© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt@Revised - Anthony Tully - June 2023
Name Translation:"Evening Clouds"
12 June 1940:
Laid down at Maizuru Navy Yard.
16 March 1941:
Launched and named YUGUMO "Evening Clouds"
31 July 1941:
Cdr (later Captain) Semba Shigeo (50) (former CO of URANAMI) is appointed Chief Equipping
Officer.
1 September 1941:
Lt (later LtCdr) Sugiyama Tadayoshi (61) (former Torpedo Officer, ASAGUMO) is appointed an
Equipping Officer.
25 September 1941:
Lt (j.g.) (later Lt) Kayama Takeshi (65) (former Adjutant, 1st Maizuru Naval District Special Naval
Landing Force (SNLF)) is appointed an Equipping Officer.
15 October 1941:
Equipping Officer Lt (j.g.) Kayama is promoted Lt.
16 October 1941:
Lt (Eng.) (Cdr posthumously) Yamada Wataru (Eng. 42) is appointed an Equipping Officer.
15 November 1941:
Lt (j.g.) (LtCdr posthumously) Yakabe Yoshio (66) (current Navigator, KAMIKAZE) is appointed
an Equipping Officer as an additional duty.
19 November 1941:
Equipping Officer Lt (j.g.) Yakabe assumes full-time duty aboard.
1 December 1941:
1500: Departed Uraga and carried out trials outside Tokyo Bay. Returned at noon the next day. Repeated 3-4 December.
5 December 1941:
Completed at Maizuru, then training and antisubmarine duty in the Tokyo-Yokosuka area. Departing in and out of Uraga most of December.
Initial Command Structure:
Commanding Officer: Cdr Semba Shigeo (50)
Torpedo Officer: Lt Sugiyama Tadayoshi (61)
Gunnery Officer: Lt Kayama Takeshi (65)
Navigator: Lt (j.g.) Yakabe Yoshio (66)
Chief Engineer: Lt (Eng.) Yamada Wataru (Eng. 42)
20 December 1941:
Lt (j.g.) (LtCdr posthumously) Tamura Seiji (66) (former Navigator, YUGURE) is appointed
Torpedo Officer. Lt Sugiyama is appointed Torpedo Officer of HAYASHIO.
29 December 1941:
Reserve Lt (j.g.) (LtCdr posthumously) Ogawa Takao is appointed Navigator. Lt (j.g.) Yakabe is
appointed Gunnery Officer, relieving Lt Kayama, who is appointed Gunnery Officer of
MURASAME.
6 January:
0630: Departed Uraga with minelayer SARUSHIMA and destroyer SAWAKAZE searching for submarine [USS POLLACK SS- ] which the day before had damaged the auxiliary gunboat HEIJO MARU.
8 January:
0830: Group arrived at Yokosuka having had no results.
9 January through February:
On patrol duty (often in company with SAWAKAZE as above) in and out of the Uraga and Yokosuak area and escorting in and out various arrivals for a part of their way. Investigated various false alarms or suspicious contacts.
8 February:
Escorted south and clear of Tokoy Bay area No.2 NISSHIN MARU (17,579 tons).
16 February:
0430: Departed Minato Sea and went to outer Tokyo Bay to meet and convoy in the battle-damaged light cruiser KATORI.
0700: Returned to Minato Sea.
21 February:
Patrolling the mouth of Tokyo Bay with HATSUSHIMA and KASAGI MARU for reported unknown.
1430: In position bearing 145 degrees 23 miles from Katsuura Lighthouse halted a merchant ship, investigated it, and cleared it.
11-15 March:
1800: Attached to Combined Fleet for an urgent operation. (Signal intelligence had indicated an American carrier force nearing Japan bearing 350 degrees 60 miles from Otori-Jima (Marcus Island). Departed to join the four battleships of Batdiv 2 (ISE, HYUGA, FUSO, YAMASHIRO) and Desdiv 27.
14 March 1942:
Assigned to Captain (RAdm posthumously) Abe Toshio (46) (former ComDesDiv 8)’s DesDiv 10
(MAKIGUMO, YUGUMO) in VAdm (Admiral posthumously) Nagumo Chuichi (36) (former
Director of the Naval College)’s First Air Fleet.
16 March:
The operation cancelled (the enemy had not stayed in the area after raiding Marcus Island) [This was USS ENTERPRISE] Task Force arrived at Ise Bay, southern Honshu.
