JS Yamato

* IJN Service
* JSDF Service

> “Sir, let me be clear. All warships are weapons. All weapons can be used offensively or defensively. With a rifle, I could invade my neighbor's house, harm him, and seize his property by force. With a rifle, I could defend myself and my neighbor should someone mean to do us harm. Yes, a battleship or a carrier can be a sword, but they can also be a shield. Japan has a lot to answer for - but deliberately laming this nation's ability to defend herself isn't the way to atone for the sins of the past."
> - Fleet Admiral (ret) Chester Nimitz, speaking to a special session of the Japanese Diet.
>
>

***JS Yamato (CBS-101)*** is the lead ship of the *Yamato*-class battleships. Initially serving in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, she would be captured post-war by the United States, and taken as a war prize. She would come to be informally known as the “USS Montana” in reference to the only one of the original 48 states to never have a completed battleship named after it. Due to her unique status as the worlds largest battleship, she would be kept in decent condition and placed in Bremerton, Washington, and slightly refitted for potential use by the United States Navy in the 1950s, despite never official receiving a BB hull number ID code. However, this would not come to pass, as she was sold back to Japan for use by Japanese Self-Defense Forces in 1980, after modifications to Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. Receiving missiles and modern electronics, she would serve in the JSDF for over a decade and a half, where she would famously participate in the Battle of Tokyo. After being decommissioned, she would become a museum ship in Tokyo, Japan. Her name would continue on in the second of the Tosa-class cruisers, JS Yamato (CG-2).

## History

Main Article: IJN Yamato

**1945**

In early-March 1945, *Yamato* was present at Kure naval shipyard when it was attacked by naval aircraft from *USS Enterprise*, *USS Yorktown*, and *USS Intrepid*. Overall the raid did minimal damage, however one torpedo had magnaged to severely damage two of Yamato’s rudder screws, leaving the ship unable to move.

A month later, Operation: Ten-Go was formed in response to the Allied invasion of Okinawa. The original plan called for both *Yamato* and her sister ship *Musashi*, along with a light cruiser and eight destroyers to sail to the island, destroy as much of the landing force as possible, than beach themselves to act as heavily armed fortresses. The crews would than abandon the ships when their weapons were disabled, and join the ground forces already stationed on the island.

However, *Yamato* was still unable to move due to her damaged rudder, and was forced to remain in Kure. Because of this only *Musashi* would accompany the force. Most of the task force would be destroyed long before reaching Okinawa, with only 2 destroyers surviving to return to Japan.

The *Yamato* would be almost fully repaired by the time of the Japanese surrender in September, and would be captured by US forces shortly beforehand. She was then towed to Tokyo Bay to be present for the surrender ceremony, alongside the sole surviving Japanese vessel of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the aircraft carrier *Zuikaku*. It was then decided she would be taken as a war prize. Given the hull number XI-400, where she would undergo slight repairs before being taken to the Bermington, Washington to be placed alongside the US mothball fleet.

**Post-World War II**

In 1968, whilst *Yamato* was still in Bremerton, she was used to film interior shots for the film ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’ along with the *USS Enterprise*, whom was on the east coast.

**Return to Japan**

**A New War**

**Post-Retirement**

## Trivia

* This version of *Yamato* was partially based on the version from the *Kantai Collection* FanFiction Eternity by Sheo Darren on spacebattles.com

## Appearances

* *The Greatest Generation*
* *Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away* (mentioned only)
* *Book One: An Uplifting War* (first appearance)
* *Book Two: Deception and Darkness*
* *Book Three: Return of Legends*