Japanese Cruiser Tama

was the second of the five light cruisers in the Imperial Japanese Navy, which played an active role in World War II. ''Tama'' was named after the Tama River in Kantō region of Japan.

Background

After the construction of the , the demerits 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 scouting cruisers were shelved, in favor of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed scout ship, and also as a command vessel for destroyer or submarine flotillas.Gardner, ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921''; page 238

Design

The ''Kuma''-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the ''Tenryū''-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry. With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the ''Kuma''-class vessels were capable of the high speed of , and a range of at . The number of 14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval guns was increased from three on the ''Tenryū'' class to seven on the ''Kuma'' class and provision was made for 48 naval mines. However, the two triple torpedo launchers on the ''Tenryū'' class was reduced to two double launchers, and the ''Kuma'' class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two 8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval guns.

Service record

Early career

''Tama'' was completed at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki shipyard on 29 January 1921. Immediately after commissioning, ''Tama'' was assigned to cover the landings of Japanese troops in Siberia during Japan's Siberian Intervention against the Bolshevik Red Army.
CombinedFleet.com: ''Tama'' Tabular Record of Movement;

In 1925, ''Tama'' was tasked with making a diplomatic voyage to San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, San Pedro in the United States, to return the remains of US Ambassador to Japan, Edgar Bancroft, who had died in Tokyo.Tate, ''Transpacific Steam''; page 215

In 1932, with the Manchurian Incident, ''Tama'' was assigned to patrol the northern coasts of China, from its base in Taiwan. As the war in China continued to escalate, ''Tama'' was involved in operations to cover the landings of Japanese troops in central China.

On 10 January 1935, the German naval attaché in Tokyo, Captain Paul Wenneker was invited by Admiral Nobumasa Suetsugu to tour ''Tama'', battleship and submarine at Yokosuka Naval District. Wenneker was reportedly unimpressed with Japanese naval artillery, and advocated increased use of submarine warfare.

Northern operations

On 10 September 1941, ''Tama'' became flagship of Vice Admiral Boshirō Hosogaya's CruDiv 21 with the light cruiser , in the IJN 5th Fleet. ''Tama'' and ''Kiso'' were sent north to Hokkaidō, in Arctic white camouflage on 2 December, and were patrolling in the Kurile Islands, at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Both cruisers' hulls were damaged by severe weather, and both were forced to return to dry dock at Yokosuka by the end of the year.

On 21 January 1942, CruDiv 21 departed Yokosuka and was again sent north on patrols around Hokkaidō, but was recalled after 38 aircraft of Task Force 16 () made a dawn raid on Marcus Island on 5 March. ''Tama'' was assigned to the IJN 1st Fleet with battleships and , and sortied from Hashirajima to search for Admiral William F Halsey, but failed to locate his forces after several weeks of searching.

On 5 April, CruDiv 21 returned to northern waters, but on 18 April the Doolittle Raid struck targets in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya and Kobe. ''Tama'' was again recalled to join in another unsuccessful pursuit of Halsey. For the rest of April and most of May, ''Tama'' resumed its northern patrols.

On 28 May, ''Tama'' departed Mutsu Bay to participate in the "Operation AL" (the seizure of Attu and Kiska) in the Battle of the Aleutian Islands. After successfully landing forces to seize the islands, CruDiv 21 returned to Mutsu Bay on 23 June. However, ''Tama'' was quickly sent back to cover the second reinforcement convoy to Kiska, then patrolled southwest of Kiska in anticipation of an American counter-attack until 2 August. After a brief return to Yokosuka for maintenance, ''Tama'' covered the transfer of the Attu garrison to Kiska. On 25 October, CruDiv 21 embarked further reinforcements at Kashiwabara, Paramushiro to Attu. ''Tama'' continued to patrol the Aleutians and the Kurile islands and around Hokkaidō until 6 January 1943, making another supply run to Kiska in November. After refit at Yokosuka in early February 1943, ''Tama'' again patrolled north from Ōminato Guard District to Kataoka (Simushir island), to Kashiwabara (Paramushiro) to 7 March. Another major supply run to Attu was made from 7–13 March.

