Photos and the story

Chokai

Class	Takao class
Type	Heavy cruiser (CA)
Fate	Sunk. Mikawa's flagship at Savo Island, and not sunk that night. Disabled off Samar on 25 October 1944 and lost that day. Not pinned to one American ship.
Armament (class)	Five twin 8-inch turrets and two funnels, with a heavier bridge.
Command	Watanabe, Seishichi Captain from 19 October 1940 Mikawa, Gunichi Flag, not her captain, 9 August 1942 Aruga, Kosaku Captain from 1 March 1943; Relieved on 6 June 1944 Tanaka, Jo Captain from 6 June 1944

Laid down, displacement, length, beam, draft, speed, and complement are not stored for each hull, so this table leaves them out.

The armament line is the class drawing, not a measurement of this hull.

Chokai was a Takao-class heavy cruiser. On the night of 8–9 August 1942 Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa flew his flag in her at Savo Island. She led the column. Quincy hit her chart room and Astoria hit a forward turret. She was not sunk that night. The American cruisers lost there are not credited to her alone.

On 25 October 1944 she was with Kurita off Samar, in the cruiser division with Haguro. She was disabled in that fight and lost the same day. The blow is not pinned to one American ship.

The pictures on this page are the originals.