Mogami Class Cruiser - War Service

War Service

All four ships participated in the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies. The Mogami and Mikuma were present at the Battle of Sunda Strait and contributed to the sinkings of HMAS Perth and USS Houston.

In June 1942, all four took part in the Battle of Midway, where Mogami and Mikuma collided trying to avoid a submarine attack; Mikuma was finished off on 6 June 1942 by aircraft from USS Enterprise and Hornet. The heavily damaged Mogami limped home and spent ten months in yard, during which her afterparts were completely rebuilt, and "X" and "Y" turrets were replaced by a flight deck (with the intention to operate 11 aircraft).

In October 1944, the survivors were reunited at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Mogami, heavily damaged by a collision with Nachi, cruiser gunfire, and aerial attack was scuttled by Akebono, while Kumano stumbled into Manila harbor on one boiler, to be put out of her misery by Halsey's aviators on 25 November 1944; the US escort carrier planes mauled Suzuya at Leyte, and she was scuttled by Okinami on 25 October.