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| IJN Kagerō-class destroyer 2,490 Tons 388' 9' x 35' 5" x 12' 6" 118.5m x 10.8m x 3.8m As Built (1940) 6 x 12.7cm Type 3 DP guns 28 x 25mm AA 4 x 13mm MG 8 x torpedo tubes 18 x depth charges 2 x paravanes Armament (1943) 6 x 12.7cm Type 3 DP guns 8 x 25mm AA 8 x torpedo tubes 18 x depth charges |
Ship History Built by Fujinagata Shipyards in Osaka. Laid down August 31, 1937 as Kagerō-class destroyer. Launched 28 October 1938 as as Kuroshio 黒潮 named for the Kuroshio current, known as the "Black Current" or "Black Stream". Completed January 1, 1940 under the command of Commander Ugaki Tamaki. Comissioned January 27, 1940 in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). Assigned to Desdiv 15, Desron 2, Second Fleet. Wartime History Between November 26, 1941 until December 1, 1941 operates with Desron 2 patrolling between the Terashima Strait to Palau. On December 6, 1941 departs Palau escorting Itsukushima as part of the southern Philippine attack force including Ryūjō for two days when hostilities commence. On December 10, 1941 escorts Itsukushima laying mines in the San Bernardino Strait until the next day. On December 12, 1941 joins the Legaspi invasion force. On December 20 assigned to the Davao invasion force. On December 23, 1941 suffered minor damage and four casualties from a strafing attack by a B-17 Flying Fortress. On December 25, 1941 escorts the Jolo invasion force. Dutch East Indies Occupation Next, participated in the occupation of Dutch East Indies. On January 11, 1942 was part of the invasion force bound for Menado. On January 14 with Kendari invasion force. January 31 with Ambon invasion force. On February 8, with Makassar invasion force. Assisted torpedoed NATSUSHIO and removed survivors. On February 20, with Timor invasion force. Next on February 26, departed Koepang (Timor) escorting supply group supporting operations south of Java. On March 5, aids Oyashio in sinking a vessel identified as a British minelayer; then to Staring Bay (Celebes) on March 11. Then March 15-22, escorted Kaga from Staring Bay to Sasebo. Next on April 17-28, departed Kure in pursuit of Doolittle task force, then steamed via Formosa to Panay. On May 1-9, assisted in occupation of Cagayan Islands, then to Manila. On May 10-17, departed Manila, then escorted damaged Shōkaku to Kure. Battle of Midway During May 21-25, steamed with Desron 2 from Kure to Saipan. Then on June 3-6, escorted the Midway troop convoy during the Battle of Midway. 16-30 July: Escorted KUMANO and SUZUYA from Kure via Singapore to Mergui (Burma) for Indian Ocean raiding operations, aborted due to Guadalcanal. 8-21 August: Escorted KUMANO and SUZUYA from Mergui via Balikpapan to join fleet north of the Solomons. 24 August: Battle of the Eastern Solomons Escorted Admiral Kondo's Advance Force. September: Escorted fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomons. 29 September-1 October: Departed Truk, then escorted Nisshin from Kavieng to Shortlands. 3 October: Troop transport run to Guadalcanal. 6 October: Troop transport run to Guadalcanal. 9 October: Troop transport run to Guadalcanal. 10-14 October: Departed Shortlands, escorted Kongō and Haruna in bombardment of Henderson Field. On October 26, 1942 during the Battle of Santa Cruz escorts Junyō. 30 October-15 November: Repairs at Truk, then steamed to the Shortlands. 10 November: Commander Ugaki relieved by Commander Takeuchi Hajime. 20 November: Escorted transport KAMO MARU to Munda. 27 November: Escorted convoy to Munda. 30 November: Battle of Tassafaronga Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal. Engaged U.S. cruiser-destroyer group and possibly scored a torpedo hit at 11:48 on USS Pensacola (CA-24) forcing it to withdraw. 3 December: Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal. 7 December: Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal, aborted due to PT-boat attack. 11 December: Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal. 16 December: Troop transport run from Rabaul to Munda. 24 December: Troop transport run to Munda. 1 January 1943: Arrived Shortlands from Rabaul. 2 January: Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal. 10 January: Led supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal (cover) as flagship of Comdesron 2 (Rear Admiral Koyanagi Tomiji). 14 January: Troop transport run to Guadalcanal (cover). 22 January: Escorted TSUGARU and HIYODORI on troop transport run to Rekata. 