Talk:Events/@comment-1820055-20150701013419/@comment-135.23.225.8-20150706150022

Tama and Kiso didn't directly participate in the rescue operation, they were there to make sure Kimura carried through with his plan. Kimura retreated, empty handed, on several previous attempts, after the cover providing thick fog unexpectedly cleared up. The IJN had already lost I-24, I-7 and I-9 on a previous rescue attempt.

Kimura fully understood how devastating having no aerial support would be during this rescue operation, due to his previous experience at the Battle of the Bismark Sea, in which his transport fleet, consisting of 8 destroyers and 8 transports, lost 4 destroyers and 8 transports to Allied air attacks.

Running low on fuel and time, Kimura had one last opportunity to carry out his rescue operation. He finally set out on the 28th of July, after the weather forcast was a guaranteed thick fog. If he retreated this time, there would have been no more opportunities to rescue the stranded troops on Kiska Island. Along the way over, Abukuma spotted an Allied ship, which was torpedoed by Abukuma and Shimakaze, but it turned out this 'ship' was actually an island that looked like a ship. This story goes to show how thick the fog was, despite it being day time. Despite some troubles during the journey to Kiska island, the rescue operation went off without a hitch and the rest is history.

Incidentally, on the day of Kimura's rescue operation, the Allied fleet that encircled Kiska island, consisting of 2BB, 4CA, 1CL and 5DD, was not there, as they had all retreated to refuel and resupply. The Allied fleet had used up some 118 14"  shells and 487 8" shells 3 days prior, after their radar picked up, what they thought to be, Japanese ships. The Allied fleet, thinking they had thoroughly defeated the Japanese fleet, didn't expect the Japanese would be heading to Kiska anytime soon.

Trivia: Tama would not have even been there, were it not for Nachi having no fuel. Tama and Kiso were not under the command of Kimura. Shimakaze was specifically chosen for this operation because of her radar, which could see through the fog. This is the operation in which Wakaba and Hatsushimo collided. Hibiki had a fake smoke stack added to make her look like a US ship. Abukuma had one of her smoke stacks painted in white camo, to make her look like a US ship.