© 1999 Anthony P. Tully

3 May 1942:
Commissioned and assigned to 1st Air Fleet, CarDiv 4, Main Body.

20 May 1942:
Assigned to Striking Force #2, Northern Force.

26 May 1942:
Flying the flag of RAdm Kakuta Kakuji, Depart Ominato for Aleutians Operation with RYUJO, MAYA, and TAKAO, escorted by Desdiv 7.

3 june 1942:
Launch strikes with RYUJO against Dutch Harbor, Alaska, as part of the diversionary operations during the Midway operation. Cover invasion of Attu and Kiska.

5 June 1942:
Launch another strike on Dutch Harbor. Bombed by U.S. land-based bombers, but no damage received.

24 June 1942:
Arrive Ominato.

29 June 1942:
Depart Ominato for the homeland.

20 July 1942:
Captain Okada Tametsugu assigned as commanding officer.

9 October 1942:
Arrive at Truk. Assigned to Main Unit Advance Force (CarDiv 2, Third Fleet).

11 October 1942:
Depart Truk in the preliminaries to the Battle of Santa Cruz.

25 October 1942:
Launches six bombers and twelve fighters which attack Henderson Field at 1350, suffering no losses, but inflicting little damage.

26 October 1942:
Assigned to Striking Force; bombed in South Pacific engagement, but no damage. At 1106 launched a strike (second of the day) of eight fighters and seven torpedo planes. At 1310 these attacked the crippled U.S. carrier HORNET, frustrating a tow attempt by heavy cruiser NORTHAMPTON. This strike scores a devastating torpedo hit in the starboard after engine room of the carrier at 1323, knocking out all remaining power and thwarting further salvage attempts. (The HORNET is subsequently sunk by destroyers of the Advance Force after failed scuttling attempts by USN destroyers).

30 October 1942:
Arrive at Truk.

9 November 1942:
Depart Truk with BatDiv 3 (KONGO, HARUNA) and TONE to cover a major convoy to reinforce Guadalcanal.

13 November 1942:
Morning: At 0737 KIRISIHIMA is ordered to close JUNYO force off Ontong Java, and abandon her attempt to go to the rescue of crippled battleship HIEI. Instead, JUNYO Launches six aircraft to help defend crippled battleship HIEI; they arrive late, at 1135, because they had been given the wrong position. They attempt to stop the final aerial torpedo attacks from planes of USS ENTERPRISE at 1230, but to no avail, and the salvage effort on HIEI is fatally compromised by two additional torpedo hits. The battleship has to be abandoned and left to sink.

18 November 1942:
Return to Truk.

4 December 1942:
Reassigned to Third Fleet, CarDiv 2.

16 December 1942:
Depart Truk with AGANO and three destroyers to cover reinforcement operation to Wewak, New Guinea.

20 December 1942:
Return to Truk.

12 January 1943:
Assigned to Southeast Area Force, Outer South Seas Support Force. At Truk throughout except period 16th through 18th.

16 January 1943:
Depart Truk with Desdiv 9 to cover convoy to Wewak.

19 January 1943:
Return to Truk.

25 January 1943:
Resumes assignment with Forward Force Air Force, Third Fleet, CarDiv 2.

31 January 1943:
Depart Truk as part of the cover for the evacuation of Guadalcanal, Operation KE.

9 February 1943:
Arrive at Truk.

12 February 1943:
Captain Okada relieved; successor unknown.

16 February 1943:
Depart Truk for Inland Sea.

22 February 1943:
Arrive at Kure.

16 March 1943:
Depart Kure for Saeki.

22 March 1943:
With sister-ship HIYO, depart Saeki for Truk with SUZUTSUKI and HATSUZUKI.

27 March 1943:
Arrive at Truk.

1 April 1943:
Assigned to contribute aircraft to "I" Operation activated by Commander-in-Cheif Yamamoto Isoroku this day. Vessel itself remains at Truk.

12 April 1943:
Minor damage from splinters from air raid on Truk.

3 May 1943:
Assignment changed to Forward Force Air Force, under tactical command of forward force. Vessel remains at Truk through end of month.

