Chikuma was Tone's sister, a heavy cruiser with the aircraft handled forward of the bridge.
On 1 March 1942 she was with Hiei, Kirishima, and Tone when the destroyer Edsall was caught alone. Chikuma opened the gun action. One of Edsall's torpedoes narrowly missed her. The four ships and the dive bombers sank Edsall. That loss is not pinned to one ship. Chikuma picked up a handful of the men. What became of those men is not known.
At Midway she was with the carriers and was not sunk. On 25 October 1944 she was off Samar in the cruiser line. She was disabled that morning. The usual account is an aircraft torpedo, and it is not pinned to one ship. She was lost the same day. Nowaki stood by her. Nowaki was sunk the next day, while the force was withdrawing.