Japanese destroyer Hatsuyuki
Encyclopedia
was a Fubuki class
was the third of twenty-four destroyer
s, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy
following World War I
. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world. They served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, and remained formidable weapons systems well into the Pacific War
.
s in other navies. Hatsuyuki, built at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal
was laid down on April 12, 1926, launched on September 29, 1928 and commissioned on March 30, 1929. Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 37”, she was completed as Hatsuyuki.
. During the Second Sino-Japanese War
, Hatsuyuki helped cover landings of Japanese forces during the Battle of Shanghai
in 1937, and subsequent landings of Japanese forces at Hangzhou
in northern China
. In 1940, she also participated in the Invasion of French Indochina.
, Hatsuyuki was assigned to Destroyer Division 11 of Desron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet
, and had deployed from Kure Naval District
to the port of Samah on Hainan
Island. From 4 December 1941 to 30 January 1942 Hatsuyuki was part of the escort for the heavy cruiser
s , , and out of Samah and Camranh Bay, French Indochina
in support of Malaya
, Banka
-Palembang
and Anambas Islands invasion operations. On 18 February, she was credited with sinking or capturing two transports attempting to flee from Singapore
.
On 27 February, Hatsuyuki was assigned to "Operation J", covering landings of Japanese forces in western Java
in the Netherlands East Indies, and was in the Battle of Sunda Strait
on 1 March, assisting in the sinking of the Australian cruiser
and the American cruiser
.
Hatsuyuki was part of the escort for Admiral Jizaburo Ozawa's cover force for "Operation T"
(the invasion of northern Sumatra) on 12 March and the "Operation D"
, (the invasion of the Andaman Islands
) on 23 March. She subsequently served patrol and escort duties out of Port Blair
during the Japanese raids into the Indian Ocean
. On 13–22 April she returned to Kure Naval Arsenal
for maintenance.
On 4–5 June 1942, Hatsuyuki participated in the Battle of Midway
as part of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
’s main fleet.
In July 1942, Hatsuyuki sailed from Amami-Ōshima to Mako Guard District
, Singapore, Sabang
and Mergui
for a projected second Indian Ocean raid. The operation was cancelled due to the Guadalcanal campaign
, and she was ordered to Truk instead. From August onwards, she was used for "Tokyo Express
" high speed transport missions in the Solomon Islands
. On one of this missions, on 4–5 September, Hatsuyuki assisted in sinking the and .
During the Battle of Cape Esperance
on 11–12 October, Hatsuyuki took 518 survivors off of the sinking cruiser , and two days later escorted the badly damaged to Truk. During the Battle of Santa Cruz
on 26 October, she was on alert station at Shortland Island
.
After helping evacuate surviving Japanese forces from Guadalcanal
in early November, from 12–15 November, Hatsuyuki took part in the Naval Battle for Guadalcanal. Initially she escorted the Support Force commanded by Admiral Takeo Kurita
, then joined the Emergency Bombardment Force of Admiral Nobutake Kondō. With in the assault on enemy destroyers, Hatsuyuki assisted in sinking , , and and damaging . Hatsuyuki then returned to Truk on 18 November. After making one more transport run to Rabaul
in December, Hatsuyuki was assigned to escort aircraft carrier
back to Kure Naval Arsenal
for repairs.
In January 1943, Hatsuyuki escorted a troop convoy from Pusan to Palau
and on to Wewak
. She continued to patrol and escort in the Solomon Islands
until the end of February, when she was reassigned to the IJN 8th Fleet
. In March, Hatsuyuki assisted the survivors of the Battle of Bismarck Sea, before returning to Kure for refit. In May, she escorted aircraft carrier from Yokosuka to Manila
, Surabaya
, Singapore, and back to Mako Guard District
to Sasebo Naval District
. In June, Hatsuyuki returned to Rabaul, and resumed "Tokyo Express" missions. In the Battle of Kula Gulf
off of Kolombangara
on 5 July, Hatsuyuki engaged a group of American cruisers and destroyers, and was hit by six dud shells, which damaged her steering and killed six crewmen.
On 17 July 1943, while docked at Shortlands unloading passengers at position 06°50′S 155°47′E, Hatsuyuki was attacked in an air strike by USAAF
aircraft. A bomb exploded the after magazine
, sinking her in shallow water, with 120 dead (including 38 passengers) and 36 wounded.
On 5 October 1943, Hatsuyuki was removed from the navy list
.
Fubuki class destroyer
The was a class of twenty four destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Fubuki class has been called "the world's first modern destroyer." The Fubuki class not only set a new standard for Japanese vessels, but for destroyers around the world...
was the third of twenty-four destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world. They served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, and remained formidable weapons systems well into the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
.
