 Akagi conducting flight operations, April 1942 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators |  Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Preceded by | Hōshō |
| Succeeded by | Kaga |
| Built | 1920–1927 |
| In service | 1927–1942 |
| In commission | 1927–1942 |
| Completed | 1 |
| Lost | 1 |
| History | |
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Akagi |
| Namesake | Mount Akagi |
| Ordered | 1920 |
| Builder | Kure Naval Arsenal |
| Cost | ¥53 million ($36.45 million) |
| Laid down | 6 December 1920 |
| Launched | 22 April 1925 |
| Commissioned | 25 March 1927 |
| Reclassified | 21 November 1923 as an aircraft carrier |
| Refit | 24 October 1935 – 31 August 1938 |
| Stricken | 25 September 1942 |
| Fate | Damaged by aircraft during theBattle of Midway andscuttled, 5 June 1942 |
| General characteristics (after 1938 modernization) | |
| Class & type | None |
| Type | Aircraft carrier |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 260.67 m (855 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 31.32 m (102 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 8.71 m (28 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 4 shafts; 4 gearedsteam turbines |
| Speed | 31.5knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph) |
| Range | 10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement | 1,630 |
| Armament |
|
| Armor | |
| Aircraft carried |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of | First Air Fleet (Kido Butai) |
| Commanders |
|
| Operations | |
Akagi (Japanese:赤城; "Red castle", named afterMount Akagi) was anaircraft carrier built for theImperial Japanese Navy (IJN). Though she waslaid down as anAmagi-classbattlecruiser,Akagi was converted to an aircraft carrier while still under construction to comply with the terms of theWashington Naval Treaty. The ship was rebuilt from 1935 to 1938 with her original threeflight decks consolidated into a single enlarged flight deck and anisland superstructure. The second Japanese aircraft carrier to enter service, and the first large or"fleet" carrier,Akagi and the relatedKaga figured prominently in the development of the IJN's new carrier striking force doctrine that grouped carriers together, concentrating their air power. This doctrine enabled Japan to attain its strategic goals during the early stages of thePacific War from December 1941 until mid-1942.
Akagi's aircraft served in theSecond Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s. Upon the formation of theFirst Air Fleet orKido Butai (Striking Force) in early 1941, she became itsflagship, and remained so for the duration of her service. With other fleet carriers, she took part in theAttack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and theinvasion of Rabaul in the Southwest Pacific in January 1942. The following month, her aircraftbombed Darwin, Australia, and assisted in theconquest of the Dutch East Indies. In March and April 1942,Akagi's aircraft helped sink a Britishheavy cruiser and an Australiandestroyer in theIndian Ocean Raid.
After a brief refit,Akagi and three other fleet carriers of theKido Butai participated in theBattle of Midway in June 1942. After bombarding American forces onthe atoll,Akagi and the other carriers were attacked by aircraft from Midway and the carriersEnterprise,Hornet, andYorktown. A singledive bomber fromEnterprise severely damagedAkagi. When it became obvious she could not be saved, she wasscuttled by Japanese destroyers to prevent her from falling into enemy hands. The loss ofAkagi and three other IJN carriers at Midway was a crucial strategic defeat for Japan and contributed significantly to the Allies' ultimate victory in the Pacific. Her wreck was located in 2019 by theResearch VesselPetrel.
Akagi was laid down as anAmagi-classbattlecruiser atKure, Japan, on 6 December 1920. Construction was halted, however, when Japan signed theWashington Naval Treaty on 6 February 1922. The treaty placed restrictions on the construction of battleships and battlecruisers although it authorized the conversion of two battleship or battlecruiser hulls under construction into aircraft carriers of up to 33,000long tons (34,000 t) displacement. The IJN had decided, following the launch of its first aircraft carrier,Hōshō, to construct two larger, faster carriers for operations with major fleet units. The incomplete hulls ofAmagi andAkagi were thus selected for completion as the two large carriers under the 1924 fleet construction program.[1][2] ¥24.7 million was originally budgeted to completeAkagi as a battlecruiser and an estimated ¥8 million had been expended when construction stopped in February 1922. Shortly thereafter, theDiet approved an additional ¥90 million to completeAkagi andAmagi as carriers.[3] Her guns were turned over to theImperial Japanese Army for use ascoastal artillery; one of her main-gun turrets was installed onIki Island in theStrait of Tsushima in 1932.[4] The rest of her guns were placed in reserve and scrapped in 1943.[5]
