@Updated - January 16, 2012 - Allyn Nevitt

@Revised - Allyn Nevitt with Anthony Tully - September 2014

Revised - Anthony Tully - April 2023

Name Translation: "Frosty Moon"

6 July 1942:
Laid down at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Nagasaki, Japan.

7 April 1943:
Launched at Nagasaki.

5 July 1943:
Crippled sister-ship AKIZUKI (who had lost fore-section due to submarine torpedo attack in January) arrived in Nagasaki. Because the delivery and installation of SHIMOTSUKI's machinery had been delayed, as a way of rushing AKIZUKI's repairs the foreward part of the hull under construction was cut off at frame 75 and used to restore AKIZUKI's bow instead. This naturally greatly delayed SHIMOTSUKI's completion. However a full new hull had been restored by December 1943.

1 March 1944:
Lt (later LtCdr) Tazaki Shozo (63) (former Division Officer, MAYA) and Lt Kubota Tatsuo (67)
(former Navigator, ASAKAZE) are appointed Equipping Officers.

5 March 1944:
LtCdr (Captain posthumously) Hatano Kenji (57) (former CO of HAGIKAZE) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.
Lt (LtCdr posthumously) Yoshizaki Eiji (Eng. 47) (former Chief Engineer, YUKIKAZE) is appointed an Equipping Officer.

15 March 1944:
Lt (j.g.) (later Lt) Ushiroku Toshio (70) (former Crew, YAMASHIRO) is appointed an Equipping Officer.

31 March 1944:
Completed at Nagasaki; assigned same date to Desron 11, Combined Fleet, for training.

Initial Command Structure:
Commanding Officer: LtCdr Hatano Kenji (57) (prev. C.O. HAGIKAZE)
Torpedo Officer: Lt (j.g.) Ushiroku Toshio (70)
Gunnery Officer: Lt Tazaki Shozo (63)
Navigator: Lt Kubota Tatsuo (67)
Chief Engineer: Lt Yoshizaki Eiji (Eng. 47)

3 April:
Arrived Kure, then training in Inland Sea.

7 - 9 April:
Flagship of Desron 11.

9 April:
Cruised to Hashirajima. Hereafter carried out static training.

19 April:
2229 Arrived at Yashima anchorage, West Inland Sea.

20 April:
Arrived at Tokuyama; then sailed back to Hashiraima.

21 April:
Cruised to Kure. Carried out maintenance work and repairs.

29 April:
Returned to Hashirajima anchorage.

1 May 1944:
Torpedo Officer Lt (j.g.) Ushiroku is promoted Lt. Gunnery Officer Lt Tazaki is promoted LtCdr.

3 May:
Departed; arrived at Yashima anchorage.

4 May:
Departed Yashima; proceeded to Kure, training en-route.

8 May:
Departed Kure for Yokosuka.

9 May:
Arrived at Yokosuka.

12 May:
Departed Yokosuka and joined other warships training in Kisarazu zone, Tokyo Bay.

15 May:
Departed Kisarazu anchorage for training but encountered severe weather and aborted the sally. Hereafter conducted static training routines.

22 May:
Departed Kisarazu on anti-submarine sweep; then proceeded to Inland Sea.

23 May:
Arrived at Tokuyama, West Inland Sea.

24 May:
Cruised to the Murozumi Sea; conducting static training.

29 May:
Arrived at Yashima anchorage.

30 May:
Departed for training at sea; returned to Yashima the same day.

31 May:
Departed and arrived subsequently at Kure. Carried out upkeep.

4 June:
Departed Kure and arrived at Kuroshima anchorage. The next day cruised into the nearby Murozumi Sea.

6 June:
Sailed to Sasebo for increase of anti-aircraft machine gun complement.

10 June:
Reassigned to RAdm (later VAdm) Kimura Susumu (40) (former ComDesRon 11)’s DesRon 10, Third Fleet.
0800: Departed Sasebo and rushed south to Guimarras, Philippines to join the Mobile Fleet.

14 June:
1657: Arrived at Guimaras having joined the Mobile Fleet. Assigned to Cardiv 1 direct escort.

15 June:
0800: Departed with KdB for eastern part of the Philippine Sea.

19 - 20 June: Battle of the Philippine Sea
Escorted Admiral Ozawa's Force A. Direct escort of Cardiv 1.
- Action:
- June 19: Anti-submarine work when TAIHO and SHOKAKU were torpedoed.

- June 20: Engaged in twilight air-sea battle. Claimed to have shot down two enemy planes. Perhaps from near-misses, suffered steering problems afterward but was able to maintain contact with the main body of the fleet during retirement.

