View source for Japanese destroyer Arashi

{{Short description|Kagerō-class destroyer}}
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|Ship image=Japanese destroyer Arashi underway in December 1940.jpg
|Ship caption=''Arashi'' underway in December 1940.
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country= [[Empire of Japan]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Japan|naval}}
|Ship name= ''Arashi''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered= 
|Ship builder=[[Maizuru Naval Arsenal]]
|Ship laid down= 
|Ship launched= 22 April 1940
|Ship completed=
|Ship commissioned= 25 November 1940
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|Ship struck= 15 October 1943
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|Ship fate= Sunk in action,  7 August 1943
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class= {{sclass|Kagerō|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement= {{convert|2490|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship length= {{convert|118.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|10.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft= {{convert|3.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed= {{convert|35|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=240
|Ship sensors=
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|Ship armament=*6 × [[12.7 cm/50 Type 3 naval gun|{{convert|127|mm|abbr=on}}/50]] [[Caliber#Caliber as measurement of length|caliber]] [[dual purpose gun|DP]] guns
* up to 28 × [[Type 96 25&nbsp;mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 {{convert|25|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] AA guns
* up to 4 × [[Hotchkiss M1929 machine gun|{{convert|13.2|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] AA guns
* 8 × {{convert|610|mm|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
* 36 [[depth charge]]s
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{{Infobox service record
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|operations=[[Battle of Vella Gulf]] (1943)
|victories= {{USS|Asheville|PG-21|6}} (1942)
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'''''Arashi''''' {{nihongo||嵐||"Storm"}} was a {{sclass|Kagerō|destroyer}} of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]].

''Arashi'' played a vital role in World War II by inadvertently guiding US attack planes to the Japanese carrier fleet at the [[Battle of Midway]]. ''Arashi'' had become separated from the Japanese carrier force while attempting to destroy an American submarine, {{USS|Nautilus|SS-168|6}}.  Following her attacks on ''Nautilus'', ''Arashi'' steamed at high speed to rejoin the group.  All four IJN carriers were sunk by [[Douglas SBD Dauntless]] dive bombers of American aircraft carriers {{USS|Yorktown|CV-5|6}} and {{USS|Enterprise|CV-6|6}}, giving the US a decisive victory and checking Japanese momentum in the Pacific War.

==Design and description==
The ''Kagerō'' class was an enlarged and improved version of the preceding {{sclass|Asashio|destroyer|4}}. Their crew numbered 240 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured {{convert|118.5|m|ftin|sp=us}} [[Length overall|overall]], with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|10.8|m|ftin|sp=us}} and a [[draft (ship)|draft]] of {{convert|3.76|m|ftin|sp=us}}.<ref>Chesneau, p. 194</ref> They displaced {{convert|2065|t|LT|sp=us}} at [[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]] load and {{convert|2529|t|LT|sp=us}} at deep load.<ref name=w3>Whitley, pp. 200–01</ref> The ships had two [[Kampon]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]], using steam provided by three Kampon [[water-tube boiler]]s. The turbines were rated at a total of {{convert|52000|shp|lk=in}} for a designed speed of {{convert|35|kn|lk=in}}. The ships had a range of {{convert|5000|nmi|lk=in}} at a speed of {{convert|18|kn}}.<ref name=j8>Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 148</ref>

The main armament of the ''Kagerō'' class consisted of six [[12.7 cm/50 Type 3 naval gun|Type 3 {{convert|127|mm|adj=on|1|sp=us}} guns]] in three twin-[[gun turret]]s, one [[superfiring]] pair aft and one turret forward of the [[superstructure]]. They were built with four [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 {{convert|25|mm|adj=on|1|sp=us}}]] 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 {{convert|610|mm|in|adj=on|1|sp=us}} [[torpedo tube]]s for the oxygen-fueled [[Type 93 torpedo|Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedo]] in two quadruple traversing mounts; one reload was carried for each tube.<ref name=w3/> Their anti-submarine weapons comprised 16 [[depth charge]]s.<ref name=j8/>

