Japanese gunboat Hashidate
Encyclopedia
was the lead vessel in the gunboat
s in the Imperial Japanese Navy
, that operated in China during the 1940s.
of 1937. She was laid down at Osaka Iron Works on February 20, 1939 and launched on December 23, 1939, and was commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy as on June 30, 1940 .
She was intended initially for support of combat operations by the Imperial Japanese Army
in the Second Sino-Japanese War
off the coast of China. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor
, Hashidate was assigned to the China Area Fleet as part of the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet’s 15th Escort Group. With the start of the Pacific War
, she was assigned to ”Operation C”
– the invasion of Hong Kong
. She remained based from Hong Kong for most of the war. At some point in 1943, five additional Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Guns were added, along with depth charge
s in 1944.
On May 22, 1944, she was torpedo
ed by in the South China Sea
south of the Pratas Islands
while towing crippled merchant passenger/cargo ship Tsukuba Maru at position 21°08′N 117°20′E.
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s in 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...
, that operated in China during the 1940s.
History
Hashidate was authorized under the Maru-3 Naval Expansion Budget3rd Naval Armaments Supplement Programme (Japan, 1937)
The otherwise known as the "Circle Three" Plan was the third of four expansion plans of the Imperial Japanese Navy between 1930 and the start of World War II.-Background:...
of 1937. She was laid down at Osaka Iron Works on February 20, 1939 and launched on December 23, 1939, and was commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy as on June 30, 1940 .
She was intended initially for support of combat operations by the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
in 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...
off the coast of China. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack 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...
, Hashidate was assigned to the China Area Fleet as part of the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet’s 15th Escort Group. With the start of 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...
, she was assigned to ”Operation C”
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
– the invasion of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. She remained based from Hong Kong for most of the war. At some point in 1943, five additional Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Guns were added, along with depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s in 1944.
On May 22, 1944, she was torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
ed by in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
south of the Pratas Islands
Pratas Islands
The Pratas Islands or Dongsha Islands consists of three islands forming from an atoll located in northeastern South China Sea, southeast of Hong Kong. The islands are governed by the Republic of China . The People's Republic of China claims sovereignty over these islands along with all other...
while towing crippled merchant passenger/cargo ship Tsukuba Maru at position 21°08′N 117°20′E.