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Japanese destroyer Shirakumo (1927)

December 20, 2023

For other ships with the same name, see Japanese destroyer Shirakumo.

Shirakumo (白雲, ”White Cloud”)[1] was a Fubuki-class destroyer and the eighth in a class of twenty-four vessels 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.

Shirakumo on 5 September 1931
History
Empire of Japan
NameShirakumo
NamesakeJapanese destroyer Shirakumo (1901)
Ordered1923 Fiscal Year
BuilderFujinagata Shipyards
Yard numberDestroyer No.42
Laid down27 October 1926
Launched27 December 1927
Commissioned28 July 1928
Stricken31 March 1944
FateTorpedoed and sunk by USS Tautog, 16 March 1944
General characteristics
Class and typeFubuki-class destroyer
Displacement
Length
  • 111.96 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)
Propulsion
  • 4 × 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
Armament
Service record
Operations:
Shirakumo at anchor, 1932.

History edit

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] Shirakumo, built at the Fujinagata Shipyards in Osaka was laid down on 27 October 1926, launched on 27 December 1927 and commissioned on 28 July 1928.[5] Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 42”, she was completed as Shirakumo.

Operational history edit

On completion, Shirakumo was assigned to Destroyer Division 11 under the IJN 2nd Fleet. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Shirakumo was assigned to patrols of the southern China coast, and participated in the Invasion of French Indochina in 1940.

World War II history edit

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Shirakumo was assigned to Destroyer Division 12 of Destroyer Squadron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet, and had deployed from Kure Naval District to the port of Samah on Hainan Island.[6] From 4 December 1941 to the end of the year, Shirakumo covered the landings of Japanese troops in Malaya and in "Operation B" (the invasion of British Borneo).[7] She rescued survivors from the torpedoed destroyer Sagiri on 23 December.[6]

In February 1942, Shirakumo was part of the escort for the heavy cruiser Chōkai during "Operation L" (the invasion of Banka and Palembang in the Netherlands East Indies.[8] On 14 February she sank a British cable-laying ship off Singapore.[6]

Subsequently, Shirakumo was assigned to "Operation J" (the invasion of Java) and on 1 March at the Battle of Sunda Strait she assisted in the sinking of the Australian cruiser HMAS Perth the American cruiser USS Houston and the Dutch destroyer HNLMS Evertsen.[9] On 10 March, Shirakumo was reassigned to Destroyer Division 20 of Destroyer Squadron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet, and subsequently was involved in "Operation T" (the invasion of northern Sumatra) on 12 March[8] and "Operation D" (the invasion of the Andaman Islands on 23 March.[10] On 6 April during the Indian Ocean raids, Shirakumo, together with Kumano and Suzuya sank the British steamships Silksworth, Autolycus, Malda and Shinkuang and the American steamship Exmoor.[6][11] From 13–22 April Shirakumo returned via Singapore and Camranh Bay to Kure Naval Arsenal, for maintenance.[6]

During the Battle of Midway, Shirakumo was part of "Operation AL" - the diversionary invasion of the Aleutian islands. In July 1942, Shirakumo sailed from Amami-Ōshima 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 Shirakumo was ordered to Truk instead. In August, Shirakumo was used for “Tokyo Express” high speed transport missions in the Solomon Islands. On 28 August, after having aborted a troop transport mission to Guadalcanal, Shirakumo suffered heavy damage in an attack by American dive bombers, and was left dead in the water with a direct hit to her engine room, although only two crewmen were wounded. She was towed by the destroyer Amagiri, followed by the minelayer Tsugaru to Shortland Island, and by the tanker Koa Maru back to Truk for emergency repairs, which enabled her to limp back to Kure by 8 October.[12]

After repairs were completed by 1 April 1943, Shirakumo was reassigned to Destroyer Division 9 of Destroyer Squadron 1 in the IJN 5th Fleet, for patrols and escort missions off Hokkaidō and the Chishima Islands. On 6 June 1943, she collided with the destroyer Numakaze in heavy fog off Paramushiro, and was forced to put into Hakodate for repairs, which were not completed to the end of September, when she resumed her patrol and escort duties.