On 23 March, ''Tama'' departed Paramushiro towards Attu with Vice Admiral Hosogaya's IJN Fifth Fleet cruisers and , light cruiser and destroyers , , , and escorting a three-ship reinforcement carrying troops and supplies for the garrison on Attu. At the Battle of the Komandorski Islands on 26 March, against USN Task Group 16.6 with the light cruiser , heavy cruiser and four destroyers, in a four-hour running gun and torpedo battle, ''Salt Lake City'' and destroyer were damaged by gunfire. The other destroyers were not damaged. During the battle, ''Tama'' fired 136 shells and four torpedoes, and received two hits in return, which damaged her catapult and wounding one crewman,Stille, ''Imperial Japanese Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45'', page 19; however ''Nachi'' was hit several times; and the Japanese aborted the resupply mission, returning to Paramushiro on 28 March. Disgraced by retreating from an inferior force, Hosogaya was relieved of command and forced to retire. Vice Admiral Shiro Kawase assumed command of the Fifth Fleet.Dull, ''A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy''
''Tama'' remained on guard duty at Kataoka for over a month and then was sent to Maizuru Naval Arsenal for a refit on 4 May. She was thus absent during the "American Operation Landcrab" to retake the Aleutian Islands, and during Japanese evacuation of Kiska on 19 May. Returning to Kataoka only on 23 May, ''Tama'' resumed guard duties until 5 July. During "Operation Ke-Go" (the evacuation of Kiska) on 7 July, ''Tama''s engines were considered too unreliable for her to participate directly in the evacuation, and she remained behind at Paramushiro. In any event, the mission was aborted due to weather. ''Tama'' remained on guard duty in the Kuriles until 30 August.

Operations in southern waters

After a refit at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, ''Tama'' was sent south with troops and supplies for Ponape, Caroline Islands on 15 September. After stopping by Truk, and returning to Kure, ''Tama'' was ordered to Shanghai on 11 October, to ferry additional troops to Truk and Rabaul, New Britain. After disembarking the reinforcements at Rabaul, she was attacked by RAAF Bristol Beaufort bombers from Guadalcanal on 21 October. ''Tama''s hull plates were damaged by near-misses and she was forced return to Rabaul for emergency repairs.

On 27 October, ''Tama'' returned to Yokosuka for a major refit; her Nos. 5 and No.7 140-mm guns were removed along with her aircraft catapult and derrick. A twin 127-mm HA gun was fitted, as were four triple mount and six single mount Type 96 25-mm AA guns. This brought ''Tama''s total number of 25-mm guns to 22 barrels (4x3, 2x2, 6x1). A type 21 air search radar was also fitted. Repairs and modifications were completed on 9 December.

''Tama'' departed Yokosuka on 24 December, again for northern waters, and remained on patrol until 19 June 1944. Returning to Yokosuka by 22 June, ''Tama'' then began operations to ferry Imperial Japanese Army reinforcements to the Ogasawara islands, making two runs to 12 August.

On 30 August, ''Tama'' was transferred from CruDiv 21, Fifth Fleet to become flagship of DesRon 11, Combined Fleet, replacing the lost .

Battle of Leyte Gulf

During the Battle of Leyte Gulf (20 October 1944), ''Tama'' was assigned to Vice Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa Northern Mobile ("Decoy") Force. During the Battle off Cape Engaño (25 October), Ozawa's force was attacked by Task Force 38, with USS ''Enterprise'', , , , , , , , and . ''Tama'' was attacked by TBM Avenger torpedo bombers from VT-21 of ''Belleau Wood'' and VT-51 from ''San Jacinto''. A Mark 13 torpedo hit ''Tama'' in her No. 2 boiler room. After emergency repairs, ''Tama'' retired from the battle, escorted by the cruiser , but ''Isuzu'' was ordered to protect the damaged aircraft carrier . ''Tama'' was then escorted by destroyer , but later ''Shimotsuki'' too was ordered off to assist the damaged carrier . ''Tama'' proceeded alone at towards Okinawa.D'Albas, ''Death of a Navy''

Northeast of Luzon, ''Tama''s luck ran out, as the submarine — on her first war patrol — picked up ''Tama'' on radar. Her attack of three bow torpedoes from missed, but her second salvo of four stern torpedoes from was more successful. Three torpedoes hit ''Tama'', breaking the ship in two, and sinking her within minutes, with all hands at .

''Tama'' was removed from the navy list on 20 December 1944.

References

Notes

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tama
Kuma-class cruisers
Tama
1920 ships
Second Sino-Japanese War cruisers of Japan
World War II cruisers of Japan
Ships sunk by American submarines
World War II shipwrecks in the South China Sea
Maritime incidents in October 1944
Ships of the Aleutian Islands campaign
Warships lost in combat with all hands