Construction ofAkagi as an aircraft carrier began on 19 November 1923.Amagi's hull was damaged beyond economically feasible repair in theGreat Kantō earthquake of 1 September 1923 and was broken up and scrapped.Akagi, the only remaining member of her class, was launched as a carrier on 22 April 1925 and commissioned at Kure Naval Arsenal on 25 March 1927, although trials continued through November 1927. She was the second carrier to enter service with the IJN, afterHōshō and beforeKaga (which replacedAmagi).[1][6]
SinceAkagi was initially conceived as a battlecruiser, the prevailingship naming conventions dictated that she (like her sister ships) be named after a mountain.Akagi came fromMount Akagi, a dormant volcano in theKantō region (the name literally means "red castle"). After she was redesignated as an aircraft carrier, her mountain name remained, in contrast to ships likeSōryū that were originally built as aircraft carriers, which were named after flying creatures. Her name was previously given to theMaya-class gunboatAkagi.[7]
Akagi was completed at a length of 261.21 meters (857 ft)overall. She had abeam of 31 meters (101 ft 8 in) and, atdeep load, adraft of 8.08 meters (26 ft 6 in). She displaced 26,900 long tons (27,300 t) at (standard) load, and 34,364 long tons (34,920 t) at full load, nearly 7,000 long tons (7,100 t) less than her designed displacement as a battlecruiser.[8] Her complement totaled 1,600 crewmembers.[9]
Akagi andKaga were completed with three superimposed flight decks, the only carriers ever to be designed so. The British carriers converted from "large light cruisers",Glorious,Courageous, andFurious, each had two flight decks, but there is no evidence that the Japanese copied the British model. It is more likely that it was a case of convergent evolution to improvelaunch and recovery cycle flexibility by allowing simultaneous launch and recovery of aircraft.[10]Akagi's main flight deck was 190.2 meters (624 ft 0 in) long and 30.5 meters (100 ft) wide,[11] her middle flight deck (beginning right in front of the bridge) was only 15 meters (49 ft 3 in) long and her lower flight deck was 55.02 meters (180 ft 6 in) long. The utility of her middle flight deck was questionable as it was so short that only some lightly loaded aircraft could use it, even in an era when the aircraft were much lighter and smaller than during World War II.[12] The upper flight deck sloped slightly from amidships toward the bow and toward the stern to assist landings and takeoffs for the underpowered aircraft of that time.[13]
As completed, the ship had two main hangar decks and a third auxiliary hangar, giving a total capacity of 60 aircraft. The third and lowest hangar deck was used only for storing disassembled aircraft. The two main hangars opened onto the middle and lower flight decks to allow aircraft to take off directly from the hangars while landing operations were in progress on the main flight deck above. The upper and middle hangar areas totaled about 80,375 square feet (7,467.1 m2), the lower hangar about 8,515 square feet (791.1 m2). No catapults were fitted. Her forwardaircraft lift was offset to starboard and 11.8 by 13 meters (38 ft 9 in × 42 ft 8 in) in size. Her aft lift was on the centerline and 12.8 by 8.4 meters (42 ft 0 in × 27 ft 7 in). The aft elevator serviced the upper flight deck and all three hangar decks. Herarresting gear was an unsatisfactory British longitudinal system used on the carrierFurious that relied on friction between the arrester hook and the cables. The Japanese were well aware of this system's flaws, as it was already in use on their first carrier,Hōshō, but had no alternatives available whenAkagi was completed. It was replaced during the ship's refit in 1931 with a Japanese-designed transverse cable system with six wires and that was replaced in turn beforeAkagi began her modernization in 1935 by the Kure Model 4 type (Kure shiki 4 gata). There was no island superstructure when the carrier was completed; the carrier was commanded from a space below the forward end of the upper flight deck.[12][14] The ship carried approximately 150,000 US gallons (570,000 L) ofaviation fuel for her embarked aircraft.[15]
As originally completed,Akagi carried an air group of 28Mitsubishi B1M3 torpedo bombers, 16Nakajima A1N fighters and 16Mitsubishi 2MR reconnaissance aircraft.[8]
Akagi was armed with ten 50-caliber20 cm 3rd Year Type No. 1 guns, six in casemates aft and the rest in two twin-gun turrets, one on each side of the middle flight deck. They fired 110-kilogram (240 lb) projectiles at a rate of 3–6 rounds per minute with amuzzle velocity of 870 m/s (2,900 ft/s) at 25°, this provided a maximum range between 22,600 and 24,000 meters (24,700 and 26,200 yd). The turrets were nominally capable of 70° elevation to provide additionalanti-aircraft fire, but in practice the maximum elevation was only 55°. The slow rate of fire and the fixed 5° loading angle minimized any real anti-aircraft capability.[16] This heavy gun armament was provided in case she was surprised by enemy cruisers and forced to give battle, but her large and vulnerable flight deck, hangars, and superstructure made her more of a target in any surface action than a fighting warship. Carrier doctrine was still evolving at this time and the impracticality of carriers engaging in gun duels had not yet been realized.[17][Note 1]
