Japanese destroyer Shirakumo (1927)
 Shirakumo on 5 September 1931
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Shirakumo |
| Namesake | Japanese destroyer Shirakumo (1901) |
| Ordered | 1923 Fiscal Year |
| Builder | Fujinagata Shipyards |
| Yard number | Destroyer No.42 |
| Laid down | 27 October 1926 |
| Launched | 27 December 1927 |
| Commissioned | 28 July 1928 |
| Stricken | 31 March 1944 |
| Fate | Torpedoed and sunk by USS Tautog, 16 March 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Fubuki-class destroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 10.4 m (34 ft 1 in) |
| Draft | 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | 38 knots (44 mph; 70 km/h) |
| Range | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h) |
| Complement | 219 |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Operations: | |
Shirakumo (白雲, ”White Cloud”)[1] was a Fubuki-class destroyer and the eighth in a class of twenty-four vessels 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 27 December 1927 and commissioned on 28 July 1928.[5] Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 42”, she was completed as Shirakumo.
Operational history
On completion, Shirakumo was assigned to Destroyer Division 11 under the
Invasion of French Indochina
in 1940.
World War II history
At the time of the
"Operation B" (the invasion of British Borneo).[7] She rescued survivors from the torpedoed destroyer Sagiri on 23 December.[6]
In February 1942, Shirakumo was part of the escort for the
Subsequently, Shirakumo was assigned to
Camranh Bay to Kure Naval Arsenal, for maintenance.[6]
During the
Mergui for a projected second Indian Ocean raid. The operation was cancelled due to the Guadalcanal campaign, and Shirakumo was ordered to Truk instead. In August, Shirakumo was used for “Tokyo Express” high speed transport missions in the Solomon Islands. On 28 August, after having aborted a troop transport mission to Guadalcanal, Shirakumo suffered heavy damage in an attack by American dive bombers, and was left dead in the water with a direct hit to her engine room, although only two crewmen were wounded. She was towed by the destroyer Amagiri, followed by the minelayer Tsugaru to Shortland Island, and by the tanker Koa Maru back to Truk for emergency repairs, which enabled her to limp back to Kure by 8 October.[12]
After repairs were completed by 1 April 1943, Shirakumo was reassigned to Destroyer Division 9 of Destroyer Squadron 1 in the
Paramushiro, and was forced to put into Hakodate
for repairs, which were not completed to the end of September, when she resumed her patrol and escort duties.
On 16 March 1944, after departing
Muroran at position 42°25′N 144°55′E / 42.417°N 144.917°E. She sank instantly; there were no survivors.[13]
On 31 March 1944, Shirakumo was struck from the
navy list.[5]
Notes
- ^ Nelson. Japanese-English Character Dictionary. Page 635, 942
- ^ Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Fubuki class destroyers".
- ^ Fitzsimons, Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare p.1040
- ^ Peattie & Evans, Kaigun page 221-222.
- ^ a b Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class 1st class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
- ^ a b c d e Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Shirakumo: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
- ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The Invasion of British Borneo in 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. Archived from the original on 2015-04-01.
- ^ a b L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The Japanese Invasion of Sumatra Island". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. Archived from the original on 2012-12-03.
- ^ Visser, Jan (1999–2000). "The Sunda Strait Battle". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. Archived from the original on 2014-12-03.
- ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The capture of Andaman Islands, March 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942.
- ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "Allied Merchant Ship Losses in the Pacific and Southeast Asia". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942.
- ^ D’Albas. Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II.
- ^ Brown. Warship Losses of World War II
References
- Brown, David (1990). Warship Losses of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-914-X.
- D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN 0-8159-5302-X.
- Howarth, Stephen (1983). The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895–1945. Atheneum. ISBN 0-689-11402-8.
- Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
- L, Klemen (1999–2000). "Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942". Archived from the original on 2011-07-26.
- Nelson, Andrew N. (1967). Japanese–English Character Dictionary. Tuttle. ISBN 0-8048-0408-7.
- Watts, Anthony J (1967). Japanese Warships of World War II. Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-3850-9189-3.
- Whitley, M J (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
External links
- Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Shirakumo: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com.
- Shirakumo in Naval History of World Wars
- Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Fubuki class destroyers".
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in March 1944 | |
|---|---|
| Shipwrecks |
|
| Other incidents |
|
