Japanese destroyer Akikaze
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Akikaze |
| Ordered: | fiscal 1918 |
| Builder: | Mitsubishi shipyards, Nagasaki, Japan |
| Laid down: | June 7, 1920 |
| Launched: | December 14, 1920 |
| Commissioned: | September 16, 1921 |
| Struck: | January 10, 1945 |
| Fate: | Sunk in action, November 3, 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Minekaze |
| Displacement: | 1,215 long tons (1,234 t) normal, 1,345 long tons (1,367 t) full load |
| Length: | 97.5 m (320 ft) pp, 102.6 m (337 ft) overall |
| Beam: | 8.92 m (29.3 ft) |
| Draught: | 2.79 m (9.2 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 2-shaft Mitsubishi-Parsons geared turbines, 4 boilers 38,500 ihp (28,700 kW) |
| Speed: | 39 knots (72 km/h) |
| Range: | 3600 nm @ 14 knots (6,700 km @ 26 km/h) |
| Complement: | 154 |
| Armament: | 4 × Type 3 120 mm 45 caliber naval gun 6 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 2 × 7.7 mm machine guns 16x naval mines |
Akikaze (秋風 Autumn Wind)[1] was a Minekaze-class destroyer, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy immediately following the end of World War I. The Minekaze class of destroyer were considered advanced for their time; these ships served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s. The class was considered obsolete by the start of the Pacific War and served in a number of roles including minesweeper, aircraft rescue ships and Kaiten-carriers.[2]
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[edit] History
Construction of the large-sized Minekaze-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 8-4 Fleet Program (1917–1920) with the first two ships of the class built under the 1917 fiscal programme, followed by 5 each under the 1918 and 1919 programmes and 2 ships under the 1920 fiscal programme. The Minekaze class destroyer was designed to complement the medium-sized Momi-class with which they shared many common design characteristics.[3] Equipped with powerful engines, these vessels were capable of high speeds and were intended as escorts for the projected Amagi-class battlecruisers, which were ultimately never built.[4] The Akikaze was built at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal and was the ninth ship of the Minekaze class. It was laid down on June 7, 1920 and launched on December 14, 1920. Completed on April 1, 1921, the Akikaze was commissioned on September 16, 1921.[5]
On completion, Akikaze was teamed with sister ships Hakaze, Tachikaze, and Hokaze at the Yokosuka Naval District to form Destroyer Division 4 under Torpedo Squadron 1 (第1水雷戦隊). In 1938–1939, the division was assigned to patrols of the central China coastline in support of Japanese efforts in the Second Sino-Japanese War.
[edit] World War II history
In World War II, Akikaze performed patrol and convoy escort duties. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Akikaze (assigned to Destroyer Division 34 of the IJN 11th Air Fleet) was based at Takao, and provided air-sea rescue support for the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, and escort of convoys to Davao and Legazpi.
From January to the end of April 1942, Akikaze was based at Davao, escorting shipping between Davao and Ambon. After a brief return to Maizuru for repairs in May 1942, Akikaze was based out of Rabaul, escorting transports throughout the Pacific. On March 14, 1943, Akikaze and two other destroyers attacked a submarine — possibly USS Triton (SS-201) — near Kairiru Island 3°20′10″S 143°33′0″E / 3.33611°S 143.55°E.[6]
After repairs again at Maizuru in April 1943, Akikaze returned to Rabaul to resume its escort and patrol duties. It was heavily damaged in an air raid on August 2, with 23 casualties and forced to return to Maizuru for repairs again in September. Returning to Rabaul again from mid November, Akikaze made several troop transport runs to New Guinea from October through February 1944 From March, it was reassigned to Truk, where it provided escort for convoys between Truk, Saipan and Palau.[7]
On May 1, 1944, Akikaze was reassigned to Destroyer Division 30 of the Central Pacific Fleet. After escorting a convoy from Japan to Davao and Manila, it was based at Manila. However, Destroyer Division 30 was reassigned to the Combined Fleet from August 20.
From October 24–25, Akikaze led the escort for the 2nd Supply Force of Admiral Ozawa’s “Northern Force” at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, rescuing survivors from the torpedoed fleet oiler Jinei Maru, and taking them to Mako.
On November 1, 1944, Destroyer Division 30 — Yuzuki (flagship), Uzuki, and Akikaze — departed Mako, escorting aircraft carrier Junyō and cruiser Kiso toward Brunei. On November 3, 1944, USS Pintado (SS-387) fired a spread of torpedoes at Junyō, but Akikaze intercepted them, sacrificing itself to save the carrier.[8] Akikaze sank with all hands, 160 miles west of Cape Bolinao, Luzon 16°48′N 117°17′E / 16.8°N 117.283°ECoordinates: 16°48′N 117°17′E / 16.8°N 117.283°E.
On January 10, 1945 Akikaze was removed from Navy List.[9]
[edit] References
- Howarth, Stephen (1983). The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895–1945. Atheneum. ISBN 0689114028.
- Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 087021893X.
- Nelson, Andrew N. (1967). Japanese–English Character Dictionary. Tuttle. isbn 0804804087.
- Watts, Anthony J (1967). Japanese Warships of World War II. Doubleday. ASIN B000KEV3J8.
- Whitley, M J (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1854095218.
[edit] External links
- Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Akikaze: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com. http://www.combinedfleet.com/akikaz_t.htm.
- Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Minekaze class 1st class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0418.htm.
- Jones, Daniel H. (2003). "IJN Minekaze, Kamikaze and Mutsuki class Destroyers". Ship Modeler's Mailing List (SMML). http://smmlonline.com/articles/minekaze/minekaze.html.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Nelson. Japanese-English Character Dictionary. pages 666, 960
- ^ Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy. 1869–1945 by H. Jentschura, D. Jung, P. Mickel, p. 141 Arms and Armour Press (1996) Cassell plc ISBN 0 85368 151
- ^ Howarth, The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun
- ^ Globalsecurity.org, IJN Minekaze class destroyers
- ^ Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Minekaze class 1st class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0418.htm.
- ^ CombinedFleet.com says 14 March, but the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships says,
"On 15 March, Trigger reported that she had attacked a convoy and had been depth charged. Even though attacks on her ceased, she could still hear distant depth charging for about an hour. No further messages from Triton were ever received. Post-war examination of Japanese records revealed that on 15 March 1943 three Japanese destroyers attacked a submarine a little northwest of Triton's assigned area and subsequently observed an oil slick, debris, and items with American markings." "Triton". DANFS. U.S. Naval Historical Center. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/t8/triton-iii.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
Maybe Akikaze made two attacks on Triton, on both the 14th and 15th? - ^ Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Akikaze: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com. http://www.combinedfleet.com/akikaz_t.htm.
- ^ Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp (2007-11-28). "IJN Kiso: Tabular Record of Movement". Junyokan. Combinedfleet.com. http://www.combinedfleet.com/kiso_t.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
- ^ Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Minekaze class 1st class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0418.htm.
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