19 March:
2100: Departed Ise Bay to return to Yokosuka; arrive there the next morning. Remainder of March spent on Tokyo Bay area patrols as before.
10 April:
DesDiv 10 (KAZAGUMO, MAKIGUMO, YUGUMO, plus AKIGUMO added this date) reassigned to Captain (later
VAdm) Kimura Susumu (40) (former CO of HARUNA)’s newly-activated DesRon 10, First Air
Fleet.
1 May 1942:
Torpedo Officer Lt (j.g.) Tamura and Gunnery Officer Lt (j.g.) Yakabe are promoted Lt.
27 May:
Departed Hashirajima with the rest of Desdiv 10 as part of the escort of 1st Air Fleet KdB (Cardivs 1 and 2) of VADM Nagumo Chuichi for the invasion of Midway Island.
1 June 1942:
Chief Engineer Lt (j.g.) (Eng.) Onuma is promoted Lt (Eng.).
4-5 June: Battle of Midway
Escorted Admiral Nagumo's Striking Force.
Action:
- 1703 Air attack. HIRYU set afire but was able to proceed. No damage received by YUGUMO. Mobile Fleet retires westerly.
- 2123 Crippled HIRYU went dead in the water. Desdiv 10 stands-by to assist in fire-fighting. YUGUMO embarked fire hoses and pumps from cruiser CHIKUMA for transport to HIRYU.
24 June:
0956: Arrived at Ominato, northern Honshu.
28-11 July:
1200: Departed Ominato escorting warships including Batdiv 3 to Yokosuka.
14 July:
Desron 10 reassigned to Third Fleet.
18 July:
YUGUMO departed Yokosuka with AKIGUMO and MAKIGUMO escorting battleship KONGO to Kure.
16 August:
Departed Kure, escorting fleet towards Truk.
24 August: Battle of the Eastern Solomons
Escorted Admiral Nagumo's Striking Force.
September-October:
Escorted fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomons.
26 October: Battle of Santa Cruz
Escorted Admiral Abe's Vanguard Force.
3-5 November:
Escorted SUZUYA and MAYA from Truk to Shortlands.
6 November:
2300: YUGUMO departed Shortlands Islands with OYASHIO, KAGERO, UMIKAZE, KAWAKAZE, SUZUKAZE, MAKINAMI, TAKANAMI, NAGANAMI, KAZAGUMO and HAYASHIO on transport run. Each destroyer carried 30 soldiers and 150 packages of provisions.
7 November:
2039: Arrived at designated landings areas at Cape Esperance and Tassafaronga, Guadalcanal Island. Unloaded.
2330: Mission completed successfully, all departed and returned to Shortlands the next day.
10 - 11 November:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.
0900: YUGUMO departed with KAZAGUO, MAKIGUMO, MAKINAMI and SUZUKAZE on a smaller second run but carrying the same cargo sizes as before.
Action
- 1555 Attacked by aircraft. No damage.
- 2035 Engaged by MTBs, but no damage sustained. Proceeded with unloading the cargo. Force than took aboard 585 sick and wounded for evacuaton and departed. Returned safely to Shortlands the next day.
13-14 November: Naval Battles of Guadalcanal
YUGUMO departed Shortlands. Escorted Admiral Nishimura's Bombardment Force, cruisers SUZUYA, MAYA, TENRYU with MAKIGUMO, KAZAGUMO and MICHISHIO.
16-17 November:
Escorted CHOKAI from Shortlands to Rabaul, then troop transport run to Buna with KAZAGUMO and MAKIGUMO.
22 November:
Troop transport run to Buna.
28-29 November:
Departed Rabaul on troop transport run to Buna. YUGUMO and KAZAGUMO carrying supplies; SHIRATSYU carrying soldiers, and MAKIGUMO acting as cover guard ship.
- 29 November: Action:
- Six B-17 bombers attacked. MAKIGUMO and SHIRATSYU both are damaged and have to abort the mission and return to Rabaul. YUGUMO and KAZAGUMO go onward without cover and successfully completed the mission; returning to Rabaul safely the next day.
8 December:
0430: Departed Rabaul on third transport foray to Buna.
Action:
- 1030 In position 05-03', 152-23'E attacked by a single B-24 that damaged ASASHIO. With the enemy alerted and further air attack likely at 1150 force reversed course and aborted the operation.