22 June:
1343: Arrived at Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa.

23 June:
1110: Departed Okinawa for the homeland with other warships.

24 June:
2130: Arrived at Hashirajima anchorage. Refuelled and then carried out maintenance on standby.

28 June:
0553: Departed Hashirajima with WAKATSUKI escorting CinC Combined Fleet flagship Oyodo to Yokosuka.

29 June:
1100: Arrived at Yokosuka, Tokyo Bay. Additional machine-guns and Type No.13 radar installed.

4 July:
Cruised to nearby Kisarazu anchorage. Departed next day for Kure with WAKATSUKI.

8 July:
Sailed to Usuki Bay, northeast Kyushu.

9 July:
Departed Usuki Bay with WAKATSUKI escorting battleships KONGO and NAGATO on a transport mission to Manila. Force under the command of ComBatdiv 3 VADM Suzuki Toshio.

10 July:
Arrive at Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa.

12 July:
Departed for Manila.

14 July:
Arrived at Manila with the battleships.

15 July:
Reassigned as flagship of Captain (RAdm posthumously) Wakida Kiichiro (48) (former ComDesDiv 21)’s newly reactivated DesDiv 41 (SHIMOTSUKI, FUYUZUKI), DesRon 10, Third Fleet.

17-20 July:
Departed Manila and steamed with others to Lingga Roads.

26 July:
Left Lingga for training. Returned next day.

28 July:
Departed Lingga for training; returned same day.

29-30 July:
Left Lingga for training. Returned next day.

31 July:
Departed Lingga for training; returned same day. Hereafter carried out static training.

4 August:
2100: Departed Singapore. Escorted Convoy HI-70 from Singapore to Moji. Convoy comprised of oilers MANJU MARU, HAKKO MARU, KINUGASA MARU, KUROSHIO MARU, SERIA MARU, OMUROSAN MARU, OTOWASAN MARU and ARIMASAN MARU with escors Light cruiser KASHII and Coast Defense ships CHIBURI, SADO, No.13, No.19, and escort carrier SHINYO. SHIMOTSUKI served as primary escort and planeguard to SHINYO.

12 August:
Action:
- 0815: At position 26.18N 122.43E, west of Okinawa SHINYO's "Kate" bombers twice detected and bombed a suspected enemy submarine. Coast Defense ship SADO and No.13 proceed to drop at the spot. Believing had a firm contact they were joined by the auxiliary minesweeper AOI MARU and auxiliary picket-boat No. 22 NITTO MARU. The combined attack was believed to have sunk the submarine. SADO was delayed at the scene so long was detached and proceeded to Keelung, Formosa, arriving the next day. SHIMOTSUKI remained guarding SHINYO during the encounter.

14 August:
Preceding the convoy in a sweep, SHIMOTSUKI arrived at Arikawa Bay.

15 August:
1430: Convoy HI-70 arrived safely at Moji. Nearby SHIMOTSUKI departed Arikawa Bay and arrived at Agenosho.

16 August:
Departed Agenosho.

17-24 August:
Drydocked at Yokosuka, then training.

25 August:
Cruised to nearby Kisarazu in Tokyo Bay. Continued training in the vicinity through September.

1 September 1944:
Lt (Cdr posthumously) Ogura Masutoshi (65) (former Gunnery Officer, OBORO) is appointed Gunnery Officer. LtCdr Tazaki is appointed an Equipping Officer of KATSURAGI.

8 September 1944:
Lt (j.g.) (later Lt) Yoda Toshiro (71) (former Crew, OI) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Ushiroku is reassigned.

10 September 1944:
Lt (j.g.) (Lt posthumously) Kawasaki Hideaki (71) (former Crew, I-166) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt (j.g.) Yoda is reassigned.
Lt (j.g.) (Lt posthumously) Tachiri Hitoshi (71) (former Crew, SHIMOTSUKI) is appointed Navigator. Lt Kubota is reassigned.

26-27 September:
Departed Yokosuka with FUYUZUKI escorting new carrier UNRYU to Kure.

