page_title: Japanese cruiser Aoba
section_title: Later service
hierarchical_section_title: Japanese cruiser Aoba / Service career / Later service
caption_attribution_description: English: Japanese heavy cruiser Aoba sunk at Kure, Japan, 9 October 1945. She had been hit by air attacks on 24 and 28 July 1945, resulting in her loss. Note the large hole in her port side shell plating, forward, caused by a 227 kg (500 lbs) bomb that penetrated her forecastle during the 24 July attack by U.S. Navy carrier aircraft.
context_page_description: Aoba was the lead ship in the two-vessel Aoba class of heavy cruisers in the Imperial Japanese Navy. Launched in 1926 and heavily modernized in 1938-40, Aoba initially served as a patrol craft, largely along the China coast, and saw extensive service during World War II. Repeatedly heavily damaged and repaired, she was finally crippled by bombing and settled on the bottom of shallow Kure harbor in April 1945; two raids in late July reduced her to an unsalvageable hulk. During the attack on July 24, 1945, future Vice admiral Dick H. Guinn dropped the 2,000 lb bomb, which contributed to the sinking of that vessel.
  Named after Mount Aoba, a volcano located behind Maizuru, Kyoto, she was formally removed from the Navy List on 20 November 1945, and her wreck scrapped in 1946–47.
context_section_description: Aoba returned to Kure on 22 October. During repairs, the wrecked No. 3 turret was covered over with steel plates, and a Type 96 triple-mount 25-mm AA gun installed in its place. Aoba was sent back to Truk on 24 February 1943.
  On 3 April, while moored at Kavieng, New Ireland, Aoba was bombed by Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the Fifth Air Force's 43rd Bombardment Group. A direct hit on Aoba caused two Type 93 Long Lance torpedoes to explode and set the ship on fire while the B-17's strafed the decks with machine guns. Aoba had to be beached to avoid sinking.
  After being towed back to Truk, and again to Kure on 1 August, Aoba was again repaired and re-fitted. The 200 mm (8 in) gun was restored to the No. 3 turret and a Type 21 air-search radar and two Type 96 twin-mount 25-mm AA guns were installed. However, Aoba's maximum speed was reduced to 25 knots (46 km/h) due to irreparable engine damage.
  Aoba was reassigned to the First Southern Expeditionary Fleet and arrived at Singapore on 24 December 1943. The ship remained based out of Singapore to the end of February 1944, escorting supply convoys to Burma, the Andaman Islands and along the Malaya coast. On 25 February, the vessel was assigned to CruDiv16, with which Aoba participated in the Indian Ocean raid during March 1944. Through April, May and June, Aoba resumed its escort duties through the Dutch East Indies and New Guinea. During a refit at Singapore in July, Aoba gained four triple-mount and 15 single-mount Type 96 25-mm AA guns and a Type 22 surface-search radar.
  On 11 October, Aoba accidentally collided with the cruiser Kinu, but the damage was minor. However, on 23 October 1944, Aoba was attacked by the submarine USS Bream. One of six torpedoes hit Aoba in the No. 2 engine room. Aoba limped into Cavite Navy Yard near Manila, but while under emergency repairs the following day and on 29 October the ship was bombed by carrier-based planes from Task Force 38. Repairs still incomplete, Aoba was assigned to a convoy returning to Japan. The convoy was attacked on 6 November off Luzon by the submarines USS Guitarro, Bream, Raton and Ray. Altogether the submarines fired 23 torpedoes, two of which hit the cruiser Kumano, but Aoba escaped without further damage. On arrival at Kure on 12 December, Aoba was examined but declared irreparable, and re-rated as a reserve ship.
  During a US air raid on Kure harbor on 24 April 1945, Aoba was further damaged by bombing, and settled on the shallow bottom of the harbor. Rather than repair the crippled vessel, four additional twin 25-mm AA guns were fitted around the mainmast bringing the total number of 25-mm guns to 50 barrels (5x3, 10x2, 15x1) and Aoba was re-rated as a floating anti-aircraft battery. On 24 July 1945, about 30 planes from Task Force 38 attacked Kure, and bombed Aoba again. At 2200 hours, Aoba settled to the bottom in 25 feet (7.6 m) of water at 34°14′N 132°30′E. On 28 July 1945, the hulk was again attacked by ten of Task Force 38's carrier aircraft. Four more direct bomb hits set it on fire, and the fire attracted 7th Air Force B-24 Liberator bombers, which hit it again with four more 500 pounds (227 kg) bombs, breaking off the stern.
  Aoba was formally removed from the Navy List on 20 November 1945. Her wreck was scrapped in 1946–47.
caption: Aoba settled on the bottom of shallow Kure harbor at end of World War II
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