Japanese destroyer Hayanami

Hayanami underway on 24 July 1943
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Hayanami
Builder	Maizuru Naval Arsenal
Laid down	15 January 1942
Launched	19 December 1942
Completed	31 July 1943
Stricken	10 August 1944
Fate	Torpedoed and sunk on 7 June 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Yūgumo-class destroyer
Displacement	2,520 long tons (2,560 t)
Length	119.15 m (390 ft 11 in)
Beam	10.8 m (35 ft 5 in)
Draught	3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Complement	228
Armament	6 × 127 mm (5.0 in)/50 caliber DP guns up to 28 × Type 96 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns up to 4 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) AA guns 8 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes for Type 93 torpedoes 36 depth charges

Hayanami (早波, "Early Waves") was a Yūgumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Design and description

The Yūgumo class was a repeat of the preceding Kagerō class with minor improvements that increased their anti-aircraft capabilities. Their crew numbered 228 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 119.17 meters (391 ft 0 in) overall, with a beam of 10.8 meters (35 ft 5 in) and a draft of 3.76 meters (12 ft 4 in).^[1] They displaced 2,110 metric tons (2,080 long tons) at standard load and 2,560 metric tons (2,520 long tons) at deep load.^[2] The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 52,000 shaft horsepower (39,000 kW) for a designed speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph).^[3]

The main armament of the Yūgumo class consisted of six Type 3 127-millimeter (5.0 in) guns in three twin-gun turrets, one superfiring pair aft and one turret forward of the superstructure.^[2] The guns were able to elevate up to 75° to increase their ability against aircraft, but their slow rate of fire, slow traversing speed, and the lack of any sort of high-angle fire-control system meant that they were virtually useless as anti-aircraft guns.^[4] They were built with four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts, but more of these guns were added over the course of the war. The ships were also armed with eight 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in a two quadruple traversing mounts; one reload was carried for each tube. Their anti-submarine weapons comprised two depth charge throwers for which 36 depth charges were carried.^[2]

Construction and career

From 15–20 October 1943, Hayanami was used on troop transport runs from Saeki to Truk. The destroyer was used on troop transport runs from Truk to Ponape on 22-24 and 26–28 October. She provided escort for a troop transport run on 6 November to Bougainville.

On 7 June 1944, Hayanami was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Harder near Tawitawi, 35 miles (56 km) east of Borneo (04°43′N 120°03′E). The ship blew up and sank with 208 killed; 45 survivors were rescued by the destroyer Urakaze.

On 10 August 1944, Hayanami was removed from the Navy List.

Notes

1. Sturton, p. 195
2. Whitley, p. 203
3. Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 150
4. Campbell, p. 192

References

• Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
• Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
• Sturton, Ian (1980). "Japan". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 167–217. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Whitley, M. J. (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.

External links

• CombinedFleet.com: Yūgumo-class destroyers
• CombinedFleet.com: Hayanami history