Shiratsuyu-class destroyer

The initial six Shiratsuyu-class destroyers were modified versions of the {{sclass|Hatsuharu|destroyer|4}}, and had been originally planned as the final six vessels of that class under the "Circle-One" Naval Expansion Plan.

However, design issues with the Hatsuharu-class ships, notably their "top-heavy" design relative to their small displacement, resulted in extensive modifications, to the point where the final six vessels on order were named as a separate class. The redesign caused the new class to exceed the limitations imposed by the 1930 London Naval Treaty.{{cite book |last1=Stille |first1=Mark |title=Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers1919–45 (1) |date=2013 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford, UK |isbn=978-1-84908-984-5 |pages=39–42}} An additional four vessels were ordered under the ”Circle-Two Naval Expansion Plan of fiscal 1934, and all vessels were completed by 1937. While the process of only giving numbers rather than names has ceased in 1928, these ships also bore the numbers Dai-65 to Dai-74.

As with the Hatsuharu class, the Shiratsuyu-class destroyers were designed to accompany the Japanese main striking force and to conduct both day and night torpedo 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, none survived the Pacific War.Globalsecurity.org, IJN Shiratsuyu class destroyers

In general layout, the Shiratsuyu-class vessels closely resembled the Ariake sub-class, or final version of the Hatsuharu class, differing only in the lower and more compact bridge design and the shape and inclination of the funnels. The hull retained the general configuration of the Hatsuharu class with a long forecastle with a pronounced flare to improve sea-keeping at high speeds by adding buoyancy and reducing the spray and water coming over the deck, but with a shorter forecastle and longer stern. The same engines were used as on the Hatsuharu class, and due to their greater displacement and draft, the Shiratsuyu-class could only attain 34 knots.

The Shiratsuyu class were the first Japanese warships to be completed with quadruple torpedo mounts and telephone communications to the torpedo station. As with the Hatsuharu class. the torpedo launchers were given a protective shield to allow for use in heavy weather and to protect against splinter damage.

The Shiratsuyu class, as with the previous Hatsuharu class, carried two sets of Kampon geared turbines, one for each shaft. Each set consisted of one low-pressure and one high-pressure turbine, plus a cruise turbine connected to the high-pressure turbine. The LP and HP turbines were connected to the propeller shaft by a two-pinion reduction gear. Each propeller had a diameter of {{convert|3.05|m|ft|abbr=on}} and a pitch of {{convert|3.7|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The total horsepower of the Shiratsuyu class was only {{convert|42000|hp|abbr=on}} compared to the {{convert|50000|hp|abbr=on}} of their Fubuki-class predecessors, but the machinery was significantly lighter and more powerful on a unit basis. The Shiratsuyus{{'}} machinery weighed only {{convert|106|t|ton}} compared to the {{convert|144|t|ton}} of the Fubuki class, or 396 shaft horsepower per tonne versus 347 shaft horsepower per tonne for the older ships.Lengerer, p. 101

Similarly the three Kampon Type Ro-Gō boilers used in the Shiratsuyu-class ships weighed {{convert|50|t|ton}} in comparison to the {{convert|51|t|ton}} boilers used in the Fubuki class, but produced {{convert|14000|hp|abbr=on}} each while the older boilers produced {{convert|12500|hp|abbr=on}}. This gave a ratio of 3.6 kg per shaft horsepower for the Shiratsuyu class compared to the 4.1 kg per shaft horsepower of their predecessors. The newer design of boilers initially used steam pressurized to {{convert|20|bar|psi|adj=on}}, just like the older models, but used superheating to improve efficiency while the older boilers simply used saturated steam.Lengerer, p. 102

A single 100 kW turbo-generator was fitted behind the reduction gears in a separate compartment and two 40 kW diesel generators were located between the propeller shafts. As initially completed the Shiratsuyu class had a range of {{convert|4000|nmi|km|lk=in}} at a speed of {{convert|18|kn|km/h|lk=in}} with {{convert|460|t|ton}} of fuel.Lengerer, pp. 101–102

The Shiratsuyu-class destroyers used the same 50 caliber 12.7 cm/50 Type 3 naval gun as the Fubuki class, but all turrets could elevate to 75° to give the main guns a minimal ability to engage aircraft. During the war the single turret in "X" position was removed on all surviving ships and replaced with a triple Type 96 anti-aircraft gun, while other guns were added so that between 13 and 21 (depending on the individual vessel) of this calibre were eventually carried in double and triple mounts. Although these powered mounts were unsatisfactory because their traverse and elevation speeds were too slow to engage high-speed aircraft{{cite web|url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNJAP_25mm-60_mg.htm|title=Japan 25 mm/60 (1") Type 96 Model 1|date=4 March 2009|access-date=2009-07-14}} more single mounts were fitted to ships in the last year of the war. Four 13 mm guns were also added.

