View source for Japanese cruiser Kitakami

{{Short description|Kuma-class cruiser}}
{{other ships|Japanese ship Kitakami}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Japanese cruiser Kitakami in 1935.jpg
|Ship caption=''Kitakami'' in 1935
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=[[Empire of Japan]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Empire of Japan|naval}}
|Ship name=''Kitakami''
|Ship namesake=[[Kitakami River]]
|Ship ordered=1917 Fiscal Year
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Sasebo Naval Arsenal]], Japan
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=
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|Ship laid down=1 September 1919
|Ship launched=3 July 1920
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|Ship completed=
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|Ship commissioned=15 April 1921
|Ship recommissioned=
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|Ship struck=30 November 1945
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|Ship fate=[[ship breaking|Scrapped]], August 1946
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Kuma|cruiser}}
|Ship displacement= {{convert|5100|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} standard
|Ship length={{convert|152.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|14.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|4.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=*4 shaft Gihon geared turbines
*12 [[Imperial Japanese Navy Technical Department|Kampon]] boilers
*{{convert|90000|shp|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed={{convert|36|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5000|nmi|km}} at {{convert|14|kn|km/h}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship complement=450
|Ship sensors= 
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*(initial)
*7 × [[14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s
*2 × [[8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s
*8 × {{convert|533|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s  (4x2)
*(as torpedo cruiser)
*4 × [[14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s
*6 × [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 25-mm AA guns]] (2 triple)
*40 × {{convert|610|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (10x4)
*(final)
* 2 × [[12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval gun|Type 89 127-mm AA guns]]
*67 × [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 25-mm AA guns]] (12 triple mounts + 31 single)
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=*[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{convert|64|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|29|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship aircraft=1 × [[floatplane]]
|Ship aircraft facilities= 1 aircraft [[Aircraft catapult#Interwar and World War II|catapult]]
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

{{nihongo|'''''Kitakami'''''|北上| }} was a {{sclass|Kuma|cruiser}} in the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]], named after the [[Kitakami River]] in [[Iwate Prefecture]], [[Japan]].

==Background==
After the construction of the {{sclass|Tenryū|cruiser|2}}s, the drawbacks of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six ''Tenryū''-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class [[scout cruiser]]s were shelved, in place of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed reconnaissance ship, and also as a command vessel for [[destroyer]] or [[submarine]] flotillas. ''Kitakami'' was the third in a series of five vessels in this class which were built from 1918-1921.<ref name="Gardner">Gardner, ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921''; page 238</ref>

==Design==
{{Main| Kuma-class cruiser}}
The ''Kuma''-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the ''Tenryū''-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry.<ref name="Gardner" /> With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the ''Kuma''-class vessels were capable of the high speed of {{convert|36|kn|km/h}}, and a range of {{convert|9000|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Gardner" />

The number of [[14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s was increased from four on the ''Tenryū'' class to seven on ''Kitakami'': two forward, one on each side of the superstructure and three aft, which meant that only six guns could be brought to bear on a broadside. The torpedo launchers were also increased to four double launchers: however, the ''Kuma'' class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two [[8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s and two machine guns.<ref name=Stille>Stille, ''Imperial Japanese Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45'', pages 14-18;</ref>

==Service career==

===Early career===
''Kitakami'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] on 1 September 1919, [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 3 July 1920 and completed 15 April 1921 at [[Sasebo Naval Arsenal]], [[Nagasaki Prefecture|Nagasaki]].<ref name= Nishidah>Nishida, ''Ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy''</ref> Soon after commissioning, she was based at [[Makung|Mako]], [[Pescadores Islands]]. She was commanded by Captain [[Jinichi Kusaka]] from November 1931 through December 1932 and Captain [[Tomoshige Samejima]] from December 1932 to March 1934. With the start of the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], she was assigned to cover the landings of Japanese forces in central [[China]].<ref name="Combined">[http://www.combinedfleet.com/kitakami_t.htm]  CombinedFleet.com: ''Kitakami'' Tabular Record of Movement;</ref>

On 25 August 1941, ''Kitakami'' returned to Sasebo for conversion to a "[[torpedo cruiser]]" with ten quadruple [[torpedo tube]] mounts for the {{convert|61|cm|in|abbr=on}} [[Type 93 torpedo|Type 93 “Long Lance”]] torpedo, in line with Imperial Japanese Navy plans to create a special "Night Battle Force" of torpedo-cruisers. Modification was completed by 30 September 1941, and ''Kitakami'' was assigned to the [[1st Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)|Japanese First Fleet]], CruDiv 9.<ref name=Combined/>

===Early stages of the Pacific War===
At the time of the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]], ''Kitakami'' was escorting the [[Combined Fleet]]'s [[battleship]]s from [[Hashirajima]] to the [[Bonin Islands]] and back to Japan.