History
Construction of the advanced Fubuki-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's expansion program from fiscal 1923, intended to give Japan a qualitative edge with the world's most modern ships. The Fubuki-class had performance that was a quantum leap over previous destroyer designs, so much so that they were designated . The large size, powerful engines, high speed, large radius of action and unprecedented armament gave these destroyers the firepower similar to many light cruiserLight cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
s in other navies. Hatsuyuki, built at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal
Maizuru Naval Arsenal
was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. -History:The Maizuru Naval District was established at Maizuru, Kyoto in 1889, as the fourth of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands. After the establishment of the...
was laid down on April 12, 1926, launched on September 29, 1928 and commissioned on March 30, 1929. Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 37”, she was completed as Hatsuyuki.
Operational history
On completion, Hatsuyuki was assigned to Destroyer Division 11 under the IJN 2nd FleetIJN 2nd Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy.-History:First established on 28 December 1903, the IJN 2nd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters as a mobile strike force of cruisers and destroyers to pursue the Imperial Russian Navy's Vladivostok-based cruiser squadron while the...
. During the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, Hatsuyuki helped cover landings of Japanese forces during the Battle of Shanghai
Battle of Shanghai
The Battle of Shanghai, known in Chinese as Battle of Songhu, was the first of the twenty-two major engagements fought between the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China and the Imperial Japanese Army of the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War...
in 1937, and subsequent landings of Japanese forces at Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
in northern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In 1940, she also participated in the Invasion of French Indochina.
World War II history
At the time of the attack on Pearl HarborAttack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, Hatsuyuki was assigned to Destroyer Division 11 of Desron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet
IJN 1st Fleet
The was the main battleship fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy.-History:First established on 28 December 1903, the IJN 1st Fleet was created during the Russo-Japanese War when the Imperial General Headquarters divided the Readiness Fleet into a mobile strike force of cruisers and destroyers to...
, and had deployed from Kure Naval District
Kure Naval District
was the second of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the Inland Sea of Japan and the Pacific coasts of southern Honshū from Wakayama to Yamaguchi prefectures, eastern and northern Kyūshū and Shikoku....
to the port of Samah on Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
Island. From 4 December 1941 to 30 January 1942 Hatsuyuki was part of the escort for the heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
s , , and out of Samah and Camranh Bay, French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
in support of Malaya
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
, Banka
Banka
Banka may refer to:* Banka, Bihar, a town in Bihar, India* Banka district, Bihar, India* Bankə, Azerbaijan*Banka, Cameroon* the Banka Gold Mining Project operated by Mwana Africa plc, in Ghana...
-Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
and Anambas Islands invasion operations. On 18 February, she was credited with sinking or capturing two transports attempting to flee from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
On 27 February, Hatsuyuki was assigned to "Operation J", covering landings of Japanese forces in western Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
in the Netherlands East Indies, and was in the Battle of Sunda Strait
Battle of Sunda Strait
The Battle of Sunda Strait was a naval battle which occurred during World War II. On the night of 28 February – 1 March 1942, the Australian light cruiser and the American heavy cruiser faced a major Imperial Japanese Navy task force. After a fierce battle of several hours duration, both Allied...
on 1 March, assisting in the sinking of the Australian cruiser
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
and the American cruiser
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Hatsuyuki was part of the escort for Admiral Jizaburo Ozawa's cover force for "Operation T"
Invasion of Sumatra (1942)
The Invasion of Sumatra by Imperial Japanese forces took place from 14 February to 28 March 1942. The invasion was part of the Pacific War in South-East Asia during World War II and led to the capture of the island...
(the invasion of northern Sumatra) on 12 March and the "Operation D"
Invasion and Occupation of the Andaman Islands during World War II
The Japanese occupation of the Andaman Islands occurred in 1942 during World War II. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands , are a group of islands situated in the Bay of Bengal at about 780 miles from Kolkata, 740 miles from Chennai and 120 miles from Cape Nargis in Burma...
, (the invasion of the Andaman Islands
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...
) on 23 March. She subsequently served patrol and escort duties out of Port Blair
Port Blair
Port Blair is the largest town and a municipal council in Andaman district in the Andaman Islands and the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India...
during the Japanese raids into the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. On 13–22 April she returned to Kure Naval Arsenal
Kure Naval Arsenal
was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. -History:The Kure Naval District was established at Kure, Hiroshima in 1889, as the second of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands along with the establishment of the...
for maintenance.
On 4–5 June 1942, Hatsuyuki participated in the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
as part of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Isoroku Yamamoto
was a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of Harvard University ....
’s main fleet.
In July 1942, Hatsuyuki sailed from Amami-Ōshima to Mako Guard District
Mako Guard District
The was the major navy base for the Imperial Japanese Navy in Taiwan before and during World War II. Located in at Mako ), , the Mako Guard District was responsible for control of the strategic Straits of Taiwan and for patrols along the Taiwan and China coastlines and in the South China Sea...