On 16 March 1944, after departing Kushiro in northern Hokkaidō with a troop convoy for Uruppu Island, Shirakumo was torpedoed by the US submarine USS Tautog 170 nautical miles (310 km) east of Muroran at position 42°25′N 144°55′E / 42.417°N 144.917°E / 42.417; 144.917. She sank instantly; there were no survivors.[13]

On 31 March 1944, Shirakumo was struck from the navy list.[5]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Nelson. Japanese-English Character Dictionary. Page 635, 942
  2. ^ Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Fubuki class destroyers".
  3. ^ Fitzsimons, Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare p.1040
  4. ^ Peattie & Evans, Kaigun page 221-222.
  5. ^ a b 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.
  6. ^ a b c d e Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Shirakumo: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
  7. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The Invasion of British Borneo in 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. from the original on 2015-04-01.
  8. ^ a b L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The Japanese Invasion of Sumatra Island". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. from the original on 2012-12-03.
  9. ^ Visser, Jan (1999–2000). "The Sunda Strait Battle". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. from the original on 2014-12-03.
  10. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The capture of Andaman Islands, March 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942.
  11. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "Allied Merchant Ship Losses in the Pacific and Southeast Asia". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942.
  12. ^ D’Albas. Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II.
  13. ^ Brown. Warship Losses of World War II

References edit

  • Brown, David (1990). Warship Losses of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-914-X.
  • D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN 0-8159-5302-X.
  • 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.
  • L, Klemen (1999–2000). "Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942". from the original on 2011-07-26.
  • 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 edit

  • Nevitt, Allyn D. (1997). "IJN Shirakumo: Tabular Record of Movement". Long Lancers. Combinedfleet.com.
  • Shirakumo in Naval History of World Wars
  • Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Fubuki class destroyers".

