Japanese cruiser Mikuma
The ship was named after the Mikuma river in Oita prefecture, Japan. Background. Built under the 1931 Fleet Replenishment Program, the "Mogami"-class cruisers were designed to the maximum limits allowed by the Washington Naval Treaty, using the latest technology. This resulted in the choice of a 155 mm dual purpose (DP) main battery in five triple turrets capable of 55° elevation. To save weight, electric welding was used, as was aluminum in the superstructure, and the use of a single funnel stack. New impulse geared turbine engines, coupled with very heavy anti-aircraft protection, gave the  class a very high speed and protection. However, the "Mogami" class was also plagued with technical problems due to its untested equipment and proved to be unstable and top-heavy as well, due to cramming too much equipment into a comparatively small hull. Service career. Early career. "Mikuma" was completed at Mitsubishi's Nagasaki shipyards on 29 August 1935. Beginning in 1939, "Mikuma" was brought in for substantial reconstruction, replacing the triple turrets with twin guns (the 155 mm turrets going to the battleship ). Torpedo bulges were also added to improve stability, but the increased displacement caused a reduction in  speed. "Mikuma" participated in the occupation of Cochinchina, French Indochina, after Japan and Vichy French authorities reached an understanding on use of its air facilities and harbors from July 1941, from its forward operating base on Hainan. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, "Mikuma" was assigned to cover the invasion of Malaya as part of Cruiser Division 7 under Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa's First Southern Expeditionary Fleet, providing close support for landings of Japanese troops at Singora, Pattani and Kota Bharu. In December 1941, "Mikuma" was tasked with the invasion of British Borneo, together with , covering  landings of Japanese troops at Miri and Kuching. In February 1942, "Mikuma" was tasked with covering landings of Japanese troops in Sumatra and Java. On 10 February, "Mikuma" and were attacked by the submarine , which fired four torpedoes, but missed. Battle of Sunda Strait. At 2300 on 28 February 1942, "Mikuma" and "Mogami", destroyer , light cruiser and destroyers , , , and arrived and engaged the cruisers and with gunfire and torpedoes after the Allied vessels attacked Japanese transports in the Sunda Strait. At 2355, "Houston" scored hits on "Mikuma" that knocked out her electrical power, but it was quickly restored. During the  battle, "Mikuma" lost six men and eleven others were wounded. Both "Houston" and "Perth" were sunk during the engagement, as was transport "Ryujo Maru" with IJA 16th Army commander Lieutenant General Hitoshi Imamura—although the general survived the sinking. In March, "Mikuma" and Cruiser Division 7 were based at Singapore to cover Japanese landings in Sumatra and the seizure of the Andaman Islands. From 1 April 1942 Cruiser Division 7 based from Mergui joined with Cruiser Division 4 to participate in the Indian Ocean raids. "Mikuma", "Mogami" and destroyer detached and formed the Southern Group, which hunted for merchant shipping  in the Bay of Bengal, while "Chōkai", Destroyer Squadron 4's light cruiser and destroyers , , and covered the northern areas. During the operation, the Southern Group claimed kills on 7,726-ton British passenger ship "Dardanus" and 5,281-ton British steamship "Ganara" and the 6,622-ton British merchant vessel "Indora", en route from Calcutta to Mauritius. On 22 April, Cruiser Division 7 returned to Kure, and "Mikuma" went into dry dock for overhaul. On 26 May, Cruiser Division 7 arrived at Guam to provide close support for Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka's Midway Invasion Transport Group. "Mikuma"s crew was advised that  upon the completion of the Midway operation they would proceed to the Aleutian Islands and from there to Australia. Battle of Midway. On 5 June, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, CINC of the Combined Fleet ordered Cruiser Division 7 to shell Midway in preparation for a Japanese landing. Cruiser Division 7 and DesDiv 8 were away from the island, so they made a high-speed dash at . The sea was choppy and the destroyers lagged behind. At 2120, the order was canceled; however, due to a mixup, Cruiser Division 7 did not receive the order till 0210 the following day, when it  was just off Midway. This placed Cruiser Division 7 within range of the submarine , which was spotted by the cruiser . "Kumano" signaled a 45° simultaneous turn to starboard to avoid possible torpedoes. The emergency turn was correctly executed by the flagship and , but the third ship in the line, "Mikuma", erroneously made a 90° turn. Behind her, "Mogami" turned 45° as commanded. This resulted in a collision in which "Mogami" rammed "Mikuma"s portside, below the bridge. "Mogami"s bow caved in and she was badly damaged. "Mikuma"s portside oil tanks ruptured and she began to spill oil, but  otherwise her damage was slight. The destroyers and were ordered to stay behind and escort "Mogami" and "Mikuma". At 0534, retiring "Mikuma" and "Mogami" were bombed from high altitude by eight Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses from Midway, but they scored no hits. At 0805, six USMC Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bombers and six Vought SB2U Vindicators from Midway attacked "Mikuma" and "Mogami" but they did not achieve any direct hits. A Vindicator flown by Capt. Richard E. Fleming attacked after being set ablaze by anti-aircraft fire. His bomb missed and he crashed into the sea in flames. For his  extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity Capt Fleming (USMC) received the Medal of Honor. The following morning, 6 June 1942, "Mikuma" and "Mogami" were heading for Wake Island when they were attacked by three waves of SBD Dauntless dive-bombers, comprising 31 aircraft, from the aircraft carriers and . "Arashio" and "Asashio" were each hit by a bomb. "Mogami" was hit by six bombs. "Mikuma" was hit by at least five bombs in the forecastle, bridge area and amidships and set afire. The hit on the forecastle put the forward guns out of commission. The hit near the bridge area set off  some AA shells and caused considerable damage to the bridge and personnel. The hit amidships set off several torpedoes and the resulting explosions destroyed the ship. Captain Sakiyama was severely wounded. "Mikuma" rolled to port and sank at . (It has also been suggested that either "Asashio" or "Suzuya" scuttled "Mikuma" the following day). "Asashio" rescued Captain Sakiyama, who was transferred to "Suzuya" for medical attention, but he died four days later. "Mogami", "Asashio" and "Arashio" rescued 240 survivors, but 650 men went down with the ship. On 9 June 1942, the submarine rescued two survivors from "Mikuma" and took them  to Pearl Harbor as POWs. "Mikuma" was removed from the Navy List on 10 August 1942.