, Singapore, Sabang
Sabang
Sabang is a city consisting of several islands in Aceh, Indonesia. The metropolitan area is located on Weh Island, 17 km north of Banda Aceh. The city covers an area of 118 square kilometres and according to the 2000 census had a population of 23,654 people...
and Mergui
Mergui
Myeik is a city in Tanintharyi Division in Myanmar , located in the extreme south of the country on the coast of an island on the Andaman Sea. the estimated population was over 209,000. The area inland from the city is a major smuggling corridor into Thailand.-History:Myeik was the southernmost...
for a projected second Indian Ocean raid. The operation was cancelled due to the Guadalcanal campaign
Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...
, and she was ordered to Truk instead. From August onwards, she was used for "Tokyo Express
Tokyo Express
The Tokyo Express was the name given by Allied forces to the use of Imperial Japanese Navy ships at night to deliver personnel, supplies, and equipment to Japanese forces operating in and around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands during the Pacific campaign of World War II...
" high speed transport missions in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
. On one of this missions, on 4–5 September, Hatsuyuki assisted in sinking the and .
During the Battle of Cape Esperance
Battle of Cape Esperance
The Battle of Cape Esperance, also known as the Second Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the , took place on 11–12 October 1942, and was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and United States Navy...
on 11–12 October, Hatsuyuki took 518 survivors off of the sinking cruiser , and two days later escorted the badly damaged to Truk. During the Battle of Santa Cruz
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or in Japanese sources as the , was the fourth carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the fourth major naval engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial...
on 26 October, she was on alert station at Shortland Island
Shortland Island
Shortland Island is the largest island of the Shortland Islands, Solomon Islands, at . Named by John Shortland....
.
After helping evacuate surviving Japanese forces from Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
in early November, from 12–15 November, Hatsuyuki took part in the Naval Battle for Guadalcanal. Initially she escorted the Support Force commanded by Admiral Takeo Kurita
Takeo Kurita
Vice Admiral was a vice-admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.-Early life:Kurita was born in Mito city, Ibaraki Prefecture in 1889. He was sent off to Etajima in 1905 and graduated from the 38th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1910, ranked 28th out of a class of...
, then joined the Emergency Bombardment Force of Admiral Nobutake Kondō. With in the assault on enemy destroyers, Hatsuyuki assisted in sinking , , and and damaging . Hatsuyuki then returned to Truk on 18 November. After making one more transport run to Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
in December, Hatsuyuki was assigned to escort aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
back to Kure Naval Arsenal
Kure Naval Arsenal
was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. -History:The Kure Naval District was established at Kure, Hiroshima in 1889, as the second of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands along with the establishment of the...
for repairs.
In January 1943, Hatsuyuki escorted a troop convoy from Pusan to Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
and on to Wewak
Wewak
Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak....
. She continued to patrol and escort in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
until the end of February, when she was reassigned to the IJN 8th Fleet
IJN 8th Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II.-History:Established on 14 July 1942, the IJN 8th Fleet was a headquarters unit established to direct Japanese naval operations in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea...
. In March, Hatsuyuki assisted the survivors of the Battle of Bismarck Sea, before returning to Kure for refit. In May, she escorted aircraft carrier from Yokosuka to Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Singapore, and back to Mako Guard District
Mako Guard District
The was the major navy base for the Imperial Japanese Navy in Taiwan before and during World War II. Located in at Mako ), , the Mako Guard District was responsible for control of the strategic Straits of Taiwan and for patrols along the Taiwan and China coastlines and in the South China Sea...
to Sasebo Naval District
Sasebo Naval District
was the third of five main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the western and southern coastline of Kyūshū, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan and Korea, as well as patrols in the East China Sea and the Pacific...
. In June, Hatsuyuki returned to Rabaul, and resumed "Tokyo Express" missions. In the Battle of Kula Gulf
Battle of Kula Gulf
The naval Battle of Kula Gulf took place in the early hours of 6 July 1943 during World War II and was between United States and Japanese ships off the coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands.-Background:...
off of Kolombangara
Kolombangara
Kolombangara is an island in the New Georgia Islands group of the Solomon Islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean...
on 5 July, Hatsuyuki engaged a group of American cruisers and destroyers, and was hit by six dud shells, which damaged her steering and killed six crewmen.
On 17 July 1943, while docked at Shortlands unloading passengers at position 06°50′S 155°47′E, Hatsuyuki was attacked in an air strike by USAAF
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
aircraft. A bomb exploded the after magazine
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
, sinking her in shallow water, with 120 dead (including 38 passengers) and 36 wounded.
On 5 October 1943, Hatsuyuki was removed from the navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
.