View source for Japanese cruiser Kuma

{{Short description|Kuma-class light cruiser in the Imperial Japanese Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= [[File:IJN Kuma in 1930 off Tsingtao.jpg|300px|IJN Kuma, 1930]]
|Ship caption=''Kuma'' off [[Qingdao]], 1930
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship country = [[Empire of Japan]]
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Empire of Japan|naval}}
| Ship name = ''Kuma''
| Ship namesake = [[Kuma River (Japan)|Kuma River]]
| Ship ordered = 1917 Fiscal Year
| Ship awarded = 
| Ship builder = [[Sasebo Naval Arsenal]]
| Ship original cost = 
| Ship yard number = 
| Ship way number = 
| Ship laid down = 29 August 1918
| Ship launched = 14 July 1919
| Ship sponsor = 
| Ship christened = 
| Ship completed = 
| Ship acquired = 
| Ship commissioned = 31 August 1920<ref>Lacroix, ''Japanese Cruisers'', p. 794.</ref>
| Ship recommissioned = 
| Ship decommissioned = 
| Ship maiden voyage = 
| Ship in service = 
| Ship out of service = 11 January 1944
| Ship renamed = 
| Ship reclassified = 
| Ship refit = 
| Ship struck = 10 March 1944
| Ship reinstated = 
| Ship homeport = 
| Ship identification = 
| Ship motto = 
| Ship nickname = 
| Ship honours = 
| Ship honors = 
| Ship captured = 
| Ship fate = *Torpedoed by {{HMS|Tally-Ho|P317|6}}
*west of [[Penang]]
*{{coord|05|26|N|99|52|E}}
| Ship notes = 
| Ship badge = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{sclass|Kuma|cruiser}}
| Ship displacement = {{convert|5100|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} standard
| Ship length = {{convert|152.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
| Ship beam = {{convert|14.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship draught = {{convert|4.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = *4 shaft Gihon geared turbines
*12 [[Imperial Japanese Navy Technical Department|Kampon]] boilers
*{{convert|90000|shp|abbr=on}}<
| Ship speed = {{convert|36|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}}
| Ship range = {{convert|9000|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}
| Ship endurance = 
| Ship complement = 450
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = *(initial) 7 × [[14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s
*2 × [[8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s
*2 x [[6.5×50mmSR Arisaka|6.5mm light machine guns]]
*8 × {{convert|533|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s  (4x2)
*(final) 6 × [[14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s
*10 × [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun]]s (2x2)+(2x3)
*8 × {{convert|533|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s  (4x2)
| Ship armour = 
| Ship armor = *[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{convert|64|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|29|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
| Ship aircraft = 1 x [[floatplane]]
| Ship aircraft facilities = 1 aircraft [[Aircraft catapult#Interwar and World War II|catapult]] (from 1934)
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

{{nihongo|'''''Kuma'''''|球磨 | }} was a {{sclass|Kuma|cruiser|0}} [[light cruiser]] in the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Jentsura  | first = Hansgeorg  | year = 1976 | title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945  | publisher = Naval Institute Press  | isbn = 0-87021-893-X }} page 107</ref> The [[lead vessel]] of the five ship class, she was named after the [[Kuma River (Japan)|Kuma River]] in [[Kumamoto prefecture]], [[Japan]].

==Background==
After the construction of the {{sclass|Tenryū|cruiser|2}}s, the demerits of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six ''Tenryū''-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class [[scout cruiser]]s were shelved, in place of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed reconnaissance ship, and also as a command vessel for [[destroyer]] or [[submarine]] flotillas. ''Kuma'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] at [[Sasebo Naval Arsenal]] on 29 August 1918, [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 14 July 1919 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 31 August 1920.

==Design==
{{Main|Kuma-class cruiser}}
The ''Kuma''-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the ''Tenryū''-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry.<ref name=Gardner>Gardner, ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921''; page 238</ref> With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the ''Kuma''-class vessels were capable of the high speed of {{convert|36|kn|km/h}}, and a range of {{convert|9000|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Gardner/>

The number of [[14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s was increased from four on the ''Tenryū'' class to seven on ''Kuma'': two forward, two on each side of the superstructure and three aft, which meant that only six guns could be brought to bear on a broadside. The torpedo launchers were also increased to four double launchers: however, the ''Kuma'' class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two [[8 cm/40 3rd Year Type naval gun]]s and two 6.5&nbsp;mm machine guns.<ref name=Stille>Stille, '' Imperial Japanese Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45 '', pages 14-18;</ref>
''Kuma'' could be distinguished from her sister ships by the addition of funnel caps from 1929.<ref name= Jentsura>Jentsura, p. 107.</ref>

==Service career==

===Early career===
[[File:IJN Kuma in 1935 off Tsingtao.jpg|thumb|''Kuma'' in 1935 off [[Qingdao]]]]
Immediately after commissioning, ''Kuma'' was assigned to cover the landings of Japanese troops during the [[Japanese intervention in Siberia]] against the [[Bolshevik]] [[Red Army]]. She was subsequently based at [[Lüshunkou|Port Arthur]], and patrolled the northern [[China]] coast between the [[Kwantung Leased Territory]] and [[Qingdao]].

