Service
In World War II she took part in the Invasion of the Philippines in December 1941. In the Battle of the Java Sea on March 1, 1942 she shared in the sinking of the cruiser HMS Exeter and the destroyer HMS Encounter.
From 1942 to 1944 she was assigned to guard duties and troop transportation and saw no action.
In the Battle of Leyte Gulf on October 24, 1944, Ashigara, with Captain Hayao Miura in command, was assigned to Vice Admiral Kiyohide Shima's force along with Nachi and eight destroyers. This force entered Surigao Strait on October 25 after Admiral Shoji Nishimura's First Raiding Force had been destroyed, following the losses of Fuso and Nishimura's Yamashiro along with their escorts in the hands of Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf's fleet and aircraft, in which during this action Nishimura was killed aboard the Yamashiro. Ashigara and Nachi fired their torpedoes and retreated (Nachi with damage from a collision with Mogami).
In December 1944 Ashigara took part in an attempted attack on the American landings on Mindoro in the Philippines along with the Ōyodo and the destroyers Kiyoshimo, Asashimo, Kasumi, Kaya, Kashi, and Sugi. On December 26 she came under air attack and was damaged by a 227 kg (500 lb) bomb, but was able to shell the American beachhead on December 27.
On June 8, 1945, Ashigara left Batavia for Singapore with 1,600 troops on board, escorted by the destroyer Kamikaze. In the Bangka Strait the two ships came under attack from three Allied submarines, Blueback, Trenchant and Stygian. Kamikaze attacked Trenchant with gunfire, forcing her to submerge, and then with depth charges, but Trenchant's C.O., Commander Arthur Hezlet, spotted Ashigara and fired eight torpedoes at her at about 12:15. Ashigara was hit five times at a range of 4,000 yards and capsized at 12:37 (01°59′S 104°56′E / 1.983°S 104.933°E / -1.983; 104.933Coordinates: 01°59′S 104°56′E / 1.983°S 104.933°E / -1.983; 104.933). Kamikaze rescued 400 troops and 853 crew, including Miura.
Read more about this topic: Japanese Cruiser Ashigara
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