Japanese destroyer Yakaze

Yakaze (矢風) was a, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy immediately 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 large-sized Minekaze-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 8-4 Fleet Program from fiscal 1917-1920, as an accompaniment to the medium-sized Momi-class destroyer with which they shared many common design characteristics. Equipped with powerful engines, these vessels were capable of high speeds and were intended as escorts for the projected s, which were ultimately never built. Yakaze, built at the Mitsubishi shipyards in Nagasaki, was the sixth ship of this class. It was laid down on August 15, 1918, launched on April 20, 1920 and commissioned on July 19, 1920. On completion, Yakaze was assigned to the Kure Naval District under the IJN 2nd Fleet.

In 1931, Yakaze was teamed with sister ships JAPANESE DESTROYER Minekaze, JAPANESE DESTROYER Okikaze, and JAPANESE DESTROYER Sawakaze at Sasebo Naval District to form Destroyer Division 2 under the IJN 1st Air Fleet as part of the escort of the aircraft carriers JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Akagi and JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hōshō to assist in search and rescue operations for downed aircraft. At the time of the First Shanghai incident of 1932, Yakaze was engaged in river patrol duties along the Yangzi River in China.

Soon after the start of the Pacific War, Yakaze was withdrawn from combat service and stripped of most of its weaponry at Kure Naval Arsenal for conversion into a target ship. The venerable battleship JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Settsu previously used for this task was slow, and reaching the end of its operational life. It was replaced as a target for torpedoes and air attacks at Yokosuka from May 20, 1942. Yakaze was officially removed as a destroyer from the navy list on July 20, 1942.

Although Yakaze had a distinct advantage over Settsu in speed, it was obviously no match in terms of armor, and could only withstand a direct hit by a one pound practice bomb. The Imperial Japanese Navy rethought its plans to use Yakaze as a target vessel, and re-commissioned it as a patrol boat on March 6, 1943. It was used as a guard vessel at Yokosuka port until the end of World War II. At the time of the surrender of Japan, the former Yakaze was bottomed at Yokosuka port due to damage and flooding incurred during the Attack on Yokosuka on 18 July 1945. After the war, it was scuttled to form part of the breakwater and Nagaura port, in Yokosuka.