==Construction and career==

===Early Operations===
With the start of WW2 for Japan on December 7 1941, Arashi escorted [[Nobutake Kondō|Admiral Kondō]] fleet, consisting of the battleships ''[[Japanese battleship Kongō|Kongō]]'' and ''[[Japanese battleship Haruna|Haruna]]'' and the heavy cruisers ''[[Japanese cruiser Takao (1930)|Takao]]'' and ''[[Japanese cruiser Atago|Atago]]'', out of Japan for an invasion of Malaya, before departing on January 11 1942 to cover Malaya troop convoys. ''Arashi'' spent the rest of January escorting the fleet, and on February 15 she conducted shore bombardment to cover Japanese troop landings on the [[Dutch East Indies]]. From February 18-21, she escorted the fleet from [[Palau]] to [[Sulawesi|Celebes]], then on February 23 escorted them through operations in the [[Java Sea]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=IJN Arashi: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/arashi_t.htm}}</ref>

After the successful capture of the Dutch East Indies, throughout early March ''Arashi'' was tasked to operate alongside her sistership ''[[Japanese destroyer Nowaki (1940)|Nowaki]]'' and ships of the [[Takao-class cruiser|Takao class cruisers]] in hunting down escaping allied ships attempted to retreat from the fallen territories. On March 1, she succeeded in this role when she and ''Nowaki'' together sank the Dutch merchant ship ''Pageri'', and later in the day along with ''Nowaki'' and ''Takao'' sank the British minesweeper ''Scott Harley'' and the Dutch freighter ''Toradjo'', before capturing the Dutch steamship ''Bintoehan.'' The next day, ''Arashi'' along with ''Nowaki'' and the heavy cruiser ''[[Japanese cruiser Maya|Maya]]'' tracked down the British destroyer [[HMS Stronghold|HMS ''Stronghold'']] and opened fire''. Arashi'' closed to 2,000 yards from the destroyer, firing a total of 290 shells, while ''Nowaki'' fired 345 rounds and ''Maya'' fired 635. The combined damage quickly disabled ''Stronghold'', destroyed all guns and torpedoes, and overwhelmed her with flooding and sank the destroyer. The day after that, ''Arashi'' and ''Nowaki'' located the fleeing gunboat [[USS Asheville (PG-21)|USS ''Asheville'']]. They opened fire with their 12.7 cm (5 in) guns and sank her in a one-sided massacre. Finally on March 4, ''Arashi'' with ''Nowaki'' and the heavy cruisers ''Maya, Takao'', and ''Atago'' engaged an allied convoy departing for [[Australia]]. During the action, ''Arashi'' helped to sink the British oil tanker ''Francol'', then assisted ''Atago'' in capturing the Dutch freighter ''Tjisaroea''.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=IJN MAYA: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/maya_t.htm}}</ref>

From March 18 to April 3, ''Arashi'' escorted ''Atago'' for inspection duties on several recently captured Japanese occupied islands, then from the 4th to 18th, she and ''Nowaki'' escorted ''Atago'' to [[Yokosuka Naval Arsenal|Yokosuka]], and upon arriving back in Japan ''Arashi'' was drydocked for maintenance after seeing so much action, where she remained until the end of May.<ref name=":0" />

===Midway===
{{main|Battle of Midway}}
''Arashi'' is most famous for its involvement in the Battle of Midway. Providing escort to the carrier group, the destroyer was alerted to the presence of an approaching U.S. submarine, {{USS|Nautilus|SS-168|6}}, when a Japanese [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero|Zero]] fighter aircraft dived and fired machine guns at ''Nautilus'' as it came to [[periscope depth]]. ''Arashi'' spotted the encounter and began to drop depth charges. The Japanese Task force changed course while ''Arashi'' continued its attack on ''Nautilus''.  Having kept ''Nautilus'' down long enough that she no longer was a threat, the captain of ''Arashi'' finally broke off the attack and steamed north to rejoin the carrier group.  As two squadrons of [[dive bomber]]s from ''Enterprise'' searched above for the Japanese Task Force, ''Arashi'' was spotted making great speed to the north. The ship's speed created a long wake, which acted as a direction arrow to the American aviators, guiding them to the Japanese carriers.  Meanwhile, Japanese fighter aircraft protecting the carriers had been pulled away as they all attempted to engage an incoming torpedo attack from ''Hornet''{{'}}s VT-8 torpedo squad.  At the moment of decision, the Japanese carriers were essentially without high air cover. This made for an uncontested approach for the American dive bombers.  The ''Enterprise'' dive bombers happened to arrive over the Japanese carriers {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Kaga||2}} and {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Akagi||2}} unimpeded, scoring multiple hits on ''Kaga'' and a single hit on ''Akagi'' that doomed both ships. Several hours, after main battle, ''Arashi'' took on sailors from ''Akagi'', then helped to scuttle the destroyed carrier with torpedo hits.<ref>{{Cite book | last1=Parshall | first1=Jonathan | last2=Tully |first2=Anthony | year=2005 | title=Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway | page=[https://archive.org/details/shatteredswordun0000pars/page/217 217] | publisher=Potomac Books | location=Dulles, Virginia | isbn=1-57488-923-0 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/shatteredswordun0000pars/page/217 }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=主要兵器 |first=大日本帝国軍 |date=2018-02-04 |title=嵐【陽炎型駆逐艦 十六番艦】その1Arashi【Kagero-class destroyer】 |url=https://japanese-warship.com/destroyer/arashi/ |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=大日本帝国軍 主要兵器 |language=ja}}</ref>

