© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt
@Updated - January 16, 2012 - Allyn Nevitt
@Revised - Anthony Tully with Allyn Nevitt - August 2014
Name Translation: "Waves like Wisteria Flowers"
20 April 1943:
Launched at Osaka; Fujinagata Shipbuilding Co.
31 July 1943:
Completed at Osaka;[1] assigned same date to training division Desron 11, First Fleet, for training. Ship's captain: Commander Matsuzaki Tatsuji [52] (prev. C.O. KATATA).
20 August:
Assigned to Desdiv 32 (HAYANAMI, FUJINAMI, SUZUNAMI), 11th Destroyer Squadron (Desron 11) First Fleet.
21 August:
Departed Tokuyama for Yokosuka.
22 August:
Arrived Yokosuka.
26 August:
Departed Yokosuka with SUZUNAMI and HAYANAMI escorting YAMASHIRO to the Inland Sea.
28 August:
Arrived with sister ships at Hashirajima; YAMASHIRO proceeded to Kure.
13 September:
Departed Hashirajima in the evening to assist the damaged TSUYAMA MARU (6,962 tons) which had been torpedoed 0200 11 September by USS SPEARFISH (SS-190).
14 September:
0745: Took TSUYAMA MARU in tow. Just over eight hours later, they arrived safely at Kure.
30 September:
Desdiv 32 reassigned to Desron 2, Second Fleet.
12 October:
Departed Kure for Hiroshima to embark military personnel.
13 October:
Arrived at Saeki. Assigned to "TEI-GO No.3" Operation.
15-20 October:
With TATSUTA, HAYANAMI and SUZUNAMI, escorted YAMASHIRO and ISE on troop transport "TEI-GO No.3" operation from Saeki to Truk.
22-24 October:
With HAYANAMI and SUZUNAMI, accompanied TATSUTA on troop transport run from Truk to Ponape and back.
3 November:
With HAYANAMI, SUZUNAMI, and TAMANAMI escorted Admiral Kurita's Second Fleet heavy cruiser group from Truk toward Rabaul.
5 November:
- Action
- 0620: Arrived at Rabaul. Caught in U.S. air raids that day.
- 1956: attacked; received dud torpedo hit; leaking fuel tank; one dead and nine injured. Claimed shot down three attackers.
6 November:
Departed Rabaul on transport mission to Cape Torokino in counter-landing operation.
7 November:
- 0645: Returned to Rabaul. However; shortly after 0900 enemy air raid hits the port. FUJINAMI puts to sea, and remained undamaged.
8-10 November:
On all three of these days a large enemy aircraft is seen hovering around Rabaul. Puts to sea each time and maneuvers outside harbor.
11 November:
- Action:
- 0700: Rabaul hit by large enemy carrier air raid. FUJINAMI and others put to sea. Undamaged, but sister ship SUZUNAMI is struck by a torpedo and sunk.
- 1657: Departed Rabaul for Truk with HAYANAMI escorting damaged MAYA and NOSHIRO.
12 November:
1715: En-route to Truk group is ordered to try to assist torpedoed AGANO. NOSHIRO takes AGANO in tow, after which all proceed to Truk together.
15 November:
2200: Arrived at Truk.
24 November-5 December:
Escorted main fleet in Marshalls-area in response to U.S. landings on Tarawa, then returned to Truk.
7 December:
- 0600: Arrived at Saipan.
8 December:
0645: Departed Saipan to assist crippled oiler SOYO MARU (6,081 tons) which USS POGY (SS-266) had torpedoed at 1640 7 December. (However, the oiler was hit again by the submarine at 0440 8 December and had already sunk by this time)
9 December:
Arrived at scene of disaster and carried out anti-sub and search operations.
10 December:
1350: Arrived at Saipan.
24 December:
Arrived at Truk with MIYAZAKI MARU (3,948 tons).
27 December:
Departed Truk to meet and convoy in MYOKO and HAGURO arriving from the homeland on transport mission.
29 December:
1549: After some unconfirmed submarine scares, arrived at Truk.
2-5 January 1944:
Departed Truk with SHIRATSUYU to convoy MYOKO, HAGURO and TONE on troop transport run "BO-GO No.2" from Truk to Kavieng (4 January - where narrowly missed being caught in an air raid) and back.
10 January:
0630: With ASAGUMO departed Truk escorting damaged YAMATO to Kure.
15 January:
1630: Arrived at Kure.
18 January:
Entered drydock at Kure for repairs and refitting.
21 January:
Left drydock.
27 January:
Departed Kure.
28 Janurary:
Arrived at Moji.
31 January:
Arrived with convoy No.8130B at Owase, Okinawa.
2 February:
Arrived at Yokosuka.
