Tone file photo [19494]

Tone

CountryJapan
Ship ClassTone-class Heavy Cruiser
Laid Down1 Dec 1934
Launched21 Nov 1937
Commissioned20 Nov 1938
Sunk24 Jul 1945
Displacement15,200 tons standard
Length650 feet
Beam61 feet
Draft21 feet
Speed35 knots
Crew850
Armament8x8in guns, 8x5in guns, 57x25mm anti-aircraft, 12x24in torpedo tubes
AircraftAichi E13A and Nakajima E8N reconnaissance flying boats

Contributor:

ww2dbaseNamed after a river, the heavy cruiser Tone participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor as escort to the six aircraft carriers, and launched her seaplanes to scout Wake Island immediately before its invasion. Upon returning to South Pacific, she participated in a series of attacks that expanded Japan's control of the sea into the Indian Ocean to the west and Java to the south. At Midway, Tone's reconnaissance planes discovered several American ships but failed to recognized them as part of a carrier group. After Midway, she was involved in many campaigns, including the Solomons and the daring counterattack on the American invasion of the Philippines (which failed despite of the tactical victory off Samar which Tone was a part of).

ww2dbaseTone was in Hiroshima Bay in Jul 1945 when American aircraft attacked the remnants of the Japanese Navy there. She was hit by three bombs from planes from USS Monterey, and sank in the shallow bay. With its superstructure still showing on the surface, she continued to be a target of attack in the subsequent bombing run several days later.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Sep 2005

Heavy Cruiser Tone Interactive Map

Photographs

Japanese heavy cruiser Tone, Japan, circa 1930sView from a USAAF B-17 bomber of Japanese destroyers Amatsukaze (center, sailing at speed) and Tokitsukaze (top right, slowly backing away from the carrier) evacuating crew of the disabled carrier Ryujo (top center, immobile), Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24 Aug 1942; note heavy cruiser Tone underway at right edge of the photograph, photo 1 of 2View from a USAAF B-17 bomber of Japanese destroyers Amatsukaze (center, sailing at speed) and Tokitsukaze (top right, slowly backing away from the carrier) evacuating crew of the disabled carrier Ryujo (top center, immobile), Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24 Aug 1942; note heavy cruiser Tone underway at right edge of the photograph, photo 2 of 2View from a USAAF B-17 bomber of Japanese heavy cruiser Tone, Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24 Aug 1942
See all 6 photographs of Heavy Cruiser Tone

Tone Operational Timeline

20 Nov 1938 Tone was commissioned into service.
24 Jul 1945 British TF 37 launched 416 sorties, 261 of which were sent against the Japanese home islands and 155 were for defensive patrols; escort carrier Kaiyo was damaged by British carrier planes. On the same day, American TF 38 launched 600 aircraft against Kure, Nagoya, Osaka, and Miho, sinking battleship-carrier Hyuga, heavy cruiser Tone, and target ship Settsu, and damaging carrier Ryuho, carrier Amagi, battleship-carrier Ise, battleship Haruna, heavy cruiser Aoba, light cruiser Oyodo, transport Kiyokawa Maru; the Aichi aircraft factories at Nagoya were seriously damaged.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Commenter identity confirmed BILL says:
21 Feb 2009 11:45:53 AM

Would like to have seen a photo. Short history about the Tone. built by Mitsubishi 1934, Displ. 15,200 tons, Lenght 649ft,Speed 35.2kts., Range 9,000nm., Armament 8x203mm (8in),8x127mm (5in),12x25mm anti-aircraftguns,4x3 610mm (nominal rotating TT)5 aircraft, 2 catapults. Launched 21 Nov. 1937 completed 20 Nov. 1938. Sunk 24 July 1945 shallow water near Kure,Japan salvaged and broken up 1948. The Tone paricipated in the Peal Harbor attack and launched seaplanes on 8 Dec. to recon. damage to the U.S. Pacific Fleet, she particpated in many operations during the Pacific War.

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Search WW2DB
More on Tone
Personnel:
» Kobe, Yuji

Event(s) Participated:
» Attack on Pearl Harbor
» Battle of Wake Island
» New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 1, Bismarck Islands
» Dutch East Indies Campaign, Java
» Attack on Darwin
» Raids into the Indian Ocean
» Battle of Midway and the Aleutian Islands
» Solomon Islands Campaign
» Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign
» Preparations for Invasion of Japan

Partner Sites Content:
» Tone Tabular Record of Movement

Heavy Cruiser Tone Photo Gallery
Japanese heavy cruiser Tone, Japan, circa 1930s
See all 6 photographs of Heavy Cruiser Tone


Famous WW2 Quote
"Since peace is now beyond hope, we can but fight to the end."

Chiang Kaishek, 31 Jul 1937


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