December 20, 2023
japanese, destroyer, shirakumo, 1927, other, ships, with, same, name, japanese, destroyer, shirakumo, shirakumo, 白雲, white, cloud, fubuki, class, destroyer, eighth, class, twenty, four, vessels, built, imperial, japanese, navy, following, world, when, introduc. For other ships with the same name see Japanese destroyer Shirakumo Shirakumo 白雲 White Cloud 1 was a Fubuki class destroyer and the eighth in a class of twenty four vessels 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 Shirakumo on 5 September 1931HistoryEmpire of JapanNameShirakumoNamesakeJapanese destroyer Shirakumo 1901 Ordered1923 Fiscal YearBuilderFujinagata ShipyardsYard numberDestroyer No 42Laid down27 October 1926Launched27 December 1927Commissioned28 July 1928Stricken31 March 1944FateTorpedoed and sunk by USS Tautog 16 March 1944General characteristicsClass and typeFubuki class destroyerDisplacement1 750 long tons 1 780 t standard 2 050 long tons 2 080 t re builtLength111 96 m 367 3 ft pp 115 3 m 378 ft waterline 118 41 m 388 5 ft overallBeam10 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 Complement219Armament6 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 chargesService recordOperations Second Sino Japanese War Battle of Malaya Battle of Midway Indian Ocean raid Solomon Islands campaignShirakumo at anchor 1932 Contents 1 History 2 Operational history 2 1 World War II history 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 Shirakumo built at the Fujinagata Shipyards in Osaka was laid down on 27 October 1926 launched on 27 December 1927 and commissioned on 28 July 1928 5 Originally assigned hull designation Destroyer No 42 she was completed as Shirakumo Operational history editOn completion Shirakumo was assigned to Destroyer Division 11 under the IJN 2nd Fleet During the Second Sino Japanese War Shirakumo was assigned to patrols of the southern China coast and participated in the Invasion of French Indochina in 1940 World War II history edit At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor Shirakumo was assigned to Destroyer Division 12 of Destroyer Squadron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet and had deployed from Kure Naval District to the port of Samah on Hainan Island 6 From 4 December 1941 to the end of the year Shirakumo covered the landings of Japanese troops in Malaya and in Operation B the invasion of British Borneo 7 She rescued survivors from the torpedoed destroyer Sagiri on 23 December 6 In February 1942 Shirakumo was part of the escort for the heavy cruiser Chōkai during Operation L the invasion of Banka and Palembang in the Netherlands East Indies 8 On 14 February she sank a British cable laying ship off Singapore 6 Subsequently Shirakumo was assigned to Operation J the invasion of Java and on 1 March at the Battle of Sunda Strait she assisted in the sinking of the Australian cruiser HMAS Perth the American cruiser USS Houston and the Dutch destroyer HNLMS Evertsen 9 On 10 March Shirakumo was reassigned to Destroyer Division 20 of Destroyer Squadron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet and subsequently was involved in Operation T the invasion of northern Sumatra on 12 March 8 and Operation D the invasion of the Andaman Islands on 23 March 10 On 6 April during the Indian Ocean raids Shirakumo together with Kumano and Suzuya sank the British steamships Silksworth Autolycus Malda and Shinkuang and the American steamship Exmoor 6 11 From 13 22 April Shirakumo returned via Singapore and Camranh Bay to Kure Naval Arsenal for maintenance 6 During the Battle of Midway Shirakumo was part of Operation AL the diversionary invasion of the Aleutian islands In July 1942 Shirakumo sailed from Amami Ōshima 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 Shirakumo was ordered to Truk instead In August Shirakumo was used for Tokyo Express high speed transport missions in the Solomon Islands On 28 August after having aborted a troop transport mission to Guadalcanal Shirakumo suffered heavy damage in an attack by American dive bombers and was left dead in the water with a direct hit to her engine room although only two crewmen were wounded She was towed by the destroyer Amagiri followed by the minelayer Tsugaru to Shortland Island and by the tanker Koa Maru back to Truk for emergency repairs which enabled her to limp back to Kure by 8 October 12 After repairs were completed by 1 April 1943 Shirakumo was reassigned to Destroyer Division 9 of Destroyer Squadron 1 in the IJN 5th Fleet for patrols and escort missions off Hokkaidō and the Chishima Islands On 6 June 1943 she collided with the destroyer Numakaze in heavy fog off Paramushiro and was forced to put into Hakodate for repairs which were not completed to the end of September when she resumed her patrol and escort duties On 16 March 1944 after departing Kushiro in northern Hokkaidō with a troop convoy for Uruppu Island Shirakumo was torpedoed by the US submarine USS Tautog 170 nautical miles 310 km east of Muroran at position 42 25 N 144 55 E 42 417 N 144 917 E 42 417 144 917 She sank instantly there were no survivors 13 On 31 March 1944 Shirakumo was struck from the navy list 5 Notes edit Nelson Japanese English Character Dictionary Page 635 942 Globalsecurity org IJN Fubuki class destroyers Fitzsimons Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare p 1040 Peattie amp Evans Kaigun page 221 222 a b 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 a b c d e Nevitt Allyn D 1997 IJN Shirakumo Tabular Record of Movement Long Lancers Combinedfleet com Retrieved 2016 07 24 L Klemen 1999 2000 The Invasion of British Borneo in 1942 Forgotten Campaign The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941 1942 Archived from the original on 2015 04 01 a b L Klemen 1999 2000 The Japanese Invasion of Sumatra Island Forgotten Campaign The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941 1942 Archived from the original on 2012 12 03 Visser Jan 1999 2000 The Sunda Strait Battle Forgotten Campaign The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941 1942 Archived from the original on 2014 12 03 L Klemen 1999 2000 The capture of Andaman Islands March 1942 Forgotten Campaign The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941 1942 L Klemen 1999 2000 Allied Merchant Ship Losses in the Pacific and Southeast Asia Forgotten Campaign The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941 1942 D Albas Death of a Navy Japanese Naval Action in World War II Brown Warship Losses of World War IIReferences editBrown David 1990 Warship Losses of World War Two Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 914 X D Albas Andrieu 1965 Death of a Navy Japanese Naval Action in World War II Devin Adair Pub ISBN 0 8159 5302 X 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 L Klemen 1999 2000 Forgotten Campaign The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941 1942 Archived from the original on 2011 07 26 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 Shirakumo Tabular Record of Movement Long Lancers Combinedfleet com Shirakumo in Naval History of World Wars Globalsecurity org IJN Fubuki class destroyers Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Japanese destroyer Shirakumo 1927 amp oldid 1168523851, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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