Japanese aircraft carrier Sōryū

Unveiling the Legacy of Sōryū: A Carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy

‘Imagine a ship, not just a vessel, but a symbol of power and might during one of history’s most tumultuous periods.’

Sōryū was an aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the mid-1930s. Her sister ship Hiryū had a modified design, hinting at the naval arms race that was shaping the future of warfare. This ship’s journey through time is a testament to the complexities and challenges faced by military engineers and strategists alike.

The Design and Armament

Sōryū was designed as a large carrier, with lessons learned from earlier Japanese carriers. Her four geared steam turbine sets promised a speed of 34.5 knots, making her a formidable presence on the high seas. The ship’s island design protruded beyond the hull without encroaching on the flight deck width, ensuring smooth operations and efficient use of space.

With nine arrestor wires, Sōryū could stop a 6,000 kg aircraft in its tracks. Her flight deck was only 12.8 meters above waterline due to low-hanging hangars, which were necessary for the transportation of aircraft by three elevators. The ship had an aviation gasoline capacity of 570,000 liters and planned for sixty-three aircraft.

However, Sōryū’s primary anti-aircraft armament consisted of six twin-gun mounts with 50-caliber 12.7-centimeter guns, and light AA armament comprised fourteen twin-gun mounts for license-built Hotchkiss 25 mm guns. Three Japanese light AA guns were mounted on a platform below the flight deck, but these had several design shortcomings including inability to track high-speed targets, inadequate sights, excessive vibration, and muzzle blast.

Armor and Protection

The ship was minimally armored with a waterline belt of 41 mm Ducol steel protecting only machinery spaces and magazines. Thinner armor covered the deck and aviation gasoline storage tanks. This design choice reflected the priorities of naval architects at the time, focusing more on speed and maneuverability than on heavy protection.

Operational History

Sōryū was laid down in 1934, launched in 1935, and commissioned in 1937. Her air group consisted of various aircraft including fighters, dive bombers, and torpedo bombers, which were transferred to support forces advancing up the Yangtze River, later returning to Sōryū’s air group.

In 1940-1941, Sōryū was based at Hainan Island to support Japanese invasion of French Indochina, then moved to Taiwan to reinforce blockade of southern China. In April 1941, she became flagship of the 2nd Carrier Division.

The ship’s journey took her from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, participating in various operations including the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway. At Midway, Sōryū was damaged and sank after being attacked by American forces, resulting in the loss of 711 crew members.

The Fall of Sōryū

On June 4, 1942, during the Battle of Midway, Sōryū participated in a strike on Eastern Island. The Japanese did not know that the US Navy had discovered their plan and had prepared an ambush using its three available carriers.

The battle was intense, with Sōryū contributing fighters to the initial combat air patrol over the four carriers and helping defend against the first US attackers from Midway Island. At 07:10, a wave of American aircraft attacked the Japanese carriers, but Sōryū’s fighters shot down five of the Avengers and two B-26s.

Admiral Nagumo ordered the B5Ns to be rearmed with bombs for another attack on Midway, but reversed his order when he received a message from scout aircraft that American warships had been spotted. The next American strike arrived at 07:55 in the form of sixteen Douglas SBD Dauntless bombers, which were shot down by Sōryū’s fighters.

A dozen USAAC Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses attacked Sōryū, but all missed their target. The CAP defeated 11 American dive bombers from VMSB-241 attacking Haruna, but failed until after an attack on Sōryū by 15 Devastators, allowing them to be shot down by CAP Zeros. Two more Devastator attacks followed, with CAP fighters shooting down most aircraft.

At 10:20, Dauntlesses from Yorktown attacked and sank Sōryū, suffering only three direct hits in return. The destroyers Isokaze and Hamakaze rescued survivors, and Sōryū was eventually sunk at position 30°38′N 179°13′W after being scuttled with torpedoes.

‘Sōryū’s legacy is a reminder of the complexities of naval warfare in the Pacific during World War II. Her story, like many others, is a blend of triumph and tragedy.’