Hiryu

History of Services:

April 1941
Assigned to 1st Air Fleet, CarDiv 2.

July 1941
Operaiton "FU" formed part of the escort fleet with sister-ship SORYU.

September 1941
Became the flagship of CarDiv 2.

7 December 1941
Operation "KidoButai" - attack on Pearl Harbor. Launched two waves of attacks.

16 ~ 23 December 1941
Detached from striking force with SORYU to attack Wake Island.

January 1942
Assigned to 2nd Air Attack Force, Southern Force.

Launched strike on Ambon.

19 February 1942
Attack on Port Darwin.

March 1942
Intercept enemy shipping leaving Java in the south of Sunda Bay.

Attack enemy shipping at Tjilatjap.

Attack Christmas Island sank Dutch freighter Poelau Bras.

April 1942
Operation "C" - raid of Indian Ocean. Attack Royal Navy base at Ceylon. Sank the cruiser HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire.

Launched strike against Trincomalee. Sank HMS Hermes.

Attempt to intercept carriers USS Hornet and Enterprise that launched B25 bombers to attack Tokyo area on the 18th.

4 June 1942
Battle of Midway. Launched strike against Midway Island. Avoided damage from American aircrafts when KAGA, AKAGI and SORYU were hit by bomb strikes. Thereafter launched two strikes which disable the USS Yorktown. However, she was hit by 4 direct bomb hits, all closely spaced in the front deck area. Although the hits caused fire and explosions, she was able to withdraw to the west. But the fire was out of control and she went dead in the water. Survivors were picked up by two destoryers after abandon ship was ordered. She received a topedo hit from one of the destoryers after scuttle was ordered. But she remained afloat and was photography by a plane from carrier HOSHO. Eventually the carrier sank by the bow three hours later.

September 1942
Scrapped from the Navy List.