- 1645 Returned to Rabaul, the mission a complete failure. (The Japanese garrison at Basabua had also been overrun that day by American troops)
11 December:
Fourth Troop transport [11-14 November] run to Buna, via the Admiralties to avoid air attack.
2030: YUGUMO departed Rabaul with KAZAGUMO, ARASHIO, INAZUMA, and ISONAMI. Each destroyer carried 800 soldiers.
12 December:
Refueled from Crudiv 7 KUMANO and SUZUYA near the Admiralty Islands. This day very bad weather with strong northeast winds favored the operation; frustrating Allied air interdiction. When discovered the destroyers avoided attack by sheltering in thunderstorms.
14 December:
23 January:
24-26 January:
2 February:
0200: Approaching the objective, enemy aircraft were sighted. Landing site was changed from the mouth of Kumusi River to that of the Manbale River (65 kilometers NW of Basabua)
0400: Unloading successful at Manbale River, force departed for Rabaul. Attacked en-route back and ISONAMI damaged but was able to proceed.
2120: Alll ships returned to Rabaul.
16-21 December:
With KAZAGUMO and MAKIGUMO, escorted Wewak attack force (auxiliary cruiser KIYOZUMI MARU carrying a battalion of 5th Division from Ambon) from Rabaul to Wewak and back.
23-29 December:
Steamed from Truk to Japan, then docked for repairs.1943
18 January 1943:
Captain Yoshimura Matake (45) (former CO of TATSUTA) is appointed ComDesDiv 10. Captain
Abe is reassigned.
Departed Iwakuni Sea for Truk. YUGUMO with KAZAGUMO, YUKIKAZE and AKIGUMO escorted carriers ZUIKAKU (Flag of ComThirdFleet Admiral Ozawa) and ZUIHO.
Approaching Truk, ZUIKAKU flew off her air group to proceed to Truk with some conducting anti-sub sweeps on the way in, so great was the submarine danger judged to be.
- : Convoy entered Truk through North Pass.
YUGUMO and KAZAGUMO steamed from Truk to Rabaul. Afterward to the Shortlands.
1 February:
Departed Shortlands on First Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal as part of Operatoion KE.
Action:
- 0000 Offload completed and force headed back.
- 0030 When just about to leave the vicinity YUGUMO received order from Reinforcement Commander to depart from Esperance area to tow MAKIGUMO which had been mined off Doma Cove. Air escort requested to cooperate.
- Upon arriving on the scene, YUGUMO came alongside and attempted side-by-side towing procedure, while MAKIGUMO's crew worked to halt flooding in the fantail. Initially a speed of 5 knots is attained and the situation seemed to be under control. Air cover is requested again. However MAKIGUMO began to gradually settle even deeper aft.
- 0050 MAKIGUMO ordered to Abandon Ship when flooding increased and there seemed little prospect of checking it.
- 0127 YUGUMO scuttled MAKIGUMO with one torpedo after transfer of personnel completed. Took aboard Commander Fujita Isamu [50], 16 officers and 248 men.
4 February:
Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal.
7 February:
Troop evacuation run to Russell Islands.
12-16 February:
Steamed from Shortlands to Palau.
17-24 February:
With KAZAGUMO, escorted troop convoy (1
6-12 March:
With KAZAGUMO, AKIGUMO, SAMIDARE and SATSUKI, escorted troop convoy (Hansa No. 1: No. 1 Shinsei Maru, Momoyama Maru, Yasushima Maru, Oyo Maru, Aso Maru, Teiryu Maru, Sydney Maru, lifting units of 20th Division)from Palau to Hansa Bay.
14 March:
Steamed to Rabaul with KAZAGUMO and SATSUKI.
16 March 1943:
Special Duty Lt Ishii Soroku is appointed Chief Engineer. Lt Onuma is reassigned.
19 March:
Transport run with KAZAGUMO to Tuluvu (New Britain).
24-31 March:
Escorted convoys between Rabaul and Shortlands.
1 April:
Troop transport run from Shortlands to Kolombangara.
2 April:
Transport run to Buka.
3 April:
When KAZAGUMO struck mine near Kahili, became flagship of Comdesdiv 10 (Captain Yoshimura Matake [45]).
5 April:
YUGUMO Departed Shortlands Islands on Third Troop transport run to Kolombangara with SAMIDARE, ASAGUMO, KAZAGUMO and AKIGUMO.
2200: Arrived and the four destroyers disembarked 950 men and various equipment. Departed and returned to Buin the next day.
