Japanese destroyer Natsushio

The Kagerō-class destroyers were outwardly almost identical to the preceding light cruiser-sized {{sclass|Asashio|destroyer|4}}, with improvements made by Japanese naval architects to improve stability and to take advantage of Japan's lead in torpedo technology. They were designed to accompany the Japanese main striking force and in both day and night attacks against the United States Navy as it advanced across the Pacific Ocean, according to Japanese naval strategic projections.Peattie & Evans, Kaigun . Despite being one of the most powerful classes of destroyers in the world at the time of their completion, only one survived the Pacific War.Globalsecurity.org, IJN Kagero class destroyers

Natsushio, built at the Fujinagata Shipyards, was laid down on 9 December 1937, launched on 23 February 1939 and commissioned on 31 August 1940.{{cite web | url= http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0427.htm | title= Asashio class 1st class destroyers | last= Nishidah | first= Hiroshi | year= 2002 | work= Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy | access-date= 2011-06-18 | archive-url= https://archive.today/20120721073917/http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0427.htm | archive-date= 2012-07-21 | url-status= dead }}

At 1800 hours on 23 June 1941, Natsushio collided with the destroyers {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Kuroshio||2}} and {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Minegumo|1937|2}} in Bungo Channel.

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Natsushio, was assigned to Destroyer Division 15 (Desdiv 15), and a member of Destroyer Squadron 2 (Desron 2) of the IJN 2nd Fleet, and had deployed from Palau, as part of the escort for the aircraft carrier {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Ryūjō||2}} in the invasion of the southern Philippines and minelayer {{ship|Japanese minelayer|Yaeyama||2}}.{{cite web| url= http://www.combinedfleet.com/natsus_t.htm | title= IJN Natsushio: Tabular Record of Movement |author= Allyn D. Nevitt |year= 1998 |publisher= combinedfleet.com }}

In early 1942, Natsushio participated in the invasion of the Netherlands East Indies, escorting the invasion forces for Menado, Kendari and Ambon in January. During the invasion of Makassar on 8–9 February, Natsushio was torpedoed by the United States Navy submarine {{USS|S-37|SS-142|6}} and sank approximately {{convert|22|mi|km}} south of Makassar at coordinates ({{coord|05|10|S|119|24|E|display=inline,title }}). Ten crewmen were killed in the attack, and the survivors were rescued by her sister ship {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Kuroshio||2}}. Natsushio was removed from the navy list on 28 February 1942.{{cite book | last = Brown | first = David| year = 1990 | title = Warship Losses of World War Two| publisher = Naval Institute Press| isbn = 1-55750-914-X}} She was the first Japanese destroyer to fall victim to U.S. submarines during the war, the first of her class to be sunk and the only Kagero-class destroyer to not partake in the Battle of Midway.

• List of ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book | last = Brown | first = David| year = 1990 | title = Warship Losses of World War Two| publisher = Naval Institute Press| isbn = 1-55750-914-X}}
• {{cite book | last = D'Albas | first = Andrieu| year = 1965 | title = Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II | publisher = Devin-Adair Pub| isbn = 0-8159-5302-X}}
• {{cite book | last = Evans | first = David | year = 1979 | title = Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887–1941 | publisher = US Naval Institute Press | isbn = 0-87021-192-7}}
• {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor=Roger Chesneau|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Grenwitch|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
• {{cite book | last = Howarth | first = Stephen | year = 1983 | title = The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895–1945 | publisher = Atheneum

| isbn = 0-689-11402-8}}

• {{cite book | last = Jentsura | first = Hansgeorg | year = 1976 | title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945 | publisher = US Naval Institute Press | isbn = 0-87021-893-X }}
• {{cite book |last1=Watts |first1=A.J. |title=Japanese warships of World War II |date=1966 |publisher=Ian Allan |isbn=0711002150}}
• {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War 2|publisher=Cassell Publishing|year=1988|isbn=1-85409-521-8}}

• [http://www.combinedfleet.com/kagero_c.htm CombinedFleet.com: Kagero-class destroyers]
• [http://www.combinedfleet.com/natsus_t.htm Natsushio history]
• {{cite web| publisher = GlobalSecurity.org| url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/kagero-dd.htm| title = IJN Kagero class destroyers}}

{{Kagerō-class destroyer}}

{{June 1941 shipwrecks}}

{{February 1942 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Natsushio}}

Natsushio

Natsushio

Category:Shipwrecks in the Makassar Strait

Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean

Category:1939 ships

Category:Maritime incidents in June 1941

Category:Maritime incidents in February 1942

Category:Ships sunk by American submarines

Category:Ships built by Fujinagata Shipyards