Japanese minelayer Sarushima

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Sarushima in 1942
History
Japanese Navy EnsignJapan
NameSarushima
Orderedfiscal 1931
BuilderMitsubishi Yokohama Shipyard
Laid downMarch 28, 1933
LaunchedDecember 16, 1933
CommissionedJuly 20, 1934
StrickenSeptember 10, 1944
FateSunk in action, July 4, 1944
General characteristics
Typeminelayer
Displacement565.6 long tons (575 t) standard, 582.7 tons normal
Length
  • 67 m (220 ft) pp,
  • 70 m (230 ft) waterline
Beam7.49 m (24 ft 7 in)
Draught1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Propulsion2-shaft diesel engine, 2 boilers, 2,100 hp (1,600 kW)
Speed18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Range4,639 nmi (8,591 km) at 14.4 knots
Complement94
Armament
  • 2 ×
    Type 3 80 mm AA Gun
    AA gun
  • 1 ×
    Type 93 13 mm
    AA Guns
  • 120 naval mines
Armournone

Sarushima (猿島) was a small

Yokosuka, Kanagawa
. She was designed as an auxiliary minelayer and escort vessel.

Building

The

Maru 1 Supplementary Naval Expansion Budget of 1931 authorized the construction of the huge minelayer Okinoshima as well as three smaller minelayers for coastal and river service, the Natsushima and Nasami as well as Sarushima. Sarushima was a slightly enlarged version of the Natsushima class, with the same armament, but with diesel engines. Sarushima was launched by the Mitsubishi Yokohama shipyards on December 16, 1933, and was commissioned into service on July 20, 1934.[1]

Operational history

On completion, Sarushima was assigned to the

China Expeditionary Fleet
on July 1, 1938.

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Sarushima was assigned to the Yokosuka Guard District, remaining in Japanese home waters for most of the duration of the war, and occasionally escorting convoys to the Bonin Islands.

On April 15, 1944, Sarushima departed Tokyo with a convoy for Saipan, returning safety on May 4. On May 17, she departed with another convoy for Saipan and Guam. During the return leg of the voyage, the convoy was attacked on June 2 by USS Shark (SS-314) (which sank one transport), and on June 4 by USS Flier (SS-250) (which sank another). Sarushima launched depth charges, but failed to sink either submarine.[2]

On June 28, Sarushima escorted a convoy from Tokyo to

Navy List on September 10, 1944.[3]

References

Notes

  1. ^ Nishida, Hiroshi. "Materials of IJN". Imperial Japanese Navy. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  2. ^ Nevitt, Allyn D. (1999). "IJN Sarushima: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com.
  3. .

Books

External links