10 April:
Departed Rabaul on Finchhaven Reinforcement No.3 Operation (10-11 April) with SAMIDARE, YUKIKAZE and ASAGUMO.
Action:
- While unloading at Finchaven enemy aircraft attacked and cut short the disembarkation. YUGUMO and AKIGUMO were unable to offload their contingents. As a fallback, it was decided to deliver them instead to Tuluvu, New Britain before returning to Rabaul.
- (11 April): Disembarked all the remaining men and material at Tuluvu, New Britain. In all, about 1,000 men, 4 "Shohatsu" barges, 55 small craft and 130 tons of provisions had been delivered to Finchhaven and Tuluvu by this voyage. Then returned to Rabaul.
18-21 April:
Escorted seaplane carrier KAMIKAWA MARU from Rabaul to Truk.
3 May:
With AGANO, AKIGUMO and YUKIKAZE, departed escorting ZUIKAKU and ZUIHO from Truk to Yokosuka.
8 May:
As approached Japan formation split up. ZUIKAKU flew off her air group and proceeded with AGANO and YUKIKAZE to Kure; ZUIHO went to Sasebo. AKIGUMO and YUGUMO detached to continue to Yokosuka.
9 May:
Arrived at Yokosuka with AKIGUMO. Docked for repairs.
23 May:
Transferred the ashes of Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku (KIA 18 April 1943) from MUSASHI at Kisarazu to Yokosuka Naval Station. AKIGUMO accompanied throughout.
25 May:
Commander Semba (to Flag Secretary, Naval College) relieved by Commander Osako Higashi [50] (prev. C.O. YUNAGI).
1 June:
Navigator Lt (j.g.) Ogawa is promoted Lt.
10-13 June:
0400: Desdiv 10 (YUGUMO, KAZAGUMO, AKIGUMO) steamed from Yokosuka to Paramushiro.
7-17 July:
1900: Departed Paramushiro on initial troop evacuation run to Kiska, aborted due to weather.
22 July-1 August:
1950: Departed for Second troop evacuation run to Kiska. Successfully accomplished 29 July due to very thick fog conditions throughout providing cover. With ABUKUMA, KISO, and five other destroyers, assigned to transport unit. YUGUMO embarked 479 of the evacuees.
3-6 August:
Desdiv 10 escorted MAYA from Paramushiro to Yokosuka.
10 August 1943:
Lt (j.g.) (LtCdr posthumously) Maekawa Shinichi (68) (former Gunnery Officer, MOCHIZUKI) is
appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Tamura is reassigned.
16 August 1943:
Lt (j.g.) (Lt posthumously) Yamagishi Kazuo (68) (former Gunnery Officer, KAZAGUMO) is
appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt (j.g.) Maekawa is reassigned.
17-24 August:
With AKIGUMO, escorted ATAGO, TAKAO and TAIYO from Yokosuka to Truk as part of larger fleet deployment.
Note: Some modern sources suggest YUGUMO had received radar by this time. [1]
6-8 September:
Steamed from Truk to Rabaul with AKIGUMO.
21 September:
Captain (RAdm posthumously) Amano Shigetaka (47) (former ComDesDiv 21) is appointed
ComDesDiv 10. Captain Yoshimura is appointed Chief Equipping Officer of YAHAGI. Desdiv flag transferred back to KAZAGUMO.
28 September:
1400: Departed Rabaul on troop evacuation run to Kolombangara (cover).
2300: Having embarked the troops successfully; departed and returned to Rabaul the 29th.
2 October:
Troop evacuation run to Kolombangara (cover).
3 October:
1210: Returned to Rabaul.
6-7 October: Battle of Vella Lavella
Troop evacuation run to Vella Lavella (cover). Single-handedly charged U.S. destroyers, irreparably damaging USS CHEVALIER (DD-451) with a torpedo.
0455: Departed Rabaul with AKIGUMO (flagship), ISOKAZE, KAZAGUMO, SHIGURE, and SAMIDARE as the Support Cover Force for three destroyer transports: FUMIZUKI, YUNAGI, and MATSUKAZE. As approached the objective that evening SHIGURE and SAMIDARE diverged with landing craft to adavance ahead to the designated evacuation point. It was then that an enemy surface force approaching from the east was encountered.
Action:
- 2035 KAZAGUMO reported sighting "three cruisers"; five minutes later Desdiv 27 reports silhouettes. However, even though flagship AKIGUMO's lookouts also sighted something, Ijuin and some of his staff did not believe they were enemy and feared it was elements of the subchaser-transport force.
