Myoko was crippled immediately by the submarine hit having likely had chunks blown off her stern which was also immediately covered in raging fires due to the crappy unrefined oil in her tanks having lit off, it's extremely unlikely she was shooting at anything in that state. The report from the US submarine clearly states it was her lone 'escort' (really just another damaged ship limping back with her)that opened fire as the submarine approached to try and finish the job (the water was so shallow it had to attack on the surface). Though it was misinterpreted as a light cruiser by the sub at the time leading to some initial assumptions that it had been struck by a cruiser shell. With reports from after the war from the Japanese side this ship was revealed to be Ushio.
Speaking of those who served in the dangerous front lines, the ones in the Second Fleet who were active from Bali Bali till the very end were
The Fifth Cruiser Division
(Because Nachi was assigned to other posts shortly after the war began, our focus is on these two)HaguroSurvived to the war's endWent into Japan's last naval battle as a lone shipSurvived the entremely dangerous battles around Leyte GulfIn the second battle of the Java Sea, helped sink the 3-ship enemy force led by the heavy cruiser ExeterMyoukouShot down an Allied heavy bomber with a single shot from her main guns
Can someone find a source for this?After being torpedoed by the American submarine Bergall, counterattacked her opponent, heavily damaging itWith her 2nd turret heavily damaged, and torpedoes out of commission, Haguro acted as a decoy in order to allow her allies to escape. Ordered everyone to retreat, while continuing to fire her main guns and anti-aircraft guns.
