Yūgumo-class destroyer

The Yūgumo-class destroyers (夕雲型駆逐艦, Yūgumo-gata kuchikukan) were a group of 19 destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. The IJN called them Destroyer Type-A (甲型駆逐艦,, Kō-gata Kuchikukan) from their plan name. No ships of the class survived the war.

Naganami in June 1942
Class overview
Name	Yūgumo-class destroyer
Builders	Fujinagata Shipyards (7) Maizuru Naval Arsenal (6) Uraga Dock Company (6)
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by	Kagerō class
Succeeded by	Akizuki class Shimakaze
Built	1940–1944
In commission	1941–1945
Planned	14 (1939) + 16 (1941) + 8 (1942)
Completed	19
Cancelled	19
Lost	19
General characteristics
Displacement	2,077 tons standard, 2,520 tons battle condition
Length	119.03 m (390 ft 6 in) overall, 117.00 m (383 ft 10 in) waterline
Beam	10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
Draft	3.76 m (12 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	3 × Kampon water tube boilers, 2 × Kanpon impulse geared turbines, 52,000 shp (39 MW), 2 shafts
Speed	35.5 knots (40.9 mph; 65.7 km/h)
Range	5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement	225 (Yūgumo, 1941)
Armament	(Yūgumo, December 1941) 6 × Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns (3×2) 4 × 25 mm Type 96 AA guns 8 × Type 92 torpedo tubes (2×4) 16 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedoes 18 × depth charges (Naganami, November 1944) 6 × Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns (3×2) approx. 20 × 25 mm Type 96 AA guns 1 × 12.7 mm AA gun (captured from USS Darter) 8 × Type 93 torpedo tubes (2×4) 16 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedoes 36 × depth charges (Asashimo, April 1945) 6 × Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns (3×2) over 20 × 25 mm Type 96 AA guns 8 × Type 92 torpedo tubes (2×4) 16 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedoes 36 × depth charges

Background

The Yūgumo class was a repeat of the preceding Kagerō class with minor improvements that increased their anti-aircraft capabilities. The first 11 ships of the class were ordered as part of the 1939 4th Naval Armaments Supplement Programme. Another 16 ships (the Hayanami sub-class) were ordered as ships #340 to #355 as part of the 1941 Rapid Naval Armaments Supplement Programme, but of these eight were canceled before being laid down. Another eight ships (the Kai-Yūgumo sub-class) were planned as ships #5041 to #5048 under the 1942 Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Programme, but these were also canceled.

Design and description

The Yūgumo class was 45 tons heavier and a few feet longer than the Kagerō class, distinguishable in silhouette primarily by the shape of the bridge. The Yūgumo class had a forward slope on the bridge, which was intended to reduce wind resistance and improve stability. Another difference was that the Yūgumo-class vessels were built by three different shipyards, and there were minor differences between individual ships, depending on the builder and when the ship was built.

The general specifications for the Yūgumo class was a 119.17-meter (391 ft 0 in) overall length, with a beam of 10.8 meters (35 ft 5 in) and a draft of 3.76 meters (12 ft 4 in). 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. Their crew numbered 228 officers and enlisted men.

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).

The main battery of the Yūgumo class consisted of six Type 3 127-millimeter (5.0 in) guns in three twin-gun turrets, one superfiring pair aft and one turret forward of the superstructure. The guns were in a new type of mount (known as the "D" mount) which was able to elevate up to 75° to increase their performance against aircraft; however, 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. Despite this, the process of replacing the No. 2 gun turret with anti-aircraft guns was never carried out on any ship of this class. The ships were also armed with eight 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in 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.

As built, the Yūgumo class had four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-mounts forward of the aft smokestack. as with other destroyer classes, as the Pacific War progressed, anti-aircraft armaments were increased. From 1943, two triple-mounts replaced the dual mounts aft and one twin-mount Type 96 was added forward of the bridge and a Type 22 radar. Units surviving into 1944 had a second pair of 25mm triple-mounts added on a platform behind the forward smokestack since they retained their No. 2 gun turrets. The six units surviving into late 1944 received up to twelve additional single-mount Type 96s and a Type 13 radar. Kiyoshimo also received a number of Type 93 13mm machine guns.

Operational history

The Yūgumo class were considered elite units and always assigned to escort primary fleet units. They were all lost during the Pacific War. Most of their service consisted of convoy and carrier escorting duties with the occasional shore bombardment. Surprisingly, despite being one of the most advanced destroyers of WW2, the class seldom served in surface actions against enemy warships.

A number of ships of the class were involved in the Battle of Tassafaronga in November 30th, 1942, but most did not accomplish anything. However, the Takanami was sunk by the combined gunfire of the heavy cruisers USS New Orleans and USS Minneapolis, but not before firing her torpedoes. Two torpedoes hit Minneapolis, blowing her bow clean off, while one hit New Orleans, igniting her turret one magazines and severing everything forward of turret 2, heavily crippling (but not sinking) both ships.

On the 12th of July, 1943, the Kiyonami was involved in the battle of Kolombangara against a US cruiser force. Alongside the destroyers Yukikaze, Hamakaze, and Yūgure, she took part in a mass torpedo spread that sank the destroyer USS Gwin and crippled the light cruisers USS Honolulu, USS St. Louis, and HMS Leander.