24 January: Troop transport run to Rekata. On January 28, 1943 served as an escort for a diversionary troop landing in Russell Islands. Evacuation from Guadalcanal On February 1, 1943 serves as an escort during in the evacuation of Japanese forces from Cape Espernece on Guadalcanal. On February 4, 1943 serves as an escort for a second evacuation run led by Rear Admiral Hashimoto Shintaro to Guadalcanal. During the day, targeted by U.S. planes and suffered minor damage from a near miss. On February 7, 1943 serves as an escort for troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal then returns to Shortland. On February 10, 1943 departs Shortland via Raaul to Truk arriving five days later. On February 16, 1943 departs Truk escorting Junyō northward to Kure then is docked for repairs. On February 23, 1943 assigned to Commander Nagahide Sugitani. On April 4, 1943 departs Kure escorting Chuyo and Taiyo southward to Truk. Troop Transport Runs to Kolombangara On April 24-29, steamed from Truk via Rabaul to Shortlands, then troop transport run to Kolombangara. Again on May 3 made another troop transport run to Kolombangara. On May 4, 1943 at 5:05am returns to Buin and five minutes later departs for Buka Island arriving at 12:55pm and undergoes training for the next several days. On May 7, 1943 departs Buka Island with DesDiv 15 Kuroshio, Oyashio and Kagero and at 11:31am arrives Buin and embarks personnel and cargo departs at 3:20pm as the flagship for an overnight "Tokyo Express" supply run to Vila on Kolombangara Island. Sinking History On May 8, 1943 using the eastern approach arrives at 1:26am arrives at Vila and unloads her personnel and cargo. then embarks 300 personnel for evacuation. At 3:12am departs via the western route and enters the Blackett Strait where U.S. Navy (USN) light minesweepers laid a minefield the previous night. At 3:59am struck a sea mine that exploded aft that killed 83 aboard, flooded the engine rooms and crew spaces and causing her to loose power and drift dead in the water then exploded and sank at roughly Lat 8° 08 S, Long 156° 55 E. Officially, removed from Navy List on June 20, 1943. Unaware they hit a sea mine, the other destroyers took up guarding positions and both Oyashio and Kagero hit mines and were damaged. Rescue Afterwards, survivors including Commander Sugitani were rescued by boats from Oyashio that later sank. Othere survivors swam ashore on Kolombangara and joined Japanese forces. Shipwreck On May 19, 2002 the shipwreck of a shattered Japanese destroyer in Blackett Strait was found by a team led by Robert Ballard and identified as Kuroshio during their search for PT-109. Dale R. Ridder adds: "When we looked at it while I was out there [with the search for PT-109 during] May of 2002, it appeared from the wreckage on the bottom that both the bow and the stern magazines had exploded from the mine hits, which is somewhat unusual. The ship evidently capsized prior to sinking as it appeared, based on the sonar images, that at least one of the torpedo mounts was located about 75 yards from the main wreck. However, prior to arriving at the bottom, some 1300 feet down, she righted herself, and the main undamaged midships section was sitting upright on the bottom. We nearly wrapped the tether of Little Hercules around the after mast because of reduced bottom visibility from a storm the night before. I am hoping to use the Kuroshio as a training target if I can get out there in the summer of 2011." References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Battle of Midway, 3-6 June 1942 Composition of Japanese Naval Forces Destroyer Squadron 2 Rear Adm. Tanaka Raizo Kuroshio Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) The Guadalcanal Campaign page 161 "4 February [1943] Kuroshio, Maikaze, and Shiranuhi damages by planes" Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Japanese Naval and Merchant Shipping Losses During World War II by All Causes page 6 (Kuroshio) (Page 6) "Date: May 8, 1943 / Name: Kuroshio / Tons: 1,900 [sic] Location: Lat 8-05S, Long 156-55E / Type of Agent: Navy Mine" Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) United States Navy at War Final Official Report to the Secretary of the Navy page 52 (Page 52) "Kuroshio / Blackett Strait, New Georgia by mine" Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Interrogations of Japanese Officials - Vols. I & II United States Strategic Bombing Survey [Pacific] page 191, 192, 397, 469 (Page 192) "Yes. In May 1943 the destroyer KAGERO was sunk by mines between KOLOMBANGARA and GIZO. The destroyers KUROSHIO and OYASHIO went to help it but dive-bombers came out of a rain squall and sank them at the same time. They didn't expect dive-bombers in such heavy rain. The MICHISHIO (DD) was badly damaged in the same attack." (Page 397) "Farther south at KOLUMBANGARA, three destroyers (KAGERO, KUROSHIO, OYASHI) were sunk on the morning of 8 May 1943." Combined Fleet - IJN Kuroshio: Tabular Record of Movement Combined Fleet - The Destruction of DesDiv 15 YouTube "The Search For Kennedy's PT 109 National Geographic (2003) Contribute
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 Map Nov 30, 1942 |
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