Japanese battleship Ise
Encyclopedia
, was the lead ship
of the two-vessel Ise-class
battleship
of the Imperial Japanese Navy
, which saw combat service during the Pacific War
. Ise was named after Ise Province
, one of the traditional provinces of Japan, now part of Mie Prefecture
.
, experience gained in the construction of the Fusō-class revealed a number of design issues, including weak armament and protection, which forced a redesign and new classification.
Ise was laid down at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries
shipyard in Kobe
on 5 May 1915, launched on 12 November 1916, and completed on 15 December 1917 and assigned to the Kure Naval District
.
Completed too late for service in World War I
, in the early 1920s, Ise participated in numerous patrols off the Siberia
coast and in northern waters in support of Japan's Siberian Intervention
against the Bolshevik
Red Army
.
On 12 April 1922, while at Yokohama
, Ise hosted a delegation which included the Prince of Wales
(future King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom), who was accompanied by his second cousin, the future Lord Mountbatten of Burma
. From the mid-1920s through the late 1930s, Ise patrolled mostly off of the China
coast.
In 1928-1929, Ise was rebuilt at the Kure Naval Arsenal
, with its foremast increased in height in the distinctive "pagoda
" style similar to . The fore funnel was fitted with a curved smoke cap, and a flying off platform for Yokosuka E1Y2
Type 14 floatplane
s was fitted atop No. 5 main turret
. Later, from 1930–1931, additional searchlight
s and a derrick was installed at the stern for handling floatplanes.
However, a more complete upgrade occurred from 20 November 1931-10 February 1932 at Kure Naval Arsenal, which involved shortening the mainmast top section, replacing all the 76 mm (3 in)/40 cal AA
guns with eight Type 89 127 mm (5 in)/40 cal AA guns (4x2), and adding four Vickers Type 40 mm (1.6 in) AT/AA guns (2x2). The shielded 140 mm (5.5 in)/40 cal guns from the forecastle deck were removed and a catapult
and aircraft handling crane were fitted to the fantail
. On 14 May 1933, a second catapult and three Type 90 seaplanes were added.
From 1 August 1935, Ise was drydocked at Kure Naval Arsenal and underwent an extensive reconstruction and modernization. The 24 mixed-fired boilers were replaced by eight new Kampon oil-fired boilers and new Kampon geared turbines were fitted. Maximum speed increased to 25.4 kn (49.8 km/h; 30.9 mph) (25.21 kn (49.4 km/h; 30.7 mph) was reached during trials). The fore funnel was removed and stern lengthened by 7.62 m (25 ft). Anti-torpedo bulge
s were added and her six submerged torpedo tube
s were removed. The elevation of Ises main battery
(with the exception of the aftermost turret No. 6) was increased to 43°. Two forward 140 mm (5.5 in) casemate
guns were removed. The elevation of secondary guns was increased from 20° to 30° and range increased from 15800 m (51,837.3 ft) to 19100 m (62,664 ft). Four 40 mm (1.6 in) Vickers AA guns were replaced by 10 Type 96 twin 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in)/60 cal AA guns. The original catapult was replaced by a Kure Type No. 2 Mod. 5 catapult and the aircraft handling deck was extended. Reconstruction was completed by 27 March 1937.
due to her relatively slow speed, large crew, and short range, and never saw combat as a battleship. Ise participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor
(albeit on a sortie from Hashirajima
as far as the Bonin Islands) and pursued but did not catch the American carrier force that had launched the Doolittle Raid
on 18 April 1942.
In May, Ise had an accident which flooded her No. 2 engine room. During repair work, Ise was fitted with one of the first experimental model Type 21 radar sets in the Japanese navy.
, Navy Aircraft Department began plans to convert the Ise-class battleships to full-sized aircraft carrier
s each carrying 54 planes. This concept was abandoned due to lack of time and resources and a hybrid battleship/carrier concept was adopted. Ise was dry-docked, and her aft No. 5 and No. 6 main turrets were removed and replaced by a hangar
surmounted by a 70 m (229.7 ft) long flight deck
and a "T"-shaped aircraft elevator
. This was long enough to permit the launch of aircraft, but not their recovery. Plans called for the new hangar to carry nine planes inside, with 11 on deck and two on each catapult; however, it was later realized that a single faulty aircraft engine could ruin the whole concept. To prevent jams, the deck was fitted with two rails, 12 turntables, trolleys and tie-downs. Two 25 m (82 ft) Model 11 catapults were installed on tall supports on the port and starboard sides forward of the flight deck. A collapsible derrick crane was fitted port abaft. The new deck was covered with 200 mm (7.9 in) of concrete
to compensate for the unbalanced condition created after removal of the aft armament. A 1 m (3 ft) thick layer of concrete was also poured around the main and reserve steering rooms and a 150 mm (5.9 in) horizontal armor cover was added.
