| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Kunashiri |
| Namesake | Kunashiri |
| Builder | Nihon Kokan, Tsurumi |
| Laid down | 1 March 1939 |
| Launched | 6 May 1940 |
| Commissioned | 3 October 1940 |
| Stricken | 5 November 1945 |
| Fate | Wrecked, 4 June 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Shimushu-classescort 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 | 19.7knots (22.7 mph; 36.5 km/h) |
| Complement | 150 |
| Armament |
|
Kunashiri (国後) was one of fourShimushu-classescort ships built for theImperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
The Japanese called these shipsKaibōkan, "ocean defence ships", (Kai = sea, ocean,Bo = defence,Kan = ship), to denote a multi-purpose vessel. They were initially intended for patrol and fishery protection,minesweeping and as convoy escorts. The ships measured 77.72 meters (255 ft 0 in)overall, with abeam of 9.1 meters (29 ft 10 in) and adraft of 3.05 meters (10 ft 0 in).[1] They displaced 870 metric tons (860 long tons) atstandard load and 1,040 metric tons (1,020 long tons) at deep load. The ships had twodiesel engines, each driving onepropeller shaft, which were rated at a total of 4,200brake horsepower (3,100 kW) for a speed of 19.7knots (36.5 km/h; 22.7 mph). The ships had a range of 8,000nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at a speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).[2]
The main armament of theShimushu class consisted of threeType 3 120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in single mounts, onesuperfiring pair aft and one mount forward of thesuperstructure. They were built with fourType 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. A dozendepth charges were stowed aboard initially, but this was doubled in May 1942 when their minesweeping gear was removed.[2] The anti-submarine weaponry later rose to 60 depth charges with aType 97 81-millimeter (3.2 in) trench mortar and six depth charge throwers.
In July 1943Kunashiri participated in theKiska evacuation aspect ofOperation Ke. During the warKunashiri operated mostly in theKuriles andHokkaido area escorting various convoys. On 28 July 1944. she was reported "damaged" by unknown cause-USS Tambor. After the end of World War IIKunashiri returned toSasebo and was later used by the Allied Repatriation Service. On 4 June 1946 while en route toUraga the vessel ran aground and was later abandoned. In attempts to rescue her, theKamikaze also ran aground, while at the same time, she too was repatriating Japanese troops fromSingapore.[3]
