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| IJN Kagerō-class destroyer 2,490 Tons 388' 9" x 35' 5" x 12' 6" 6 x 127mm DP guns 28 x 25mm AA 4 x 13.2mm AA guns 8 x torpedo tubes 36 x depth charges |
Ship History Built by Maizuru Naval Arsenal at Maizuru. Laid down February 14, 1939 as a Kagerō-class destroyer. Launched October 19, 1939 as Amatsukaze meaning "Heavenly Wind" in Japanese. Commissioned October 26, 1940 in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) under the command of Commander Tameichi Hara. Assigned to Desdiv 16 with Yukikaze, Tokitsukaze and Hatsukaze, Desron 2, Second Fleet. Wartime History On November 26, 1941 departs Terashima Strait with Desdiv 16 bound for Palau arriving four days later. On December 6, 1941 departs escorting Ryūjō bound for the attack on the southern Philippines. On December 12, 1941 arrives Legaspi and performs guard duty in the area. On December 19, 1941 joins the Davao invasion force the next day, one of the crew is killed in an accident securing shipping. On December 22, 1941 arrives Lamon Bay and patrols the area for the next four days. On December 26, 1941 departs bound for Palau arriving three days later. On January 1, 1942 departs Palau bound for Magnaga Bay arriving six days later. On January 9, 1942 joins 2nd Escort Unit bound for Menado. On January 11, 1942 covers the invasion of Menado and five days later arrives Banka anchorage. On January 24, 1942 covers the invasion of Kendari. On January 29, 1942 joins the invasion force bound for Ambon. On January 30, 1942 approaching Ambon Bay engaged a surfaced submarine that is lost when it submerges and afterwards enters the Hitulama anchorage. On February 20, 1942 part of the invasion force for Timor and the next day arrives Saemau. On February 24, 1942 departs bound for Makassar arriving the next day. The force is spotted by a B-24 and two B-17s that are driven off by anti-aircraft fire. On February 27, 1942 part of the invasion force bound for Java and participates in the Battle of the Java Sea firing at two B-17s. At 5:45pm fires on an enemy destroyer. At 7:25pm releases torpedoes at a range of 9,000 meters. At 8:37 rejoins Jintsū and departs to the northwest. On February 28, 1942 at 12:42am saw gunfire and prepared for battle but no further action developed. At 10:15am opened fire on an enemy plane.At 4:36 spotted a flying boat and opened fire and drove it away with 16 rounds of main battery fire. At 4:45 investigate Dutch hospital ship Op Ten Noort north of Bawean Island. On March 1, 1942 in the Java Sea Amatsukaze and Hatsukaze spot and engage submarine USS Perch (SS-176) roughly 73 miles west of Bawean Island. During the engagement, Amatsukaze fires 32 rounds at 2,500m and released six depth charges. Hatsukaze fired five shells and released six depth charges. They believe the submarine is sunk but although damaged survived the attack but was later scuttled. PARTIAL HISTORY On January 10, 1943 placed under the command of Commander Masao Tanaka. PARTIAL HISTORY On April 12, 1943 joins Hansa No. 28 convoy that departs Palau bound for Hansa Bay with transports Teiryu Maru, India Maru, Toho Maru, Sydney Maru, Taisei Maru and Taiyu Maru escorted by Subchaer CH-26, Subchaer CH-34 and destroyers Tanikaze and Amatsukaze. PARTIAL HISTORY On August 24, 1942 with Tokitsukaze escorts Ryūjō and Tone. During the Battle of the Eastern Solomons (Second Battle of the Solomon Sea) rescues survivors and recovers a ditched bomber crew from Zuikaku. PARTIAL HISTORY On April 4, 1945 departs Hong Kong escorting convoy HO-MO-03 of transports Kine Maru and Dai 2 Tokai Maru plus CD No.18, SC-20, CD No.1, CD. No. 134. On April 5, 1945 targeted by planes that sink the two transports are sunk and SC-20 rescues their surviving crew and returns to Hong Kong. SC No.9 is damaged and also returns to Hong Kong. On April 6, 1945 at 11:40am south of Amoy the remainder of the convoy was spotted by twenty-four B-25 Mitchells from 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG) "Air Apaches" on an anti-shipping strike off the coast of China. B-25s from 501st BS and 499th BS quickly sink CD No.1 and CD No. 134. Amatsukaze was targeted by B-25s from 500th and 498th BS and engaged the bombers with anti-aircraft fire and claimed five shot down plus four damaged. In fact, only three were lost. By 12:30pm hit by three bombs at at roughly Lat 24°30'N, Long 118°10'. One struck in the auxiliary machinery room buckling the lattice mainmast above it; a second in the radio room, and the third in the wardroom. In addition, rocket damaged the barrels of the aft two turrets. All power was lost and Amatsukaze was adrift dead in the water with fires on the aft with heavy damage topside and the rear bridge collapsed. During the attack, 3 officers, 1 passenger and 41 crew were killed. At 8:15pm arrives off Amoy Harbor. At 9:00pm still burning and without rudder and unable to anchor ran aground south of Amoy Harbor. On April 8, 1945 the damaged destroyer suffers flooding after lighteing by evening is floated free by a storm. Assisted by Army boats, Amatsukaze drifts across Amoy Harbor and runs aground at Lat 24° 15' N, Long 118° 00' E. Bad weather prevents salvage and both engine rooms flood. and settles on the bottom. Fate On April 10, 1945 scuttled with explosive charges and the shipwreck designated as a target for Japanese aircraft to bomb on training missions. On May 10, 1945 designated as a Reserve Ship 4th Class and bombed by Japanese planes. On August 10, 1945 officially removed from the Navy list. Fates of the Crew A total of 156 survived the April 6, 1945 attack including six officers, including Lt. Morita and 150 sailors. Afterwards, Lt. Morita was appointed to command of the Sijiao Island garrison until the end of the Pacific War. Shipwreck During 2012, the shipwreck was found by a Chinese engineering ship and roughly 30 tons of wreckage was removed, cut into pieces and left on the beach then sold as scrap metal before the intervention of the local administration. According to Chinese media, a museum will be built to protect the remaining wreckage. References Combined Fleet - IJN Amatsukaze: Tabular Record of Movement Japanese Destroyer Captain (1961) by Hata chapters 9-23 describe his time as captain of Amatsukaze 25-Year-Old Captain's Naval Battle Chronicles: Destroyer Amatsukaze by Morita Evidence of Japanese warships’ invasion of China during World War II salvaged from Zhangpu waters August 17, 2012 Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau: The wreckage of the warship August 21, 2012 Contribute
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