Additional anti-aircraft weapons were installed to better fight off aerial attack. The eight single 127 mm (5 in) DP
guns were replaced with eight twin-mounts, and the Type 96 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) AA guns were increased from 20 to 57 (including 19 triple-mounts). Type 21 air-search radar and two Type 22 surface-search radars were also installed.
As modified, Ise could carry 22 aircraft. The operational concept envisioned Ise accompanying the Kido Butai (Carrier Strike Force), and launching its 11 Yokosuka D4Y2
Suisei ("Judy") dive bomber
s and 11 Aichi E16A
Zuiun ("Paul") seaplane
s that are capable of diving attacks to add another 44 bombers to the Strike Force. The Suisei had to land either on a conventional carrier or on land bases, whereas the E16A could be hoisted back aboard after landing near the ship by using a crane. Ises final aircraft allowance called for 14 E16As and eight D4Y2s.
The rebuild was officially completed on 8 October 1943; however, as training with the new pilots was not completed by autumn 1944, Ise was never used in its new configuration in an operational mission. Its aircraft were offloaded to land bases, and Ise continued to be used as a pure battleship in the cover force.
Ise made a sortie to Truk in October 1943, conveying a detachment of the IJA 52 Division and supplies.
In a refit in Kure in May 1944, 47 additional Type 96 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) AA guns (12 triple, 11 single mount) were added, bringing the total to 104 guns. Two Type 2 IFF
units were also installed. In July, two Type 13 air-search radar and an E27 Radar detector were installed. From the end of September 1944, six racks of 30-tube, 127 mm (5 in) anti-aircraft rocket launchers were added. The rockets had multiple incendiary shrapnel charges and a timed fuse.
After returning to Japan, from 29 October, the aft catapults were removed to improve the firing arcs of the No. 3 and No. 4 turrets.
Ise was dispatched south to Lingga and Singapore
in early 1945 for Operation Kita
. On the approach to Singapore, Ise was slightly damaged by a naval mine
. In Operation Kita, Ise, her sister ship Hyuga
, and cruiser were loaded with critically needed strategic war supplies (oil, rubber
, tin
, zinc
, and mercury
) and evacuate 1,150 oil field personnel back to Japan. Ise arrived back safely in Moji
on 19 February 1945, having evaded or escaped pursuit by twenty three Allied
submarine
s along the way.
, Ise remained docked at Kure, without fuel or aircraft, and repainted in a camouflage
olive green with splotches. The camouflage was not effective against USN Task Force 58
carrier-based aircraft on 19 March 1945, when more than 240 aircraft attacked Kure and Ise was hit by two bombs. Re-designated as a fourth-class reserve ship on 20 April, Ise was towed to Ondo Seto (between Kure and Kurahashijima) to serve as a floating anti-aircraft battery. She was attacked again on 24 July by 60 carrier-based aircraft, whose bombs hit the starboard bow, flight deck, main deck, No. 3 turret and bridge, killing Captain Mutaguchi, other bridge officers and around 50 crewmen. On 28 July, in another attack on Ise, she was struck by five 454 kg (1,000.9 lb) bombs dropped by F4U Corsair
s from , and eleven more bombs dropped by other aircraft from TF 58. Ise listed starboard and sank in shallow water at 34°15′N 132°31′E. She was removed from the Navy list
on 20 November 1945.
Ises underwater hulk section was for some time left where it was and she was scrapped without being raised by the Kure Dockyard of the Harima Zosen Yard from 9 October 1946-4 July 1947.
Lead ship
The lead ship or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable military ships and larger civilian craft.-Overview:...
of the two-vessel Ise-class
Ise class battleship
Originally intended as sister ships of the preceding Fusō class, the of the Imperial Japanese Navy were considered sufficiently different to warrant separate classification....
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
of 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...
