© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt
Name Translation: "Autumn Shower"
Sunk:
10 March 1945:
Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Commander Seo Noboru [51] (prev. C.O. ASANAGI). Assigned to Desdiv 27 (SHIGURE, SHIRATSUYU, ARIAKE, YUGURE), Desron 1, First Fleet. Flagship of Comdesdiv 27, Captain Yoshimura Matake [45].
December 1941:
Desdiv 27 remained in Japanese home waters, guarding battleships and conducting antisubmarine patrols.
18-23 December:
Desdiv 27 departed Tokuyama to meet returning Pearl Harbor Striking Force, then escorted it into Hashirijima.
18 January-4 February 1942:
With SHIRATSUYU (1st section, Desdiv 27) escorted convoys from Moji to Formosa and back to Kure.
17 February-2 March:
With SHIRATSUYU, escorted ZUIHO from Yokosuka to Davao and back to Hashirijima.
15-25 April:
Desdiv 27 steamed from Sasebo to Mako (Pescadores) to meet SHOKAKU and ZUIKAKU, then escorted them to Truk.
7-8 May: Battle of the Coral Sea
Desdiv 27 escorted Admiral Takagi's Striking Force.
13-16 May:
With SHIRATSUYU and ARIAKE, escorted MYOKO and HAGURO as distant cover to Ocean-Nauru occupation force; operation suspended due to detection of U.S. carrier force in the area.
17-22 May:
Desdiv 27 escorted MYOKO and HAGURO from Truk to Kure.
4-5 June: Battle of Midway
Desdiv 27 escorted Admiral Takasu's Aleutians Guard Force.
14 July:
Desdiv 27 reassigned to Desron 4, Second Fleet.
11-17 August:
Desdiv 27 escorted Second Fleet from Yokosuka to Truk. Desdiv 27 then temporarily attached to Fourth Fleet for strengthening of positions in Marshalls-area.
18-21 August:
Led troop transport run from Truk to reoccupy Makin Atoll after U.S. raid.
22 August-5 September:
Out of Jaluit on Marshalls-area troop transport duty; on 2 September occupied Abemama.
9-12 September:
Departed Jaluit, then scouted and bombarded Ndeni Island, looking for U.S. seaplane base. Then joined fleet patrolling north of the Solomons.
24-29 September:
Joined troop convoy at Palau then escorted it to Rabaul.
29 September-1 October:
Escorted tanker TOA MARU from Rabaul to Shortlands.
4 October:
Led troop transport run to Guadalcanal.
7 October:
Led troop transport run to Guadalcanal.
10 October:
Led troop transport run to Guadalcanal.
12 October:
With YURA, Desdiv 27 (minus ARIAKE) out of Shortlands to assume escort of returning NISSHIN and CHITOSE following the Battle of Cape Esperance.
13-16 October:
With AKIZUKI and Desdiv 2, Desdiv 27 (minus YUGURE) escorted troop convoy (“High Speed Convoy:” SADO MARU, AZUMASAN MARU, KYUSHU MARU, NANKAI MARU, SAKITO MARU and SASAKO MARU, lifting units of 2nd Division) from Shortlands to Guadalcanal and back. KYUSHU MARU, AZUMASAN MARU and SASAKO MARU lost to air attacks and/or grounding, but all troops, tanks, and guns were successfully landed.
17 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal: Desdiv 27 (minus YUGURE) made up one of five transport groups that between them carried 2,159 soldiers, 6 field guns, ammo, etc., to Esperance and Tassafaronga (Desdiv 27) and brought out evacuees.
29 October:
Led transport run to Guadalcanal: With ARIAKE, carried food and fuel, plus chiefs-of-staff of 17th Army and 8th Fleet, to Tassafaronga.
2 November:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal (cover). With TENRYU, Desdiv 27 and seven other destroyers carried food, fuel, ammunition, and 240 soldiers to (and evacuated 65 from) Tassafaronga. Landings curtailed incomplete due to adverse weather and surf conditions.
5 November:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal: With six other destroyers, Desdiv 27 carried about 200 soldiers apiece to Tassafaronga, total force also evacuating about 250 construction workers and wounded.
