Japanese destroyer Minazuki (1926)

Minazuki (水無月) was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyer 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 Mutsuki-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's build up following the abandonment of the Washington Naval Treaty from fiscal 1923. The class was a follow-on to the earlier Minekaze-class destroyer and Kamikaze class destroyers, with which they shared many common design characteristics. Minazuki, built at the Uraga Dock Company, was laid down on March 24, 1925, launched on May 25, 1926 and commissioned on March 22, 1927. Originally commissioned simply as “Destroyer No. 28”, it was assigned the name Minazuki on August 1, 1928.

World War II history
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Minazuki was part of Desron 22 under Destroyer Division 5 in the IJN 3rd Fleet, and deployed from Mako Guard District in the Pescadores as part of the Japanese invasion force for "Operation M" (the invasion of the Philippines), during which time it helped screen landings of Japanese forces at Lingayen Gulf and at Aparri.

In early 1942, Minazuki was assigned to escorting troop convoys from French Indochina for "Operation E" (the invasion of Malaya) and "Operation J" (the invasion of Java, Netherlands East Indies), in February. From March 10, 1942 Minazuki was re-assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet and escorted troop convoys from Singapore around the occupied Netherlands East Indies. She returned to Sasebo Naval Arsenal for repairs on August 18, and rejoined the fleet on October 4, continuing escort patrol duties.

Minazuki was assigned to the IJN 8th Fleet at Rabaul on February 25, 1943, and for the remainder of the year was assigned to numerous “Tokyo Express” troop transport missions throughout the Solomons Islands. She landed troops during the Battle of Kolombangara (July 12), but did not see combat, and suffered minor damage from an air attack near Shortlands, which provided an excuse to withdraw to Kure Naval Arsenal from August through September for repairs. By September 13, Minazuki was back at Rabaul, and from September 28 was evacuating Japanese troops from Kolombangara. During a second run on October 2, Minazuki engaged three US destroyers, and was hit by three shells, all of which were duds. Damage caused by a near miss in an air raid temporary disabled her No.1 and No.2 main guns on October 12, but Minazuki continued to make “Tokyo Express” runs to Buka and Kavieng, New Ireland through the end of the year. On November 4, Minazuki rescued 267 survivors of the damaged transport Kiyozumi maru.

After repairs at the end of the year, Minazuki resumed “Tokyo Express” transport missions to Rabaul to the end of February, and was assigned patrols based out of Palau in March and April. From May 1, Minazuki was reassigned to the Central Pacific Area Fleet. She escorted troop convoys from Yokosuka to Saipan in May.

On June 6, after departing Tawitawi with a tanker convoy to Balikpapan on Borneo, Minazuki was torpedoed by the submarine USS Harder (SS-257) off Tawitawi 4.08333°N, 119.5°W. (04-05 N, 119-30 E). The destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Wakatsuki rescued 45 survivors, but the Minazuki’s captain Lieutenant Kieji Isobe, was killed in action.,

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