Murakumo (叢雲, ”Massed Clouds”)[1] was the fifth of twenty-four Fubuki-classdestroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world.[2] They served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, and remained formidable weapons systems well into the Pacific War.
Construction of the advanced Fubuki-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's expansion program from fiscal 1923, intended to give Japan a qualitative edge with the world's most modern ships.[3] The Fubuki class had performance that was a quantum leap over previous destroyer designs, so much so that they were designated Special Type destroyers (特型, Tokugata). The large size, powerful engines, high speed, large radius of action and unprecedented armament gave these destroyers the firepower similar to many light cruisers in other navies.[4]Murakumo, built at the Fujinagata Shipyards in Osaka was laid down on 25 April 1927, launched on 27 September 1928 and commissioned on 10 May 1929.[5] Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 39”, she was completed as Murakumo.
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Murakumo was assigned to Destroyer Division 12 of Desron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet, and had deployed from Kure Naval District to the port of Samah on Hainan Island. From 4 December to 12 December, she covered Japanese landings at Kota Bharu in Malaya. From 16 December, Murakumo was assigned to cover Japanese landings during Operation B in British Borneo. During this operation, Murakumo engaged the Dutch submarine HNLMS K XVI with depth charges after the submarine had torpedoed the destroyer Sagiri. Although Murakumo claimed credit for sinking K XVI, credit was later awarded to the submarine I-66.
In July 1942, Murakumo sailed from Amami-Oshima to Mako Guard District, Singapore, Sabang and Mergui for a projected second Indian Ocean raid. The operation was cancelled due to the Guadalcanal campaign, and Murakumo was ordered to Truk instead. From August onwards, Murakumo was used for "Tokyo Express" high-speed transport missions in the Solomon Islands. On one of this missions, on 4–5 September, Murakumo assisted in sinking the fast transports USS Gregory and USS Little.[8]
On another mission on 11–12 October 1942, as Murakumo was attempting to assist the cruiser Furutaka in the aftermath of the Battle of Cape Esperance, she was attacked by Allied aircraft. Three near misses, a torpedo hit and then a bomb hit left the ship unmaneuverable and aflame, with 22 crewmen dead. The destroyer Shirayuki rescued survivors, including Murakumo's skipper, Lieutenant Commander Higashi, then scuttled Murakumo with a torpedo 90 nautical miles (170 km) west-northwest of Savo Island at position 08°40′S159°20′E / 8.667°S 159.333°E / -8.667; 159.333.[9]
On 15 November 1942, Murakumo was removed from the navy list.[10]
Notesedit
^Nelson. Japanese-English Character Dictionary. Page 79
^Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Fubuki class destroyers".
^Fitzsimons, Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare p.1040
^Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class 1st class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
^Muir.Order of Battle - The Battle of the Sunda Strait 1942
^Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Murakumo: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com.
^D'Albas. Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II.
^Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
Referencesedit
D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN0-8159-5302-X.
Brown, David (1990). Warship Losses of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-914-X.
Dull, Paul S. (1978). A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-097-1.
Howarth, Stephen (1983). The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895–1945. Atheneum. ISBN0-689-11402-8.
Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. US Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-893-X.
Kilpatrick, C. W. (1987). Naval Night Battles of the Solomons. Exposition Press. ISBN0-682-40333-4.
Nelson, Andrew N. (1967). Japanese–English Character Dictionary. Tuttle. ISBN0-8048-0408-7.
Watts, Anthony J (1967). Japanese Warships of World War II. Doubleday. ISBN978-0-3850-9189-3.
Whitley, M J (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN1-85409-521-8.
External linksedit
Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Murakumo: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com.
Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Fubuki class destroyers".
Muir, Dan Order of Battle - The Battle of the Sunda Strait 1942
January 01, 1970
japanese, destroyer, murakumo, 1928, other, ships, with, same, name, japanese, destroyer, murakumo, murakumo, 叢雲, massed, clouds, fifth, twenty, four, fubuki, class, destroyers, built, imperial, japanese, navy, following, world, when, introduced, into, service. For other ships with the same name see Japanese destroyer Murakumo Murakumo 叢雲 Massed Clouds 1 was the fifth of twenty four Fubuki class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I When introduced into service these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world 2 They served as first line destroyers through the 1930s and remained formidable weapons systems well into the Pacific War MurakumoHistory Empire of Japan NameMurakumo NamesakeJapanese destroyer Murakumo 1898 Ordered1923 Fiscal Year BuilderFujinagata Shipyards Yard numberDestroyer No 39 Laid down25 April 1927 Launched27 September 1928 Commissioned10 May 1929 Stricken15 November 1942 FateSunk in action 12 October 1942 General characteristics Class and typeFubuki class destroyer Displacement1 750 long tons 1 780 t standard 2 050 long tons 2 080 t re built Length111 96 m 367 3 ft pp 115 3 m 378 ft waterline 118 41 m 388 5 ft overall Beam10 4 m 34 ft 1 in Draft3 2 m 10 ft 6 in Propulsion4 Kampon type boilers 2 Kampon Type Ro geared turbines 2 shafts at 50 000 ihp 37 000 kW Speed38 knots 44 mph 70 km h Range5 000 nmi 9 300 km at 14 knots 26 km h Complement219 Armament6 Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns 3 2 up to 22 Type 96 25 mm AT AA Guns up to 10 13 mm AA guns 9 610 mm 24 in torpedo tubes 36 depth charges Service record Operations Second Sino Japanese War Invasion of French