| Imperial Japanese Navy cruiser Kumano is bombed by planes of Task Force 38, following the Battle off Samar. She had lost her bow the previous day, and was further crippled by this attack, but was not sunk until November 25, 1944. Photographed from a USS Hancock (CV-19) plane. Note Curtiss SB2C Helldiver at right center. Kumano’s bow had been struck by a torpedo from USS Johnston (DD-557), her forecastle collapsed, during the Battle Off Samar, making mooring impossible. At 0850 Hours on October 26, 1944, the next day after the battle, 4 Curtiss SB2C Helldiver bombers, 7 General Motors TbM Avenger torpedo bombers, and 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters from USS Hancock (CV-19) were detached from a larger strike pursuing the retreating Combined Fleet under Imperial Japanese Navy Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita (April 28, 1889 – December 19, 1977). While this view appears to show Kumano finished, a tower of smoke and steam emanating from her wrecked superstructure and stacks, she did not sink. Hit by 4,000 pound (450 kilogram) bombs, 2 in the funnels and 1 in the bridge, Kumano shuttered to a halt. After a tense time rebuilding her boilers in the open sea, Captain Hitomi Soichiro (September 16, 1899 – November 25, 1944) and his crew regain speed, 1st to 2 knots (2 and 3rd miles per hour; 3 1/2 kilometers per hour) and then to 10 knots (11 and half miles per hours; 18 and half kilometers per hour). Joining with the damaged cruiser Aoba, the crippled cruisers attempted to leave Manila for Takeo, Formosa. They ran into many attacks from United States Navy submarines. 23 torpedoes are fired from 4 submarines, scoring 2 hits. 1 destroys her temporary bow. She his towed to Dasol Bay, Philippines. Again repaired over the next few weeks, Kumano was attacked by aircraft from USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) at 1430 Hours on November 25, 1944. 5 Mark 13 torpedoes and 900 pound (225 kilogram) bombs hit the cruiser. Captain Hitomi and 440 officers and men go down with Kumano in 108 feet (32 meters) off Santa Cruz. The ship capsized, remaining afloat until 1515 Hours. Captain Hitomi was promoted to Rear Admiral posthumously. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1677.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.03 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 2232 x 2190 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | October 26, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Santa Cruz |
| State or Province | Luzon |
| Country | Philippines |
| Archive | Naval History and Heritage Command |
| Record Number | 80-G-47012 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
Author of the World War II Multimedia Database