Japanese destroyer Matsukaze (1923)

Matsukaze (松風) was one of nine Kamikaze-class destroyers 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 large-sized Kamikaze-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 8-4 Fleet Program from fiscal 1921–1923, as a follow on to the Minekaze-class destroyer, with which they shared many common design characteristics. Matsukaze, built at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal, was laid down on December 2, 1922, launched on October 30, 1923 and commissioned on April 5, 1924. Originally commissioned simply as “Destroyer No. 7”, it was assigned the name Matsukaze on August 1, 1928. During speed trials on completion, it set a new record at 39.2 kn.

World War II history
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Matsukaze was assigned to Destroyer Division 5 of Desron 5 in the IJN 3rd Fleet, and deployed from Mako Guard District in the Pescadores as part of the Japanese invasion force for the "Operation M" (the invasion of the Philippines), during which time it helped screen landings of Japanese forces at Lingayen Gulf.

In early 1942, Harukaze was assigned to escorting troop convoys from Taiwan to Malaya and French Indochina. Assigned to "Opration J" (the invasion of Java in the Netherlands East Indies), she participated at the Battle of Sunda Strait on March 1, 1942. During that battle, it assisted JAPANESE DESTROYER Shiokaze in sinking the Dutch auxiliary minesweeper Endeh

From March 10, 1942 through the end of March 1943, Matsukaze and Destroyer Division 5 were assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet and escorted troop convoy from Singapore to Penang, Rangoon, French Indochina, and Makassar. On Matsukaze returned to Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on March 31, 1943 for refit.

From June 1943, Matsukaze was reassigned to the IJN 8th Fleet and sent to Rabaul at the end of June. From June through September, she made several “Tokyo Express” troop transport runs to Kolombangara and participated in the evacuation of Japanese forces from Vella Lavella in October. At the end of October, Matsukaze returned to Yokosuka for repairs.

On December 9, 1944, Matsukaze returned to Rabaul and continued to make numerous “Tokyo Express” runs throughout the Solomon Islands, especially to New Britain through the end of January. Matsukaze had the misfortune to be at Truk on February 17–18, 1944 during Operation Hailstorm, when the United States Navy launched a massive and crippling air raid on the Japanese fleet. Matsukaze escaped with medium damage caused by near misses and strafing attacks, and returned to Yokosuka via Saipan and Hahajima by March 1 for repairs.

After repairs were completed by May 1944 Matsukaze was reassigned to Destroyer Division 30 of Desron 3 in the Central Pacific Area Fleet for convoy escort between the Japanese home islands and Saipan. On June 9, 1944, after departing with a convoy from Tateyama, Chiba bound for Saipan, Matsukaze　was torpedoed and sunk 70 mi northeast of Chichijima, Ogasawara Islands at position 26.98333°N, 143.21667°W by the United States Navy submarine USS Swordfish (SS-193) on August 25, 1944.

Matsukaze was struck from the navy list on August 10, 1944.