Battleship Musashi
Battleships of World War 2 ( WW2 )

Battleship Musashi, "sister" of the 65,000-ton WW2 battleship Yamato, was built at Nagasaki, Japan. Commissioned in August 1942, she was stationed at Truk from January 1943 into 1944 as part of a heavy force covering the Central Pacific against the threat of an American offensive. When the latter materialized, with the invasion of the Marshalls and raids by aircraft carrier planes against Japanese positions further west, Musashi's base was moved to the Palaus. She was torpedoed by the submarine USS Tunny (SS-282) on 29 March 1944, necessitating repairs in Japan, during which her anti-aircraft firepower was enhanced.

In June 1944, with the torpedo damage repaired, Musashi took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Her next, and last, major operation was the Battle of Leyte Gulf, in which the Japanese surface navy made a final major effort to repulse the U.S. drive into the Western Pacific. On 24 October 1944, while en route to the prospective battle area off the Leyte landing beaches, Musashi and her consorts were attacked by hundreds of U.S. Navy carrier aircraft. In this Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, she was hit by some nineteen torpedoes and seventeen bombs. Though her heavy protection withstood this massive damage to a degree probably unsurpassed by any other contemporary warship, Musashi capsized and sank about four hours after she received her last hit.

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Battleship Musashi Design and Construction

Musashi was the second ship of the Yamato class heavy-battleships, designed by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1937. Musashi and her sister-ships were built to be capable of engaging several opposing capital-ships simultaneously, as a method of compensating for Japan's inability to industrially match the United States Navy. With each vessel of the Yamato class displacing well over 70,000 tons, it was hoped that the firepower of Musashi and her sister-ships could offset American industrial power.

The keel of Musashi was laid down 29 March 1938 at Mitsubishi's Nagasaki shipyard, and was designated "Battleship No. 2". Throughout construction, large hanging blinds made of hemp rope and strategically placed warehouses prevented outsiders from viewing construction. The deceptions were so successful that the American Consulate—located across the bay from Musashi's construction site—was unaware of her existence during her construction.[3] Because of the vessel's size, the Nagasaki dockyards and construction equipment had to be heavily modified to fit Musashi's hull. Musashi was launched 1 November 1940, with Captain (later Vice Admiral) Kaoru Arima assigned as her Chief Equipping Officer.

Battleship Musashi Armament

Musashi's main battery consisted of nine 18.1 inch 40 cm/45 Type 94 naval guns—the largest caliber of naval artillery ever fitted to a warship. Each gun was 21.13 metres (69.3 ft) long, weighed 147.3 metric tons (162.4 short tons), and was capable of firing high-explosive or armour-piercing shells 42.0 kilometres (26.1 mi).

Musashi's secondary battery comprised twelve 6.1-inch (15 cm) guns mounted in four triple turrets (one forward, one aft, two midships), and twelve 5-inch (13 cm) guns in six double-turrets (three on each side amidships). In addition, Musashi carried twenty-four 1-inch (2.5 cm) anti-aircraft guns, primarily mounted amidships. When refitted in 1944, the secondary battery configuration was changed to six 6.1-inch (15 cm) guns, twenty-four 5-inch (13 cm) guns, and one hundred-thirty 1-inch (2.5 cm) antiaircraft guns, in preparation for naval engagements in the South Pacific.


Battleship Musashi Deployment and Combat

Battleship Musashi - 1942: Commissioning and Sea Trials

On 5 August 1942, Musashi was commissioned at Nagasaki, with Arima Kaoru assigned as Captain; she joined Yamato, Nagato and Mutsu in the 1st Battleship Division the same day.[4] From 3–28 September 1942, Musashi was fitted out with her secondary armament, consisting of twelve 127-mm guns, thirty-six 25-mm guns and four 13.2-mm light machine guns, as well as additional radar equipment.[4]

Throughout October and November, Musashi carried out trials and gunnery-drills near Kure. In December 1942, following aircraft drills with Zuikaku, Musashi was declared operational.

Battleship Musashi - 1943: Flagship of the Combined Fleet

On 18 January 1943, Musashi departed Kure for Truk Lagoon, arriving four days later. On 11 February 1943, Musashi replaced her sister-ship Yamato as flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.[4] On 1 April 1943, Yamamoto departed Musashi and flew to Rabaul, New Britain, to personally direct Operation I-Go, a Japanese air offensive in the Solomon Islands.[12] Fifteen days later, acting on codes deciphered by Ultra, Yamamoto was killed when his aircraft was shot down by American fighter aircraft while he was en-route from New Britain to Ballale, Bougainville.[12] On 23 April 1943, Yamamoto's cremated remains were taken to Truk and placed in his cabin on-board Musashi where other Combined Fleet officers visited and paid their respects.[12]
Emperor Hirohito and his Command Staff on board Musashi on 24 June 1943

On 17 May 1943, in response to American attacks on Attu Island, Musashi, along with two light carriers, nine destroyers, and two cruisers, was deployed to the northern Pacific.[4] When no contact was made with American forces, Musashi traveled to Japan and delivered Yamamoto's ashes to Kure on May 23. The ashes were taken from the vessel in preparation for a formal, state funeral[13] Immediately afterwards, Musashi joined a significantly larger force to counterattack American naval forces off of Attu. However, when Attu fell before the force could be fully deployed, the counterattack was abandoned and Musashi returned to Japan.

