Japanese escort ship Ishigaki
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Script error: No such module "Nihongo". was one of four Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".s built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
Background and description
The Japanese called these ships Kaibōkan, "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 Script error: No such module "convert". overall, with a beam of Script error: No such module "convert". and a draft of Script error: No such module "convert"..[1] They displaced Script error: No such module "convert". at standard load and Script error: No such module "convert". at deep load. The ships had two diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft, which were rated at a total of Script error: No such module "convert". for a speed of Script error: No such module "convert".. The ships had a range of Script error: No such module "convert". at a speed of Script error: No such module "convert"..[2]
The main armament of the Shimushu class consisted of three Type 3 Script error: No such module "convert". guns in single mounts, one superfiring pair aft and one mount forward of the superstructure. They were built with four Type 96 Script error: No such module "convert". anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts, but the total was increased to 15 guns by August 1943. A dozen depth 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 a Type 97 Script error: No such module "convert". trench mortar and six depth charge throwers.
Construction and career
Based in the Kuriles, she patrolled and escorted convoys and ships there. On 7 October 1943, Ishigaki sank the submarine Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".. S-44 discovered a target on her radar[3] that she took to be a lone small freighter.[4] S-44 opened fire with her 4-inch deck gun on the refrigerator ship Koko Maru. Ishigaki, Koko MaruTemplate:'s escort, sighted the submarine at Script error: No such module "convert". and opened fire with her bow 4.7-inch gun. Captain Francis Brown of S-44 ordered a crash dive, but Ishigaki scored her first hit on S-44Template:'s conning tower before she could submerge. S-44 attempted to fight back with her deck gun, but her gunners were blinded by IshigakiTemplate:'s Script error: No such module "convert". searchlight and she scored no hits. Ishigaki then scored her second hit on the submarine's battery section. She then turned and all three 4.7-inch guns began firing at S-44. Soon, she scored several more hits on S-44 which began to sink. Perhaps as many as eight men had made it off the submarine; but only Chief Torpedoman's Mate Ernest A. Duva and Radioman Third Class William F. Whitemore were picked up by Ishigaki.[4]
On 31 May 1944, Ishigaki was torpedoed by the submarine Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., and her bow was destroyed. She managed to drop several depth charges before sinking with a loss of 167 sailors.
Citations
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General references
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External links
Template:Shimushu class escort ship Template:May 1944 shipwrecks
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- 1940 ships
- Maritime incidents in May 1944
- Shimushu-class escort ships
- Ships sunk by American submarines
- World War II naval ships of Japan
- World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean
- Ships built by Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding