|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| IJN Fubuki-class destroyer 1,750 Tons (Standard) 2,050 Tons (Rebuilt) 367' 3" x 378' x 388' 5" 3x2 x Type 3 12cm guns 22 x Type 96 25mm AA guns 10 x 13mm AA guns 9 x 24" torpedo tubes 36 x depth charges  IJN April 1930 |
Ship History Built by Fujinagata Shipyards in Osaka. Laid down January 20, 1928 as Destroyer No. 45. Launched October 5, 1929 as Ayanami 綾波 meaning "twilled waves" or "waves like woven damask [fabric with intricate and reversible patterns]" in Japanese. Commissioned April 30, 1930 in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) assigned to Destroyer Division 19 (DesDiv 19) with Uranami, Shikinami and Isonami, DesRon 3, First Fleet. During 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War covered the Japanese landings at Shanghai and Hangzhou. In 1940, patrolled and covered Japanese landings in southern China. Wartime History During 1941, under the command of Commander Eiji Sakuma. On November 20, 1941 with DesDiv 19 departs Kure bound for Samah arriving six days later. On December 4, 1941 departs Samah escorting a convoy via Camranh Bay and Mako (Pescadores) for the invasion of Malaya at the start of the Pacific War. On December 19, 1941 with Uranami and Yugiri sinks Dutch submarine O-20 and rescues 32 survivors. In January 1941 escorts Kumano, Suzuya, Mogami and Mikuma for Operation L the invasion of Banka, Palembang and Anambas Islands. On February 17, 1942 sustains minor damage after clipping a coral reef in the Anambas Islands then three days later to Camranh Bay for emergency repairs. On February 21, 1942 departs Camranh Bay to aid Chōkai aground near Cape St. Jacques off Saigon then escorts to Singapore. On March 12, 1942 assigned to Operation T the invasion of northern Sumatra. On March 23, 1942 assigned to Operation D the invasion of the Andaman Islands. During the Japanese raids into the Indian Ocean conducts patrol and escort duties off Port Blair then to Singapore. On April 13, 1942 departs Singapore via Camranh Bay to Kure for maintenance. On June 4, 1942 assigned to Operation MI for the planned Japanese invasion of Midway assigned escort duties for the main body with destroyers Uranami, Shikanami, Isonami and Yukaze and participated in the Battle of Midway then returns to Japan. On June 30, 1942 departs Kure escorting a convoy to Amami-Ōshima then conducts anti-submarine patrols. On July 17, 1942 departs Amami-Ōshima via Mako to Singapore then to Mergui at the end of the month for a raid in the Indian Ocean that was aborted due to the U.S. landings in the Solomon Islands. On August 8, 1942 departs Mergui via Balikpapan to Truk arriving thirteen days later. On August 24, 1942 participates in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons escorts the fleet supply group to Guadalcanal. During September 1942 operating from Truk escorts Toho Maru to Shortland arriving September 24, 1942. On September 29, 1942 departs Shortland towing a barge bound for Rendova but aborts due to rough seas and returns. On October 1, 1942 repeats the same barge towing mission to Rendova and returns. On October 4, 1942 departs Shortland on a troop transport "Tokyo Express" run to Guadalcanal and returns. On October 7, 1942 departs Shortland on a troop transport "Tokyo Express" run to Guadalcanal and returns. On October 11, 1942 departs Shortland on a troop transport "Tokyo Express" run to Guadalcanal and returns. On October 17, 1942 departs Shortland on a troop transport "Tokyo Express" run to Guadalcanal and returns. On October 19, 1942 departs Shortland on a troop transport "Tokyo Express" run to Guadalcanal and returns. On October 26, 1942 on alert at Shortland during the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands (Battle of the South Pacific). On November 2, 1942 departs Shortland on a troop transport "Tokyo Express" run to Guadalcanal and returns. On November 5, 1942 departs Shortland on a troop transport "Tokyo Express" run to Guadalcanal and returns to Truk. On November 6, 1942 departs Truk escorting Sendai to Shortland. On November 14, 1942 departs Shortland attached to a scouting force under the command of Rear Admiral Hashimoto Shintarō aboard flagship light cruiser Sendai with destroyers Nagara and Uranami bound for Guadalcanal. Approaching Savo Island, the Japanese force split into three sections: the bombardment group; a close screen of the cruiser Nagara and six destroyers; and a distant screen of the cruiser Sendai and three destroyers in the van of the other forces. At the start of the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, the distant screen group including Sendai with destroyers Shikinami and Uranami were to sweep the east side of Savo Island while Ayanami patrolled counter clockwise around Savo Island. At 10:55pm radar on the American battleships began to detect the approaching Japanese force at a distance of roughly 20,000 yards off Savo Island. At 11:00pm the Japanese spotted the Americans but misidentified the battleships as cruisers. At 11:17pm the U.S. battleships using radar targeting opened fire on Sendai, Uranami and Shikinami but failed to score any hits. Although Ayanami was spotted by USS Walke (DD-416), the American destroyers focused their attention on light cruiser Nagara. Meanwhile, Ayanami, Nagara, and Uranami engaged the U.S. destroyers with torpedoes and gunfire that sank USS Preston (DD-379) and USS Walke (DD-416) and damaged USS Benham (DD-397) that was later scuttled and severely damaged USS Gwin (DD-433). Sinking History On November 15, 1942 at 1:00am during the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, hit by gunfire from USS Washington (BB-56) and fired one round shell in return that missed. During the engagement 27 crew were killed. Heavily damaged, the crew abandoned ship. At 2:00am scuttled by two torpedoes fired by Uranami and quickly sank southwest of Savo Island into Iron Bottom Sound at roughly Lat 9° 10' S, Long 159° 52' E. Officially removed from the Navy list on December 15, 1942. Fates of the Crew Afterwards, 196 survivors were rescued by Uranami. Thirty of the crew including Commander Eiji Sakuma escaped on a life boat that reached western Guadalcanal. References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Japanese Naval and Merchant Shipping Losses During World War II by All Causes pages 4 (Ayanami), 101 (index Ayanami) Combined Fleet - IJN Ayanami: Tabular Record of Movement Contribute
Information Last Updated
|
 Map Iron Bottom Sound |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