On 24 June, while undergoing overhauling and repairs at Yokosuka, Musashi was visited by Emperor Hirohito and other high-ranking naval officials.[4] Transferring to Kure on 1 July 1943, Musashi drydocked the same day. From 1–8 July, Musashi was upgraded with improved firing control and radar. Following several transfers between the Home Islands bases, Musashi deployed to Truk on 31 July, arriving six days later.

On 18 September 1943, Musashi sortied from Truk alongside three other battleships in response to American raids on Eniwetok and Brown Island. Seven days later, the fleet returned to Truk without having contacted the American forces. In October, in response to suspicions of planned American raids on Wake Island, Musashi led a large fleet under Admiral Mineichi Koga—three fast carriers, six battleships and eleven cruisers—to intercept American carrier forces. When no contact was made, the fleet returned to Truk on 26 October 1943.[4] The remainder of 1943 was spent in Truk Lagoon; as her previous captain was promoted, Captain Asakura Bunji assumed command of Musashi on 7 December 1943.

Battleship Musashi - 1944: Combat and Loss

Musashi remained in Truk Lagoon until 10 February 1944, when she returned to Yokosuka alongside three smaller vessels. On 24 February, Musashi departed Yokosuka with two specialized army battalions and their munitions for Palau. The same day as she departed Japan, Musashi's battlegroup encountered a typhoon, during which the majority of the battleship's deck cargo was lost.[4] Musashi arrived at Palau on 29 February 1944, and remained at the base for the next month. On 29 March 1944, in anticipation of American air-raids on the island, Musashi departed Palau under the cover of darkness.[4] Almost immediately after leaving Palau, Musashi and her escorts were attacked by the American submarine Tunny, which fired six torpedoes at the battleship.[15] However, Musashi's escorts spotted the torpedo-wakes, and the battleship was able to evade five of the six torpedoes. One struck near the bow, flooding the hydrophone compartment and causing 18 casualties.
Musashi as she appeared in 1944

On 3 April, Musashi arrived at Kure for repairs. From 10–22 April 1944, Musashi underwent repairs and upgrades, receiving new radar, depth-charge rails, and increased antiaircraft capabilities. When she undocked on 22 April, Musashi's secondary battery was composed of six 6.1-inch guns, 12 5-inch guns, one hundred-thirty 25-mm guns, and four 13-mm machine-guns.

In May 1944, Musashi departed Kure for Okinawa, then Tawitawi alongside the Japanese Second Fleet—under the command of Vice-Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa. On 10 June 1944, Musashi departed Tawitawi for Biak, with the intention of counter-attacking the American invasion of the island.] Two days later, when word reached Ozawa of American attacks on Saipan, the Second Fleet diverted from Biak to the Mariana Islands. During the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Musashi escorted fast carriers of the Japanese Second Fleet. Following Japan's disastrous defeat in the battle—during which some 450 aircraft and two fast carriers were lost—the Second Fleet returned to Japan. On 10 July 1944, Musashi departed Okinawa for Singapore, alongside her sister-ship Yamato.
Musashi under attack by American carrier aircraft during the Battle of Leyte Gulf

On 18 October 1944, Musashi joined the main Japanese fleet in Brunei, in preparation for Operation Sho-1, the counterattack planned against the American landings at Leyte. The Japanese plan called for Ozawa's carrier forces to lure the American carrier fleets north of Leyte so that the Central Force, under the command of Vice-Admiral Takeo Kurita, could enter Leyte Gulf and destroy American forces landing on the island. With this objective, five battleships, including Musashi, and ten heavy cruisers departed Brunei for the Philippines on 20 October.

Soon after departing Brunei, two American submarines torpedoed and sank two of Kurita's heavy-cruisers, including Kurita's flagship Atago; forcing Kurita to transfer his flag to Yamato. On 24 October 1944, Kurita's centre force came under heavy air-attack while transiting the Sibuyan Sea by five separate strikes of American carrier task forces. Early in the assaults, American carrier pilots—primarily from the Essex, Franklin and Intrepid—learned to capitalize on Musashi's armour deficiencies near the bow, heavily damaging the battleship in the first three raids, and forcing her to slow to 10 knots. When it became apparent that the ship could not sustain further damage, her captain, Rear Admiral Inoguchi, attempted to run her aground on a nearby island. Musashi sank at 19:36, however, having been overwhelmed by seventeen bomb and nineteen torpedoes hits. 1,023 of her 2,399-man crew died, with the remainder being rescued by Japanese destroyers several hours later. Eighteen American aircraft were lost in the attack.