From January to May 1942, ''Kitakami'' was assigned largely to training duties around the [[Japanese home islands]].  At the time of the [[Battle of Midway]] on 29 May 1942, ''Kitakami'' and her [[sister ship]] {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Ōi||2}} were part of the Aleutian Screening Force, and returned safely to Japan on 17 June 1942.<ref name=Combined/>

===As a fast troop transport===
From August – September 1942, ''Kitakami'' and ''Ōi'' were converted into fast transports. Their ten quadruple torpedo launchers were reduced to six (a total of 24 tubes). They were equipped with two {{sclass2|Daihatsu|landing craft|2}} and were fitted with two triple mount [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 25-mm AA guns]]. [[Depth charge]] launch rails were also installed. After conversion, ''Kitakami'' and ''Ōi'' embarked the [[Special Naval Landing Force|No. 4 Maizuiru Special Naval Landing Force]], which they transported to [[Chuuk Lagoon|Truk]] in the [[Caroline Islands]] and [[Shortland Island]] in the [[Solomon Islands]] by 6 October 1942.

CruDiv 9 was disbanded on 21 November 1942, and ''Kitakami'' was assigned directly to the Combined Fleet. In November, ''Kitakami'' transported troops from [[Manila]] to [[Rabaul]], [[New Britain]], and returned to Sasebo by the end of the year.<ref name=Combined/>

In January 1943, ''Kitakami'' was assigned to the reinforcement of Japanese forces in [[New Guinea]], and escorted a convoy with the [[20th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)|IJA 20th Infantry Division]] from [[Pusan]] to [[Wewak]], New Guinea via [[Palau]]. In February, she escorted a convoy with the [[41st Division (Imperial Japanese Army)|IJA 41st Infantry Division]] from [[Qingdao]] to Wewak, again via Palau.<ref name=Combined/>

On 15 March 1943, ''Kitakami'' was reassigned to CruDiv 16 of the [[Southwest Area Fleet]] as a guard ship based out of [[Surabaya]]. She escorted three troop convoys from Surabaya to [[Kaimana]], New Guinea during April and May.<ref name=Combined/>

On 23 June 1943, while at Makassar, ''Kitakami'', ''Ōi'', {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Kinu||2}} and {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Kuma||2}} were bombed by [[Consolidated Aircraft|Consolidated]] [[B-24 Liberator]]s of the [[5th Air Force]]'s 319th Bomb Squadron. None of the cruisers were hit, but some sustained slight damage from near-misses.<ref name=Combined/>

After refit at [[Seletar|Seletar Naval Base]], [[Singapore]] in August, ''Kitakami'' escorted a troop convoy from Singapore to the [[Nicobar Islands]] in early September. Two more convoys were escorted to [[Port Blair]], [[Andaman Islands]] in late October.

In late January 1944, ''Kitakami'' escorted another convoy to Port Blair. On its return voyage while transiting [[Malacca Strait]], southwest of [[Penang]], Malaya, on 27 January 1944, the ''Kitakami'' was hit aft by two torpedoes fired by the submarine {{HMS|Templar|P316|6}}. ''Kinu'' took ''Kitakami'' in tow to Angsa Bay, [[Peninsular Malaysia|Malaya]] for emergency repairs, followed by extensive repairs at the No. 101 Repair Facility at Seletar Naval Base, Singapore in February. Repairs were not completed until 21 June 1944. However, after departing Singapore to escort the tanker ''Kyokuto maru'', ''Kitakami'' began to take on water and had to put into [[Cavite]] Navy Yard in the [[Philippines]] from 12 July 1944 to 26 July 1944. Despite the additional repairs, ''Kitakami'' still took on water on her return voyage to Sasebo.

=== As a ''Kaiten'' carrier===
[[File:Japanese cruiser Kitakami 1945.jpg|thumb|''Kitakami'' on 20 January 1945 at [[Sasebo Naval Arsenal]].]]
[[File:Kaiten Type 1 launch test from starboard of Japanese cruiser Kitakami.jpg|thumb|right|''Kaiten Type 1'' being first trial launched.]]

From 14 August 1944 ''Kitakami'' was repaired and modified at Sasebo Naval Arsenal into a ''[[Kaiten]]'' human torpedo carrier with a capacity for eight ''Kaiten''. A 20-ton crane, formerly from the [[seaplane carrier]] {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Chitose||2}}, was fitted to raise and lower the ''Kaiten'' into the water. Her stern was remodeled into an overhanging ramp configuration and the aft turbines were removed as well, and the space used to hold spare parts and repair equipment. The removal of these turbines reduced ''Kitakami''{{'}}s top speed from {{convert|36|to|23|kn|km/h}}. All of ''Kitakami''{{'}}s remaining armaments were removed and replaced by two [[12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval gun|Type 89 127-mm AA guns]] and 67 Type 96 25-mm (twelve triple-mount and 31 single-mount) AA guns, two Type 13 air-search and one Type 22 surface-search [[radar]]s. Two depth charge launching rails were installed at the stern and two depth charge throwers were also installed.<ref name="Gardner" /> The refit was completed on 20 January 1945, and ''Kitakami'' was reassigned directly to the Combined Fleet.

