Japanese destroyer Kagerō (1938)

Kagerō (陽炎) was the lead ship in the 19-vessel Kagerō-class destroyer destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late-1930s under the Circle Three Supplementary Naval Expansion Program (Maru San Keikaku).

Background
The Kagerō-class destroyers were outwardly almost identical to the preceding light cruiser-sized Asashio-class destroyer, with improvements made by Japanese naval architects to improve stability and to take advantage of Japan’s lead in torpedo technology. They were designed to accompany the Japanese main striking force and in both day and night attacks against the United States Navy as it advanced across the Pacific Ocean, according to Japanese naval strategic projections. Despite being one of the most powerful classes of destroyers in the world at the time of their completion, only one survived the Pacific War.

 Kagerō , built at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal, was laid down on September 3, 1937, launched on September 27, 1938 and commissioned on November 6, 1939.

Operational history
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Kagerō, was assigned to Destroyer Division 19 (Desdiv 18), and a member of Destroyer Squadron 2 (Desron 2) of the IJN 2nd Fleet, and had deployed from Etorofu in the Kurile Islands, as part of the escort for Admiral Nagumo’s Carrier Strike Force. She returned to Kure on 24 December.

In January 1942,  Kagerō  escorted aircraft carriers JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shōkaku and JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Zuikaku to Truk, and onwards to Rabaul to cover landings of Japanese forces at Rabaul and Kavieng. She returned with JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shōkaku from Palau to Yokosuka on 3 February, and spent the following month in training patrols. On 17 March, she departed Yokosuka with JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shōkaku and JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Zuikaku to Staring-baai in Sulawesi, Netherlands East Indies.

Kagerō departed Staring-baai on 27 March to escort the carrier force in the Indian Ocean raid on 27 March. After the Japanese air strikes on Colombo and Trincomalee in Ceylon, she returned to Kure for repairs on 23 April. She deployed from Saipan on 3 June as part of the escort for the troop convoy in the Battle of Midway. Afterwards, she escorted the cruisers JAPANESE CRUISER Kumano and JAPANESE CRUISER Suzuya from Truk back to Kure.

On 5 July, she was assigned to escort the transport Kikukawa Maru to Kiska in the Aleutian Islands on a supply mission, and on 8 August assisted in towing the damaged destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Kasumi back to Japan. On July 20, she was reassigned to Desdiv 15, Desron 2, still within the IJN 2nd Fleet.

In mid-August, Kagerō escorted JAPANESE CRUISER Jintsu to Truk, and continued on from Truk on a high speed transport run to Guadalcanal. For the remainder of 1942 and into February 1943, she was assigned to patrols from Guadalcanal towards Shortland, and to numerous “Tokyo Express” high speed transport operations in the Solomon Islands. During this period, she fought at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, Battle of Santa Cruz, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, and Battle of Tassafaronga

In mid-February 1943, Kagerō  returned with JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Junyō via Truk to Kure for repairs. In mid-March Kagerō, Junyō and JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hiyō returned to Truk, and Kagerō continued on to Shortlands, arriving on 24 April. After making a troop transport run from Rabaul to Kolombangara on 7 May  Kagerō  was disabled by a naval mine while leaving Vila port. Barely able to maneuver, she was then attacked by Allied aircraft and sank southwest of Rendova (-8.13333°N, 156.91667°W). On  Kagerō , 18 crewmen were killed and 36 were wounded. Kagerō  was removed from the navy list on June 20, 1943.

Books

 * Watts, A. J. Japanese Warships of World War II, Ian Allen, London, 1967.
 * Watts, A. J. Japanese Warships of World War II, Ian Allen, London, 1967.
 * Watts, A. J. Japanese Warships of World War II, Ian Allen, London, 1967.
 * Watts, A. J. Japanese Warships of World War II, Ian Allen, London, 1967.
 * Watts, A. J. Japanese Warships of World War II, Ian Allen, London, 1967.
 * Watts, A. J. Japanese Warships of World War II, Ian Allen, London, 1967.
 * Watts, A. J. Japanese Warships of World War II, Ian Allen, London, 1967.