Indochina Battle of Malaya Battle of Sunda Strait Indian Ocean raid Battle of Midway Solomon Islands campaign Guadalcanal campaign Battle of Cape Esperance Contents 1 History 2 Operational history 2 1 World War II 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksHistory editConstruction of the advanced Fubuki class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy s expansion program from fiscal 1923 intended to give Japan a qualitative edge with the world s most modern ships 3 The Fubuki class had performance that was a quantum leap over previous destroyer designs so much so that they were designated Special Type destroyers 特型 Tokugata The large size powerful engines high speed large radius of action and unprecedented armament gave these destroyers the firepower similar to many light cruisers in other navies 4 Murakumo built at the Fujinagata Shipyards in Osaka was laid down on 25 April 1927 launched on 27 September 1928 and commissioned on 10 May 1929 5 Originally assigned hull designation Destroyer No 39 she was completed as Murakumo Operational history editOn completion Murakumo was assigned to Destroyer Division 12 under the IJN 2nd Fleet During the Second Sino Japanese War Murakumo was assigned to patrols of the central China coast and participated in the Invasion of French Indochina in 1940 World War II edit At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor Murakumo was assigned to Destroyer Division 12 of Desron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet and had deployed from Kure Naval District to the port of Samah on Hainan Island From 4 December to 12 December she covered Japanese landings at Kota Bharu in Malaya From 16 December Murakumo was assigned to cover Japanese landings during Operation B in British Borneo During this operation Murakumo engaged the Dutch submarine HNLMS K XVI with depth charges after the submarine had torpedoed the destroyer Sagiri Although Murakumo claimed credit for sinking K XVI credit was later awarded to the submarine I 66 In February 1942 Murakumo was part of the escort for the heavy cruiser Chōkai during Operation L the invasion of Banka Palembang and Anambas Islands Murakumo joined the Western Java invasion force and was in the Battle of Sunda Strait on 1 March assisting in the sinking of the Australian cruiser HMAS Perth the American cruiser USS Houston and the Dutch destroyer HNLMS Evertsen 6 On 10 March Murakumo was reassigned to Destroyer Division 20 of Desron3 of the IJN 1st Fleet and subsequently was involved in Operation T the invasion of northern Sumatra on 12 March and Operation D the invasion of the Andaman Islands on 23 March From 13 22 April Murakumo returned via Singapore and Camranh Bay to Kure Naval Arsenal for maintenance 7 On 4 5 June 1942 Murakumo participated in the Battle of Midway as part of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto s main fleet In July 1942 Murakumo sailed from Amami Oshima to Mako Guard District Singapore Sabang and Mergui for a projected second Indian Ocean raid The operation was cancelled due to the Guadalcanal campaign and Murakumo was ordered to Truk instead From August onwards Murakumo was used for Tokyo Express high speed transport missions in the Solomon Islands On one of this missions on 4 5 September Murakumo assisted in sinking the fast transports USS Gregory and USS Little 8 On another mission on 11 12 October 1942 as Murakumo was attempting to assist the cruiser Furutaka in the aftermath of the Battle of Cape Esperance she was attacked by Allied aircraft Three near misses a torpedo hit and then a bomb hit left the ship unmaneuverable and aflame with 22 crewmen dead The destroyer Shirayuki rescued survivors including Murakumo s skipper Lieutenant Commander Higashi then scuttled Murakumo with a torpedo 90 nautical miles 170 km west northwest of Savo Island at position 08 40 S 159 20 E 8 667 S 159 333 E 8 667 159 333 9 On 15 November 1942 Murakumo was removed from the navy list 10 Notes edit Nelson Japanese English Character Dictionary Page 79 Globalsecurity org IJN Fubuki class destroyers Fitzsimons Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare p 1040 Peattie amp Evans Kaigun page 221 222 Nishidah Hiroshi 2002 Fubuki class 1st class destroyers Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy Archived from the original on 2012 07 11 Retrieved 2009 03 01 Muir Order of Battle The Battle of the Sunda Strait 1942 Nevitt Allyn D 1997 IJN Murakumo Tabular Record of Movement Long Lancers Combinedfleet com Brown Warship Losses of World War Two D Albas Death of a Navy Japanese Naval Action in World War II Nishidah Hiroshi 2002 Fubuki class destroyers Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy Archived from the original on 2012 07 11 Retrieved 2009 03 01 References editD Albas Andrieu 1965 Death of a Navy Japanese Naval Action in World War II Devin Adair Pub ISBN 0 8159 5302 X Brown David 1990 Warship Losses of World War Two Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 914 X Dull Paul S 1978 A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1941 1945 Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 097 1 Howarth Stephen 1983 The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1895 1945 Atheneum ISBN 0 689 11402 8 Jentsura Hansgeorg 1976 Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1869 1945 US Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 893 X Kilpatrick C W 1987 Naval Night Battles of the Solomons Exposition Press ISBN 0 682 40333 4 Nelson Andrew N 1967 Japanese English Character Dictionary Tuttle ISBN 0 8048 0408 7 Watts Anthony J 1967 Japanese Warships of World War II Doubleday ISBN 978 0 3850 9189 3 Whitley M J 2000 Destroyers of World War Two An International Encyclopedia London Arms and Armour Press ISBN 1 85409 521 8 External links editNevitt Allyn D 1997 IJN Murakumo Tabular Record of Movement Long Lancers Combinedfleet com Nishidah Hiroshi 2002 Fubuki class destroyers Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy Archived from the original on 2012 07 11 Retrieved 2009 03 01 Globalsecurity org IJN Fubuki class destroyers Muir Dan Order of Battle The Battle of the Sunda Strait 1942 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Japanese destroyer Murakumo 1928 amp oldid 1091788329, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
