These were late-war expedients, and as such were hardly the most graceful vessels to ever ply the waves: straight stems with little flare, kinda dumpy looking, and armed more like a DE than a real fleet destroyer. In the final analysis, though, they were pretty decent convoy escorts. The Japanese really ought to have built about two hundred more of these puppies (and started doing so as soon as the balloon went up) if they were really serious about protecting their enormously exposed maritime supply lines from our submarines. Fortunately, they didn't get serious about ASW until 1944, and by then it was way too late.
Not Pictured: Momo, Take, Ume, Kuwa, Maki, Kiri, Sugi, Momi, Hinoki, Kashi, Kaya, Kaede, Sakura, Nara, Tsubaki, Keyaki, Yanagi.
Additional information on this class from Allyn Nevitt.
| Year(s) Class Members Completed | 1944-1945 |
| Displacement | 1,530 tons |
| Dimensions | 328'1" x 30'8" x 10'10" |
| Speed | 28 knots |
| Armament |
3 x 5"/40 DP, up to 29 x 25mm AA, 4 x 24" TT, 36 DCs |
| Crew | ? |
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Matsu-class Destroyer
* Matsu
