Japanese destroyer Yūgumo (1941)

	Right elevation and plan of a Yūgumo-class destroyer
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Yūgumo
Builder	Maizuru Naval Arsenal
Laid down	12 June 1940
Launched	16 March 1941
Completed	5 December 1941
Commissioned	5 December 1941, 10th Destroyer Division
Stricken	1 December 1943
Fate	Sunk 6 October 1943
General characteristics
Class and type	Yūgumo-class destroyer
Displacement	2,077 long tons (2,110 t) standard; 2,520 long tons (2,560 t) battle condition;
Length	119.15 m (390 ft 11 in)
Beam	10.8 m (35 ft 5 in)
Draught	3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)
Speed	35.5 knots (40.9 mph; 65.7 km/h)
Complement	225 (1941)
Armament	6 × 127 mm (5.0 in)/50 caliber DP guns; 4 × Type 96 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns; 2 × 4 Type 92 (IV) 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes; 16 × Type 93 torpedoes; 18 depth charges;

Yūgumo (夕雲, "Evening Clouds") was the lead ship of her class of destroyer built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Design and description

The Yūgumo class was a repeat of the preceding Kagerō class with minor improvements that increased their anti-aircraft capabilities. Their crew numbered 228 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 119.17 meters (391 ft 0 in) overall, with a beam of 10.8 meters (35 ft 5 in) and a draft of 3.76 meters (12 ft 4 in).^[1] They displaced 2,110 metric tons (2,080 long tons) at standard load and 2,560 metric tons (2,520 long tons) at deep load.^[2] The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 52,000 shaft horsepower (39,000 kW) for a designed speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph).^[3]

The main armament of the Yūgumo class consisted of six Type 3 127-millimeter (5 in) guns in three twin-gun turrets, one superfiring pair aft and one turret forward of the superstructure.^[2] The guns were able to elevate up to 75° to increase their ability against aircraft, but their slow rate of fire, slow traversing speed, and the lack of any sort of high-angle fire-control system meant that they were virtually useless as anti-aircraft guns.^[4] They were built with four Type 96 25-millimeter (1 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts, but more of these guns were added over the course of the war. The ships were also armed with eight 610-millimeter (24 in) torpedo tubes in a two quadruple traversing mounts; one reload was carried for each tube. Their anti-submarine weapons comprised two depth charge throwers for which 36 depth charges were carried.^[2]

Construction and career

Yūgumo participated in the battles of Midway, the Eastern Solomons, and the Santa Cruz Islands. The destroyer made troop transport runs to Guadalcanal on 7 and 10 November 1942. She then made troop transport runs to Buna, Papua New Guinea on 17 and 22 November. The ship then performed troop evacuation runs to Guadalcanal on 1 and 4 February 1943. Three days later, Yūgumo took part in a troop evacuation run to the Russell Islands. The destroyer made troop transport runs to Kolombangara on 1 and 5 April.

On 29 July, Yūgumo evacuated 479 soldiers from Kiska. She performed a troop evacuation run to Kolombangara on 2 October 1943. On the night of 6–7 October 1943, Yūgumo was on a troop evacuation run to Vella Lavella. In the Battle of Vella Lavella, she charged U.S. destroyers, irreparably damaging USS Chevalier with a torpedo. She was sunk in turn by gunfire and at least one torpedo from Chevalier and USS Selfridge, 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) northwest of Vella Lavella (07°33′S 156°14′E / 7.550°S 156.233°E / -7.550; 156.233), with 138 killed. U.S. PT boats rescued 78 survivors and another 25 reached friendly lines in an abandoned U.S. lifeboat, but Commander Osako was killed in action.

Notes

^ Sturton, p. 195
^ ^a ^b ^c Whitley, p. 203
^ Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 150
^ Campbell, p. 192

References

Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
Sturton, Ian (1980). "Japan". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 167–217. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
Whitley, M. J. (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.