Japanese destroyer Satsuki (1925)
Encyclopedia
was one of twelve destroyer
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
.
from fiscal 1923. The class was a follow-on to the earlier and Kamikaze class destroyers, with which they shared many common design characteristics. Satsuki, built at the Fujinagata Shipyards
in Osaka
, was laid down on December 1, 1924, launched on March 25, 1925 and commissioned on November 15, 1925. Originally commissioned simply as “Destroyer No. 27”, it was assigned the name Satsuki on August 1, 1928.
, Satsuki was part of Desron 22 under Destroyer Division 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 March 10, 1942 Satsuki was re-assigned 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 June 9, and rejoined the fleet on June 24. 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 May 24, 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
(July 5–6) and Battle of Kolombangara
(July 12) but suffering no damage. Satsuki was, however, damaged on July 17 when attacked at Shortlands in an air raid by Allied bombers, forcing a return back to Kure Naval Arsenal
via Rabaul, Truk, and Yokosuka. On September 5, 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 January 4, 1944 Satsuki was strafed during an air raid at Kavieng
, New Ireland
, with numerous casualties, including its captain, Lieutenant Commander Tadao Iino. On its return to Japan for repairs, Satsuki diverted to Saipan
to assist the torpedoed aircraft carrier
. Repairs were completed at Sasebo Naval Arsenal by March 15. After escorting several troop convoys from Tateyama, Chiba
via Hahajima Ogasawara islands to Palau, Satsuki was reassigned to the Central Pacific Area Fleet
. It 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 August 20, Satsuki came under the Combined Fleet
.
On September 21, after escorting a convoy from Singapore via Miri
and Brunei
to Manila, Satsuki was attacked by aircraft of Task Force 38 in air raid on Manila Bay
14°35′N 120°45′E. Satsuki took three direct bomb hits, killing 52 crewmen and injuring 15 others.
Satsuki was struck from the navy list
on November 10, 1944.
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. 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
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
.
History
Construction of the Mutsuki-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's build up following the abandonment of the Washington Naval TreatyWashington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
from fiscal 1923. The class was a follow-on to the earlier and Kamikaze class destroyers, with which they shared many common design characteristics. Satsuki, built at the Fujinagata Shipyards
Fujinagata Shipyards
was a shipyard and railroad car manufacturer in Osaka, Japan.-History:Fujinagata claimed to have been founded in 1689, making it one of the oldest shipbuilders in Japan. Originally called Hyōgo-ya, and located in central Osaka, it was contracted in 1854 by officials representing the Tokugawa...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, was laid down on December 1, 1924, launched on March 25, 1925 and commissioned on November 15, 1925. Originally commissioned simply as “Destroyer No. 27”, it was assigned the name Satsuki on August 1, 1928.
World War II history
At the time of the attack on Pearl HarborAttack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, Satsuki was part of Desron 22 under Destroyer Division 5 in the IJN 3rd Fleet
IJN 3rd Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, which was created on six separate occasions.-Russo-Japanese War:First established on 28 December 1903, the IJN 3rd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters as an administrative unit to manage various vessels considered too obsolete for...
, and deployed from Mako Guard District
Mako Guard District
The was the major navy base for the Imperial Japanese Navy in Taiwan before and during World War II. Located in at Mako ), , the Mako Guard District was responsible for control of the strategic Straits of Taiwan and for patrols along the Taiwan and China coastlines and in the South China Sea...
in the Pescadores
Pescadores
The Penghu Islands, also known as Pescadores are an archipelago off the western coast of Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait consisting of 90 small islands and islets covering an area of 141 square kilometers....
as part of the Japanese invasion force for "Operation M"
Battle of the Philippines (1941-42)
The Philippines Campaign or the Battle of the Philippines was the invasion of the Philippines by Japan in 1941–1942 and the defense of the islands by Filipino and United States forces....
(the invasion of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
), during which time it helped screen landings of Japanese forces at Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
and at Aparri.
