Japanese destroyer Suzunami (1943)

For other ships with the same name, see Japanese destroyer Suzunami.

Suzunami (涼波; "Breaking Waves") was a Yūgumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Right elevation and plan of a Yūgumo-class destroyer
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Suzunami
Builder	Uraga Dock Company
Laid down	27 March 1942
Launched	12 March 1943
Completed	27 July 1943
Stricken	5 January 1944
Fate	Sunk, 11 November 1943
General characteristics
Class & type	Yūgumo-class destroyer
Displacement	2,520 long tons (2,560 t)
Length	119.15 m (390 ft 11 in)
Beam	10.8 m (35 ft 5 in)
Draught	3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)
Speed	35 knots (40 mph; 65 km/h)
Complement	228
Armament	6 × 127 mm (5.0 in)/50 caliber DP guns up to 28 × Type 96 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns up to 4 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) AA guns 8 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes for Type 93 torpedoes 36 depth charges

Design and description

The Yūgumo class was a repeat of the preceding Kagerō class with minor improvements that increased their anti-aircraft capabilities. Their crew numbered 228 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 119.17 meters (391 ft 0 in) overall, with a beam of 10.8 meters (35 ft 5 in) and a draft of 3.76 meters (12 ft 4 in).^[1] They displaced 2,110 metric tons (2,080 long tons) at standard load and 2,560 metric tons (2,520 long tons) at deep load.^[2] The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 52,000 shaft horsepower (39,000 kW) for a designed speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph).^[3]

The main armament of the Yūgumo class consisted of six Type 3 127-millimeter (5.0 in) guns in three twin-gun turrets, one superfiring pair aft and one turret forward of the superstructure.^[2] The guns were able to elevate up to 75° to increase their ability against aircraft, but their slow rate of fire, slow traversing speed, and the lack of any sort of high-angle fire-control system meant that they were virtually useless as anti-aircraft guns.^[4] They were built with four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts, but more of these guns were added over the course of the war. The ships were also armed with eight 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in a two quadruple traversing mounts; one reload was carried for each tube. Their anti-submarine weapons comprised two depth charge throwers for which 36 depth charges were carried.^[2]

Construction and career

On 11 November 1943, Suzunami was sunk in a U.S. carrier air raid on Rabaul, New Britain. Reportedly she took a direct bomb hit while loading torpedoes near mouth of Rabaul Harbor (04°13′S 152°11′E). She blew up and sank; 148 were killed, including Commander Kamiyama.