Japanese Destroyer Satsuki (1925)

was one of twelve s, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. Advanced for their time, these ships served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, but were considered obsolescent by the start of the Pacific War.

History

Construction of the ''Mutsuki''-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's build up from fiscal 1923 of ships not covered by the Washington Naval Treaty. The class was a follow-on to the earlier and destroyers, with which they shared many common design characteristics. ''Satsuki'', built at the Fujinagata Shipyards in Osaka, was laid down on 1 December 1924, launched on 25 March 1925 and commissioned on 15 November 1925. Originally commissioned simply as ''Destroyer No. 27'', it was assigned the name ''Satsuki'' on 1 August 1928.

World War II history

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, ''Satsuki'' was part of Destroyer Division 22 under Destroyer Squadron 5 in the IJN 3rd Fleet, and deployed from Mako Guard District in the Pescadores as part of the Japanese invasion force for "Operation M" (the invasion of the Philippines), during which time it helped screen landings of Japanese forces at Lingayen Gulf and at Aparri.

In early 1942, ''Satsuki'' was assigned to escorting troop convoys from French Indochina for "Operation E" (the invasion of Malaya) and "Operation J" (the invasion of Java, Netherlands East Indies), in February. From 10 March 1942 ''Satsuki'' was reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet and escorted troop convoys from Singapore around the occupied Netherlands East Indies. She returned to Sasebo Naval Arsenal for repairs on 9 June, and rejoined the fleet on 24 June. After escorting the seaplane tender from Sasebo via Truk and Rabaul to the Shortlands in January 1943, she remained in the Solomon Islands throughout February to cover Operation KE (troop evacuations from Guadalcanal), and to escort convoys from Palau to Wewak and Kolombangara. ''Satsuki'' was assigned to the IJN 8th Fleet on February 25, 1943.

''Satsuki'' participated in several “Tokyo Express” troop transport missions throughout the Solomons through the end of May, suffering damage when grounded on a reef southeast of Bougainville on 24 May, forcing a return to Rabaul for repairs. In June and July, ''Satsuki'' resumed “Tokyo Express” transport missions to Tuluvu and Kolombangara, participating in the Battle of Kula Gulf (5–6 July) and Battle of Kolombangara (12 July) but suffering no damage. ''Satsuki'' was, however, damaged on 17 July when attacked at Shortlands in an air raid by Allied bombers, forcing a return to Kure Naval Arsenal via Rabaul, Truk, and Yokosuka. On 5 September, ''Satsuki'' departed Kure back for Rabaul, where it resumed “Tokyo Express” operations to Kolombangara, Gasmata, and Buka. Returning briefly to Japan in November, ''Satsuki'' returned to Rabaul in early December and continued to make transport runs through the end of the year.

On 4 January 1944 ''Satsuki'' was strafed during an air raid at Kavieng, New Ireland, with numerous casualties, including its captain, Lieutenant Commander Tadao Iino. On the ship's return to Japan for repairs, ''Satsuki'' diverted to Saipan to assist the torpedoed aircraft carrier . Repairs were completed at Sasebo Naval Arsenal by 15 March. After escorting several troop convoys from Tateyama, Chiba via Hahajima Ogasawara islands to Palau, ''Satsuki'' was reassigned to the Central Pacific Area Fleet. The destroyer continued to escort troop convoys from Tateyama to Saipan and Guam through the end of May. In July, ''Satsuki'' escorted convoys from Kure via Manila to Lingga, then patrolled from Singapore. On 20 August, ''Satsuki'' joined the Combined Fleet.

On 21 September, after escorting a convoy from Singapore via Miri and Brunei to Manila, ''Satsuki'' was attacked by aircraft of Task Force 38 in an air raid on Manila Bay. ''Satsuki'' took three direct bomb hits, killing 52 crewmen and injuring 15 others.

''Satsuki'' was struck from the navy list on 10 November 1944.

Notes

References

*
*
*
*
*
*
*

External links

*
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Satsuki
Mutsuki-class destroyers
1925 ships
World War II destroyers of Japan
Destroyers sunk by aircraft
Shipwrecks in Manila Bay
World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean
Maritime incidents in September 1944
Ships sunk by US aircraft
Ships built by Fujinagata Shipyards