Japanese destroyer Wakatsuki

	Wakatsuki under attack at Ormoc Bay, Leyte Island, Philippines, 11 November 1944.
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Wakatsuki
Builder	Mitsubishi Nagasaki Shipyard
Laid down	9 March 1942
Launched	24 November 1942
Completed	31 May 1943
Commissioned	31 May 1943
Stricken	10 January 1945
Fate	Sunk in action, 11 November 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Akizuki-class destroyer
Displacement	2,700 long tons (2,743 t) standard; 3,700 long tons (3,759 t) full load;
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	4 × Kampon type boilers; 2 × Parsons geared turbines; 2 × shafts, 50,000 shp (37 MW);
Speed	33 knots (38 mph; 61 km/h)
Range	8,300 nmi (15,400 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement	263
Armament	May 1943 :; 8 × 100 mm (4 in)/65 cal Type 98 DP guns; 12 × Type 96 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns (3×4); 4 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes; 8 × Type 93 torpedoes; 56 × Type 95 depth charges; November 1944 :; 8 × 100 mm (4 in)/65 cal DP guns; 35 × 25 mm AA guns (3×7 + 1×14); 4 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes; 8 × Type 93 torpedoes; 56 × Type 95 depth charges;

Wakatsuki (若月) was an Akizuki-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her name means "Young Moon".

Design and description[]

The Akizuki-class ships were originally designed as anti-aircraft escorts for carrier battle groups, but were modified with torpedo tubes and depth charges to meet the need for more general-purpose destroyer. Her crew numbered 300 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 134.2 meters (440 ft 3 in) overall, with a beam of 11.6 meters (38 ft 1 in) and a draft of 4.15 meters (13 ft 7 in).^[1] They displaced 2,744 metric tons (2,701 long tons) at standard load and 3,759 metric tons (3,700 long tons) at deep load.^[2]

The ship 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 indicated horsepower (39,000 kW) for a designed speed of 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph). The ship carried up to 1,097 long tons (1,115 t) of fuel oil which gave them a range of 8,300 nautical miles (15,400 km; 9,600 mi) at a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).^[3]

The main armament of the Akizuki class consisted of eight Type 98 100-millimeter (3.9 in) dual purpose guns in four twin-gun turrets, two superfiring pairs fore and aft of the superstructure. They carried four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts. The ships were also armed with four 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in a single quadruple traversing mount; one reload was carried for each tube. Their anti-submarine weapons comprised six depth charge throwers for which 72 depth charges were carried.^[4]

Construction and career[]

Wakatsuki on fire and sinking, 11 November 1944

The ship was commissioned on 31 May 1943 into the 11th Destroyer Squadron. Wakatsuki participated in rescuing sailors from Shōkaku (June 1944) and Zuikaku (October 1944) when each was sunk by US forces. Both of these carriers participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

On 11 November 1944, Wakatsuki was escorting a troop convoy to Ormoc, Philippines. She was sunk by aircraft of Task Force 38 in Ormoc Bay, west of Leyte (

10°50′N 124°35′E / 10.833°N 124.583°ECoordinates:

10°50′N 124°35′E / 10.833°N 124.583°E).

Rediscovery[]

Wakatsuki's wreck was discovered in early December 2017 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's research vessel RV Petrel 869 ft (265 m) below the surface of Ormoc Bay. She was found to be heavily damaged from both her sinking and impact with the seafloor, resting on her starboard side.^[5]

Notes[]

^ Chesneau, p. 195
^ Whitley, p. 204
^ Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 150
^ Whitley, pp. 204–05
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2018-10-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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.
Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.

External links[]

[1] Chesneau, p. 195

[2] Whitley, p. 204

[3] Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 150

[4] Whitley, pp. 204–05

[5] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2018-10-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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show v t Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1944
Shipwrecks	1 Nov: USS Abner Read, TA20, HMS Whitaker 2 Nov: Fort Lee 3 Nov: Akikaze 5 Nov: Kiebitz, Nachi, PB-107 7 Nov: USS Albacore, HM LST-420 8 Nov: USS Growler 9 Nov: U-537 10 Nov: Gokoku Maru, USS Mount Hood 11 Nov: Hamanami, Naganami, USS Scamp, Shimakaze, U-771, U-1200, Wakatsuki 12 Nov: HMAS Marlean, Tirpitz 13 Nov: Akebono, Akishimo, Hatsuharu, Hatsu Maru, I-12, I-38, Kiso, Okinami 17 Nov: USS LST-6, Mayasan Maru, NKI 01, Shin'yō (ex-Scharnhorst) 18 Nov: I-41, Seisho Maru 20 Nov: USS Mississinewa, HMAS ML 827 21 Nov: Kongō, Urakaze 22 Nov: Hokkai Maru, HMS Stratagem 24 Nov: Hansa 25 Nov: Kumano, HMCS Shawinigan, Shimotsuki, Sumida, U-482, Yasoshima 27 Nov: Rigel 28 Nov: U-80, PB-105 29 Nov: Fushimi, I-365, Shinano Unknown date: Mogador, U-479, U-1020
Other incidents	10 Nov: USS Abarenda, USS Alhena, USS Argonne, USS Aries, USS Cacapon, USS Cebu, HMS Hydra, USS Kyne, USS Lyman, USS Mindanao, USS Oberrender, USS Petrof Bay, USS Piedmont, USS Potawatomi, USS Preserver, USS Saginaw Bay, USS Talbot, USS Walter C. Wann, USS YMS-238, USS Young 13 Nov: U-1052 17 Nov: HMAS ML 827, Seisho Maru 23 Nov: Gus W. Darnell 30 Nov: HMS Duff
1943 1944 1945 October 1944 December 1944

History
Wakatsuki under attack at Ormoc Bay, Leyte Island, Philippines, 11 November 1944.
Empire of Japan
Name	Wakatsuki
Builder	Mitsubishi Nagasaki Shipyard
Laid down	9 March 1942
Launched	24 November 1942
Completed	31 May 1943
Commissioned	31 May 1943
Stricken	10 January 1945
Fate	Sunk in action, 11 November 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Akizuki-class destroyer
Displacement	2,700 long tons (2,743 t) standard 3,700 long tons (3,759 t) full load
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	4 × Kampon type boilers 2 × Parsons geared turbines 2 × shafts, 50,000 shp (37 MW)
Speed	33 knots (38 mph; 61 km/h)
Range	8,300 nmi (15,400 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement	263
Armament	May 1943 : 8 × 100 mm (4 in)/65 cal Type 98 DP guns 12 × Type 96 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns (3×4) 4 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes 8 × Type 93 torpedoes 56 × Type 95 depth charges November 1944 : 8 × 100 mm (4 in)/65 cal DP guns 35 × 25 mm AA guns (3×7 + 1×14) 4 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes 8 × Type 93 torpedoes 56 × Type 95 depth charges