Japanese cruiser Furutaka

IJN Furutaka (古鷹 重巡洋艦) was the lead ship in the two-vessel Furutaka-class of heavy cruisers in the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was named after Mount Furutaka, located on Etajima, Hiroshima immediately behind the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy.

Design
Furutaka and her sister ship Kako were the first generation of high speed heavy cruisers in the Japanese navy, intended to counter the US Navy Omaha class and Royal Navy Hawkins class scout cruisers. They developed the experimental design pioneered in the Yūbari. Although there were attempts to minimise weight and protection was only designed to be proof against 6 inch shells, the displacement was seriously overweight.

The two ships were "scout cruisers", designed with aircraft facilities. The lack of catapults, however, necessitated launches from water until a major refit in 1932/3.

Pre-war
Furutaka was initially assigned to Cruiser Division 5 where she remained until reduced to reserve in December 1931. Furutaka underwent a series of significant refits in the 1930s. She was reconstructed and modernized at Kure Naval Base in 1932-33, receiving anti aircraft guns upgraded to 4.7 inch, aircraft catapult and an E4N2 floatplane. She was recommissioned into Cruiser Division 6.

Further extensive work started in April 1937. Re-bored 8 inch guns were installed in improved mountings (allowing 55° elevation), fire control changed, light anti aircraft weapons augmented and eight new 24 inch Type 93 torpedo tubes were installed. Facilities were upgraded for two E7K2 floatplanes. New oil-fired boilers were installed and there was a general overhaul of machinery. In the light of the added top weight, an attempt was made to maintain stability by increasing the ship's beam - not entirely successfully.

Early stages of the Pacific War
In late 1941, Furutaka was assigned to Cruiser Division 6 Rear Admiral Aritomo Goto in the First Fleet with the Aoba, Kako and Kinugasa. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, it was engaged in support for the invasion of Guam.

After the failed first invasion of Wake Cruiser Division 6 was assigned to the larger second invasion force, and after the fall of Wake, returned to its forward base in Truk, Caroline Islands.

From 18 January 1942, Cruiser Division 6 was assigned to support Japanese troop landings at Rabaul, New Britain and Kavieng, New Ireland and in patrols around the Marshall Islands in unsuccessful pursuit of the American fleet. In March and April 1942, Cruiser Division 6 provided support to Cruiser Division 18 in covering the landings of Japanese troops in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea at Buka, Shortland, Kieta, Manus Island, Admiralty Islands and Tulagi from a forward base at Rabaul. While at Shortland on 6 May 1942, Furutaka was attacked by four USAAF Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, but was not damaged.

Battle of the Coral Sea
At the Battle of the Coral Sea, Cruiser Division 6 departed Shortland and effected a rendezvous at sea with light carrier Shoho. At 1100 on 7 May 1942, north of Tugali Island, Shoho was attacked and sunk by 93 SBD Dauntless dive-bombers and TBD Devastator torpedo-bombers from USS Yorktown and USS Lexington. The following day, 8 May 1942 46 SBDs, 21 TBDs and 15 Grumman F4F Wildcats from Yorktown and Lexington damaged Shokaku severely above the waterline and force her retirement. Furutaka and Kinugasa, undamaged in the battle, escorted Shokaku back to Truk.

Furutaka returned to Kure on 5 June 1942 for repairs, and returned to Truk on 7 July 1942. In a major reorganization of the Japanese navy on 14 July 1942, Furutaka was assigned to the newly created Eighth Fleet under Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa and was assigned to patrols around the Solomon Islands, New Britain and New Ireland.

Battle of Savo Island
In the Battle of Savo Island on 9 August 1942, Cruiser Division 6, Chokai, light cruisers Tenryu and Yūbari and destroyer Yūnagi engaged the Allied forces in a night gun and torpedo action. At about 2300, Chokai, Furutaka and Kako all launched their reconnaissance floatplanes. The circling floatplanes dropped flares illuminating the targets and all the Japanese ships opened fire. USS Astoria, USS Quincy, USS Vincennes and HMAS Canberra were sunk. USS Chicago was damaged as were the USS Ralph Talbot and USS Patterson. On the Japanese side, Chokai was hit three times, Kinugasa twice, Aoba once and Furutaka was not damaged and returned to Kavieng on 10 August 1942.

In late August, Cruiser Division 6 and the Chokai departed Shortland to provide distant cover for the Guadalcanal reinforcement convoys. That same day, a Consolidated PBY Catalina of VP23's "Black Cats" boldly, but unsuccessfully, attacked Furutaka in broad daylight. Furutaka shuttled between Kieta and Rabaul as needed to refuel and resupply through mid-September. Furutaka was unsuccessfully attacked on 12 September south of New Ireland by the USN submarine USS S-47, but was not damaged.

Battle of Cape Esperance
So alerted, the radar-equipped American cruisers USS San Francisco, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Helena and five destroyers steamed around the end of Guadalcanal to block the entrance to Savo Sound. At 2235, Helena's radar spotted the Japanese fleet, and the Americans successfully crossed the Japanese "T". Both fleets opened fire, but Admiral Goto, thinking that he was under friendly-fire, ordered a 180-degree turn that exposed each of his ships to the American broadsides. Aoba was damaged heavily, and Admiral Goto was mortally wounded on her bridge. With Aoba crippled, Captain Araki of the Furutaka turned his ship out of the line of battle to engage Salt Lake City. USS Duncan launched two torpedoes toward Furutaka that either missed or failed to detonate. Duncan continued firing at Furutaka until she was put out of action by numerous shell hits. At 2354, Furutaka was hit by a torpedo that flooded her forward engine room. During the battle, about 90 shells hit Furutaka and some ignited her Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes, starting fires.

On 12 October 1942, at 0228, Furutaka sank stern first at -9.03333°N, 159.55°W. Captain Araki and 514 survivors were rescued by Hatsuyuki, Murakumo and Shirayuki. Thirty-three crewmen were killed and 110 were later counted as missing. The Americans took 115 of Furutaka's crew as prisoners of war, including her Chief Damage Control Officer, Lt. Cdr. Shotaro Matsui.

Furutaka was removed from navy list on 10 November 1942.