''Kuma'' was refit in late 1934 with a tripod mast, two rotatable quadruple torpedo launchers, and an [[aircraft catapult]] for launching a reconnaissance [[floatplane]], typically a [[Kawanishi Aircraft Company|Kawanishi]] [[Kawanishi E7K|E7K1 "Alf"]].<ref name= Gardner/> As the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] began to escalate, ''Kuma'' patrolled the China coast, and covered the landings of Japanese forces in central China. She was captained by Captain [[Tadashige Daigo]] from November 1935 to December 1936. In December 1937, ''Kuma'' served as flagship for a squadron of minelaying submarines {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-121||2}} through {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-124||2}} based out of Qingdao until fall of 1938.<ref name=Boyd>Boyd, ''The Japanese Submarine Force''; page 54</ref>

===Invasion of the Philippines===
On 10 April 1941, ''Kuma'' was assigned to [[Vice Admiral]] [[Ibo Takahashi]]'s CruDiv 16 in the [[3rd Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)|Japanese 3rd Fleet]]. At the time of the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] on 8 December 1941, ''Kuma'' was participating in the [[Battle of the Philippines (1941–42)|invasion of the northern Philippines]], having departed from its base in [[Makung|Mako]], [[Pescadores Islands]] with the {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Ashigara||2}}, {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Maya||2}} and destroyers {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Asakaze|1922|2}} and {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Matsukaze|1923|2}}. From 10–11 December, ''Kuma'' covered landings at [[Aparri]] and [[Vigan]]; off Vigan, ''Kuma'' was attacked unsuccessfully by five [[United States Army Air Forces|USAAF]] [[Boeing]] [[B-17 Flying Fortress]] bombers of the 14th Squadron. On 22 December, ''Kuma'' covered further landings at [[Lingayen Gulf]], Philippines.<ref name="Combined">[http://www.combinedfleet.com/kuma_t.htm]  CombinedFleet.com: ''Kuma'' Tabular Record of Movement;</ref>

On 3 January 1942, ''Kuma'' was reassigned to Vice Admiral [[Rokuzō Sugiyama]]'s [[Southern Expeditionary Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)|Third Southern Expeditionary Fleet]]. She was assigned to patrols around the Philippine islands from 10 January to 27 February 1942.<ref name=Combined/>

In March, ''Kuma'' was assigned to cover the invasion of the southern Philippines, shelling [[Cebu]] harbor on 1 March, sinking two coastal transports, and covering the landings at [[Zamboanga City|Zamboanga]], [[Mindanao]] on 3 March. [[Special Naval Landing Forces]] (SNLF) from ''Kuma'' rescued about 80 Japanese nationals who had been interned. ''Kuma'' is also credited with sinking twelve transport vessels in the [[Sulu Sea]] off of Cebu the same night.<ref name=Combined/>

On 9 April 1942, off Cebu, ''Kuma'' and the [[torpedo boat]] [[Ōtori class torpedo boat|''Kiji'']] were attacked by U.S. torpedo boats [[Motor Torpedo Boat PT-34|''PT-34'']] and ''[[PT-41]]''. ''Kuma'' was hit in the bow by one of eight [[Mark 8 torpedo]]es fired, but it was a dud. ''PT-34'' was destroyed by [[Mitsubishi F1M]] "Petes" launched from the [[seaplane tender]] ''[[Japanese seaplane tender Sanuki Maru (1939)|Sanuki Maru]]''.<ref name=Goodspeed>Goodspeed, ''US Navy''; page 413</ref><ref name="Bulkley2012">{{cite book|author=Robert J. Bulkley
|title=At Close Quarters: PT Boats in the United States Navy
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=19pNfxXVcqoC&pg=PT16
|date=September 2012|publisher=Historical Studies
|isbn=978-1-62280-004-9|pages=16–20}}</ref>