- 2052 Course is altered by simultaneous turn left to course 115. This brings Ijuin's four destroyers in opposite parallel course with the approaching enemy (then headed west).
- 2056 Enemy gunfire opened on Ijuin's four destroyers, most landing around YUGUMO. Despite being fourth ship in the column, because of the simultaneous turn YUGUMO was closest to the enemy and reacted first as had been about to open fire in turn. Swung into a tight hard left turn straight toward the enemy and opened fire and began taking shell hits in turn. Swerving around in a counter-clockwise circle then fired eight torpedoes at 2,500 meters. One minute later KAZAGUMO also opened fire, chancing to fire shells over YUGUMO in her way, but not risking firing torpedoes then turned hard right and away in the wake of AKIGUMO and ISOKAZE.
- A flurry of five American shells struck YUGUMO forward and amidships aft and demolished her bridge as she engaged. Out of control, she staggered to the southwest.
- 2101 SHIGURE and SAMIDARE to the west crossing the enemy's path fired sixteen torpedoes. At that very same moment one of YUGUMO's torpedoes arrived and hit the second U.S. destroyer [USS CHEVALIER DD-451] in the port bow blowing it off and the third ship [USS O'BANNON (DD-450) ] following hard astern ran into the suddenly slowing destroyer' starboard side aft before it could swing clear. [As a result CHEVALIER had to be scuttled.] The Division Leader USS SELFRIDGE (DD-357) went after SHIGURE and SAMIDARE only to have its bown also blown off by a Desdiv 27 torpedo and had to leave the action.
- 2105 A torpedo hit YUGUMO. [Where struck is unclear. Indications of survivors is a heavy blow either shells or torpedo demolished the port bow and the engine room. It could have been either of these locations. Captain Hara Tameichi of SHIGURE states the torpedo struck the starboard side after YUGUMO had commenced a hard circle to the left to fire torpedoes. This would point to the engine room damage.]
- The hits left YUGUMO with port side forward smashed and ablaze and the bridge wrecked. Fire also burned amidships aft. Other shells or the torpedo had struck and flooded the engine room. The destroyer was left dead in the water and settling rapidly upright with bow coming awash. However, all three boiler rooms remained undamaged and were secured and evacuated in orderly fashion by the order of the Chief Engineer. As they arrived on deck and moved aft the silhouette of a ship about 300 meters away allegedly opened machine gun fire and swept the decks of the sinking YUGUMO inflicting numerous casualties before it sailed away. [2]
Sunk::
- 2115 (Desdiv AR says 2110) With fierce fire still blazing on the foredeck and settling steadily deeper on an even keel, YUGUMO nosed under and sank bow first. An oil slick spreading out from her as she sank caught fire imperiling the survivors in the water.
- 2113 Ijuin ordered retirement but attempted a torpedo attack at 2117 as headed away west. Twenty-four Type 93 are fired in vain (Run was nearly 17,000 meters)
- 2139 Battle was terminated. Night Assault Force withdraws at high speed.
- 2200 Containment Unit arrived at Buin and fifty minutes later began the disembarking.
- 0110 (7 October):Landing completed, transport unit headed back for Buin.
7 October:
0800: Transport Force returned to Buin.
0830: Night Assault Force returned to Rabaul. A total of forty-eight torpedoes had been fired but only two hits scored. Neverthless, the operation was considered succesful and the Battle of Vella Lavella a Japanese victory.
At the time YUGUMO reportedly had a complement of about 280 officers and men. She went down approximately 15 miles northwest of Vella Lavella (07-33 S, 156-14 E); 138 killed. U.S. PT-boats rescued seventy-eight survivors and another twenty-five reached friendly lines in an abandoned U.S. lifeboat. Cdr (Captain posthumously) Osako, Torpedo Officer Lt (j.g.) (Lt posthumously) Yamagishi, Gunnery Officer Lt (LtCdr posthumously) Yakabe, and Navigator Lt (LtCdr posthumously) Ogawa all Killed in Action.
Chief Engineer Lt Ishii is among the survivors, but it is unknown whether he was among those who were rescued by the Americans or those who reached friendly lines. [3]
1 December 1943:
Removed from Navy List.
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Anthony Tully, Bill Somerville, and Matthew Jones for contributing to this TROM.
