1st Agano-class of light cruisers (Total 4: Agano; Noshiro; Yahagi & Sakawa), name after Agano River in Fukushima and Niigata prefectures in Japan.
Commissioned: 31 October 1942
16~20 Dec 1942 - Agano escorted the aircraft carrier Jun'yō and a troop convoy to Wewak and Madang in New Guinea, covered the landing of Japanese forces at Hollandia before returning to Truk
31 Jan ~ 9 Feb 1943 - Agano escorted the evacuation of Japanese troops from Guadalcanal Island (Operation KE)
refit at Kure (Jun 1943) Type 21 air search radar was installed. Two twin-mount & two triple-mount 25 mm Type 96 antiaircraft guns were added. (Total 16 guns, original two triple-mounts)
Operations in the Solomons [Rabaul, July 1943 ~ 16 November 1943] - Agano was hit by a Mark 13 torpedo launched by a TBF Avenger aircraft on 11 November 1943. and then towed by her sister ship, Noshiro & four destroyers. Agano was hit by a torpedo again from submarine USS Scamp, finally reached Truk for repairs on 16 November 1943.
15 Feb 1944 - Agano departed Truk to Japan for repair with destroyer Oite (追風)and submarine hunter CH-28, but was hit by 2 torpedoes from American submarine USS Skate, and sank in the morning of 17 Feb 1944, 523 survivors was rescued by destroyer Oite. However, Oite was sunk by torpedoes launched by TBF Avengers when returning to Truk in the afternoon.