Japanese destroyer Hakaze

Hakaze (羽風) 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. Hakaze, built at the Mitsubishi shipyards in Nagasaki, was the seventh ship of this class. It was laid down on November 11, 1918, launched on June 21, 1920 and commissioned on September 16, 1920. On completion, Hakaze was assigned to the Yokosuka Naval District under the IJN 2nd Fleet.

From 1937–1938, Hakaze was assigned to patrols of the northern and central China coastlines in support of Japanese combat operations in the Second Sino-Japanese War.

World War II history
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hakaze was assigned to Destroyer Division 34 under the command of the IJN 11th Air Fleet, and was based at Cape St. Jacques south of Saigon in French Indochina supporting the 22nd Air Flotilla. Its primary mission in the early stages of the Pacific War was to transport materials to Miri and Kuching in Sarawak and to Kota Bharu in Malaya for the construction for forward air bases.

In February 1942, after providing support for "Operation L" (the invasion of Palembang on Sumatra in the Netherlands East Indies, Hakaze was based out of Bangka, from which she made anti-submarine patrols. She was transferred to Bangkok in March, and Singapore in April. In May, Hakaze was based at Rabaul in the Solomon Islands, from which it supported the attempted "Operation Mo" (the invasion of Port Moresby). After returning to Maizuru briefly for repairs at the end of May, Hakaze escorted a convoy to Saipan, and from Saipan to Hahajima in the Ogasawara Islands and back. In August, she escorted a convoy from Saipan to Rabaul and began patrols from that base through October. In October, she escorted several convoys in preparation of the Guadalcanal offensive. In November, after being used as a "Tokyo Express" high speed transport to convey troops from Buin to Munda, she made an additional four transport runs in the same month.

From the end of November through January 20, 1943, Hakaze was assigned to patrol/escort duties in the Shortlands–Buka–Rabaul–Kavieng sector. While escorting the seaplane tender Akitsushima, she attacked the submarine USS Guardfish (SS-217) but was in turn torpedoed and sunk on January 23, 1943 approximately fifteen miles south of Kavieng, New Ireland at position -2.78333°N, 150.63333°W.

On March 1, 1943 Hakaze was removed from navy list.