The ship carried dedicated anti-aircraft armament of six twin 45-caliber12 cm 10th Year Type gun mounts fitted onsponsons below the level of the funnels, where they could not fire across the flight deck, three mounts per side.[19] These guns fired 20.3-kilogram (45 lb) projectiles at a muzzle velocity of 825–830 m/s (2,710–2,720 ft/s); at 45°, this provided a maximum range of 16,000 meters (17,000 yd), and they had a maximum ceiling of 10,000 meters (11,000 yd) at 75° elevation. Their effective rate of fire was 6–8 rounds per minute.[20]
Akagi'swaterline armored belt was reduced from 254 to 152 mm (10 to 6 in) and placed lower on the ship than originally designed. The upper part of hertorpedo bulge was given 102 mm (4 in) of armor. Herdeck armor was also reduced from 96 to 79 mm (3.8 to 3.1 in).[21] The modifications improved the ship's stability by helping compensate for the increased topside weight of the double hangar deck.[13]
InAkagi's predecessor,Hōshō, the hot exhaust gases vented by swivelling funnels posed a danger to the ship, and wind-tunnel testing had not suggested any solutions.Akagi andKaga were given different solutions to evaluate in real-world conditions.Akagi was given two funnels on the starboard side. The larger, forward funnel was angled 30° below horizontal with its mouth facing the sea, and the smaller one exhausted vertically a little past the edge of the flight deck. The forward funnel was fitted with a water-cooling system to reduce the turbulence caused by hot exhaust gases and a cover that could be raised to allow the exhaust gases to escape if the ship developed a severe list and the mouth of the funnel touched the sea.Kaga adopted a version of this configuration when she was modernized during the mid-1930s.[22]
Akagi was completed with four Gihon gearedsteam turbine sets, each driving one propeller shaft, that produced a total of 131,000shaft horsepower (98,000 kW). Steam for these turbines was provided by nineteen Type B Kamponboilers with a working pressure of 20 kg/cm2 (1,961 kPa; 284 psi). Some boilers were oil-fired, and the others used a mix offuel oil and coal. As a battlecruiser, she was expected to achieve 28.5knots (52.8 km/h; 32.8 mph), but the reduction in displacement from 41,200 to 34,000 long tons (41,900 to 34,500 t) increased her maximum speed to 32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph), which was reached during hersea trials on 17 June 1927. She carried 3,900 long tons (4,000 t) of fuel oil and 2,100 long tons (2,100 t) of coal that gave her a range of 8,000nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).[23]
Akagi joined theCombined Fleet in August 1927 and was assigned to theFirst Carrier Division upon its formation on 1 April 1928, serving as the division's flagship under Rear AdmiralSankichi Takahashi. The carrier's early career was uneventful, consisting of various training exercises. From 10 December 1928 to 1 November 1929, the ship was captained byIsoroku Yamamoto, future commander of the Combined Fleet.[24]
Akagi was reduced to second-class reserve status on 1 December 1931 in preparation for a short refit in which her arresting gear was replaced and her radio and ventilation systems were overhauled and improved. After completion of the refit,Akagi became a first-class reserve ship in December 1932. On 25 April 1933, she resumed active service and joined theSecond Carrier Division and participated in that year's Special Fleet Maneuvers.[25]
At this time, the IJN's carrier doctrine was still in its early stages.Akagi and the IJN's other carriers were initially given roles as tactical force multipliers supporting the fleet's battleships in the IJN's "decisive battle" doctrine. In this role,Akagi's aircraft were to attack enemy battleships with bombs and torpedoes. Aerial strikes against enemy carriers were later (beginning around 1932–1933) deemed of equal importance, with the goal of establishingair superiority during the initial stages of battle. The essential component in this strategy was that the Japanese carrier aircraft must be able to strike first with a massed, preemptive aerial attack. In fleet training exercises, the carriers began to operate together in front of or with the main battle line. The new strategy emphasized maximum speed from both the carriers and the aircraft they carried as well as larger aircraft with greater range. Thus, longer flight decks on the carriers were required in order to handle the newer, heavier aircraft which were entering service.[26] As a result, on 15 November 1935Akagi was placed in third-class reserve to begin an extensive modernization atSasebo Naval Arsenal.[27]