15 June 1943:
Assignment changed to Eastern Force Carrier force, still under tactical command of forward force. Continues to remain at Truk throughout.

10 July 1943:
Assigned to Striking Force (3rd Fleet, CarDiv 2).

19 July 1943:
Depart Truk for Kure.

25 July 1943:
Arrive at Kure, reassigned to Combined Fleet.

26 July 1943:
Enters drydock at Kure.

31 July 1943:
Leaves drydock.

9 August 1943:
Depart Kure; arrive Iwakuni.

15 August 1943:
Depart Saeki for Singapore on plane-ferrying duty.

28 August 1943:
Arrive Singapore.

4 September 1943:
Depart Singapore for Inland Sea.

11 September 1943:
Arrive Kure, subsequently shifts to Iwakuni.

19 September 1943:
Departs Iwakuni for Truk with army troops and equipment for the Carolines.

24 September 1943:
Arrive at Truk.

28 September 1943:
Assignment changed from Combined Fleet to Striking Force, 3rd Fleet, CarDiv 2.

29 September 1943:
Depart Truk for Kure.

5 October 1943:
Arrive at Kure.

12 October 1943:
Depart Iwakuni for Truk.

19 October 1943:
Arrive at Truk.

31 October 1943:
Depart Truk for Kure in company with UNYO, YAMASHIRO, ISE, and TONE.

5 November 1943:
Attacked in the Bungo Suide at 0540 by USS HALIBUT. Struck by one torpedo in the starboard quarter. Four men are killed and steering is disabled, but flooding and list is minimal. The screen drives away the submarine, and carrier is gotten into Kure despite a disabled rudder.

19 November 1943:
Enter drydock for repairs of torpedo damage.

25 November 1943:
Leave drydock. Remain at Kure through the end of 1943.

21 December 1943:
Enter drydock. Remains there till the end of February 1944.

25 December 1943:
Captain ? relieved by ?.

21 February 1944:
Captain Shibuya Kiyomi assigned as commanding officer.

29 February 1944:
Leave drydock.

26 March 1944:
Depart Kure for Iwakuni.

April 1944:
In Iwakuni-Kure area throughout month.

11 May 1944:
In company with sister ship HIYO, the MUSASHI, ZUIHO, CHITOSE, and CHIYODA; depart Saeki, Japan for Tawi Tawi.

12 May 1944:
Stopover at Okinawa.

16 May 1944:
Arrive at Tawi Tawi, and join Mobile Fleet of Admiral Ozawa. Subsequently depart with the rest of the Mobile Fleet for the "A-GO" Operation, the Battle of the Marianas.

20 June 1944:
On second day of Battle of the Marianas, struck around 1730 by two bombs around the island. The smokestack is utterly crushed, mast shattered, and flight deck perforated with holes. Though air operations are stopped, damage is moderate. Attempts to standby torpedoed sister-carrier HIYO, but withdraws soon after.

24 June 1944:
Arrive at Hashirajima.

3 July 1944:
Depart Hashirajima for Kure, stays there for remainder of July.

6 July 1944:
Enter drydock.

10 July 1944:
Assignment changed from Striking Force, Third Fleet, CarDiv 2, to Striking Force, Third Fleet, CarDiv 4.

14 July 1944:
Leave drydock.

21 August 1944:
Depart Kure; thereafter in Hashirajima area and vicinity.

11 September 1944:
Depart Hashirajima; arrive Kure.

26 September 1944:
Depart Kure; arrive Iwakuni.

21 October 1944:
Depart Iwakuni; arrive Kure.

27 October 1944:
Assigned to special transport detail for Philippine Operations.

28 October 1944:
Arrive Sasebo.

30 October 1944:
On special transport mission for 1st Diversion Attack Force; with KISO depart Sasebo for Brunei Bay, Borneo, escorted by DesDiv 30's YUZUKI (flag), AKIKAZE and UZUKI.

3 November 1944:
Attacked by USS PINTADO south of Mako at 2250; but torpedoes deliberately intercepted by escorting destroyer AKIKAZE, which blows up and sinks with all hands. Escape with KISO to the west.