8 November:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal: With six other destroyers, Desdiv 27 (minus ARIAKE) carried unspecified number of troops and provisions to Tassafaronga.
12-13 November: First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
Desdiv 27 (minus ARIAKE) served as distant screening force to Admiral Abe's Bombardment Force so played no role in battle. Stood by crippled HIEI during air attacks and removed survivors, then to Truk on 18 November.
20 November:
Commander Seo (later C.O. SUZUTSUKI) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Yamagami Kamesaburou [55] (prev. C.O. NUMAKAZE).
21 December 1942-8 January 1943:
With ASAGUMO, escorted CHUYO from Truk to Yokosuka and back.
15-20 January:
Escorted troop convoy (6th Division Transport/Group A) from Truk to Shortlands, then returned to Truk on 23 January.
31 January-9 February:
Escorted fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomons to cover the Guadalcanal evacuation.
15-20 February:
With ARASHI and ONAMI, escorted KONGO, HARUNA, CHOKAI and NISSHIN from Truk to Yokosuka, then docked at Sasebo for repairs.
13-21 March:
Escorted convoy from Sasebo to Truk.
16-21 April:
With ARIAKE, HIBIKI and SAZANAMI, escorted CHUYO and TAIYO from Truk to Yokosuka.
25-30 April:
With ARIAKE, NAGANAMI and USHIO, escorted CHUYO and UNYO from Yokosuka to Truk.
17-22 May:
Escorted MUSASHI task force from Truk to Yokosuka.
16-21 June:
Part of larger fleet deployment, Desdiv 27 (minus SHIRATSUYU) escorted RYUHO from Yokosuka to Truk.
24 June-3 July:
With Subchaser No. 28 and AKIBASAN MARU, troop transport run from Truk to Nauru (29-30 June), then returned alone to Truk.
8-13 July:
Accompanied NAGARA on aircrew transport run from Truk to Kwajalein and back.
14-16 July:
Escorted NAGARA from Truk via Kavieng to Rabaul.
16 July:
Transport run to Buka.
17-19 July:
Escorted NAGARA from Rabaul to Truk.
20 July:
Desdiv 27 reassigned to Desron 2, Second Fleet.
23-25 July:
Steamed from Truk to Rabaul.
27 July:
Troop transport run to Rekata.
1 August:
Troop transport run to Kolombangara.
6-7 August: Battle of Vella Gulf
Troop transport run to Kolombangara, aborted by battle. Engaged U.S. destroyers; only one of four Japanese destroyers not sunk.
17-18 August: Battle off Horaniu
Troop transport run to Vella Lavella (cover). Engaged U.S. destroyers.
22 August:
Troop evacuation run to Rekata, aborted due to suspected enemy presence.
26 August:
Troop evacuation run to Rekata.
1 September:
Transport run to Tuluvu; then repairs at Rabaul.
20 September:
Transport run to Buka.
28 September:
Troop evacuation run to Kolombangara (cover).
2 October:
Troop evacuation run to Kolombangara (cover).
6-7 October: Battle of Vella Lavella
Troop evacuation run to Vella Lavella (cover). Contributed torpedoes to spread that damaged USS SELFRIDGE (DD-357).
8 October:
Led troop transport/evacuation run to Tuluvu.
23 October:
Led transport run to Garove Island and Iboki.
26 October:
Led troop transport run to Qavuvu.
29 October:
Led troop transport run to Qavuvu.
2 November: Battle of Empress Augusta Bay
Attack mission to Bougainville; engaged U.S. cruiser-destroyer group.
6 November:
Led troop transport run to Buka.
7-11 November:
Escorted convoy from Rabaul via Kavieng to Truk; on 10 November rescued 70 survivors from torpedoed transport TOYKO MARU.
12-17 November:
Escorted MYOKO and HAGURO from Truk to Sasebo, then docked for repairs.
18 December:
Lieutenant Commander Yamagami relieved by Lieutenant Commander Nishino Shigeru [59] (prev. C.O. TSUGA).
24 December:
Minor damage: in collision with fishing boat in Bungo Strait during sortie towards Truk; sortie aborted for repairs.