In early 1942, Satsuki was assigned to escorting troop convoys from French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
for "Operation E"
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
(the invasion of Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
) and "Operation J" (the invasion of Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, Netherlands East Indies), in February. From March 10, 1942 Satsuki was re-assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet
Southwest Area Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II.-History:The Southwest Area Fleet was an operational command of the Imperial Japanese Navy established on April 10, 1942 to coordinate naval, air, and ground forces for the invasion, occupation and defense of the...
and escorted troop convoys from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
around the occupied Netherlands East Indies. She returned to Sasebo Naval Arsenal
Sasebo Naval Arsenal
was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. -History:The Sasebo Naval District was established at Sasebo, Nagasaki in 1886, as the third of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands. After the establishment of the...
for repairs on June 9, and rejoined the fleet on June 24. After escorting the seaplane tender
Seaplane tender
A seaplane tender is a ship that provides facilities for operating seaplanes. These ships were the first aircraft carriers and appeared just before the First World War.-History:...
from Sasebo via Truk and Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
to the Shortlands
Shortland Island
Shortland Island is the largest island of the Shortland Islands, Solomon Islands, at . Named by John Shortland....
in January 1943, she remained in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
throughout February to cover Operation KE
Operation Ke
was the largely successful withdrawal of Japanese forces from Guadalcanal at the conclusion of the Guadalcanal Campaign of World War II. The operation took place between 14 January and 7 February 1943, and involved both army and navy forces under the overall direction of the Japanese Imperial...
(troop evacuations from Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
), and to escort convoys from Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
to Wewak
Wewak
Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak....
and Kolombangara
Kolombangara
Kolombangara is an island in the New Georgia Islands group of the Solomon Islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean...
. Satsuki was assigned to the IJN 8th Fleet
IJN 8th Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II.-History:Established on 14 July 1942, the IJN 8th Fleet was a headquarters unit established to direct Japanese naval operations in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea...
on February 25, 1943.
Satsuki participated in several “Tokyo Express
Tokyo Express
The Tokyo Express was the name given by Allied forces to the use of Imperial Japanese Navy ships at night to deliver personnel, supplies, and equipment to Japanese forces operating in and around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands during the Pacific campaign of World War II...
” troop transport missions throughout the Solomons through the end of May, suffering damage when grounded on a reef southeast of Bougainville
Bougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
on May 24, 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
Battle of Kula Gulf
The naval Battle of Kula Gulf took place in the early hours of 6 July 1943 during World War II and was between United States and Japanese ships off the coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands.-Background:...
(July 5–6) and Battle of Kolombangara
Battle of Kolombangara
The Battle of Kolombangara was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the night of 12/13 July 1943, off Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands.-Background:...
(July 12) but suffering no damage. Satsuki was, however, damaged on July 17 when attacked at Shortlands in an air raid by Allied bombers, forcing a return back to Kure Naval Arsenal
Kure Naval Arsenal
was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. -History:The Kure Naval District was established at Kure, Hiroshima in 1889, as the second of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands along with the establishment of the...
via Rabaul, Truk, and Yokosuka. On September 5, Satsuki departed Kure back for Rabaul, where it resumed “Tokyo Express” operations to Kolombangara, Gasmata, and Buka
Buka Island
Buka Island is the second largest island in the Papua New Guinean province of Bougainville.- History :Buka was first occupied by humans in paleolithic times, some 30,000 years ago...
. 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 January 4, 1944 Satsuki was strafed during an air raid at Kavieng
Kavieng
Kavieng is the capital of the Papua New Guinean province of New Ireland and the largest town on the island of the same name. The town is located at Balgai Bay, on the northern tip of the island. As of 2000, it had a population of 10,600....
, New Ireland
New Ireland (island)
New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
, with numerous casualties, including its captain, Lieutenant Commander Tadao Iino. On its return to Japan for repairs, Satsuki diverted to Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
to assist the torpedoed aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
. Repairs were completed at Sasebo Naval Arsenal by March 15. After escorting several troop convoys from Tateyama, Chiba
Tateyama, Chiba
is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of September 2010, the city had an estimated population of 49,315 and the population density of 447 persons per km². The total area was 110.21 km²...
via Hahajima Ogasawara islands to Palau, Satsuki was reassigned to the Central Pacific Area Fleet
Central Pacific Area Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II.-History:The Central Pacific Area Fleet was a short-lived operational headquarters of the Imperial Japanese Navy, established on March 4, 1944...
. It continued to escort troop convoys from Tateyama to Saipan and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
through the end of May. In July, Satsuki escorted convoys from Kure via Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
to Lingga, then patrolled from Singapore. On August 20, Satsuki came under the Combined Fleet
Combined Fleet
The was the main ocean-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Combined Fleet was not a standing force, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units normally under separate commands in peacetime....
.
On September 21, after escorting a convoy from Singapore via Miri
Miri
Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and the government administrative centre of Miri District in Miri Division....
and Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
to Manila, Satsuki was attacked by aircraft of Task Force 38 in air raid on Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
14°35′N 120°45′E. Satsuki took three direct bomb hits, killing 52 crewmen and injuring 15 others.
Satsuki was struck from the navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on November 10, 1944.