Construction of the advanced Fubuki-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's expansion program from fiscal 1923, intended to give Japan a qualitative edge with the world's most modern ships.[2] The Fubuki class drastically improved upon previous destroyer designs; so much so that they were designated Special Type destroyers (特型, Tokugata).[3] The large size, powerful engines, high speed, large radius of action and unprecedented armament gave these destroyers the firepower similar to many light cruisers in other navies.[4]Ayanami, built at the Fujinagata Shipyards in Osaka[3] was the first in an improved series, which incorporated a modified gun turret which could elevate her main battery of Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns to 75° as opposed to the original 40°, thus permitting the guns to be used as dual purpose guns against aircraft. Ayanami was the first destroyer in the world with this ability.[5]Ayanami was laid down on 20 January 1928, launched on 5 October 1929 and commissioned on 30 April 1930.[6] Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 45”, she inherited the name of her predecessor on 1 August before her launch.
In her original construction, Ayanami was over 200 tons overweight.[7] Following the 4th Fleet Incident, which saw major cracks develop in the hulls of several IJN vessels as a result of severe weather, which occurred only a year after her commissioning, Ayanami and the rest of the ships in her class were quickly taken back to the shipyards to have added top weight reduction and strengthening of the hull.[7]
Operational history
On completion, Ayanami, along with her sister ships, Uranami, Shikinami, and Isonami, were assigned to Destroyer Division 19 under the IJN 2nd Fleet. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, from 1937, Ayanami covered landing of Japanese forces in Shanghai and Hangzhou. From 1940, she was assigned to patrol and covered landings of Japanese forces in south China.
Ayanami's final mission, on November 14–15, 1942, was that of the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, where she was conducting transport runs.[10] There, she was attached to a scouting force under the command of Rear Admiral Shintarō Hashimoto in the light cruiser Sendai. When American Admiral Willis A. Lee's Task Force 64 was spotted near Savo Island, Hashimoto took his ships clockwise around the island, but sent Ayanami alone in the opposite direction sweeping for enemy vessels. When Lee's ships were located, the order to attack was given, and as such, Ayanami became one of three prongs in the initial attack (Along with Hashimoto's group, and another group led by Rear Admiral Susumu Kimura in the light cruiser Nagara).
Ayanami was first sighted by the American destroyer USS Walke, but the light cruiser Nagara was located soon after and the four destroyers' attentions shifted to it. Torpedo and shellfire from Ayanami, Nagara, and Uranami sank two of the four destroyers (USS Preston and USS Walke), mortally wounded USS Benham (which was scuttled after the battle), and severely damaged USS Gwin, causing heavy American losses in the first phase of the battle.
Lee's USS Washington then sighted Ayanami and shelled her. The Japanese destroyer sustained critical damage and 27 of her crew were killed; she fired one shell, which missed Washington. Thirty surviving crew members including Commander Sakuma escaped in a boat to Guadalcanal; the remainder were taken off by Uranami. At the same time Washington crippled and sank the battleship Kirishima. Later in the night Uranamiscuttled the abandoned Ayanami with a single torpedo, and she sank soon after 02:00. Her wreck remains at the bottom of Ironbottom Sound.[12][page needed]
On 15 December 1942, Ayanami was removed from the navy list.[13]
The wreck
In late July 1992 marine archeologistRobert Ballard led an expedition to Ironbottom Sound, finding thirteen newly discovered shipwrecks. Among these new finds were the remains of Ayanami. They were found southeast of Savo Island at 9°10′S159°52′E / 9.167°S 159.867°E / -9.167; 159.867 at a depth of approximately 700 metres (2,300 ft). The hull and keel of the ship appear to have been broken by a starboard torpedo blast just behind the bridge; the ship came to rest in two pieces, with the stern upright, and the bow twisted and lying on its starboard side.
Notes
^Nelson. Japanese-English Character Dictionary. page 708, 540
^Fitzsimons, Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare p.1040
^ abStille, Mark (2013). Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers 1919–45: Minekaze to Shiratsuyu Classes. Osprey Publishing. p. 22.
^Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
References
D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN0-8159-5302-X.
Brown, David (1990). Warship Losses of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-914-X.
Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
