The Kinugasa was the second and last of the Aoba-class heavy cruisers. Launched on October 24, 1926 and commissioned on September 30, 1927 at Kobe, Japan, her service with the Japanese Fleet began as the Fifth (Sentai) Squadron’s flagship. She stayed with that organization as well as the Sixth and Seventh Squadrons for almost her entire existence. In 1928, the cruiser was the first Japanese warship to carry an aircraft catapult. She steamed of China in 1928 and 1929 and on occasions in 1930. The Navy deactivated her in September 1937 and made significant modifications to her such that she did not rejoin the fleet until October 1940.

The Kinugasa’s new assignment was with the Sixth Squadron for the year before war began in the Pacific. She was part of the naval forces in December 1941 that supported the capture of the advanced American bases of Guam and Wake Islands. The cruiser was at the Battle of Coral Sea in May 1942 and during the desperate Japanese attempts to recapture Guadalcanal. She was in Mikawa’s force at the Battle of Savo Island in August 1942, the Battle of Cape Esperance on October 13, and the bombardment of Henderson Field on November 14, 1942. As the Kinugasa left the waters off Guadalcanal, American aircraft from the carrier Enterprise (CV-6) and Henderson Field attacked the cruiser and sank her. Another wreck rested in the waters Iron Bottom Sound.

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