The 61 cm Type 90 torpedo was mounted in quadruple tube Type 92 launchers, derived from the twin tube Type 89 launcher used in the {{sclass|Takao|cruiser|0}} heavy cruisers. Shields were fitted to both the torpedo mounts and lockers to protect them from the weather and from strafing aircraft. Initially the shields were made from Duralumin to save weight, but these quickly corroded and had to be replaced. "NiCrMo" steel, taken from the air chambers of obsolete torpedoes, {{convert|3|mm|in|abbr=on}} in thickness, was chosen for the new shields to save weight. It was traversed by an electro-hydraulic system and could traverse 360° in twenty-five seconds. If the backup manual system was used the time required increased to two minutes. Eight reloads were carried, and each tube could be reloaded in twenty-three seconds using the endless wire and winch provided.Lengerer, pp. 102–3 Because of the weight of the extra guns added, one set of reloads for the torpedo tubes was removed, together with the minelaying and minesweeping gear. By the start of the Pacific War, all ships of the class were using Type 93 torpedoes.

Only eighteen depth charges were initially carried in a rack at the stern, but this increased to thirty-six after the autumn of 1942, with four depth charge throwers. Apparently no sonar or hydrophones were fitted until after the outbreak of the war when the Type 93 sonar and Type 93 hydrophones were mounted.Lengerer, p. 106

Radar was not installed on the surviving ships of this class until late in the war, possibly as late as 1944. Surviving ships were given a Type 22 radar on the foremast, a Type 13 on the mainmast and a Type E-27 radar countermeasures device was carried high on the foremast.

File:JapaneseDDUmikaze.jpg on sea trials, April 1937]]

File:Harusame-1943.jpg]]

After the first six ships of the class started construction, the 'Fourth Fleet Incident' occurred, where a tsunami badly damaged several Japanese warships, including shearing off the bows of the destroyers Hatsuyuki and Yūgiri, which revealed that a number of Japanese warship classes had serious design flaws which made them top-heavy and structurally unstable. Because of this, another four ships of the class were to be ordered with several design changes. Welding was used as opposed to riveting in construction, increasing the class's structural stability and integrity while reducing unnecessary weight. The most visually distinct change was that the bridge was changed to be more rounded and circular in appearance, decreasing wind resistance and weight while improving flagship accommodations. This bridge design was used as the basis of the following Asashio and Kagerō class destroyers.{{Cite web |last=主要兵器 |first=大日本帝国軍 |date=2018-02-03 |title=海風【白露型駆逐艦 七番艦】Umikaze【Shiratsuyu-class destroyer】 |url=https://japanese-warship.com/destroyer/umikaze/ |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=大日本帝国軍 主要兵器 |language=ja}}

On 24 January 1943, Harusame was blown in half by a torpedo from the submarine USS Wahoo, and was beached to avoid sinking. The surviving back half of the ship, with all the machinery required to make the ship move, was towed to Kure and rebuilt. Similarly to the Umikaze subclass, her rebuilt forward half was heavily welded to reduce weight and increase structural soundness, the interior was changed to become more efficient, and her new bridge was the most visually-apparent change, having been rebuilt with a unique bridge differing from the rest of her sisterships which more resembled a Yūgumo class destroyer.{{Cite web |last=主要兵器 |first=大日本帝国軍 |date=2018-02-03 |title=春雨【白露型駆逐艦 五番艦】Harusame【Shiratsuyu-class destroyer】 |url=https://japanese-warship.com/destroyer/harusame/ |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=大日本帝国軍 主要兵器 |language=ja}}

10 ships of the class were built between August 1936 and August 1937. Because of this, all ships of the class saw some degree of participation in the second Sino-Japanese war, made up of convoy escorting and patrol duty, and even the occasional shore bombardment, but none saw any major naval battles against enemy warships.