, which saw combat service during the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. Ise was named after Ise Province
Ise Province
or was a province of Japan including most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces.The ancient provincial capital was at Suzuka...
, one of the traditional provinces of Japan, now part of Mie Prefecture
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
.
Early history
Originally planned to be the third Fusō-class battleshipJapanese battleship Fuso
The Japanese battleship Fusō , was a part of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the lead ship of the Fusō-class. She was laid down by the Kure Kaigun Koshō on 11 March 1912, launched on 28 March 1914 and completed on 18 November 1915...
, experience gained in the construction of the Fusō-class revealed a number of design issues, including weak armament and protection, which forced a redesign and new classification.
Ise was laid down at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
shipyard in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
on 5 May 1915, launched on 12 November 1916, and completed on 15 December 1917 and assigned to the Kure Naval District
Kure Naval District
was the second of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the Inland Sea of Japan and the Pacific coasts of southern Honshū from Wakayama to Yamaguchi prefectures, eastern and northern Kyūshū and Shikoku....
.
Completed too late for service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, in the early 1920s, Ise participated in numerous patrols off the Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
coast and in northern waters in support of Japan's Siberian Intervention
Siberian Intervention
The ', or the Siberian Expedition, of 1918–1922 was the dispatch of troops of the Entente powers to the Russian Maritime Provinces as part of a larger effort by the western powers and Japan to support White Russian forces against the Bolshevik Red Army during the Russian Civil War...
against the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
.
On 12 April 1922, while at 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...
, Ise hosted a delegation which included the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
(future King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom), who was accompanied by his second cousin, the future Lord Mountbatten of Burma
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
. From the mid-1920s through the late 1930s, Ise patrolled mostly off of the China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
coast.
In 1928-1929, Ise was rebuilt at the Kure Naval Arsenal
Kure Naval Arsenal
was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. -History:The Kure Naval District was established at Kure, Hiroshima in 1889, as the second of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands along with the establishment of the...
, with its foremast increased in height in the distinctive "pagoda
Pagoda Mast
The Pagoda mast was a type of superstructure that was common on Japanese capital ships that were reconstructed during the 1930s in a bid to improve their fighting performance...
" style similar to . The fore funnel was fitted with a curved smoke cap, and a flying off platform for Yokosuka E1Y2
Yokosuka E1Y
|-See also:-Footnotes:The type number was the year of the Taishō Emperor's reign, i.e. Type 10 = 1921.-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David . The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz Editions, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X....
Type 14 floatplane
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
s was fitted atop No. 5 main turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
. Later, from 1930–1931, additional searchlight
Searchlight
A searchlight is an apparatus that combines a bright light source with some form of curved reflector or other optics to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular direction, usually constructed so that it can be swiveled about.-Military use:The Royal Navy used...
s and a derrick was installed at the stern for handling floatplanes.
However, a more complete upgrade occurred from 20 November 1931-10 February 1932 at Kure Naval Arsenal, which involved shortening the mainmast top section, replacing all the 76 mm (3 in)/40 cal AA
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
guns with eight Type 89 127 mm (5 in)/40 cal AA guns (4x2), and adding four Vickers Type 40 mm (1.6 in) AT/AA guns (2x2). The shielded 140 mm (5.5 in)/40 cal guns from the forecastle deck were removed and a catapult
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...
and aircraft handling crane were fitted to the fantail
Fantail
Fantails are small insectivorous birds of southern Asia and Australasia belonging to the genus Rhipidura in the family Rhipiduridae...
. On 14 May 1933, a second catapult and three Type 90 seaplanes were added.
From 1 August 1935, Ise was drydocked at Kure Naval Arsenal and underwent an extensive reconstruction and modernization. The 24 mixed-fired boilers were replaced by eight new Kampon oil-fired boilers and new Kampon geared turbines were fitted. Maximum speed increased to 25.4 kn (49.8 km/h; 30.9 mph) (25.21 kn (49.4 km/h; 30.7 mph) was reached during trials). The fore funnel was removed and stern lengthened by 7.62 m (25 ft). Anti-torpedo bulge
Anti-torpedo bulge
The anti-torpedo bulge is a form of passive defence against naval torpedoes that featured in warship construction in the period between the First and Second World Wars.-Theory and form:...
s were added and her six submerged torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s were removed. The elevation of Ises main battery
Main battery
Generally used only in the terms of naval warfare, the main battery is the primary weapon around which a ship was designed. "Battery" is in itself a common term in the military science of artillery. For example, the United States Navy battleship USS Washington had a main battery of nine guns...
