Japanese destroyer Shirayuki (1928)
 Shirayuki in 1931
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Shirayuki |
| Namesake | Japanese destroyer Shirayuki (1906) |
| Ordered | 1923 Fiscal Year |
| Builder | Yokohama Shipyards |
| Yard number | Destroyer No.36 |
| Laid down | 19 March 1927 |
| Launched | 20 March 1928 |
| Commissioned | 18 December 1928 |
| Stricken | 1 April 1943 |
| Fate | Sunk in air attack by American and Australian aircraft bombs on 3 March 1943 |
| 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: | |
Shirayuki (白雪, "White Snow") was the second of twenty-four Fubuki-class[1] destroyers, 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. Shirayuki was sunk in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea on 3 March 1943 while under attack by American and Australian aircraft.
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.
Operational history
On completion, Shirayuki was assigned to Destroyer Division 11 under the
World War II history
At the time of the
In February 1942, Shirayuki was part of the escort for the
Shirayuki was subsequently assigned to
In early March, Shirayuki escorted a troop convoy from Singapore to
On 4–5 June, Shirayuki participated in the
On 14–15 November, Shirayuki was involved in the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. She was initially attached to Admiral Kurita’s support force, and then joined Admiral Kondo’s emergency bombardment force. Together with the light cruiser Nagara, Shirayuki assisted in sinking two of the four American destroyers involved (USS Preston and USS Walke) mortally wounding USS Benham (which was scuttled after the battle), and severely damaged USS Gwin, causing heavy American losses in the first phase of the battle.[9]
Shirayuki returned briefly to Kure at the end of the year, as escort for the aircraft carrier Hiyo.
In January 1943, Shirayuki returned to the Solomon Islands as part of a major reinforcement convoy from Shanghai, arriving with Rear Admiral
During the Battle of the Bismarck Sea on 1–4 March, Shirayuki was flagship for Rear Admiral Masatomi Kimura, leading a troop convoy from Rabaul to Lae. In an Allied air attack on 3 March, a skip-bomb exploded in her aft magazine, severing her stern, and killing 32 crewmen. Shirayuki sank 55 nautical miles (102 km) southeast of Finschhafen at position 07°15′S 148°30′E / 7.250°S 148.500°E. The survivors, who included Admiral Kimura and her captain Commander Sugawara were rescued by Shikinami.[10]
On 1 April 1943, Shirayuki was removed from the
Notes
- ^ Nelson. Japanese-English Character Dictionary. page 644
- ^ Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Fubuki class destroyers".
- ^ Fitzsimons, Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare p.1040
- ^ Peattie & Evans, Kaigun pages 221–222.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Brown. Warship Losses of World War Two
- ^ Muir, Dan Order of Battle – The Battle of the Sunda Strait 1942
- ^ Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Shirayuki: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ Hammel. Guadalcanal: Decision at Sea.
- ^ Brown. Warship Losses of World War II
- ^ Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2009.
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.
- ISBN 0-517-56952-3.
- 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.
- 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 Shirayuki: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com.
- Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2009.
- Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Fubuki class destroyers".
