Japanese destroyer Wakatsuki

Wakatsuki under attack at Ormoc Bay, Leyte Island, Philippines, 11 November 1944.
History
Empire of Japan
Name:	Wakatsuki
Builder:	Mitsubishi Nagasaki Shipyard
Laid down:	9 March 1942
Launched:	24 November 1942
Completed:	31 May 1943
Commissioned:	31 May 1943
Struck:	10 January 1945
Fate:	Sunk in action, 11 November 1944
General characteristics
Class and type:	Akizuki-class destroyer
Displacement:	2,700 long tons (2,743 t) standard 3,700 long tons (3,759 t) full load
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:	4 × Kampon type boilers 2 × Parsons geared turbines 2 × shafts, 50,000 shp (37 MW)
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:	May 1943 : 8 × 100 mm (4 in)/65 cal Type 98 DP guns 12 × 25 mm AA guns (3×4) 4 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes 8 × Type 93 torpedoes 56 × Type 95 depth charges November 1944 : 8 × 100 mm (4 in)/65 cal DP guns 35 × 25 mm AA guns (3×7 + 1×14) 4 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes 8 × Type 93 torpedoes 56 × Type 95 depth charges

Wakatsuki (若月) was an Akizuki-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her name means "Young Moon".

Design and description

The Akizuki-class ships were originally designed as anti-aircraft escorts for carrier battle groups, but were modified with torpedo tubes and depth charges to meet the need for more general-purpose destroyer. Her crew numbered 300 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 134.2 meters (440 ft 3 in) overall, with a beam of 11.6 meters (38 ft 1 in) and a draft of 4.15 meters (13 ft 7 in).^[1] They displaced 2,744 metric tons (2,701 long tons) at standard load and 3,759 metric tons (3,700 long tons) at deep load.^[2]

The ship had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 52,000 indicated horsepower (39,000 kW) for a designed speed of 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph). The ship carried up to 1,097 long tons (1,115 t) of fuel oil which gave them a range of 8,300 nautical miles (15,400 km; 9,600 mi) at a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).^[3]

The main armament of the Akizuki class consisted of eight Type 98 100-millimeter (3.9 in) dual purpose guns in four twin-gun turrets, two superfiring pairs fore and aft of the superstructure. They carried four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts. The ships were also armed with four 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in a single quadruple traversing mount; one reload was carried for each tube. Their anti-submarine weapons comprised six depth charge throwers for which 72 depth charges were carried.^[4]

Construction and career

The ship was commissioned on 31 May 1943 into the 11th Destroyer Squadron. Wakatsuki participated in rescuing sailors from two of the aircraft carriers that participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor: Shōkaku (June 1944) and Zuikaku (October 1944) when each was sunk by US forces.

On 11 November 1944, Wakatsuki was escorting a troop convoy to Ormoc, Philippines. She was sunk by aircraft of Task Force 38 in Ormoc Bay, west of Leyte (10°50′N 124°35′E / 10.833°N 124.583°ECoordinates: 10°50′N 124°35′E / 10.833°N 124.583°E).

Notes

1. Chesneau, p. 195
2. Whitley, p. 204
3. Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 150
4. Whitley, pp. 204–05

References

• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• 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.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.

External links

• CombinedFleet.com: Akizuki-class destroyers
• CombinedFleet.com: Wakatsuki history