Japanese destroyer Sakura (1944)

The Sakura (櫻) was the 13th ship in the 32 ship Tei (or Matsu) class of destroyers in the service of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The ship's captain was Lt.Cmdr. Shoji Shimobe. Completed on November 25, 1944, she was immediately assigned to Destroyer Squadron 11 (Desron 11). Sakura was sunk after striking a mine in Osaka Harbor, Japan on July 11, 1945 when her aft magazine exploded.

The Matsu class ships were built late in the Pacific Theater of World War II in response to the changing character of naval warfare at that time. These ships were lighter and smaller than previous Japanese destroyers, including different armament such as enhanced anti-aircraft guns and anti-submarine weapons, along with radar. Since the risk of surface warfare had diminished, armaments such as torpedo tubes that would be useful against surface ships were reduced in the Matsu class ships.

The Matsu class was armed with one single 127 mm (5 in) L/40 AA gun mount forward and a twin 127 mm L/40 AA gun mount aft, with a quadruple mount of 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes amidships, 24 25 mm AA guns and depth charges.

Operational history
On 12 February 1945, Sakura departed Moji with Desron 11, escorting Convoy MOTA-36 towards Keelung. The squadron then escorted JAPANESE CRUISER Kashima to Shanghai. On 15 March Sakura was reassigned to Destroyer Division 53 (Desdiv 53), Desron 11, Combined Fleet. On 21 March, the squadron returned to Kure from patrol and escort duties in the Shanghai area. In early April, Desron 11 was reassigned to Second Fleet, then back to Combined Fleet. On 25 May Sakura suffered minor damage by striking a mine in Shimonoseki Straits.

In June, the squadron conducted minesweeping duties in the Osaka Bay area. On 11 July, Sakura was sunk after she struck a mine in Osaka Harbor (34.6°N, 135.46667°W); her aft magazine exploded, severing her stern. The ship sank rapidly, stern first; the rapid sinking meant that nearly 100 crewmen were trapped inside her hull and drowned. Of her crew 130 were killed, including Lt.Cmdr. Shimobe.

Sakura should not be confused with military convoy ships with the name Sakura Maru and an identifying number (such as Sakura Maru 14), nor should it be confused with the two ship, 600-ton "Sakura"-class destroyers of 1911.