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The lead ship of her class, Kuma was laid down in August 1918 and commissioned two years later. Torpedoed by HMS Tally-Ho, she sank in January 1944, and was officially struck from the Naval List in March, 1944.

Designed in 1917, she was, at 5100 tons, smaller than later cruisers. Typical of Japanese naval design of that era, Kuma packed as much, if not more, power plant and armament as was safe. Her 4 turbines could generate 90,000 horsepower and drive her at 36 knots. Armed with seven 5.5 inch guns and 8 torpedo tubes, she was a match for most heavy cruisers of the day.

Immediately after commissioning in 1920, Kuma covered the landings of Japanese troops in Siberia against the Bolshevik Red Army.

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor on 8 December 1941, Kuma was participating in the invasion of the northern Philippines. From December, 1941 - April, 1942, Kuma covered landings at Aparri, Vigan,Lingayen Gulf, Cebu, Panay, and Zamboanga, in the Philippines. On 6 May, Kuma covered the final assault on the American bastion on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay. Afterwards, Kuma remained on patrol at Manila until 12 August 1942.

After a refit at Kure, the Kuma returned to Manila on 20 September 1942. It ferried troops from Hong Kong to Rabaul, New Britain in October. The Kuma then proceeded to Makassar, Celebes where it began patrols until 13 April 1943, with occasional embarkation of reinforcements for Rabaul and New Guinea.

On 23 June 1943, while at Makassar, Kuma was attacked by B-24 Liberator bombers of the 5th Air Force, but suffered only slight damage.

From 1 November, 1943, Kuma was refit in Singapore. A 140-mm gun, her catapult, and derrick were removed, making room for additional anti-aircraft guns, bringing the total number of Kuma's 25-mm AA guns to ten barrels. Refit was completed by 12 November, and patrols in the Dutch East Indies resumed through 9 January 1944.

On 11 January 1944, after departing from Penang with the Uranami, Kuma was sighted by Royal Navy submarine HMS Tally-Ho (P317). 10 miles off Penang, the Tally-Ho fired a seven-torpedo salvo from 1,900 yards. Kuma's lookouts spotted the torpedoes' wakes, and although the rudder was sent hard over, Kuma was hit by two torpedoes, setting the ship on fire. Kuma sank by the stern detonating her own depth-charges. Uranami took on Kuma's survivors including Captain Sugino, but 138 crewmen perished with the ship.

Kuma was removed from the Navy list on 10 March 1944.

Sources: Public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

and pictures from my father's 1943 Naval Recognition Manual

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