleet. Many military historians regard Ozawa as one of the most capable Japanese flag officers.-Biography:...
.
The final mission
On 31 December 1944, Ryūhō sailed for Taiwan with a load of 58 OhkaOhka
The Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka was a purpose-built, rocket powered human-guided anti-shipping kamikaze attack plane employed by Japan towards the end of World War II...
kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
planes. Accompanying her were nine empty oil tankers bound for Singapore, and the destroyers Hamakaze
Japanese destroyer Hamakaze
was a of the Imperial Japanese Navy.On 7 April 1945, Hamakaze escorted the battleship from the Inland Sea on her Operation Ten-Go attack on the Allied forces on Okinawa. She was sunk by aircraft of Task Force 58 and sank 150 miles southwest of Nagasaki .-External links:**...
, Isokaze
Japanese destroyer Isokaze
Isokaze was a of the Imperial Japanese Navy. It is the second ship to carry the name after the lead ship from Isokaze-class destroyer.On 7 April 1945, Isokaze escorted the battleship from the Inland Sea on her Operation Ten-Go attack on the Allied forces on Okinawa...
, Yukikaze
Japanese destroyer Yukikaze
was a in service with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. She was the only member of her class to survive the war. The attrition rate of Japanese destroyers was extremely high due to heavy, prolonged combat and the need to use them to transport supplies to scattered Japanese island...
, Shigure
Japanese destroyer Shigure
was the second of ten s, and the first to be built for the Imperial Japanese Navy under the Circle One Program . Along with the destroyer , she developed a reputation within the Imperial Japanese Navy for being "lucky" or "unsinkable", emerging as the sole surviving Japanese warship from numerous...
and Hatakaze
Japanese destroyer Hatakaze
was one of nine Kamikaze-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. Advanced for their time, these ships served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, but were considered obsolete by the start of the Pacific War....
.
Ryūhō was attacked by Task Force 58 aircraft on 19 March near Kure, suffering hits by three 500 lb (227 kg) bombs and two 5.5-inch (140 mm) rockets. The damage was severe: the flight deck bulged upward between the two elevators, the No. 1 boiler was punctured by a bomb fragment, the stern settled six feet (2 m) into the water, and a raging fire broke out. Twenty crewmen were killed and 30 were wounded. Upon returning to Kure on 1 April, Ryūhō was considered to be a total loss. She was struck from the Navy List on 30 November and scrapped in 1946.