Akagi's modernization involved far less work than that ofKaga, but took three times as long due to financial difficulties related to theGreat Depression.[28] The ship's three flight decks were judged too small to handle the larger and heavier aircraft then coming into service.[29] As a result, the middle and lower flight decks were eliminated in favor of two enclosed hangar decks that extended almost the full length of the ship. The upper and middle hangar areas' total space increased to about 93,000 square feet (8,600 m2); the lower hangar remained the same size.[9] The upper flight deck was extended to the bow, increasing its length to 249.17 meters (817 ft 6 in) and raising aircraft capacity to 86 (61 operational and 25 in storage). A third elevator midships, 11.8 by 13 meters (38 ft 9 in × 42 ft 8 in) in size, was added. Her arrester gear was replaced by a Japanese-designed, hydraulic Type 1 system with 9 wires.[9][30] The modernization added an island superstructure on the port side of the ship, which was an unusual arrangement; the only other carrier to share this feature was a contemporary, theHiryū. The port side was chosen as an experiment to see if that side was better for flight operations by moving the island away from the ship's exhaust outlets.[29] The new flight deck inclined slightly fore and aft from a point about three-eighths of the way aft.[31]
Akagi's speed was already satisfactory and the only changes to her machinery were the replacement of the mixed coal/oil-fired boilers with modern oil-fired units and the improvement of the ventilation arrangements. Although the engine horsepower increased from 131,200 to 133,000, her speed declined slightly from 32.5 to 31.2 knots (60.2 to 57.8 km/h; 37.4 to 35.9 mph) on trials because of the increase in her displacement to 41,300 long tons (42,000 t). Her bunkerage was increased to 7,500 long tons (7,600 t) of fuel oil which increased her endurance to 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 km; 11,510 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). The rear vertical funnel was changed to match the forward funnel and incorporated into the same casing.[30][32]
The two 20 cm gun turrets on the middle flight deck were removed and 14 twin25 mm (1 in) Type 96 gun mounts were added on sponsons.[33] They fired .25-kilogram (0.55 lb) projectiles at a muzzle velocity of 900 m/s (3,000 ft/s); at 50°, this provided a maximum range of 7,500 m (8,200 yd), and an effective ceiling of 5,500 m (18,000 ft). The maximum effective rate of fire was only between 110 and 120 rounds per minute due to the frequent need to change the 15-round magazines.[34] Six Type 95 directors were fitted to control the new 25 mm guns and two new Type 94 anti-aircraft directors replaced the outdated Type 91s. After the modernization,Akagi carried one Type 89 director for the 20 cm (7.9 in) guns; it is uncertain how many were carried before then.[9] The ship's crew increased to 2,000 after the reconstruction.[35]
The ship's anti-aircraft guns were grouped amidships and placed relatively low on the hull. Thus, the guns could not be brought to bear directly forward or aft. Also, the island blocked the forward arcs of the port battery. As a result, the ship was vulnerable to attack by dive bombers. The ship's 12 cm 10th Year Type guns were scheduled to be replaced by more modern 12.7 cm (5 in) Type 89 mounts in 1942. The anti-aircraft sponsons were to be raised one deck to allow them some measure of cross-deck fire as was done duringKaga's modernization. However, the ship was lost in combat before the upgrade could take place.[36]
Several major weaknesses inAkagi's design were not rectified.Akagi's aviation fuel tanks were incorporated directly into the structure of the carrier, meaning that shocks to the ship, such as those caused by bomb or shell hits, would be transmitted directly to the tanks, resulting in cracks or leaks. Also, the fully enclosed structure of the new hangar decks made firefighting difficult, at least in part because fuel vapors could accumulate in the hangars. Adding to the danger was the requirement of the Japanese carrier doctrine that aircraft be serviced, fueled, and armed whenever possible on the hangar decks rather than on the flight deck. Furthermore, the carrier's hangar and flight decks carried little armor protection, and there was no redundancy in the ship's fire-extinguishing systems. These weaknesses would later be crucial factors in the loss of the ship.[37]
Akagi's modernization was completed on 31 August 1938. She was reclassified as a first reserve ship on 15 November, but did not rejoin the First Carrier Division until the following month. In her new configuration, the carrier embarked 12Mitsubishi A5M Type 96 "Claude" fighters with four disassembled spares, 19Aichi D1A "Susie" dive bombers with five spares, and 35Yokosuka B4Y "Jean" horizontal/torpedo bombers with 16 spares.[38] She sailed for southern Chinese waters on 30 January 1939 and supported ground operations there, including attacks onGuilin andLiuzhou, until 19 February, when she returned to Japan.Akagi supported operations in central China between 27 March and 2 April 1940. She was reclassified as a special purpose ship (Tokubetse Ilomokan) on 15 November 1940, while she was being overhauled.[39][40]
