Japanese aircraft carrier Chitose
| |
| Career | 
|
|---|---|
| Laid down: | 26 November 1934 |
| Launched: | 29 November 1936 |
| Commissioned: | 25 July 1938 |
| Conversion: | 1942 to 1944 |
| Recommissioned: | 1 January 1944 |
| Fate: | Sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, 25 October 1944. |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 11,200 tons (standard), 15,300 tons (max.) |
| Length: | 192.5m |
| Beam: | 20.8m |
| Draught: | 7.5m |
| Propulsion: | 2 geared turbines. 2 steam turbines, 2 shafts, S.H.P 56,800 |
| Speed: | 28.9 knots |
| Fuel: | 3000 tons |
| Complement: | 800 |
| Armament: | 8 - 127mm, 30-48(in 1944) - 25mm |
| Aircraft: | 30 |
Chitose (千歳) was a light aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. First laid down as a seaplane tender in 1934 at Kure Navy yard, the ship originally support the reconnaissance float planes Kawanishi E7K Type 94 "Alf", and the Nakajima E8N Type 95 "Dave". Although it has been speculated that Chitose also carried Type A midget submarines, only her sister ship, the Chiyoda had that capability. Chitose saw several naval actions, taking part in the Battle of Midway though seeing no combat there. She was heavily damaged off Davao, Philippines on 4 January 1942. She covered Japanese landing in the East Indies and Gilbert Island in January 1942, and was damaged in the Eastern Solomons in August 1942.
Conversion
As the Japanese became aware of the importance of carrier aviation the Chitose was converted to a light carrier at Sasebo Navy Yard in 1943, and was recommissioned 1 Jan 1944 as CVL (24) and assigned to CarDiv 3.
Final battle
Both Chiyoda and Chitose were sunk from a combination of attacks by naval bombers, cruiser shellfire and destroyer torpedo attack during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. According to the plan for the Sho-ichi go operation, both carriers were denuded of aircraft and successfully used to decoy the main body of the American fleet away from the landing beaches in the Philippines. Chitose was sunk from torpedo hits during first air strike made by naval aircraft of Task Force 38 from the carrier USS Essex (CV-9) off Cape Engano.
- 0835 3 Torpedo hits, or possibly bomb near misses on the port side forward of the number 1 elevator
- boiler rooms 2 and 4 flooded, with immediate list to 27 degrees, rudder failure.
- List was corrected to 15 degrees, but by 0855, further flooding resulted in 20 degree list
- 0855 Starboard engine room floods, speed cut to 14 knots
- 0925 Port engine room floods, Chitose is dead in the water, list 30 degrees
- 0937 rolls over to port, and noses under with a loss of 903 men. Position 19 - 20' N, 126 - 20' E
- Isuzu rescues 480 men, Shimotsuki rescues 121.