On 19 March 1945, American [[Task Force 58]] aircraft carriers {{USS|Essex|CV-9|2}}, {{USS|Intrepid|CV-11|2}}, {{USS|Hornet|CV-12|2}}, {{USS|Wasp|CV-18|2}}, {{USS|Hancock|CV-19|2}}, {{USS|Bennington|CV-20|2}} and {{USS|Belleau Wood|CVL-24|2}} made the first [[Attack on Kure (March 1945)|carrier attack]] of the war on [[Kure Naval Arsenal]]. More than 240 aircraft ([[Curtiss SB2C Helldiver]]s, [[Vought F4U Corsair]]s and [[Grumman F6F Hellcat]]s) attacked the battleships {{ship|Japanese battleship| Hyūga||2}}, {{ship|Japanese battleship|Ise||2}}, {{ship|Japanese battleship|Yamato||2}}, {{ship|Japanese battleship|Haruna||2}}, aircraft carriers {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Amagi||2}}, {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Katsuragi||2}}, {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Ryūhō||2}}, {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Kaiyō||2}} and other ships. ''Kitakami'' sustained no damage.<ref name=Combined/>

In July 1945, an additional twenty seven single mount Type 96 25-mm AA guns were fitted to ''Kitakami''. However, on 24 July 1945 about 200 aircraft [[Task Force 38]]'s ''Essex'', {{USS |Ticonderoga|CV-14|2}}, {{USS|Randolph|CV-15|2}}, ''[[USS Hancock (CV-19)|Hancock]]'', {{USS|Monterey|CVL-26|2}} and {{USS|Bataan|CVL-29|2}} again [[Attacks on Kure and the Inland Sea (July 1945)|attacked the Kure area]]. ''Kitakami'' was damaged by strafing and thirty-two crewmen were killed.<ref name=Combined/>

===Post-war===
After the [[surrender of Japan]] on 2 September 1945, ''Kitakami'' was moved to [[Kagoshima]] and assigned to the Repatriation Service. She was used as a repair tender for ships on repatriation duties.<ref name="Gardner" />

''Kitakami'' was removed from the [[navy list]] on 30 November 1945,<ref name= Nishidah/> and scrapped from 10 August 1946 – 31 March 1947.

==References==

===Notes===
{{reflist}}

===Books===
*{{cite book | last = D'Albas | first = Andrieu | year = 1965 | title = Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II | publisher = Devin-Adair Pub | isbn = 0-8159-5302-X }}
*{{cite book | last = Dull | first = Paul S. | year = 1978 | title = A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945 | publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 0-87021-097-1 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/battlehistoryofi0000dull }}
*{{cite book | last = Evans | first = David | year = 1979 | title = Kaigun : Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941 | publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 0-87021-192-7 }}
* {{cite book|last= Gardner |first= Robert|title= Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. |publisher= Conway Marine Press |year=1985|isbn=0-85177-245-5 }}
*{{cite book | last = Howarth | first = Stephen | year = 1983 | title = The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945 | publisher = Atheneum | isbn = 0-689-11402-8 }}
*{{cite book | last = Jentsura | first = Hansgeorg | year = 1976 | title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945 | publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 0-87021-893-X }}
*{{cite book|last1=Lacroix|first1=Eric|last2=Wells II|first2=Linton |title=Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|date=1997|isbn=0-87021-311-3 |name-list-style=amp |author-link2=Linton Wells II}}
*{{cite book | last = Roscoe | first = Theodore | year = 1949 | title = United States Submarine Operations in World War II | publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 0-87021-731-3 }}
*{{cite book | last = Stille | first = Mark | year = 2012 |  title = Imperial Japanese Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45| publisher = Osprey | isbn = 978-1-84908-562-5 }}
*{{cite book | last = Whitley | first = M.J. | year = 1995 
 | title = Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia | publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 1-55750-141-6 }}

==External links==
{{commons category|Kitakami (ship, 1921)}}
*{{cite web | last = Parshall | first = Jon |author2=Bob Hackett |author3=Sander Kingsepp |author4=Allyn Nevitt  | url = http://www.combinedfleet.com/kuma_c.htm  |title=Kuma-class Light Cruiser | publisher=Combinedfleet.com }}
*{{cite web | last = Parshall | first = Jon |author2=Bob Hackett |author3=Sander Kingsepp |author4=Allyn Nevitt  | url = http://www.combinedfleet.com/kitakami_t.htm |title=IJN KITAKAMI: Tabular Record of Movement | publisher=Combinedfleet.com }}
*{{cite web| last = Nishida| first = Hiroshi| url = http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0325.htm| title = Materials of IJN (Vessels - Kuma class Light Cruisers)| publisher = Hiroshi Nishida| date = 2002| archive-url = https://archive.today/20121205080958/http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0325.htm| archive-date = 5 December 2012| url-status = dead}}

{{Kuma class cruiser}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitakami}}
[[Category:Kuma-class cruisers]]
[[Category:Ships built by Sasebo Naval Arsenal]]
[[Category:1920 ships]]
[[Category:Second Sino-Japanese War cruisers of Japan]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of Japan]]