(with the exception of the aftermost turret No. 6) was increased to 43°. Two forward 140 mm (5.5 in) casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
guns were removed. The elevation of secondary guns was increased from 20° to 30° and range increased from 15800 m (51,837.3 ft) to 19100 m (62,664 ft). Four 40 mm (1.6 in) Vickers AA guns were replaced by 10 Type 96 twin 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in)/60 cal AA guns. The original catapult was replaced by a Kure Type No. 2 Mod. 5 catapult and the aircraft handling deck was extended. Reconstruction was completed by 27 March 1937.
Start of the Pacific War
Despite these efforts at modernization and upgrading, Ise was still considered obsolete by the start of the Pacific WarPacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
due to her relatively slow speed, large crew, and short range, and never saw combat as a battleship. Ise participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
(albeit on a sortie from Hashirajima
Hashirajima
is an island in southern Hiroshima Bay of the Inland Sea, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. Located 26 kilometers southeast of Iwakuni, it is part of the Kutsuna Islands within the Bōyō Islands group....
as far as the Bonin Islands) and pursued but did not catch the American carrier force that had launched 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.
In May, Ise had an accident which flooded her No. 2 engine room. During repair work, Ise was fitted with one of the first experimental model Type 21 radar sets in the Japanese navy.
Reconstruction
To partially compensate for the loss of carrier strength at the Battle of MidwayBattle 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...
, Navy Aircraft Department began plans to convert the Ise-class battleships to full-sized aircraft carrier
Aircraft 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...
s each carrying 54 planes. This concept was abandoned due to lack of time and resources and a hybrid battleship/carrier concept was adopted. Ise was dry-docked, and her aft No. 5 and No. 6 main turrets were removed and replaced by a hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
surmounted by a 70 m (229.7 ft) long flight deck
Flight deck
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. On smaller naval ships which do not have aviation as a primary mission, the landing area for helicopters and other VTOL aircraft is also referred to as the...
and a "T"-shaped aircraft elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
. This was long enough to permit the launch of aircraft, but not their recovery. Plans called for the new hangar to carry nine planes inside, with 11 on deck and two on each catapult; however, it was later realized that a single faulty aircraft engine could ruin the whole concept. To prevent jams, the deck was fitted with two rails, 12 turntables, trolleys and tie-downs. Two 25 m (82 ft) Model 11 catapults were installed on tall supports on the port and starboard sides forward of the flight deck. A collapsible derrick crane was fitted port abaft. The new deck was covered with 200 mm (7.9 in) of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
to compensate for the unbalanced condition created after removal of the aft armament. A 1 m (3 ft) thick layer of concrete was also poured around the main and reserve steering rooms and a 150 mm (5.9 in) horizontal armor cover was added.
Dual purpose gun
A dual purpose gun is a naval artillery mounting designed to engage both surface and air targets.-Description:Second World War-era capital ships had four classes of artillery: the heavy main battery, intended to engage opposing battleships and cruisers ; a secondary battery for use against enemy...
guns were replaced with eight twin-mounts, and the Type 96 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) AA guns were increased from 20 to 57 (including 19 triple-mounts). Type 21 air-search radar and two Type 22 surface-search radars were also installed.
As modified, Ise could carry 22 aircraft. The operational concept envisioned Ise accompanying the Kido Butai (Carrier Strike Force), and launching its 11 Yokosuka D4Y2
Yokosuka D4Y
The D4Y Navy Type 2 Carrier Dive bomber was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Its Allied reporting name was "Judy". The D4Y was one of the fastest dive-bombers of the war, and only the delays in its development hindered its service, while its predecessor, the slower fixed gear Aichi D3A...
Suisei ("Judy") dive bomber
Dive bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target reduces the distance the bomb has to fall, which is the primary factor in determining the accuracy of the drop...
s and 11 Aichi E16A
Aichi E16A
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6....
Zuiun ("Paul") seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
s that are capable of diving attacks to add another 44 bombers to the Strike Force. The Suisei had to land either on a conventional carrier or on land bases, whereas the E16A could be hoisted back aboard after landing near the ship by using a crane. Ises final aircraft allowance called for 14 E16As and eight D4Y2s.