The Japanese experiences off China had helped further develop the IJN's carrier doctrine. One lesson learned in China was the importance of concentration and mass in projecting naval air power ashore. Therefore, in April 1941, the IJN formed theFirst Air Fleet, orKido Butai, to combine all of its fleet carriers under a single command. On 10 April,Akagi andKaga were assigned to the First Carrier Division as part of the new carrier fleet, which also included the Second (with carriersHiryū andSōryū), andFifth (withShōkaku andZuikaku) carrier divisions. The IJN centered its doctrine on air strikes that combined the air groups of entire carrier divisions, rather than individual carriers. When multiple carrier divisions were operating together, the divisions' air groups were combined. This doctrine of combined, massed, carrier-based air attack groups was the most advanced of its kind in the world. The IJN, however, remained concerned that concentrating all of its carriers together would render them vulnerable to being wiped out all at once by a massive enemy air or surface strike. Thus, the IJN developed a compromise solution in which the fleet carriers would operate closely together within their carrier divisions but the divisions themselves would operate in loose rectangular formations, with approximately 7,000 meters (7,700 yd) separating each carrier.[41]
The Japanese doctrine held that entire carrier air groups should not be launched in a single massed attack. Instead, each carrier would launch a "deckload strike" of all its aircraft that could be spotted at one time on each flight deck. Subsequent attack waves consisted of the next deckload of aircraft. Thus, First Air Fleet air attacks would often consist of at least two massed waves of aircraft. The First Air Fleet wasnot considered to be the IJN's primary strategic striking force. The IJN still considered the First Air Fleet an integral component in the Combined Fleet'sKantai Kessen or "decisive battle" task force centered on battleships.[42][43][44]Akagi was designated as the flagship for the First Air Fleet, a role the ship retained until her sinking 14 months later.[45]
Although the concentration of so many fleet carriers into a single unit was a new and revolutionary offensive strategic concept, the First Air Fleet suffered from several defensive deficiencies that gave it, inMark Peattie's words, a"'glass jaw': it could throw a punch but couldn't take one."[46] Japanese carrier anti-aircraft guns and associated fire-control systems had several design and configuration deficiencies that limited their effectiveness. Also, the IJN's fleetcombat air patrol (CAP) consisted of too few fighter aircraft and was hampered by an inadequate early warning system, including lack ofradar. In addition, poor radio communications with the fighter aircraft inhibited effective command and control of the CAP. Furthermore, the carriers' escorting warships were not trained or deployed to provide close anti-aircraft support. These deficiencies, combined with the shipboard weaknesses previously detailed, would eventually doomAkagi and other First Air Fleet carriers.[47]
In preparation for the attack, the ship was anchored atAriake Bay,Kyushu beginning in September 1941 while her aircraft were based atKagoshima to train with the other 1st Air Fleet air units for the Pearl Harbor operation. Once preparations and training were completed,Akagi assembled with the rest of the First Air Fleet atHitokappu Bay in theKuril Islands on 22 November 1941. The ships departed on 26 November 1941 for Hawaii.[48]
Commanded by CaptainKiichi Hasegawa,Akagi was Vice AdmiralChūichi Nagumo's flagship for the striking force for theattack on Pearl Harbor[39] that attempted to cripple theUnited States Pacific Fleet.Akagi and the other five carriers, from a position 230 nautical miles (430 km; 260 mi) north ofOahu, launched two waves of aircraft on the morning of 7 December 1941. In the first wave, 27Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers fromAkagi torpedoed the battleshipsOklahoma,West Virginia, andCalifornia while 9 of the ship'sMitsubishi A6M Zeros attacked the air base atHickam Field. In the second wave, 18Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers from the carrier targeted the battleshipsMaryland andPennsylvania, thelight cruiserRaleigh, thedestroyerShaw, and thefleet oilerNeosho while nine "Zeros" attacked various American airfields. One of the carrier's Zeros was shot down by American anti-aircraft guns during the first wave attack, killing its pilot, while four D3As were shot down in the second wave.[49] In addition to the aircraft which participated in the raid, three of the carrier's fighters were assigned to the CAP. One of the carrier's Zero fighters attacked aBoeing B-17 Flying Fortressheavy bomber that had just arrived from the mainland, setting it on fire as it landed at Hickam, killing one of its crew.[50]
In January 1942, together with the rest of the First and Fifth Carrier Divisions,Akagi supported theinvasion of Rabaul in theBismarck Archipelago, as the Japanese moved to secure their southern defensive perimeter against attacks from Australia. She provided 20 B5Ns and 9 Zeros for the initial airstrike onRabaul on 20 January 1942. The First Carrier Division attacked Allied positions at nearbyKavieng the following day, of whichAkagi contributed 9 A6M Zeros and 18 D3As. On the 22nd,Akagi's D3As and Zeros again attacked Rabaul before returning toTruk on 27 January.[51] The Second Carrier Division, withSōryū andHiryū, had been detached to support theinvasion of Wake Island on 23 December 1941 and did not reunite with the rest of the carrier mobile striking force until February 1942.[52]