6 November 1944:
Arrive at Brunei with shells and supplies for Kurita fleet.

8 November 1944:
Depart Brunei with 1st Diversion Attack Force; subsequently split off and head for Manila with the damaged TONE, the KISO, YUZUKI, UZUKI, and SHIGURE.

10 November 1944:
Arrive at Manila.

11 November 1944:
Depart Manila for Kure, with the damaged TONE in company; escorted by SHIGURE, YUZUKI, and UZUKI. The KISO remains behind.

13 November 1944:
Attacked south of Mako at 0640 by USS JALLAO, but no damage received.(JUNYO had apparently been sighted and with TONE misidentified on 12 November as the battleship YAMATO headed north!). Arrived safely at Mako that afternoon.

14 November 1944:
Depart Mako for Kure.

15 November 1944:
En-route to Kure; attacked by USS BARB but no damage received. Assigned this day to Combined Fleet, CarDiv 1.

23 November 1944:
With FUYUZUKI and SUZUTSUKI depart Kure for Sasebo.

25 November 1944:
Depart Sasebo for Manila via Mako.

27 November 1944:
Arrive at Mako.

30 November 1944:
Arrive at Manila (Sighted by USS HAKE outside the bay, but sub was too far away to intercept).

1 December 1944:
Depart Manila for Mako with FUYUZUKI and SUZUTSUKI.

5 December 1944:
Joined at Mako by HARUNA, KASUMI and HATSUSHIMO.

6 December 1944:
Carrying 200 survivors of the super-battleship MUSASHI, depart Mako with HARUNA, escorted by SUZUTSUKI, FUYUTSUKI, and MAKI. (KASUMI and HATSUSHIMO did not continue with them, but headed back south).

8 - 9 December 1944:
Between midnight and 0400 task force attacked by submarine wolf-pack comprised of USS SEA DEVIL, PLAICE, and REDFISH. (See Note below). JUNYO received three torpedo hits. Two in the starboard side forward and aft which flooded the [empty] av-gas tanks and starboard engine room respectively. A third torpedo grazed the stem, breaching the bow plates. About 5,000 tons of water entered the carrier, increasing draught to 10 meters and giving her a 10 to 12 degree list to starboard, while four petty officers and fifteen men were killed. However, the port engine remained operable and at half-speed managed to escape further attack by entering shoal waters where submarines could not follow. Escorting destroyer MAKI hit same night, but also makes port with damaged bow.

10 December 1944:
Morning: with HARUNA arrive at Sasebo, still listing considerably to starboard.

18 December 1944:
Enter drydock.

19 December 1944:
Captain Kiyomi relieved; Sasebo dock took over.

20 January 1945:
Attacked by land-based bombers while in drydock; claimed to have shot down one enemy plane.

March 1945:
Further repair and upgrades abandoned due to lack of materials.

1 April 1945:
Moved from Sasebo docks and anchored in nearby Ebisu Bay.

23 April 1945:
Still at Ebisu Bay, near Sasebo. Camouflageing begun.

24 April 1945:
Classified as ship of 4th Reserve Fleet.

May 1945:
In Ebisu Bay, Sasebo. Moored with incomplete carriers KASAGI and IBUKI. Crew under training, and engaged in camouflage and upkeep.

12 May 1945:
Captain Maehara Tomiyoshi assigned as commanding officer.

20 June 1945:
Classified as guard ship.

5 August 1945:
Captain Maehara ordered to strip carrier of all armament and other equipment for defense use elsewhere.

2 September 1945:
Japan surrenders, and the three carriers at Sasebo turned over to the Allies.

8 October 1945:
Boarded by American Naval Technical officers. After inspecting the ship, declared that repairs to restore the vessel to service would be a waste of resources. Delegated for scrapping.

30 November 1945:
Removed from Navy List.

NOTE: There is some question about which submarines scored in the 9 December attacks. No less than three U.S. submarines, the SEA DEVIL, PLAICE, and REDFISH attacked the task force. In an attempt to resolve the matter, the patrol reports were examined and compared to IJN records. The results have proved interesting, and will be examined in a new article for "Untold Stories & Mysteries" to be posted shortly.

REMARKS:
Though mostly repaired and manned after the torpedo attacks of December 1944, vessel could never be operated due to lack of aircraft and fuel.