4 February:
Departed Yokohama as part of escort of convoy No. 3206 to Truk: GYOTEN MARU, TATSUHA MARU, ZUIKAI MARU, RYUKO MARU and SHINKYO MARU with minelayer NATSUSHIMA, CD AMAKUSA, and PB No.31.
17 February:
- Action:
- 0235: GYOTEN MARU (6,854 tons) torpedoed by USS TANG (SS-306) and goes down in an hour when the convoy is west-northwest of Truk. FUJINAMI rescued survivors.
- 1400: Enemy carrier planes currently raiding Truk strike the convoy. TATSUHA MARU (5,784 tons) and ZUIKAI MARU (2,812 tons) are sunk with considerable loss to troops of the 2nd Reinforcement Unit, 52nd Infantry aboard. FUJINAMI again rescued survivors.[2]
18 February:
Arrived at beseiged Truk with others. There 1,800 survivors are disembarked. Makes preparations for swift departure.
19 February:
Early: Departed Truk following a group built around repair ship AKASHI bound for Palau.
24 February:
Arrived at Palau.
1 March:
Departed Palau to assist SAKITO MARU (9,245 tons) which had been torpedoed by USS TROUT (SS-202) at 1753 on 29 February.
3 March:
Arrived at the scene; but finds nothing. (SAKITO MARU had foundered at 0400 1 March.) Conducts a search through the next day.
4 March:
1900: Search discontinued, nothing found. Headed for Saipan.
7 March:
Arrived at Saipan.
13 March:
Arrived at Palau.
10-25 March:
Escorted tanker KOKUYO MARU (10,026 tons) from Saipan to Palau, then patrol/escort duty out of that base.
29 March
1530: Departed Palau for Lingga with MUSASHI and Crudiv 4 with HARUSAME, MICHISHIO, and SHIRATSUYU to avoid an air-raid. Outside harbor, reinforced and joined by URAKAZE, ISOKAZE, HAMAKAZE and TANIKAZE.
- Action
- at 1744 MUSASHI is hit in port bow by torpedo from USS TUNNY (SS-282). Despite flooding and 19 foot hole, the super-battleship maintains 24 knots and clears the area. URAKAZE and ISOKAZE remain to hunt the submarine. The rest of force splits up with FUJINAMI, MICHISHIO, and SHIRATSUYU ordered to convoy MUSASHI back to the homeland.
2 April:
0930: Arrived at Kure with MUSASHI.
16 April:
Departed Hashirajima for convoy escort duty.
17-19 April:
0705 17 April joined screen. Escorted convoy from Tsushima Strait to Shaweishan Islands, east of Shanghai, China.
21 April:
Departed Shaweishan Islands with “Take” troop convoy (15 Marus,13 escorts) on first leg of its voyage, from Shanghai-area to Manila.
24 April:
Detected submarine, carried out depth charge attack. Results unknown.
26 April:
0345: NO 1 YOSHIDA MARU (5,425 tons) is torpedoed and sunk by USS JACK (SS-259) 2,700 men of the 210th Infantry Regiment are lost. While depth-charging and searching for survivors, FUJINAMI apparently lost contact with the convoy. She proceeded ahead to Manila.
27 April:
Arrived at Manila.
1 May:
Escorted eight ships of “Take” convoy toward Halmahera Island.
6 May:
- 1400 the convoy is attacked by submarine USS GURNARD (SS-254.) ADEN MARU (5,823 tons); TAIJIMA MARU (6,995 tons); and TENSHINZAN MARU (6,886 tons) are sunk in quick succession. FUJINAMI and other escorts drop about 100 depth charges, but without success.
7 May:
Joined remnants of convoy at Banka anchorage. Resumed voyage next day.
8 May:
0700: Departed Banka with convoy.
2040: Depth-charged suspected submarine.
9 May:
1824: Convoy arrived at Wasili, Halmahera Island. FUJINAMI disembarked some soldiers of 35th Divison.
11 May:
With SHIRATSUYU headed for Balikpapan, southwest Borneo.
13 May:
Arrived Balikpapan. Refueled.
15 May:
Departed Balikpapan with SHIRATSUYU escorting tankers.
18 May:
Arrived at Tawitawi.
22 May:
Departed Tawi-Tawi with CarDiv 3 (CHITOSE, CHIYODA, ZUIHO) for training of 653rd Air Group.
- Action
- 1025 The group is attacked by USS PUFFER (SS-268) which fired six torpedoes at CHITOSE's port side. The submarine's torpedoes missed CHITOSE, and the destroyers counter-attacked, but with no results either.
1 June:
Returned to Tawi-Tawi. Henceforth on regular anti-submarine patrol duty around the anchorage.
7 June:
Departed with HAMANAMI to search for survivors of torpedoed HAYANAMI.
19-20 June: Battle of the Philippine Sea
Escorted Admiral Kurita's Van Force.