The Yũgumo herself was involved in the Battle of Vella Lavella on the 6th of October 1943, the last Japanese naval victory of the war. In a similar fate to Takanami, she was sunk by the combined gunfire and torpedoes of the destroyers USS Chevalier, USS Selfridge, and USS O'Bannon, yet still fired a torpedo that hit and sank Chevalier.

Ships in class

Construction data

Ship	Kanji	Ship #	Shipyard	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
Akigumo	秋雲	115					Built as part of the Kagerō class
Yūgumo	夕雲	116	Maizuru Naval Arsenal	12 June 1940	16 March 1941	5 December 1941	Sunk, Battle of Vella Lavella, 6 October 1943
Makigumo	巻雲	117	Fujinagata Shipyards	13 December 1940	5 November 1941	14 March 1942	Sunk after surface action, 1 February 1943
Kazagumo	風雲	118	Uraga Dock Company	23 December 1940	26 September 1941	28 March 1942	Torpedoed at Davao Gulf, 8 June 1944
Naganami	長波	119	Fujinagata Shipyards	5 April 1941	5 March 1942	30 June 1942	Air attack, Ormoc Bay, 11 November 1944
Makinami	巻波	120	Maizuru Naval Arsenal	11 April 1941	27 December 1941	8 August 1942	Sunk, Battle of Cape St. George, 25 November 1943
Takanami	高波	121	Uraga Dock Company	29 May 1941	16 March 1942	31 August 1942	Sunk, Battle of Tassafaronga, 30 November 1942
Ōnami	大波	122	Fujinagata Shipyards	15 November 1941	13 August 1942	29 December 1942	Sunk, Battle of Cape St. George, 25 November 1943
Kiyonami	清波	123	Uraga Dock Company	15 October 1941	17 August 1942	25 January 1943	Air attack, NNW of Kolombangara 20 July 1943
Tamanami	玉波	124	Fujinagata Shipyards	16 March 1942	26 December 1942	30 April 1943	Torpedoed, WSW of Manila, 7 July 1944
Suzunami	涼波	126	Uraga Dock Company	27 March 1942	26 December 1942	27 July 1943	Air attack, Rabaul, 11 November 1943
Fujinami	藤波	127	Fujinagata Shipyards	25 August 1942	20 April 1943	31 July 1943	Air attack N of Iloilo, 27 October 1944
—	—	128–​129	—	—	—	—	Dummy budget covering Yamato-class battleships
Hayanami	早波	340	Maizuru Naval Arsenal	15 January 1942	19 December 1942	31 July 1943	Torpedoed near Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, 7 June 1944
Hamanami	濱波	341	Maizuru Naval Arsenal	28 April 1942	18 April 1943	15 October 1943	Air attack, Ormoc Bay, 11 November 1944
Okinami	沖波	342	Maizuru Naval Arsenal	5 August 1942	18 July 1943	10 December 1943	Air attack W of Manila, 13 November 1944
Kishinami	岸波	343	Uraga Dock Company	29 August 1942	19 August 1943	3 December 1943	Torpedoed W of Palawan Island, 4 December 1944
Asashimo	朝霜	344	Fujinagata Shipyards	21 January 1943	18 July 1943	27 November 1943	Air attack during Operation Ten-Go, 7 April 1945
Hayashimo	早霜	345	Maizuru Naval Arsenal	20 January 1943	20 October 1943	20 February 1944	Air attack off Semirara Island, 26 October 1944
Akishimo	秋霜	346	Fujinagata Shipyards	3 May 1943	5 December 1943	11 March 1944	Air attack, Manila, 13 November 1944
Kiyoshimo	清霜	347	Uraga Dock Company	16 March 1943	29 February 1944	15 May 1944	Torpedoed after air attack, 26 December 1944
Umigiri	海霧	348	—	—	—	—	Cancelled on 11 August 1943
Yamagiri	山霧	349
Tanigiri	谷霧	350
Kawagiri	川霧	351
Taekaze	妙風	352
Kiyokaze	清風	353
Satokaze	里風	354
Murakaze	村風	355
Yamasame	山雨	5041	—	—	—	—	Kai-Yūgumo class cancelled on 11 August 1943
Akisame	秋雨	5042
Natsusame	夏雨	5043
Hayasame	早雨	5044
Takashio	高潮	5045
Akishio	秋潮	5046
Harushio	春潮	5047
Wakashio	若潮	5048

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.

Further reading

• "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.51 The truth of Imperial Japanese Vessels Histories 2, Gakken (Japan), August 2005, ISBN 4-05-604083-4
• Collection of writings by Sizuo Fukui Vol.5, Stories of Japanese Destroyers, Kōjinsha (Japan) 1993, ISBN 4-7698-0611-6
• Model Art Extra No.340, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-1, Model Art Co. Ltd. (Japan), October 1989, Book code 08734-10
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.41 Japanese Destroyers I, Ushio Shobō (Japan), July 1980, Book code 68343-42

External links

• http://www.combinedfleet.com/yugumo_n.htm