 Akizuki on trial run off Miyazu Bay on 17 May 1942. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Akizuki |
| Builder | Maizuru Naval Arsenal |
| Laid down | 30 July 1940 |
| Launched | 2 July 1941 |
| Completed | 11 June 1942 |
| Commissioned | 11 June 1942, Yokosuka Chinjufu |
| Stricken | 10 December 1944 |
| Fate | Sunk in action 25 October 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Akizuki-classdestroyer |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 134.2 m (440 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 11.6 m (38 ft 1 in) |
| Draft | 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 33knots (38 mph; 61 km/h) |
| Range | 8,300 nmi (15,400 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h) |
| Complement | 263 |
| Armament |
|
Akizuki (秋月; "Autumn Moon") was thelead ship ofher class ofdestroyer in theImperial Japanese Navy.
TheAkizuki-class ships were originally designed asanti-aircraft escorts for carrier battle groups, but were modified withtorpedo tubes anddepth charges to meet the need for more general-purpose destroyers. The ships measured 134.2 meters (440 ft 3 in)overall, withbeams of 11.6 meters (38 ft 1 in) anddrafts of 4.15 meters (13 ft 7 in).[1] They displaced 2,701long tons (2,744 t) atstandard load[2] and 3,420 long tons (3,470 t) atdeep load.[3] Their crews numbered 300 officers andenlisted men.[2]
Each ship had twoKampon gearedsteam turbines, each driving onepropeller shaft using steam provided by three Kamponwater-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 52,000shaft horsepower (38,776 kW) for a designed speed of 33knots (61 km/h; 38 mph). The ships carried enoughfuel oil to give them ranges of 8,300nautical miles (15,400 km; 9,600 mi) at speeds of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).[4]
The main armament of theAkizuki class consisted of eight100-millimeter (3.9 in) Type 98 dual-purpose guns in four twin-gun turrets, twosuperfiring pairs fore and aft of thesuperstructure. They each carried four25-millimeter (1 in) Type 96anti-aircraft (AA) guns in two twin-gun mounts. The ships were also each armed with four 610-millimeter (24 in) torpedo tubes in a single quadruple rotating mountamidships forType 93 (Long Lance) torpedoes; one reload was carried for each tube. The first batch of ships were each equipped with two depth charge throwers for which 54 depth charges were carried.[5][6]
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Akizuki was completed on 11 June 1942. She participated in theBattle of the Eastern Solomons on 24 August 1942 and sustained no damage. She participated in theGuadalcanal Campaign as well, helping to guard transports before sustaining a bomb hit and several near misses on October 25 which killed 11 and injured 22 of her crew, and slowed her to 23 knots. She returned to Japan and was repaired from 8 November to 16 December 1942.
On 19 January 1943, she was torpedoed byUSSNautilus, which flooded a boiler room and her starboard engine room, killing 14 and injuring 64. She was able to steam at 20 knots, and had to resort to emergency steering. She returned to Truk and had to spend from February 2 to 11 March alongside therepair shipAkashi. As she was preparing to return to Japan, however, her bow started sagging and, fearing it was about to break off, she had to be beached at Saipan.
She was cut in half and the bridge and forward turrets were removed to lighten ship and replaced with a temporary "wave-cutter" bow. A temporary bridge was constructed behind the mainmast. She was repaired from July to October, receiving the bow from her incomplete sister ship,Shimotsuki. She participated in theBattle of the Philippine Sea, helping rescue survivors fromTaiho and help protectZuikaku from air attack.[7]
In October 1944Akizuki was part of the Northern Force commanded by Vice AdmiralJisaburo Ozawa, in theJapanese attack on theAllied forces supporting theinvasion of Leyte. On 25 October, in theBattle off Cape Engaño, the ship was sunk, probably by torpedo, east-northeast ofCape Engaño (20°29′N126°30′E / 20.483°N 126.500°E /20.483; 126.500), during the initial U.S. air attack on the Northern Force. Most sources[which?] credit the hit to aircraft ofTask Force 38, but some[who?] give credit to the submarineUSS Halibut.
| Akizuki class | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuyutsuki subclass | |||||||||||
| Mitchitsuki subclass |
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