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History
Empire of Japan
Name	Matsuwa
Builder	Mitsui, Tamano
Laid down	20 February 1942
Launched	13 November 1942
Commissioned	23 March 1943
Fate	Sunk by USS Harder, 22 August 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Etorofu-class escort ship
Displacement	870 long tons (884 t)
Length	77.7 m (255 ft)
Beam	9.1 m (29 ft 10 in)
Draught	3.05 m (10 ft)
Speed	19.7 knots (22.7 mph; 36.5 km/h)
Complement	150
Armament	3 × 120 mm (4.7 in)/45 cal DP guns; Up to 15 × Type 96 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns; 6 × depth charge throwers; Up to 60 × depth charges; 1 × 81 mm (3.2 in) mortar;

Matsuwa (松輪) was one of fourteen Etorofu-class escort ships built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Background and description

The Etorofu class was an improved version of the preceding Shimushu class with a greater emphasis on anti-submarine warfare. The ships measured 77.72 meters (255 ft 0 in) overall, with a beam of 9.1 meters (29 ft 10 in) and a draft of 3.05 meters (10 ft 0 in).^[1] They displaced 880 metric tons (870 long tons) at standard load and 1,040 metric tons (1,020 long tons) at deep load. The ships had two diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft, which were rated at a total of 4,200 brake horsepower (3,100 kW) for a speed of 19.7 knots (36.5 km/h; 22.7 mph). The ships had a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at a speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).^[2]

The main armament of the Etorofu class consisted of three Type 3 120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in single mounts, one superfiring pair aft and one mount forward of the superstructure. They were built with four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts, but the total was increased to 15 guns by August 1943. 36 depth charges were stowed aboard initially, but this later increased by August 1943 to 60 depth charges with a Type 97 81-millimeter (3.2 in) trench mortar^[2] and six depth charge throwers. They received Type 22 and Type 13 radars and Type 93 sonar in 1943–44.

Construction and career

Matsuwa was launched by Mitsui, Tumano, on 19 April 1942 and completed on 1 April 1943. On 2 August 1944, she was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Harder in Hidai Bay.^[2]

Notes

^ Chesneau, p. 205
^ ^a ^b ^c Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 187

References

Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
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.