Japanese destroyer Niizuki
History | |
---|---|
Empire of Japan | |
Name | Niizuki |
Builder | Mitsubishi Nagasaki Shipyard |
Laid down | 8 December 1941 |
Launched | 29 June 1942 |
Completed | 31 March 1943 |
Commissioned | 31 March 1943, 11th Destroyer Squadron |
Stricken | 10 September 1943 |
Fate | Sunk, Battle of Kula Gulf, 6 July 1943 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Akizuki-class destroyer |
Displacement |
|
Length | 134.2 m (440 ft 3 in) |
Beam | 11.6 m (38 ft 1 in) |
Draft | 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 33 knots (38 mph; 61 km/h) |
Range | 8,300 nmi (15,400 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h) |
Complement | 263 |
Armament |
|
Niizuki (新月, "New Moon") was an Akizuki-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Design and description
The Akizuki-class ships were originally designed as anti-aircraft escorts for carrier battle groups, but were modified with
The ship had two
The main armament of the Akizuki class consisted of eight
Construction and career
On the night of 4–5 July 1943, Niizuki led a troop transport run to Kolombangara. With her radar she detected U.S. ships in Kula Gulf, and she, along with the destroyers Yūnagi and Nagatsuki, fired a salvo of torpedoes, which sank the destroyer USS Strong. The attack, from a distance of 11 nautical miles (20 km), is believed to be longest-range successful torpedo attack in history.
On the night of 5–6 July 1943, Niizuki led another troop transport run to Kolombangara. In the Battle of Kula Gulf, she was sunk by gunfire from a U.S. cruiser-destroyer group, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) east of Kolombangara (7°57′S 157°12′E / 7.950°S 157.200°E). All 290 people including the captain, the crew, and the command of 3rd Destroyer squadron were killed.
Wreck
Niizuki's wreck was discovered by RV Petrel in January 2019. She sits upright in 745 meters (2,444 feet) of water and is heavily damaged. Surprisingly, her mast is still attached and completely upright. The wreck's discovery is noteworthy in that no photos of Niizuki in service are known to exist.
Notes
References
- Ahlberg, Lars & Nevitt, Allyn D. (1986). "Question 10/84". Warship International. XXIII (3): 317–318. ISSN 0043-0374.
- Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
- Sturton, Ian (1980). "Japan". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- ISBN 1-85409-521-8.