Kumano was one of four Mogami-class heavy cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was completed at the Kawasaki Shipyard in Kobe on 31 October 1937. She displaced 13,440 long tons (13,660 t) with a length of 649 ft 10 in (198.07 m) and a beam of 66 ft 3 in (20.19 m), and had a top speed of 35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph). Kumano was initially armed as a light cruiser with fifteen 155 mm (6.1 in) guns in five turrets (three forward and two aft), eight 127 mm (5 in) dual-purpose guns, fifty 25 mm (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns, and twelve tubes for 610 mm (24 in) type 90 torpedoes with provision for 12 more in position for rapid reload. Before the war, the type 90 torpedoes would be replaced by the infamous "Long Lance" torpedoes. From 1939-1940, Kumano was converted to a heavy cruiser by replacing the triple 155 mm gun turrets with an equal number of twin turrets for 200 mm (8 in) guns.
25 November 1944 Kumano is attacked by aircraft from Task Force 38's USS TICONDEROGA (CV-14). She is hit by five torpedoes and four 500-lb. bombs. At 1515, KUMANO capsizes and sinks in 108 feet of water in Santa Cruz harbor (Luzon , Philippines). |
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