28 September:
Desdiv 41 is attached to 2-YB, the Second Striking Force of VADM Shima Kiyohide's Fifth Fleet.

9 October:
Desdiv 41 arrived in Yokosuka assigned to the screen of cruiser OYODO.

12 October:
1215: SHIMOTSUKI with FUYUZUKI departed Kisarazu escorting light cruiser OYODO to Kure.[1]
Action:
- 1932 FUYUZUKI torpedoed in bow by USS TREPANG (SS-412) southwest of the entrance to Tokyo Bay. The entire foredeck forward of No. 1 turret and frame 18 collapses into the sea, and she has to be left behind.[TREPANG believed the targets to be two Fuso-class battleships and two destroyers. Not realizing had missed the target TREPANG claimed damaging a battleship] FUYUZUKI drifts and stays off Wakura-Oki for a while.
- Comdesdiv 41 transferred his flag from FUYUZUKI to SHIMOTSUKI.

13 October:
SHIMOTSUKI arrived in the West Inland Sea. Waits on standby to assist FUYUZUKI if called upon.[Her damaged sister-ship reaches Kure two days later.]
1332: ComCardiv 4 requested that SHIMOTSUKI be held on standby at Kagoshima once arrived there.
1825: SHIMOTSUKI arrived with OYODO at Oita.

15 October:
SHIMOTSUKI arrived at Shimematsu, West Inland Sea area.[near Kagoshima] Lieutenant Commander Hatano promoted to Cdr. Gunnery Officer Lt Ogura is promoted LtCdr.

21 October:
1800: Departed in "SHO-Go" escorting Admiral Ozawa's Mobile Fleet toward Cape Engano, Philippines.

25 October: Battle of Leyte Gulf
Escorted Admiral Ozawa's Northern Force in air-sea Battle off Cape Engano. Assisted ISUZU rescuing CHITOSE survivors, then escorted ISE-HYUGA surface attack force.
Action:
- 0700 CarDiv 4 and Desdiv 61 rejoined the Mobile Fleet after a surface reconnaissance in force that night.
- 0700-0730 Mobile Force assumes #4 Alert Cruising Dispotion.[Group 5 in the lead was ZUIKAKU, ZUIHO, OYODO, AKITSUKI, TAMA, WAKATSUKI, ISE, Group 6 follows astern and was ISUZU, SHIMOTSUKI, SUGI, MAKI, HYUGA, and KIRI with CHITOSE and CHIYODA]. CHIYODA and CHITOSE steaming in parallel formation in rear of two circles, with CHITOSE on the starboard flank, CHIYODA the port.
- 0817-0855 First wave of planes from Task Force 38 attack. Anti-air action. Open fire. Assigned direct escort of CHITOSE and CHIYODA.
- 0829 Heavy attack in progress. CHITOSE listing to port signaled rudder is out.
- 0937 CHITOSE tilted to port and sank stern first after numerous bomb hits and near-misses. SHIMOTSUKI lowered two cutters for rescue, but had to leave them at 0949 when a second air wave was detected by radar. Head north to try to protect CHIYODA as the attack is headed toward her.
- 1016 After bombing, CHIYODA goes dead in the water listing moderately to starboard.
- 1025 HYUGA and SHIMOTSUKI Circling CHIYODA whose engines were out in hopes of setting up a tow.
- 1120 Ordered to return to CHITOSE survivors.
- 1151-1239 Returned to the CHITOSE survivor patch, and this time rescued 121 men.
- 1726 Came under air attack along with HYUGA, suffering several near-miss bombs. One of them, off the port quarter opened a gash just abaft the aft engine room, causing her to lose oil and warping frames # 126-143. Sea water began to pour into the port shaft alley, causing 5 degree port list and a 2-knot reduction in speed to 31 knots. The aft radar and aft AA director was knocked out and 1 man killed. In addition the automatic course and speed indicator was rendered inoperable and seven oil tanks and two air compressors damaged. One cutter was also damaged.
- 1820 Rejoined Main Body. Conformed to its movements thereafter. Participated in abortive attempted surface counter-march attack that was abandoned at 2230.

SHIMOTSUKI escaped without further harm, but the strength of after hull now depended on her keel and middle shaft brackets holding. This required caution returning home in heavy seas, and speedy drydocking. SHIMOTSUKI had expended a prodigous 595 main battery shells and 8,640 machine-gun rounds. Claim shot one plane down.