Akagi, along withKaga and the carrierZuikaku, sortied in search of American naval forcesraiding theMarshall Islands on 1 February 1942, before being recalled. On 7 FebruaryAkagi and the carriers of the First and Second Carrier Divisions were ordered south to theTimor Sea where, on 19 February, from a point 100 nautical miles (190 km; 120 mi) southeast of the easternmost tip ofTimor, they launchedair strikes againstDarwin, Australia, in an attempt to destroy its port and airfield facilities to prevent any interference with theinvasion of Java.Akagi contributed 18 B5Ns, 18 D3As, and 9 Zeros to the attack, which caught the defenders by surprise. Eight ships were sunk, including the American destroyerPeary, and fourteen more were damaged. None of the carrier's aircraft were lost in the attack and the attack was effective in preventing Darwin from contributing to the Allied defense of Java. On 1 March, the American oilerPecos was sunk by D3As fromSōryū andAkagi. Later that same day the American destroyerEdsall was attacked and sunk by D3As fromAkagi andSōryū, in combination with gunfire from two battleships and two heavy cruisers of the escort force.Akagi and her consorts covered the invasion ofJava, although her main contribution appears to have been providing 18 B5Ns and 9 Zeros for the 5 March air strike onTjilatjap. This group was very successful, sinking eight ships in the harbor there and none ofAkagi's aircraft were lost. Most of the Allied forces in the Dutch East Indies surrendered to the Japanese later in March. TheKido Butai then sailed forStaring Bay onCelebes Island to refuel and recuperate.
On 26 March,Akagi set sail for theIndian Ocean raid with the rest of theKido Butai. The Japanese intent was to defeat the BritishEastern Fleet and destroy British airpower in the region in order to secure the flank of theiroperations in Burma.[53] On 5 April 1942,Akagi launched 17 B5Ns and 9 Zeros in an air strike againstColombo, Ceylon, which damaged the port facilities. None of the aircraft were lost and the Zero pilots claimed to have shot down a dozen of the defending British fighters. Later that day, 17 D3As fromAkagi helped to sink the British heavy cruisersCornwall andDorsetshire. On 9 April, she attackedTrincomalee with 18 B5Ns, escorted by 6 Zeros which claimed to have shot down 5Hawker Hurricane fighters (only two of which can be confirmed from Allied records) without loss to themselves. Meanwhile, a floatplane from the battleshipHaruna spotted the small aircraft carrierHermes, escorted by the Australian destroyerVampire, and every available D3A was launched to attack the ships.Akagi contributed 17 dive bombers and they helped to sink both ships; they also spotted theoil tankerRFAAthelstone, escorted by thecorvetteHollyhock, and sank both without loss. During the day's actions, the carrier narrowly escaped damage when nine BritishBristol Blenheim bombers from Ceylon penetrated the CAP and dropped their bombs from 11,000 feet (3,400 m), just missing the carrier and the heavy cruiserTone.[54] Four of the Blenheims were subsequently shot down by CAP fighters and one was shot down by aircraft from the carriers' returning air strike.[55] After the raid, the carrier mobile striking force returned to Japan to refit and replenish.[56]
On 19 April 1942, while near Taiwan during the transit to Japan,Akagi,Sōryū, andHiryū were sent in pursuit of the American carriersHornet andEnterprise, which had launched theDoolittle Raid. They found only empty ocean, however, for the American carriers had immediately departed the area to return to Hawaii.Akagi and the other carriers shortly abandoned the chase and dropped anchor atHashirajima anchorage on 22 April.[57] On 25 April, CaptainTaijiro Aoki relieved Hasegawa as skipper of the carrier.[58] Having been engaged in constant operations for four and a half months, the ship, along with the other three carriers of the First and Second Carrier Divisions, was hurriedly refitted and replenished in preparation for the Combined Fleet's next major operation, scheduled to begin one month hence.[59] The Fifth Carrier Division, withShōkaku andZuikaku, had been detached in mid-April to supportOperation Mo, resulting in theBattle of the Coral Sea. While at Hashirajima,Akagi's air group was based ashore in Kagoshima and conducted flight and weapons training with the other First Air Fleet carrier units.[60]
Concerned by the US carrier strikes in the Marshall Islands,Lae-Salamaua, and the Doolittle raids, Yamamoto determined to force the US Navy into a showdown to eliminate the American carrier threat. He decided to invade and occupyMidway Island, which he was sure would draw out the American carrier forces to battle. The Japanese codenamed the Midway invasion OperationMI.[61]
