Nagara was the name ship of her class of light cruisers. Sasebo Naval Arsenal launched her on 25 April 1921. She was commissioned on 21 April 1922. Six ships were built in the class. They were the 5,500-ton cruisers used as destroyer-squadron flagships.
At Midway she was a destroyer-squadron flagship with the carriers. American dive bombers sank Akagi, Kaga, and Soryu on 4 June, and Hiryu later that day. Those losses are not credited to her. She was not sunk.
On the night of 13 November 1942 she was Rear Admiral Kimura's flagship with Abe's battleships, Hiei and Kirishima. One 5-inch shell hit her. Akatsuki was sunk. Yudachi was finished the next morning. Hiei was disabled and sunk later on the 13th. Those losses are not credited to Nagara. She was not sunk.
On the night of 14-15 November she was in the screen again. Kirishima hit South Dakota with 14-inch shells. Atago, Takao, Nagara, and Sendai hit South Dakota as well. South Dakota took more than two dozen shells and was not sunk. Washington wrecked Kirishima. Nagara was not sunk.