27 October:
1200: Arrived with HYUGA at Amami-o-Shima. Both ships carried out emergency repairs alongside and assisting one another.
1850: Ozawa received Combined Fleet Dispatch Orders that removed Desdiv 41 [FUYUZUKI, SUZUTSUKI] and Desdiv 61 [WAKATSUKI, SHIMOTSUKI] from Mobile Fleet and attached them to join 2-YB [Second Striking Force] and attached OYODO 1-YB [2nd Fleet] to join Kurita at Brunei to become his new flagship. All were to proceed to new assignment upon receipt. OYODO with Desdiv 61 & 41 was to sail for Manila now, Cardiv 4 and EscDesRon 31 to [first] proceed to Kure, than to Manila with special attack units. Cardiv 4 [than to] to join 1YB, EscDesron 31 than to come under Southwest Area Force command.
In response to this order Ozawa replied: "By 11/8, OYODO, WAKATSUKI will leave. Cardiv 4, SHIMOTSUKI,ISUZU, KUWA, KIRI, SUGI will follow. 11/18 FUYUZUKI and MAKI should be ready."
1937: Kurita, having received the same order, intervened: He ordered that Desdiv 41 and Desdiv 61 to proceed forthwith to Manila with OYODO, and Desdiv 31 to refuel at Brunei, and then proceed from there to Pagdanan Bay [40 miles north of Urugan Bay]. However, SHIMOTSUKI is too damaged to comply. Instead SHIMOTSUKI transfered some ammunition to OYODO and WAKATSUKI which were to proceed directly to Manila without returning home. SHIMOTSUKI and HYUGA (the latter had received Ozawa's flag from OYODO) then departed for the Inland Sea the next day. [OYODO and WAKATSUKI obeyed and arrived at Manila 1 November]

28 October:
1300: Departed Amami-o-Shima with HYUGA and others for Inland Sea. OYODO and WAKATSUKI departed for Manila as ordered.

29 October:
2250: Arrived at Kure. Subsequently drydocked for rushed repairs of battle damage and to prepare for further operations per 27 October orders.

31 October:
1720: SHIMOTSUKI among other units of Desron 2 is ordered to expedite damage repairs and proceed to Manila.

2 November:
1418: ComCardiv 4 RADM Matsuda Chiaki telegrams that Cardiv 4 (HYUGA, ISE), ISUZU, SHIMOTSUKI, SUZUTSUKI, UME, KIRI, MOMO, KUWA, and SUGI will depart the homeland 8 November and arrive at Manila on 18 November.

5 November:
Still under repair; but remains assigned to forthcoming "H Unit" operation, still scheduled to depart the homeland 8 November.

8 November:
Repairs judged satisfactory. Departed KURE with ISE and other escorts for Mutsure. [Sister-ship SUZUTSUKI was also supposed to participate; but at the last moment severe leakage from insufficient repairs to the October 16 torpedo damage of the bow foreclosed departure.]

9 November:
0215: ISUZU, SHIMOTSUKI, KUWA, KIRI, and MAKI departed Mutsure convoying ISE to a rendezvous south.
0830 Rendezvoused with HYUGA, UME, MOMO, and SUGI twelve nautical miles north of the Gotto Retto Islands.(The latter group had departed Sasebo at 0300 that morning) This formation of two battleships [i.e., Cardiv 4], one light cruiser, and seven destroyers was designated "H" Unit [for HYUGA, flagship of ComCardiv 4 in command of the operation] which was to make a special urgent transport run to Luzon. Once assembled, force proceeded on planned voyage to Manila via Mako.

10 November:
1400: "H" Unit arrived at Mako; some units do not arrive till the 11th. Destroyer KIRI ran onto a reef for medium damage but is able to continue.

12 November:
Evening: "H" Unit departed Mako for Manila. Projected to arrive there at 18 November.

13 November:
2000: Due to reports of the fierce air attacks on Manila that day ComCardiv 4 Matsuda changes plans to not enter Manila yet, and to detour to a temporary staging area in the Shinnan Archipelago ("Dangerous Ground") to unload materials there and await developments.

14 November:
1400: "H" Unit arrived at Shinnan Gunto. A revised plan to deliver the materials to Manila is conceived. ISUZU with three destroyers would proceed to Manila after all with all they can carry. In addition, three fast "T"Type transports will come down to take aboard the rest of the supplies. Cardiv 4 and SHIMOTSUKI with UME and KIRI will remain and wait at Nagashima.

15 November:
0900: Fast Transports No.6, No.9, and No.10 joined "H" Unit at Shinnan Gunto. "H Unit" ships transfered their cargoes of ammunition and personnel today and during the following. UME and KIRI departed for Brunei. They had been ordered to reinforce the escort of Kurita's 1-YB which was departing from there the afternoon of 16 November to return to the homeland. They were to convoy them as far as the north end of Formosa Strait.
ISUZU departed with MOMO, SUGI, and KUWA for Manila with the three fast transports.