On 25 May 1942,Akagi set out with the Combined Fleet's carrier striking force in the company of carriersKaga,Hiryū, and Sōryū, which constituted the First and Second Carrier Divisions, for the attack on Midway Island. Once again, Nagumo flew his flag onAkagi. Because of damage and losses suffered during the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Fifth Carrier Division with carriersShōkaku andZuikaku were absent from the operation.Akagi's aircraft complement consisted of 24 Zeros, 18 D3As, and 18 B5Ns.[62][Note 2]
With the fleet positioned 250 nautical miles (460 km; 290 mi) northwest of Midway Island at dawn (04:45 local time) on 4 June 1942,Akagi's portion of the 108-plane combined air raid was a strike on the airfield on Eastern Island with 18 dive bombers escorted by nine Zeros. The carrier's B5Ns were armed with torpedoes and kept ready in case enemy ships were discovered during the Midway operation. The only loss during the raid fromAkagi's air group was one Zero shot down by AA fire and three damaged; four dive bombers were damaged, of which one could not be repaired.[64] Unbeknownst to the Japanese, the US Navy had discovered the JapaneseMI plan by breaking the Japanese cipher and had prepared an ambush using its three available carriers, positioned northeast of Midway.[65]
One ofAkagi's torpedo bombers was launched to augment the search for any American ships that might be in the area.[Note 3] The carrier contributed three Zeros to the total of 11 assigned to the initial combat air patrol over the four carriers. By 07:00, the carrier had 11 fighters with the CAP which helped to defend theKido Butai from the first US attackers from Midway Island at 07:10.[67]
At this time, Nagumo's carriers were attacked by six US NavyGrumman TBF Avengers fromTorpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) and fourUnited States Army Air Forces (USAAF)B-26 Marauders, all carrying torpedoes. The Avengers went afterHiryū while the Marauders attackedAkagi. The 30 CAP Zeroes in the air at this time, including the 11 fromAkagi, immediately attacked the American aircraft, shooting down five of the Avengers and two of the B-26s. One ofAkagi's Zeroes, however, was shot down by defensive fire from the B-26s. Several of the Marauders dropped their torpedoes, but all either missed or failed to detonate. One B-26, piloted by LieutenantJames Muri,strafedAkagi after dropping its torpedo, killing two men. Another, seriously damaged by anti-aircraft fire, did not pull out of its run, and instead flew directly atAkagi's bridge. The aircraft, either attempting a suicide ramming, or out of control, narrowly missed striking the carrier'sbridge, which could have killed Nagumo and his staff, and crashed into the ocean.[68] This experience may well have contributed to Nagumo's determination to launch another attack on Midway, in direct violation of Yamamoto's order to keep the reserve strike force armed for anti-ship operations.[69]
At 07:15, Nagumo ordered the B5Ns onKaga andAkagi rearmed with bombs for another attack on Midway itself. This process was limited by the number of ordnance carts (used to handle the bombs and torpedoes) and ordnance elevators, preventing torpedoes from being struck below until after all the bombs were moved up from theirmagazine, assembled, and mounted on the aircraft. This process normally took about an hour and a half; more time would be required to bring the aircraft up to the flight deck, warm up and launch the strike group. Around 07:40, Nagumo reversed his order when he received a message from one of his scout aircraft that American warships had been spotted. Three ofAkagi's CAP Zeroes landed aboard the carrier at 07:36. At 07:40, her lone scout returned, having sighted nothing.[70][Note 4]
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At 07:55, the next American strike from Midway arrived in the form of 16 MarineSBD-2 Dauntless dive bombers ofVMSB-241 under MajorLofton R. Henderson.[Note 5]Akagi's three remaining CAP fighters were among the nine still aloft that attacked Henderson's planes, shooting down six of them as they executed a fruitless glide bombing attack onHiryū.[74] At roughly the same time, the Japanese carriers were attacked by 12 USAAF B-17 Flying Fortresses, bombing from 20,000 feet (6,100 m). The high altitude of the bombers gave the Japanese captains enough time to anticipate where the bombs would land and successfully maneuver their ships out of the impact area. Four B-17s attackedAkagi, but missed with all their bombs.[75]
Akagi reinforced the CAP with launches of three Zeros at 08:08 and four at 08:32.[76] These fresh Zeros helped defeat the next American air strike from Midway, 11Vought SB2U Vindicators from VMSB-241, which attacked the battleshipHaruna starting around 08:30. Three of the Vindicators were shot down, andHaruna escaped damage.[77] Although all the American air strikes had thus far caused negligible damage, they kept the Japanese carrier forces off-balance as Nagumo endeavored to prepare a response to news, received at 08:20, of the sighting of American carrier forces to his northeast.[78]
