Japanese destroyer Hatsuzuki
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates
| Script error: No such module "InfoboxImage". Hatsuzuki on trials, December 1942 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". |
Script error: No such module "Nihongo". was an Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her name means "New Moon (in Autumn)" or "(another name of) August". In the Battle off Cape Engaño, to cover the escape of allied ships, Hatsuzuki single-handedly faced an overwhelming force of four cruisers and at least 9 destroyers for two hours before she was sunk with only 8 survivors.
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 destroyers. The ships measured Script error: No such module "convert". overall, with beams of Script error: No such module "convert". and drafts of Script error: No such module "convert"..[1] They displaced Script error: No such module "convert". at standard load[2] and Script error: No such module "convert". at deep load.[3] Their crews numbered 300 officers and enlisted men.[2]
Each 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 Script error: No such module "convert". for a designed speed of Script error: No such module "convert".. The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them ranges of Script error: No such module "convert". at speeds of Script error: No such module "convert"..[4]
The main armament of the Akizuki class consisted of eight Script error: No such module "convert". Type 98 dual-purpose guns in four twin-gun turrets, two superfiring pairs fore and aft of the superstructure. They each carried a dozen Script error: No such module "convert". Type 96 anti-aircraft (AA) guns in four triple-gun mounts. The ships were also each armed with four Script error: No such module "convert". torpedo tubes in a single quadruple rotating mount amidships; one reload was carried for each tube.[5] The first batch of ships were each equipped with two depth charge throwers for which 54 depth charges were carried. Hatsuzuki was equipped with a Type 21 early-warning radar on her foremast.[6]
Career and fate
In October 1944 Hatsuzuki was part of the Northern Force commanded by Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa, in the Japanese attack on the Allied forces supporting the invasion of Leyte.
On 25 October, during the Battle off Cape Engaño, Hatsuzuki encountered a detachment of Halsey's Task Force 34 (TF.34) consisting of the four cruisers USS New Orleans, USS Wichita, USS Santa Fe and USS Mobile and at least 9 destroyers. Hatsuzuki single-handedly faced off against this overwhelming force for the next two hours while covering the escape of survivors of the aircraft carriers Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". by the Destroyers Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., Kuwa and the Light cruiser Isuzu, eventually exploding and sinking at 2059. East-northeast of Cape Engaño (Script error: No such module "Coordinates".).
The only survivors of her crew were 8 men in a lifeboat with 17 Zuikaku crewmen who made their way to Luzon by 14 November, having been providentially cast off when Hatsuzuki got underway to engage the enemy.
Notes
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
References
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
External links
Script error: No such module "Military navigation".