16 November:
1700: The three fast transports, loading completed, departed for Manila.
Cardiv 4 and SHIMOTSUKI departed northeastwards for and arrived same day at Nagashima in the Spratly Islands.[There they found KASUMI, USHIO and TAKE waiting having escaped Manila the evening of November 13th.]

18 November:
1300: Shima's 2-YB (including HARUNA) arrived from Brunei and joined "H" Unit members at Nagashima.

19 November:
Departed `Naga-shima' for Lingga as part of the escort for VADM Shima's Fifth Fleet and now greatly augmented 2-YB with Cardiv 4 (HYUGA, ISE); battleship HARUNA; cruisers ASHIGARA, HAGURO, and OYODO. Escorted by SHIMOTSUKI, KASUMI, USHIO, HATSUSHIMO and ASASHIMO.

22 November:
Action:
- 0705 Approaching Malaya, OYODO sighted and fired on a submarine. SHIMOTSUKI and HATSUSHIMO counter-attacked with depth charges with unknown results.
1500: Arrived at Lingga.
2100: Departed same day for Singapore having been assigned as temporary flagship of Escort Desron 31.

23 November:
Arrived at Singapore.

24 November:
Noon: In Johore Strait ComEscort Desron 31 (Rear Admiral Edo Heitaro [40] transferred his flag from damaged ISUZU to SHIMOTSUKI.
1320: Now flagship of Escort Desron 31 SHIMOTSUKI and MOMO departed Singapore for Manila (via with a planned stop at Borneo) to participate in the ongoing "TA" transport counterlanding operations to Leyte from Manila to Ormoc.

25 November:
Sunk:
- 0448 torpedoed by USS CAVALLA (SS-244) 220 miles east-northeast of Singapore. Of four fired, a minimum of three and perhaps all four torpedoes struck her starboard side forward, amidships, and aft. She exploded violently, broke up and keeled over to port, "sinking instantaneously" as reported by MOMO (2-21 N, 107-20 E). [1]
- 0510 MOMO reported the disaster, then after a fruitless search for the enemy submarine later returned to the scene, but found only 46 survivors. There was very heavy loss of life, including Commander 31st Escort Squadron RAdm (VAdm posthumously) Edo, 31st Escort Squadron Chief-of-Staff Cdr (Captain posthumously) Miyazaki Isao (52) (former Staff, General Escort Command), 31st Escort Squadron Staff Gunnery Officer Cdr (Captain posthumously) Tomioka Tadao (58) (former CO of FUMIZUKI), 31st Escort Squadron Staff Engineer Officer Lt (LtCdr posthumously) Matsumoto Daigo (Eng. 47) (former DesRon 3 Temporary Staff Engineer Officer), 31st Escort Squadron Staff Communications Officer LtCdr (Cdr posthumously) Ikeda Tamimasa (61) (former Staff Communications Officer, 22nd Picket Boat Squadron), ComDesDiv 41 Captain (RAdm posthumously) Wakida, Cdr (Captain posthumously) Hatano, Torpedo Officer Lt (j.g.) (Lt posthumously) Kawasaki, Gunnery Officer LtCdr (Cdr posthumously) Ogura, Navigator Lt (j.g.) (Lt posthumously) Tachiri, and Chief Engineer Lt (LtCdr posthumously) Yoshizaki.
- Comment: Sister-ship AKIZUKI at Engano had a crew of 328 officers and men - not being a flagship like SHIMOTSUKI this suggests upwards to 290 souls lost here. In any event the sinking of SHIMOTSUKI is truly one of the lesser known disasters of the IJN destroyer fleet and loss of experienced staff since sister NIIZUKI's loss in July 1943.[2]

- MOMO rescued the survivors but reportedly continued on to Manila instead of returning to Singapore. [5 December is found departing Manila with Ta No.8 Operation] The replacement Comdesron 31 is quickly made with the appointment late that afternoon of RADM Tsuruoka Nobumychi. [43] Nobumichi sets out immediately by air for Singapore from Japan.

10 January 1945:
Removed from Navy List.

6 July 2002:
The wreck site of the Japanese Akizuki Class destroyer SHIMOTSUKI was discovered by Vidar Skoglie / MV EMPRESS by side scan sonar and subsequently confirmed in May 2003. The devastated wreck lies on its port side and shows evidence that all four torpedoes hit. Remarkably enough, however, the torpedo mount was intact and not a source of the explosions.[See Notes for more]

Notes and Sources:

For more details of the wreck, see: Shipwrecks of the IJN

Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Anthony Tully, Bill Somerville and Matthew Jones for contributing from their works to this TROM.