On 10 April, ''Kuma'' covered landings on Cebu by the [[Kawaguchi Detachment]]'s 35th Infantry Brigade HQ and the 124th Infantry Regiment, and on 16 April landings on [[Panay]] by the Kawamura Detachment's 9th Infantry Brigade HQ and the 41st Infantry Regiment. On 6 May, ''Kuma'' covered the final assault on the American bastion on [[Corregidor]] Island in [[Manila Bay]]. Afterwards, ''Kuma'' remained on patrol at Manila until 12 August 1942.<ref name=Combined/>

===Dutch East Indies and New Guinea campaigns===
After a refit at [[Kure Naval Arsenal]] in September, ''Kuma'' returned to Manila on 20 September 1942 and was reassigned to Vice Admiral [[Shirō Takasu]]'s Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet ([[Dutch East Indies]] Force). She was sent to [[Hong Kong]] to embark troops of the [[38th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)|38th Infantry Division]], which she disembarked at [[Rabaul]], [[New Britain]] on 10 October. ''Kuma'' then proceeded to [[Makassar]], [[Sulawesi|Celebes]] where she began patrols under the command of Captain [[Ichiro Yokoyama]], with occasional embarkation of reinforcements for Rabaul, [[Kaimana]], [[New Guinea]] and [[Kabui]], New Guinea until 13 April 1943.<ref name=Combined/>

From late April through the end of May 1943, ''Kuma'' was refitted at the [[Seletar|Seletar Naval Base]] [[Singapore]], and afterwards resumed patrols around the Dutch East Indies to 23 June.

On 23 June 1943, while at Makassar with CruDiv 16's {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Kinu||2}}, {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Ōi||2}}, and {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Kitakami||2}}, ''Kuma'' was attacked by seventeen [[Consolidated Aircraft]] [[B-24 Liberator]] bombers of the 319th Squadron/90th Bomb Group (H) of the [[5th Air Force]]. All four light cruisers were straddled by near-misses, but suffered only slight damage.<ref name=Combined/>

On 24 June 1943, CruDiv 16's flag was transferred from ''Kinu'' to ''Kuma''. Both cruisers then departed Makassar for patrols around the Dutch East Indies until 23 October. From 1 November, ''Kuma'' was refit in Singapore. Her No. 5 140-mm gun was removed as were her aircraft catapult and derrick. Two triple mount [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 25-mm AA guns]] were fitted. This brought the total number of ''Kuma''{{'}}s 25-mm AA guns to ten barrels (2x3, 2x2). Refit was completed by 12 November, and patrols/transport runs around the Dutch East Indies resumed, extending occasionally to [[Port Blair]], [[Andaman Islands]], [[Penang]], [[Mergui]], [[Burma]] through 9 January 1944.<ref name=Combined/>

On [[Action of 11 January 1944|11 January 1944]], after departing from Penang with the destroyer {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Uranami|1928|2}} on [[anti-submarine warfare]] exercises, ''Kuma'' was sighted by [[Royal Navy]] submarine {{HMS|Tally-Ho|P317|6}} based out of  [[Trincomalee]], [[Ceylon]]. Approximately {{convert|10|mi|km}} northwest of Penang, ''Tally-Ho'' fired a seven-torpedo salvo from {{convert|1,900|yd|m}}. ''Kuma''{{'}}s lookouts spotted the torpedoes' wakes, and although the rudder was sent hard over, ''Kuma'' was hit starboard aft by two torpedoes, setting the ship on fire. ''Kuma'' sank by the stern in the vicinity of {{coord|05|26|N|99|52|E|display=inline, title}} detonating her own depth charges. ''Uranami'' took on survivors, including Captain Sugino, but 138 crewmen perished with the ship.<ref name="O’Connell">O’Connell, ''Submarine Operational Effectiveness in the 20th Century ''; page 94</ref>

''Kuma'' was removed from the [[navy list]] on 10 March 1944.

==The wreck==
''Kuma''{{'}}s wreck was discovered in March 2004 by a group of divers including Australian explorer Kevin Denlay <ref>{{Cite web|last=PacificWrecks.com|title=Kevin Denlay - Shipwreck Discoveries and SCUBA Diver|url=https://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/visitors/denlay/|access-date=2020-11-13|website=www.pacificwrecks.com|language=en}}</ref> operating off the research vessel MV ''Empress'', based out of Singapore.<ref>{{Cite web|last=PacificWrecks.com|title=Pacific Wrecks|url=http://pacificwrecks.com/|access-date=2020-11-13|website=pacificwrecks.com|language=en}}</ref> The wreck was found to be on its starboard side in {{convert|155|ft|m}} of water, covered in fishing nets and snagged fishing lines. The bridge structure was fairly intact, although half-buried in bottom silt, and her funnels had fallen off. The port side waist 5.5-inch gun was basically intact, as were the two on the fore-deck, although the top of the waist mount enclosure had partially disintegrated. The circular rotating base of the forward port torpedo rack was intact, but there were no torpedo tubes mounted on it. However, the aft port rotating torpedo tube mount had completely fallen off the ship. The glass in many of the portholes, especially amidships, has been melted and fused due to the intensity of the fire that raged while the vessel was sinking. The ship's stern was missing completely aft of where the torpedoes hit; all that remained was a jagged edge, although the outboard port propeller and shaft were still visible protruding from the wreck.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imperial Cruisers|url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/kuma_t.htm|access-date=2020-11-13|website=www.combinedfleet.com}}</ref>

