Did Yamato or Musashi Sink Any Ships?

The battleships Yamato and Musashi, both part of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, did not sink any enemy ships in direct naval engagements. However, they were engaged in significant battles and operations that left them forever in history books.

The Roles of Yamato and Musashi

Yamato and Musashi were primarily battleships and saw extensive action, notably during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, one of the largest naval battles in history. Despite their formidable size and armament, neither ship managed to sink any enemy vessels during these engagements.

Yamato, for instance, participated in the pivotal naval battle aimed at securing the Leyte Gulf. It did not sink any ships during this battle. Its primary role was as a battleship, with a focus on strategic and symbolic importance rather than anti-ship combat. Similarly, Musashi saw significant combat during this battle but did not manage to sink any enemy vessels, ultimately meeting its end due to overwhelming air attacks from U.S. forces.

Yamato's Achievements

Yamato has three notable "kills" in its service, albeit in a less direct manner. It is credited with sinking an escort carrier and two destroyers, either directly or with the help of other naval vessels. This highlights its strategic impact during various engagements, even in the absence of direct ship-sinking.

The Battle of Leyte Gulf

The Battle of Leyte Gulf witnessed the extensive use of Yamato in various engagements. The ship engaged and survived attacks from various sources, including submarines, combating its way through U.S. forces with minimal damage despite numerous attempts to sink it.

During the battle, Yamato fired its main guns, marking its first and only engagement with enemy ships in this battle. The ship fired upon an escort carrier, White Plains, from a distance of 34,500 yards, causing extensive damage and flooding the engine room, effectively rendering the carrier dead in the water.

Yamato also engaged a U.S. "cruiser" at a range of 20,300 yards, causing multiple hits with its main and secondary batteries. This engagement coincided with a U.S. destroyer, Johnston, which sustained significant damage from Yamato's 18.1-inch 46 cm shells. The U.S. destroyer suffered severe damage, including the loss of its speed and several of its guns.

Final Engagements and Sinking

Following the major engagements, Yamato faced a series of challenges, including torpedo attacks from the destroyers Hoel and Heerman, which forced it out of the battle for 20 minutes. During this time, the ship fired on the escort carrier Gambier Bay, causing significant damage that led to her sinking.

Yamato's final engagements and the subsequent sinking of the escort carrier Gambier Bay and the destroyer Hoel were pivotal moments before the battleship was ultimately sunk by overwhelming air attacks from American forces.

Conclusion

Though the battleships Yamato and Musashi did not sink any enemy ships in direct ship-to-ship engagements, their role in historical naval battles and their significant symbolic importance in the Imperial Japanese Navy's efforts during World War II cannot be overstated.