was the lead ship in the two-vessel of heavy cruisers in the Imperial Japanese Navy. The ship was named after the Tone River, in the Kantō region of Japan and was completed on 20 November 1938 at Mitsubishi's Nagasaki shipyards. Tone was designed for long-range scouting missions and had a large seaplane capacity. She was extensively employed during World War II usually providing scouting services to their aircraft carrier task forces. She almost always operated in this capacity in conjunction with her sister ship . World War II Early Pacific War At the end of 1941, Tone was assigned to CruDiv 8 with her sister ship, Chikuma, and was thus present during the attack on Pearl Harbor. That day, 7 December 1941, Tone and Chikuma each launched one Aichi E13A1 "Jake" floatplane for a final weather reconnaissance over Oahu. At 0630, Tone and Chikuma each launched short-range Nakajima E4N2 Type 90-2 Reconnaissance Seaplane to act as pickets and patrol south of the Striking Force. Tones floatplane flew to Lahaina, but found no American fleet units present. During the subsequent attack, the battleships , , and were sunk and , , , and many smaller ships were damaged. On 16 December, CruDiv 8 was ordered to assist in the second attempted invasion of Wake Island. Tone launched two Nakajima E8N "Daves" for anti-submarine patrols. After the fall of Wake Island, CruDiv 8 returned to Kure, Hiroshima. By 14 January 1942, CruDiv 8 was based out of Truk in the Caroline Islands, and covered the landings of Japanese troops at Rabaul, New Britain as well as attacks on Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea. On 24 January, Tones floatplanes attacked the Admiralty Islands. After 1 February air raid on Kwajalein by Vice Admiral William Halsey, Jr aboard the aircraft carrier , Tone departed Truk with the Carrier Striking Force in an unsuccessful pursuit. Chikuma and Tone later participated in the Raid on Port Darwin, Australia on 19 February, which destroyed 15 aircraft and sinking 11 ships. Tone launched a floatplane to report in weather conditions prior to the attack, but the plane’s radio failed and it returned without reporting. Later, another floatplane had greater success, and shot down a PBY Catalina of the RAAF. Battle of the Java Sea On 1 March 1942, Tone spotted the old American destroyer , SSE of Christmas Island. Four days later, floatplanes from Tone and Chikuma took