In 2014 it was reported that illegal salvagers recovered scrap metal from several shipwrecks, including ''Kuma''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/05/22/Wrecks-fished-for-scrap-metal-Thieves-plunder-fishing-grounds-for-rusty-ship-parts/ |title=Thieves plunder fishing grounds for rusty ship parts |last=Chua |first=Eddie |work=The Star |date=22 May 2014 |access-date=26 September 2015}}</ref> Subsequent reports state that the wreck is almost completely gone now.

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book | last = Brown | first = David | year = 1990 | title = Warship Losses of World War Two | publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 1-55750-914-X}}
* {{cite book | last = Boyd | first = David | year = 2002 | title = The Japanese Submarine Force and World War II | publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 1-55750-015-0 }}
* {{cite book | last = D'Albas | first = Andrieu | year = 1965 | title = Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II  | publisher = Devin-Adair Pub | isbn = 0-8159-5302-X}}
* {{cite book | last = Dull | first = Paul S. | year = 1978 | title = A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945 | publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 0-87021-097-1 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/battlehistoryofi0000dull }}
* {{cite book|last= Gardner |first= Robert|title= Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. |publisher= Conway Marine Press |year=1985|isbn=0-85177-245-5 }}
* {{cite book | last = Goodspeed | first = M Hill | year = 2003 |  title = US Navy – A Complete History | publisher = iUniverse | isbn = 978-0883636183}}
* {{cite book|last=Jentsura|first=Hansgeorg|title=Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, MD|year=1976|isbn=0-87021-893-X}}
*{{cite book|last1=Lacroix|first1=Eric|last2=Wells II|first2=Linton |title=Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|date=1997|isbn=0-87021-311-3 |name-list-style=amp |author-link2=Linton Wells II}}
* {{cite book | last = Morrison | first = Samuel | year = 2002 |  title = New Guinea and the Marianas: March 1944 - August 1944 (History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume 8)| publisher = University of Illinois | isbn = 0-252-07038-0 }}
* {{cite book | last = O’Connell | first = John F | year = 2011 |  title = Submarine Operational Effectiveness in the 20th Century: 1939 - 1945)| publisher = iUniverse Publishing | isbn = 978-1-4620-4257-9 }}
* {{cite book | last = Stille | first = Mark | year = 2012 |  title = Imperial Japanese Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45| publisher = Osprey | isbn = 978-1-84908-562-5 }}
* {{cite book | last = Whitley  | first = M.J.  | year = 1995 
 | title = Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia  | publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 1-55750-141-6}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Kuma (ship, 1920)}}
*{{cite web | last = Parshall | first = Jon |author2=Bob Hackett |author3=Sander Kingsepp |author4=Allyn Nevitt
  | url = http://www.combinedfleet.com/kuma_c.htm  | title = Imperial Japanese Navy Page (Combinedfleet.com) | work =CombinedFleet.com: Kuma class }} 
*{{cite web | last = Parshall | first = Jon |author2=Bob Hackett |author3=Sander Kingsepp |author4=Allyn Nevitt
  | url = http://www.combinedfleet.com/kuma_t.htm   | title = Imperial Japanese Navy Page (Combinedfleet.com) | work =CombinedFleet.com: Kuma Tabular Record of Movement }}
*{{cite web| last = Nishida| first = Hiroshi| url = http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0325.htm| title = Materials of IJN| work = Imperial Japanese Navy| archive-url = https://archive.today/20121205080958/http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0325.htm| archive-date = 5 December 2012| url-status = dead}}

{{Kuma class cruiser}}
{{January 1944 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuma}}
[[Category:Kuma-class cruisers]]
[[Category:Ships built by Sasebo Naval Arsenal]]
[[Category:1919 ships]]
[[Category:Second Sino-Japanese War cruisers of Japan]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of Japan]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Strait of Malacca]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in January 1944]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by British submarines]]