Haruna Sunk at her moorings following the Kure raids on July 28th, 1945. Taken after the war, these late 1945 photographs show that she has been covered in branches and leaves in a vain effort to hide the ship.
The Final Days of the Battleship Haruna: A Legacy Submerged
Introduction
Among the many dramatic stories that unfolded in the Pacific theater during World War II, the fate of the Japanese battleship Haruna stands as a unique example of desperate measures and the relentless power of modern air warfare. Haruna, a formidable vessel with a storied career, met her end not in a heroic final engagement at sea but at her mooring in Kure Naval Base. The events surrounding her sinking after intense Allied raids, and the ingenious—but ultimately futile—efforts to save her, mark a poignant chapter in naval history.
The Battleship Haruna: Background and Service History
Commissioned in 1915, Haruna was part of the renowned Kongō-class; originally classified as a battlecruiser and later upgraded to a fast battleship, she played a crucial role in Japan’s naval operations. Throughout the interwar period and during World War II, Haruna participated in major engagements, from the early invasions of Southeast Asia to the epic carrier battles across the Pacific.
By mid-1945, however, Japan’s situation was desperate. The tide of war had turned decisively against the Imperial Japanese Navy. Allied air superiority, particularly that of the United States, meant the very heart of Japan’s war machine—her fleet—was no longer safe even in home waters.
The Kure Naval Base and the Allied Raids
Kure Naval Base, situated on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, was among the most important naval installations in Japan. By the summer of 1945, it had become a final sanctuary for the battered remnants of the Imperial fleet. As the Allies moved ever closer, Kure became a prime target for debilitating attacks intended to eliminate any remaining naval resistance.
On July 28, 1945, the US Navy launched a massive air raid against Kure. Hundreds of carrier-based aircraft swarmed the harbor, systematically targeting battleships, cruisers, and other vessels sheltered at anchor. Haruna was among the largest and most prestigious of these warships, and her destruction was a high priority for the attackers.
Haruna’s Last Stand
At the time of the attack, Haruna was moored—effectively stationary and vulnerable. An array of anti-aircraft batteries surrounded the harbor, but these defenses were no match for the overwhelming numbers and persistent tactics of US pilots. Throughout the raid, Haruna was struck repeatedly by bombs. Fires erupted on board, and the battered hull took on water rapidly.
By the end of the day, the mighty battleship was mortally wounded. She settled onto the shallow floor of Kure harbor, sunk at her moorings but with portions of her superstructure still protruding above water—one of several major Japanese warships to meet such a fate during the relentless raids.
Post-Sinking Efforts: A Desperate Camouflage
The end of hostilities in August 1945 saw a Japan transformed by defeat, its navy shattered and cities devastated. Yet, the remnants of the Imperial Japanese Navy—wrecks like Haruna—became objects of interest, both for historical documentation and practical salvage operations by the victors.
Photographs taken in the latter half of 1945 reveal a striking and somewhat haunting scene: The remains of Haruna, partially submerged in the harbor, had been draped with a peculiar camouflage. In these postwar images, the battleship is seen covered with branches and leaves, a desperate attempt to conceal her from enemy aerial observation.
This form of natural camouflage, though primitive by the standards of military deception, reflects the lengths to which the Japanese navy had gone to protect their remaining assets. The intention was clear: to break up the visual outlines of the battleship, making it more difficult for Allied bomber crews to identify and target the ship during their attacks. It was a tactic born out of necessity in an age when air power had come to dominate naval warfare.
Unfortunately for the defenders, such measures proved futile against the advanced reconnaissance and targeting capabilities of US naval aviators. The aircraft attacking Kure that July had little difficulty locating and striking Haruna with precision.
Legacy and Aftermath
The ultimate fate of Haruna was emblematic of the larger collapse of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the final months of World War II. Sunk at anchor alongside several other major warships, the battleship’s destruction underscored the impotence of battleships in the face of overwhelming air attack—a lesson made obvious at Pearl Harbor but driven home even more forcefully in the closing chapter of the war.
After surrender, the remains of Haruna, along with other sunken vessels in Kure, became valuable to occupying forces both for intelligence gathering and, later, for scrap. The photographs of Haruna draped with branches stand today as historical artifacts, capturing the improvisation and desperation of a fleet in its death throes.
The Symbolism of Camouflage
The use of natural materials such as branches and leaves to disguise large military assets is an ancient practice, dating back centuries before the age of steel warships and aerial bombardment. In the case of Haruna, it serves as a poignant visual metaphor for the futility of Japan’s late-war resistance. Against the unstoppable tide of technological change and military power, even the proudest symbols of imperial strength could do little more than vainly seek refuge beneath the branches of trees.
Perhaps most striking in these images is not the effectiveness, but the humanity revealed in these final gestures—a crew clinging to hope, even as the world around them changed irrevocably.
Conclusion
The story of the battleship Haruna is one of both accomplishment and tragedy: a ship that served her nation gallantly and fell victim to the overwhelming force of modern airpower. The desperate attempt to protect her wreck with branches remains a powerful symbol of the ingenuity and resolve found in even the darkest hours of war.
Today, the memory of Haruna, preserved in photographs and historical accounts, offers a window into the final days of the Imperial Japanese Navy—a reminder of the impermanence of even the mightiest war machines, and the human spirit that endures beyond them.
