Chinese cruiser Yat Sen
Encyclopedia

Yat Sen (traditional Chinese: 逸仙), named after the founding father of the Republic of China and completed in 1931, was a light cruiser—all be it having more in common with the small cruisers of pre–World War I era—in the ROC Navy
Republic of China Navy
The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China . The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China...

 before World War II. An enlarged design was laid down but never completed due to Japanese occupation of Kiangnan shipyard.

Service record

The Yat Sen participated in the defense of Kiangyin Fortress, Yangtze River, near Nanking and took over flagship duties after both Ning Hai
Chinese cruiser Ning Hai
The Ning Hai was a light cruiser in the Chinese fleet before World War II and the lead ship of her class. It was laid down and launched before the dust of Mukden Incident settled, meaning that the progress of its construction ran far more smoothly than its sistership Ping Hai...

 and Ping Hai
Chinese cruiser Ping Hai
The Ping Hai was a light cruiser in the Chinese fleet before World War II and the second ship of the Ning Hai class cruiser. It was laid down in China to the specifications supplied by the Japanese, and Japanese advisors were hired to oversee the construction...

were sunk by Japanese aircraft. Unfortunately it was then sunk as well on September 25, 1937 after shooting down two of the 16 attacking aircraft, losing 14 of its crew.

The Japanese salvaged it after the fall of Kiangyin Fortress. After having its stern deck added by one level and receiving radar, sonar, and Japanese weapons, it was renamed and employed as a training ship for naval academy cadets destined for submarine service. It survived World War II and was returned to its former owner on August 9, 1946. Before its departure, however, the Japanese installed all the German-made wooden furnitures taken from the armored cruiser Yakumo (which by then had been sold for scrapping) into its cabins.

After reverting to its old name and rejoining the ROCN, the Yat Sen remained active during the Chinese Civil War and the ROC government's subsequent withdrawal to Taiwan. It participated in numerous patrol cruises but was not involved in any major action until being decommissioned on June 1, 1958 and sold for scrapping on May 19 the following year.
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