All 10 ships were still afloat by the start of WW2 for Japan, and would immediately take up convoy escorting and patrol duty to assist in the Japanese capture of the Philippines and Dutch East Indies. It was in the latter campaign that the class began to see their first actions against enemy warships, starting when on 12 January 1942, the Yamakaze helped to sink the Dutch minelayer Prins Van Oranje, then on the 11th of February Yamakaze sank the American submarine USS Shark with gunfire. From 27 February to 1 March, several ships of the class took action at the battle of the Java Sea, during which Kawakaze and Yamakaze helped to sink the destroyer HMS Encounter, while Murasame helped to capture the hospital ship SS Op Ten Noort, escorting her to Singapore where she was converted into a prison ship.{{Cite web |title=IJN Yamakaze: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/yamaka_t.htm}}{{Cite web |last=主要兵器 |first=大日本帝国軍 |date=2018-02-03 |title=江風【白露型駆逐艦 九番艦】Kawakaze【Shiratsuyu-class destroyer】 |url=https://japanese-warship.com/destroyer/kawakaze/ |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=大日本帝国軍 主要兵器 |language=ja}}{{Cite web |title=IJN Amatsukaze: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/amatsu_texp.htm}}

In May, Shiratsuyu and Shigure escorted aircraft carriers at the battle of the Coral Sea, while all 10 ships saw escorting roles during the battle of Midway. At the end of June, Yamakaze became the class's first loss when she was hit by two torpedoes from the submarine USS Nautilus, blew up, and sank with all hands. Afterwards, it was off the Guadalcanal campaign, which saw the class take part in dozens of troop and supply transport runs and several notable engagements. In August, Kawakaze scored another victory when she located a trio of American destroyers, and launched a spread of six torpedoes that hit and sank the destroyer USS Blue. In September, Umikaze and Suzukaze participated in several bombardments of Henderson Field and, and in the latter's case the sinking of the patrol boat USS YP-346, Shiratsuyu helped to sink the fleet tug USS Seminole and the patrol boat YP-284, while Yūdachi helped to sink the fast transport ships USS Gregory and USS Little, before in October several ships of the class escorted aircraft carriers during the battle of Santa Cruz.{{Cite web |title=IJN SENDAI: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/sendai_t.htm}}{{Cite web |last=主要兵器 |first=大日本帝国軍 |date=2018-02-03 |title=白露【白露型駆逐艦 一番艦】Shiratsuyu【Shiratsuyu-class destroyer】 |url=https://japanese-warship.com/destroyer/shiratsuyu/ |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=大日本帝国軍 主要兵器 |language=ja}}{{Cite web |title=IJN Yudachi: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/yudach_t.htm}}{{Cite web |title=Gregory I (Destroyer No. 82) |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/g/gregory-i.html |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=public1.nhhcaws.local |language=en-US}}

In November, Murasame, Yūdachi, Samidare, and Harusame took part in the first naval battle of Guadalcanal. During the action, Harusame and Yūdachi engaged the light cruiser USS Atlanta, each scoring hits, before being separated, Harusame played no further role in the battle, while Yūdachi took charge and badly damaged the heavy cruiser USS Portland with a torpedo hit that jammed her rudder and disabled her turret 3. However, she was later ambushed by the destroyer USS Sterett and disabled by shell hits, being abandoned and left to sink, later finished off by Portland's gunfire in a twist of revenge.{{Cite web |title=Pacific Wrecks - Harusame |url=https://pacificwrecks.com/ship/ijn/harusame.html}} Murasame and Samidare joined the battle late, but charged the light cruiser USS Helena, both taking shell hits in turn, then helped to sink the destroyer USS Monssen. Only Samidare continued into the second battle, during which she fought in the initial action against the American destroyers, but does not appear to have scored any kills.{{Cite web |last=主要兵器 |first=大日本帝国軍 |date=2018-02-03 |title=五月雨【白露型駆逐艦 六番艦】その1Samidare【Shiratsuyu-class destroyer】 |url=https://japanese-warship.com/destroyer/samidare/ |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=大日本帝国軍 主要兵器 |language=ja}}Hara (1961) Chapter 20 Two weeks later, Kawakaze and Suzukaze engaged US cruisers at the battle of Tassafaronga, Suzukaze could not fire her torpedoes as she was forced to dodge torpedo spreads, but Kawakaze unleashed a full spread of 8 long lance torpedoes, two of which likely hit the heavy cruiser USS Northampton which sank over three hours.