4-11 January 1944:
Escorted IRAKO from Yokosuka to Truk.
19 January-15 February:
Escorted tanker convoys from Truk to Tarakan and Balikpapan and back.
17 February:
Medium damage: in air attacks on Truk, while departing base via North Channel; direct bomb hit knocked out No. 2 (“X”) gun turret; magazine flooded; 21 dead and 45 injured.
17-19 February:
Steamed from Truk to Palau, then temporary repairs.
6-22 March:
Escorted convoys from Palau via Formosa to Sasebo, then docked for repairs. (“X” turret removed/replaced by triple 25mm mount during repairs.)
11-16 May:
Escorted MUSASHI, CHITOSE, CHIYODA and ZUIHO from Saeki via Okinawa to Tawitawi.
30-31 May:
Desdiv 27 escorted Crudiv 5 from Tawitawi to Davao to take part in Biak troop transport operations.
2 June:
Troop transport run to Biak, aborted due to early enemy detection; then to Sorong on 4 June.
8 June:
Troop transport run to Biak, aborted due to enemy interception. Rescued 110 survivors from sunken HARUSAME, then engaged Allied cruiser-destroyer group. Minor damage: two shell hits; seven dead and 15 injured; then via Sorong and Batjan to Davao on 12 June.
19-20 June: Battle of the Philippine Sea
Escorted Admiral Joshima's Force B. Assisted the torpedoed HIYO and helped HAMAKAZE rescue survivors.
8-16 July:
Escorted fleet on troop transport mission from Kure to Okinawa, then to Lingga.
7-18 August:
Accompanied KINU on transport mission from Singapore via Brunei and Manila to Palau.
18-25 August:
Escorted KINU from Palau via Cebu to Manila; on 20 August diverted to assist torpedoed NATORI but unable to locate.
25 August-2 September:
Escorted KINU from Manila via Coron to Lingga.
10 October:
Desdiv 27 deactivated; assigned directly to Desron 2.
18-20 October:
Escorted fleet from Lingga to Brunei.
22-25 October: Battle of Leyte Gulf
Fuelled from FUSO, then escorted Admiral Nishimura's Southern Force. Minor Damage: in air attack on 24 October due to direct bomb hit on forward turret; five dead and six wounded. Medium Damage: in Battle of Surigao Strait on 25 October due to one direct shell hit and many near-misses; gyro compass, radio and steering gear all knocked out; temporarily unnavigable. Only ship of Southern Force to survive battle; arrived in Brunei on 27 October.
8-16 November:
Escorted TONE from Brunei to Sasebo, then docked for repairs. On 8 November, with CHIBURI and CD No.19, possibly sank USS GROWLER (SS-215) off Mindoro.
15 November:
Assigned to Desdiv 21 (HATSUSHIMO, SHIGURE), Desron 2, Second Fleet.
30 November:
Lieutenant Commander Nishino (later C.O. NATSUZUKI) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Hagiwara Manubu [63].
17-19 December:
Departed Kure, escorting UNRYU on transport mission to Manila. When carrier was torpedoed and sunk by USS REDFISH (SS-395), assisted MOMI in rescuing 146 survivors; then returned to Sasebo on 22 December.
31 December 1944-13 January 1945:
Escorted Convoy HI-87 from Moji via Takao to Hong Kong.
17 January:
1730: Departed Hong Kong, escorting tanker SARAWAK MARU with KANJU, MIYAKE and CD-13 to Singapore.
24 January 1945:
Action:
- 0705 Torpedoed by USS BLACKFIN (SS-322) in Gulf of Siam, 160 miles east of Khota Bharu, Malaya (06 N, 103-48 E). Hit in port quarter by one or two torpedoes; 0710 Ship listing quickly to opposite starboard side so Abandon Ship ordered.
- 0715 No.2 magazine exploded. Destroyer sank quickly stern first as keeling over to starboard. One officer and thirty-six men killed. There are 202 survivors[DR2 WD] including Lieutenant Commander Hagiwara (to C.O. KASHI), rescued by KANJU and MIYAKE.[1]
Removed from Navy List.
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Anthony Tully, Bill Somerville, and Matthew Jones for contributing to this TROM.
