Nagara Class Cruiser - Ships in Class

Ships in Class

Six vessels were built in the Nagara class. None survived the Pacific War.

Nagara (長良)

Built by the Sasebo Naval Arsenal and commissioned on 22 April 1922, Nagara served in the initial battles of the Second Sino-Japanese War, including the Battle of Shanghai and the Invasion of French Indochina. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Nagara covered the landings of Japanese troops in Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. She accompanied Admiral Nagumo's Carrier Striking Force during the Battle of Midway, at the end of which she took over from the Nowaki as the flagship of Admiral Chūichi Nagumo after the loss of his flagship the Akagi. Afterwards, she was in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, Battle of Santa Cruz (where she is credited with sinking the destroyer USS Preston (DD-379)), and the First Battle of Guadalcanal. She was finally torpedoed by USS Croaker (SS-246) en route between Kagoshima and Sasebo on 7 August 1944.

Isuzu (五十鈴)

Built by the Uraga Dock Company, and commissioned on 15 August 1923, Isuzu covered the landings of Japanese troops in China, and the seizure of Hong Kong in early World War II. Afterwards assigned to the Dutch East Indies, during the Solomon Islands campaign she was active at the Battle of Santa Cruz and Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Suffering significant damage in air attacks in late 1943, she was forced to return to Japan, where she underwent an extensive conversion into an anti-aircraft/anti-submarine cruiser. She survived the Battle of Leyte Gulf, but was soon after sunk by a "wolfpack" of US submarines off of Sumbawa on 7 April 1945.

Yura (由良)

Commissioned at Sasebo Naval Arsenal on 20 March 1923, Yura was involved in the sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse, and covered the landings of Japanese troops in Malaya and Sarawak. Afterwards, she participated in the Indian Ocean raid, the Battle of Midway, and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. She was sunk by USN and USAAF aircraft in the Solomon Islands on 25 October 1942.

Natori (名取)

Completed by Mitsubishi Nagasaki on 15 September 1922, Natori covered the landings of Japanese troops in the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. During the Battle of Sunda Strait, she contributed to sinking USS Houston (CA-30) and HMAS Perth (D29). Subsequently assigned to patrols in the Dutch East Indies, she returned to Japan to repair damage in June 1943, and was only able to resume duties in March 1944. She was torpedoed off Samar by a US submarine, USS Hardhead (SS-365) on 19 August 1944.

Kinu (鬼怒)

Completed at Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation in Kobe on 10 November 1922, Kinu was involved in the sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse, and covered the landings of Japanese troops in Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. She was involved in various operations in the Solomon Islands and the Philippines, and was sunk by USN aircraft in the Visayan Sea on 26 October 1944.

Abukuma (阿武隈)

Completed by the Uraga Dock Company on 26 May 1925, Abukuma took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was later involved in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, and remained active in northern waters under the IJN 5th Fleet until October 1944, However, when sent south to counter the American invasion of the Philippines, she was sunk at the Battle of Surigao Strait on 26 October 1944.