In December, Kawakaze and Suzukaze sank the US torpedo boat PT-44, with the usual transport and escort missions ensuing. With the start of 1943, Harusame was crippled by a torpedo from the submarine USS Wahoo which ignited her main battery and blasted off the entire forward half of the ship up to the main funnel. She was beached to avoid fully sinking and towed from Truk to Yokosuka and spent nearly a year under repair. In February, the Japanese decided to retreat from Guadalcanal, with 20 destroyers, including Kawakaze and Samidare, evacuating over 10,000 troops. During the evacuation, Kawakaze sank the torpedo boats PT-37 and PT-111. In March, Murasame helped to sink the submarine USS Grampus, but was shortly afterwards caught by US warships at the battle of the Blackett Strait and was sunk by gunfire and at least one torpedo hit from the destroyer USS Waller. Days later, Samidare probably helped to sink the submarine USS Triton.{{Cite web |title=Who Sank the Triton? |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/triton.htm}}{{Cite web |title=Grampus (1)-uboat.net |url=https://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2919.html}}There remains a small possibility that Grampus was sunk by land based aircraft, but depth charge attacks by Murasame and Minegumo remain the probable cause for the sub's lossTriton's loss is not known for sure, she might have been sunk by the destroyer Akikaze or the submarine Chaser CH-24, but Samidare and Satsuki are the most likely candidates. The class would see almost exclusively troop transport missions until the 6th of July, when at the battle of Kula Gulf, Suzukaze scored 1 of the 3 torpedo hits that sank the light cruiser Helena.{{Cite web |title=IJN Suzukaze: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/suzuka_t.htm}}Domagalski (2012) p 85–87

One ship of the class, the Shigure, had failed to see action up to this point, but at the start of 1943 she was captained by the experienced Tameichi Hara and underwent several months of training. In August, Shigure and Kawakaze were enacting a troop transport run when they were ambushed by the destroyer USS Dunlap, Craven, and Maury in what became known as the battle of Vella Gulf. Kawakaze was sunk by gunfire and torpedoes, bringing an end to her rampage, but Shigure survived with a dud torpedo hit to her rudder and escaped overloaded with survivors.Hara (1961) Chapter 24It was not known that Shigure was hit by a dud torpedo until November of 1943 when she was under refit, they discovered a hole in her rudder. Captain Hara recalled hearing a loud thud aft of the ship during the battle, and put 2 and 2 together A week later, Shigure assisted in fending off US destroyers from a troop convoy at the battle off Horaniu, and in October, Shigure and Samidare both helped to fend off US destroyers at the battle of Vella Lavella, during which a torpedo from Samidare crippled the destroyer USS Selfridge, blowing off her entire bow. At the battle of the Empress Augusta Bay a month later, Shiratsuyu, Shigure, and Samidare all engaged a US cruiser destroyer force with torpedoes, one of Samidare's crippled the destroyer USS Foote and blew off her stern, but in turn Samidare was hit by three 6-inch (152 mm) shells and collided with Shiratsuyu, while Shigure as usual was undamaged. Due to surviving the entire Solomon Islands campaign without losing a single man in combat or ever being critically damaged, she was heavily publicized in wartime propaganda and Captain Hara was hailed as a war hero, making Shigure crucial to Japanese moral.Hara (1961) Chapters 25-28{{Cite web |title=The Battle of Vella Lavella |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/vlavella.htm}}{{Cite web |title=The Battle of Empress Augusta Bay by Vincent P. O'Hara |url=https://destroyerhistory.org/actions/index.asp?r=4380&pid=4382 |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=destroyerhistory.org}}

Immediately into 1944, Harusame was finally recommissioned, but in turn the class suffered two losses. In January, Suzukaze was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Skipjack, while in February Umikaze was sunk by the submarine USS Guardfish. In June, the remaining 4 ships of the class escorted aircraft carriers at the battle of the Philippine Sea, but shortly afterwards Shiratsuyu was sunk in a collision with the troop transport Seiyo Maru, in July Harusame was sunk by land based aircraft, making her the only ship of the class to be sunk by air attacks, while in August Samidare ran aground, and before she could be refloated she was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Batfish.