The rebuild was officially completed on 8 October 1943; however, as training with the new pilots was not completed by autumn 1944, Ise was never used in its new configuration in an operational mission. Its aircraft were offloaded to land bases, and Ise continued to be used as a pure battleship in the cover force.
Ise made a sortie to Truk in October 1943, conveying a detachment of the IJA 52 Division and supplies.
In a refit in Kure in May 1944, 47 additional Type 96 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) AA guns (12 triple, 11 single mount) were added, bringing the total to 104 guns. Two Type 2 IFF
Identification friend or foe
In telecommunications, identification, friend or foe is an identification system designed for command and control. It is a system that enables military and national interrogation systems to identify aircraft, vehicles, or forces as friendly and to determine their bearing and range from the...
units were also installed. In July, two Type 13 air-search radar and an E27 Radar detector were installed. From the end of September 1944, six racks of 30-tube, 127 mm (5 in) anti-aircraft rocket launchers were added. The rockets had multiple incendiary shrapnel charges and a timed fuse.
Battle of Leyte Gulf and afterwards
Ise was slightly damaged in the Battle off Cape Engaño, during which Ises gunners shot down five of the 10 attacking dive bombers, suffering from one small hit on the No. 2 turret. Ises anti-aircraft cover was ineffective, and by the end of the battle, USN aircraft had sunk the Japanese aircraft carriers , , and and the destroyer . Towards the end of the battle, in the fourth attack, Ise was attacked by 85 dive bombers. After 34 near misses, Ises hull plates near the waterline ruptured and port boiler rooms were damaged; a bomb damaged the port catapult, and five crewmen were killed, with 71 wounded.After returning to Japan, from 29 October, the aft catapults were removed to improve the firing arcs of the No. 3 and No. 4 turrets.
Ise was dispatched south to Lingga and 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...
in early 1945 for Operation Kita
Operation Kita
Operation Kita was conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Pacific War in February 1945. Its purpose was to return both Ise-class hybrid battleship-aircraft carriers and their escorts to Japan from Singapore, where they had been based since November the previous year...
. On the approach to Singapore, Ise was slightly damaged by a naval mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
. In Operation Kita, Ise, her sister ship Hyuga
Japanese battleship Hyuga
Hyūga , named for Hyūga Province in Kyūshū, was an of the Imperial Japanese Navy laid down by Mitsubishi on 6 May 1915, launched on 27 January 1917 and completed on 30 April 1918. She was initially designed as the fourth ship of the , but was heavily redesigned to fix shortcomings...
, and cruiser were loaded with critically needed strategic war supplies (oil, rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
, tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
, zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
, and mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
) and evacuate 1,150 oil field personnel back to Japan. Ise arrived back safely in Moji
Moji
Moji may refer to:* Hyōon moji or onji, phonic characters used in counting beats in Japanese poetry* Moji-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japanese ward or district* ...Moji, musical album...
on 19 February 1945, having evaded or escaped pursuit by twenty three Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s along the way.
Final role
From 25 February 1945 until the surrender of JapanSurrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
, Ise remained docked at Kure, without fuel or aircraft, and repainted in a camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
olive green with splotches. The camouflage was not effective against USN Task Force 58
Fast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...
carrier-based aircraft on 19 March 1945, when more than 240 aircraft attacked Kure and Ise was hit by two bombs. Re-designated as a fourth-class reserve ship on 20 April, Ise was towed to Ondo Seto (between Kure and Kurahashijima) to serve as a floating anti-aircraft battery. She was attacked again on 24 July by 60 carrier-based aircraft, whose bombs hit the starboard bow, flight deck, main deck, No. 3 turret and bridge, killing Captain Mutaguchi, other bridge officers and around 50 crewmen. On 28 July, in another attack on Ise, she was struck by five 454 kg (1,000.9 lb) bombs dropped by F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
s from , and eleven more bombs dropped by other aircraft from TF 58. Ise listed starboard and sank in shallow water at 34°15′N 132°31′E. She was removed from the Navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on 20 November 1945.
Ises underwater hulk section was for some time left where it was and she was scrapped without being raised by the Kure Dockyard of the Harima Zosen Yard from 9 October 1946-4 July 1947.