Akagi began recovering her Midway strike force at 08:37 and finished shortly after 09:00.[79] The landed aircraft were quickly struck below, while the carriers' crews began preparations to spot aircraft for the strike against the American carrier forces. The preparations, however, were interrupted at 09:18 when the first American carrier aircraft to attack were sighted. These consisted of 15Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bombers of VT-8, led byJohn C. Waldron from the carrierHornet. The six airborneAkagi CAP Zeroes joined the other 15 CAP fighters currently aloft in destroying Waldron's planes. All 15 of the American planes were shot down as they attempted a torpedo attack onSoryū, leaving onesurviving aviator treading water.[80]
Shortly afterwards 14 Devastators fromVT-6 from the carrierEnterprise, led byEugene E. Lindsey, attacked. Lindsey's aircraft tried to sandwichKaga, but the CAP, reinforced by an additional eight Zeros launched byAkagi at 09:33 and 09:40, shot down all but four of the Devastators, andKaga dodged the torpedoes. Defensive fire from the Devastators shot down one ofAkagi's Zeros.[81][82][Note 6]
Minutes after the torpedo plane attacks, American carrier-based dive bombers arrived over the Japanese carriers almost undetected and began their dives. It was at this time, around 10:20, that in the words of Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully, the "Japanese air defenses would finally and catastrophically fail."[85] Twenty-eight dive bombers fromEnterprise, led byC. Wade McClusky, began an attack onKaga, hitting her with at least four bombs. At the last minute, one of McClusky's elements of three bombers fromVB-6, led by squadron commanderRichard Best who deducedKaga to be fatally damaged, broke off and dove simultaneously onAkagi. At approximately 10:26, the three bombers hit her with one 1,000-pound (450 kg) bomb and just missed with two others. The first near-miss landed 5–10 m (16–33 ft) to port, near her island. The third bomb just missed the flight deck and plunged into the water next to the stern. The second bomb, likely dropped by Best, landed at the aft edge of the middle elevator and detonated in the upper hangar. This hit set off explosions among the fully armed and fueled B5N torpedo bombers that were being prepared for an air strike against the American carriers, resulting in an uncontrollable fire.[86][Note 7]
At 10:29, Aoki ordered the ship's magazines flooded. The forward magazines were promptly flooded, but the aft magazines were not due to valve damage, likely caused by the near miss aft. The ship's main water pump also appears to have been damaged, greatly hindering fire fighting efforts. On the upper hangar deck, at 10:32 damage control teams attempted to control the spreading fires by employing the one-shot CO2 fire-suppression system. Whether the system functioned or not is unclear, but the burning aviation fuel proved impossible to control, and serious fires began to advance deeper into the interior of the ship. At 10:40, additional damage caused by the near-miss aft made itself known when the ship's rudder jammed 30 degrees to starboard during an evasive maneuver.[89]
Shortly thereafter, the fires broke through the flight deck and heat and smoke made the ship's bridge unusable. At 10:46, Nagumo transferred his flag to the light cruiserNagara.[Note 8]Akagi stopped dead in the water at 13:50 and her crew, except for Aoki and damage-control personnel, was evacuated. She continued to burn as her crew fought a losing battle against the spreading fires.[92][Note 9] The damage-control teams and Aoki were evacuated from the still floating ship later that night.[96][Note 10]
At 04:50 on 5 June, Yamamoto orderedAkagi scuttled, saying to his staff, "I was once the captain ofAkagi, and it is with heartfelt regret that I must now order that she be sunk."[98] DestroyersArashi,Hagikaze,Maikaze, andNowaki each fired one torpedo into the carrier and she sank, bow first, at 05:20 at30°30′N178°40′W / 30.500°N 178.667°W /30.500; -178.667. Two hundred and sixty-seven men of the ship's crew were lost, the fewest of any of the Japanese fleet carriers lost in the battle.[98][Note 11] The loss ofAkagi and the three other IJN carriers at Midway, comprising two thirds of Japan's total number of fleet carriers and the experienced core of the First Air Fleet, was a crucial strategic defeat for Japan and contributed significantly to Japan's ultimate defeat in the war.[100] In an effort to conceal the defeat,Akagi was not immediately removed from the Navy's registry of ships, instead being listed as "unmanned" before finally being struck from the registry on 25 September 1942.[101]
On 20 October 2019, the Director of Undersea Operations forVulcan Inc. Rob Kraft andNaval History and Heritage Command historian Frank Thompson aboardRV Petrel identified the wreck ofAkagi using high-frequency sonar. Located 1,300 miles (2,100 km) north west of Pearl Harbor,Akagi was found at a depth of 18,011 feet (5,490 m). It is reported that the wreck is upright, on its keel and is largely intact. Two days before the discovery ofAkagi,Petrel had discovered the wreck ofKaga.[102]
The wreck ofAkagi was visited and photographed by the research vesselEV Nautilus in September 2023.[103] The survey confirmed that the ship was largely intact despite large amounts of damage to the hull, superstructure and flight deck.
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