Japanese destroyer Hatsuyuki (1928)

Coordinates: 06°50′S 155°47′E / 6.833°S 155.783°E / -6.833; 155.783
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see Japanese destroyer Hatsuyuki.

Hatsuyuki
History
Empire of Japan
NameHatsuyuki
Ordered1923 Fiscal Year
BuilderMaizuru Naval Arsenal
Yard numberDestroyer No.37
Laid down12 April 1927
Launched29 September 1928
Commissioned30 March 1929
Stricken5 October 1943
FateSunk in air raid, 17 July 1943
General characteristics
Class and typeFubuki-class destroyer
Displacement
Length
  • 111.96 m (367.3 ft) pp
  • 115.3 m (378 ft) waterline
  • 118.41 m (388.5 ft) overall
Beam10.4 m (34 ft 1 in)
Draft3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
  • 4 × Kampon type boilers
  • 2 × Kampon Type Ro geared turbines
  • 2 × shafts at 50,000 ihp (37,000 kW)
Speed38 knots (44 mph; 70 km/h)
Range5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h)
Complement219
Armament
Service record
Operations:

Hatsuyuki (初雪, "First Snow") was the third of twenty-four Fubuki-class destroyers[1] built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world.[2] They served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, and remained formidable weapons systems well into the Pacific War.

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.

launched on 29 September 1928 and commissioned on 30 March 1929.[5]
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

Invasion of French Indochina.[citation needed
]

World War II history

At the time of the

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

Netherlands East Indies, and was in the Battle of Sunda Strait on 1 March, assisting in the sinking of the Australian cruiser HMAS Perth and the American cruiser USS Houston.[7]

Hatsuyuki was part of the escort for Admiral

Japanese raids into the Indian Ocean. On 13–22 April she returned to Kure Naval Arsenal for maintenance.[8]

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

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 onward, 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 high-speed transports USS Gregory and USS Little.[9]

During the Battle of Cape Esperance on 11–12 October, Hatsuyuki took 518 survivors off of the sinking cruiser Furutaka, and two days later escorted the badly damaged Aoba 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 of Guadalcanal. Initially she escorted the Support Force commanded by Admiral Takeo Kurita, then joined the Emergency Bombardment Force of Admiral Nobutake Kondō. With the cruiser Nagara in the assault on enemy destroyers, Hatsuyuki assisted in sinking USS Benham, USS Walke, and USS Preston and damaging USS Gwin.[10] 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 Hiyō back to Kure Naval Arsenal for repairs.

In January 1943, Hatsuyuki escorted a troop convoy from

Battle of Bismarck Sea, before returning to Kure for refit. In May, she escorted aircraft carrier Taiyō 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.[11]

On 17 July 1943, while docked at Shortlands unloading passengers at position 06°50′S 155°47′E / 6.833°S 155.783°E / -6.833; 155.783, 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.[12]

Notes

  1. ^ Nelson. Japanese-English Character Dictionary. page 804
  2. ^ Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Fubuki class destroyers".
  3. ^ Fitzsimons, Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare p.1040
  4. ^ Peattie & Evans, Kaigun page 221-222.
  5. ^ Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class 1st class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2009.
  6. ^ "Naval War in China". Combined Fleet. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  7. ^ Muir, Dan Order of Battle – The Battle of the Sunda Strait 1942
  8. ^ Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Hatsuyuki: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com.
  9. ^ Brown. Warship Losses of World War Two
  10. ^ Morison. The Struggle for Guadalcanal.
  11. ^ Morison. Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier.
  12. ^ Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Hatsuyuki: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com.

References

External links
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