22 June:
Arrived with other units of the Mobile Fleet at Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa. Detached for convoy duty.
23-29 June:
With TAMANAMI escorted tanker KOKUYO MARU from Okinawa via Manila (25 June) to Singapore.
2 July:
With TAMANAMI escorting tanker KOKOYU MARU and the damaged cruiser KITAKAMI departed Singapore for Kure via Manila.
7 July:
About an hour after midnight 6 July, the group is attacked by USS MINGO (SS-261.) The destroyers counter-attacked, but at 0205 TAMANAMI is torpedoed and sunk. FUJINAMI firsts shepherds the others toward Manila, then at 1600 returns to hunt the submarine and search for survivors. There were very few, as 276 men were lost.
9 July:
2200: Arrived at Manila.
10 July:
Departed Manila resuming voyage for Kure with KYOKUTO MARU. KITAKAMI remains at Manila for repairs.
17 July:
Arrived at Kure.
6 August:
Sailed to Moji.
8 August:
Arrived at Imari Bay, western Kyushu for convoy duty.
10 August-22 August:
Escorted Convoy HI-71 (20 ships) with TAIYO and six other escorts from Moji via Mako (Pescadores) and Manila to Singapore. On 15 August convoy stopped at Mako. Here four marus are detached, and five additional escorts joined. On 17 August voyage to Manila resumed. En-route, convoy is ambushed by submarine wolfpack and suffers heavy losses. FUJINAMI dropped 9 depth charges, then rescued what survivors she could.
20 August:
Arrived at Santa Cruz, disembarks 2,267 soldiers and survivors. Departed for Manila next day.
22 August:
Arrived at Manila. Loaded 20 depth charges.
25 August:
Detached from screen of re-constituted HI-71. (The convoy departed Manila this day proceeding without incident to Singapore by 1 September.)
28 August:
Departed Manila for Miri, Borneo.
September:
Movements unclear. Operated out of Miri, Borneo.
8 October:
Arrived at Singapore.
14 October:
Arrived at at Lingga.
18-20 October:
Escorted fleet from Lingga to Brunei.
23-27 October: Battle of Leyte Gulf
Escorted Admiral Kurita's 1st Diversion Attack Force.
24 October:
- Action
- c1500: `Minor damage'. Just before crippled MUSASHI detached and ordered to head for Coron her screen comes under heavy bombing and strafing. Near-miss bomb off FUJINAMI's starboard bow caused splinter damage to No.1 turret and opens leaks. Top speed reduced.[3]
25 October:
(Battle off Samar)
- Action
- 0957: Ordered by Kurita to assist cruiser CHOKAI. The cruiser had been rendered unnavigable by enemy gunfire and bomb hits.
- 1004: Assigned by Comdesron 2 to remain with CHOKAI. Stood by the crippled cruiser as CHOKAI tried to repair engines. Then, in obedience to orders issued by Kurita at 1917 removed the cruiser's crew including Captain Tanaka and scuttled CHOKAI by torpedo at 2148 hours in position 11-22'N, 126-22'E. Destroyer then headed west for San Bernardino Strait after the rest of the Kurita force.[4]
26 October:
0400: From eastern Sibuyan Sea FUJINAMI radioed had passed through San Bernardino Strait undetected and advised of CHOKAI's scuttling. During the day undergoes further attack. Due to combination of leakage and fuel shortage, proceeded at reduced speed.[5]
27 October:
- 0235: Prior orders (issued at 0115) to join KUMANO with OKINAMI bound for Manila are changed. Instead, Comdesron 1 RADM Hayakawa Mikio aboard HAMANAMI orders that FUJINAMI, once arrived at Coron, to refuel and proceed to Semirara Island to assist HAYASHIMO. (That destroyer had been damaged and run out of fuel and forced to anchor overnight there) FUJINAMI was to transfer fuel and escort her onward to Coron.[6]
- Sunk: At about 0915 while moving to assist HAYASHIMO, is attacked by eight aircraft from USS FRANKLIN (CV-13), 80 miles north of Iloilo (12 N, 122-30 E). One bomb hits between the stacks exploding No.1 torpedo mount. The explosion wrecks the destroyer, which breaks in half and sinks within sight of grounded HAYASHIMO. Fierce strafing and more arriving aircraft frustrate attempts to send out boats. A second rescue ship - SHIRANUHI- is also sunk after noon. Ultimately all survivors in the water perish, and lost are all hands, including the CHOKAI survivors. [7]
10 January 1945:
Removed from Navy List.
Additional details on Fujinami's sinking:
See also: Anthony Tully's book:
The Battle of Surigao Strait
See Also entry for Hayashimo on:
Shipwrecks of the IJN
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Anthony Tully, Bill Somerville, and John Alden for contributing from their works to this TROM.