This left the lucky Shigure as the only remaining ship of the class still afloat. In October, Shigure served in Admiral Nishimura's fleet at the battle of the Surigao Strait, part of the overall battle of Leyte Gulf, and when the force was ambushed by a US battleline, Shigure took an 8-inch (203 mm) shell hit but survived as the only ship of the Southern Force to escape sinking. The next month while returning to mainland Japan, Shigure assisted by escort vessels sank the submarine USS Growler, and survived into 1945. However, at the end of January she was sent to replace the destroyer Yukikaze on escorting duties, but while underway was hit by a torpedo from the submarine USS Blackfin, finally bringing an end to the fortune ship, although she did sink very slowly allowing for most of her crew to survive. After the war, Captain Hara published his book "[https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Destroyer-Captain-Guadalcanal-Battles/dp/1591143845/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6Z8U6MG4681Y&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UaHJEVk3xTfApm_mlWDcZqa3jHV6n8dMe4YpNCLB8gmm-_U9xGmiHXYDEhlJJCO74T_5P_Hj85Lj5uer__50jE9BABrlmE4WWTmllBULIKUv-ramQopXcC4bEAKPvsrBylnrCljrAh_LyUkUAzrRXgr4keVi0xcvqb00Rg9b8Pu9vsOhI6WPSDb6RtvQw00L.AIrXpy4FoNGO4xf8gP41-iEdi37O6mGc5aIAVYdxKs4&dib_tag=se&keywords=Japanese+destroyer+captain&qid=1734922065&sprefix=japanese+destroyer+captain%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-1 Japanese Destroyer Captain]", an autobiography delving into his naval career, with heavy focus on his time as Captain of Shigure.{{Cite web |last=主要兵器 |first=大日本帝国軍 |date=2018-02-03 |title=時雨【白露型駆逐艦 二番艦】その1Shigure【Shiratsuyu-class destroyer】 |url=https://japanese-warship.com/destroyer/shigure/ |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=大日本帝国軍 主要兵器 |language=ja}}{{Cite web |title=IJN Shigure: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/shigur_t.htm}}Yukikaze was the other fortune ship which was important to Japanese moral. Unlike Shigure, Yukikaze survived the war without being hit by a single bomb, shell, or torpedo. Shigure's sinking is one such instance of a running joke among modern naval historians that Yukikaze was a "luck vampire", surviving battles completely undamaged while other ships blew up and sank around her

File:IJN DD Shiratsuyu in 1937.jpg|Shiratsuyu

File:Shigure.png|Shigure

File:IJN DD Murasame in 1937 at Yangtze River.jpg|Murasame

File:Yudachi.jpg|Yūdachi

File:Samidare-1937.jpg|Samidare

File:Shigure and Samidare Solomons.jpg|Shigure and Samidare

File:Harusame-yangtze-1937.jpg|Harusame

File:Harusame II.jpg|Harusame after reconstruction

File:Umikaze-top.jpg|Umikaze

File:Yamakaze-1.jpg|Yamakaze

File:Kawakaze JPG.jpg|Kawakaze

File:IJN DD Suzukaze in 1937.jpg|Suzukaze

{{reflist|2}}

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• {{cite book|last=Stille|first=Mark E.|title=Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers 1919-45 (1) - Minekaze to Shiratsuyu Classes|publisher=Osprey Publishing (No. 198)|year=2013|isbn=978-1-84908-984-5}}
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• Domagalski, John J. (2012). Sunk in Kula Gulf: The Final Voyage of the USS Helena and the Incredible Story of Her Survivors in World War II. Potomac Books Inc. {{ISBN|978-1-59797-839-2}}.
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{{commons category|Shiratsuyu class destroyers}}

• {{cite web |last = Nishida |first = Hiroshi |url = http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0426.htm |title = Materials of IJN: Shiratsuyu class destroyer |work = Imperial Japanese Navy |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://archive.today/20120722084658/http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0426.htm |archive-date = 2012-07-22 }}
• {{cite web| last = Globalsecurity.org| url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/shiratsuyu-dd.htm| title = IJN Shiratsuyu class destroyers}}
• [http://www.combinedfleet.com/shirat_c.htm CombinedFleet.com: Shiratsuyu-class destroyers]

{{Shiratsuyu class destroyer}}

{{WWII Japanese ships}}

Category:Destroyer classes

Category:World War II destroyers of Japan