During the battle ''Arashi''{{'}}s crew picked up, and subsequently murdered, one of the downed airman from ''Yorktown''. He had been made to provide the Japanese with a general description of the make-up of the force they had been fighting against, the only clear description of the American carrier forces the Japanese obtained during the battle.  According to Admiral [[Chūichi Nagumo]]'s battle report, the airman died the day following his recovery and was buried at sea. Among other facts the Japanese learned, the report indicated the pilot had been from Chicago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJN/rep/Midway/Nagumo/ |author=Chūichi Nagumo|title=CINC First Air Fleet Detailed Battle Report no. 6|date=June 1942}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II|url=https://archive.org/details/TheOfficialChronologyOfTheUSNavyInWorldWarII|last=Cressman |first=Robert|page=[https://archive.org/details/TheOfficialChronologyOfTheUSNavyInWorldWarII/page/n100 101]|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1999|isbn=1-55750-149-1}}</ref> This was in fact Ensign Wesley Osmus, one of the TBD pilots of VT-3. Osmus was flying the last plane in VT-3's formation, and thus was first to be attacked and destroyed as they made their approach. Osmus was picked up later on 4 June and buried 5 June.  A U.S. Naval investigation after the war interviewed witnesses who reported that after his interrogation Osmus had been taken to the stern of ''Arashi'' and struck in the back of the neck with a fire axe.  He clung briefly to the railing, and then was pushed overboard into the sea.<ref>{{Harvnb|Parshall|Tully|2005|p=563}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/o4/osmus.htm|title=Osmus|work=Navy Historical Society}}</ref> An attempt was made to find the captain of ''Arashi,'' Commander Watanabe Yasumasa, and try him for war crimes, but it was discovered that he had died later in the conflict (he was Killed In Action as Commander Destroyer Division 1 aboard destroyer ''[[Japanese destroyer Numakaze|Numakaze]]'' on 18 December 1943), and the matter was set aside.<ref name=":1" />

===Further service===
After the battle from June 9, ''Arashi'' escorted the light carrier ''[[Japanese aircraft carrier Zuihō|Zuihō]]'' to [[Wake Island]], then spent the rest of the month into July 12 patrolling just outside of the [[Aleutian Islands]], then from July 30 to August 12 she escorted troop transports throughout several Japanese occupied islands then back to [[Chuuk Lagoon|Truk]], and from the 16th to 18th took part in a troop transport run to [[Guadalcanal]]. The next day, ''Arashi's'' consort, the destroyer ''[[Japanese destroyer Hagikaze|Hagikaze]]'' was badly damaged by American air attacks, forcing ''Arashi'' to escort her to Truk which lasted until the 24th, before steaming to [[Rabaul]], and then engaging in two troop transport missions to [[Milne Bay]].<ref name=":0" />

On September 6, ''Arashi'' assisted the elderly light cruiser ''[[Japanese cruiser Tatsuta (1918)|Tatsuta]]'' in bombarding the Gili Gili warves, shelling the beach and surrounding areas to assist in the Island's evacuation. During the bombardment, ''Arashi'' and ''Tatsuta'' located the Australian freighter ''Anshun'' (which had been lent to the US army) and immediately opened fire, hitting ''Anshun'' at least ten times and causing her to capsize and sink, killing two men and injuring two others. From the 14th to 15th, she escorted the troop ship Sado maru to the Shortlands, then took part in a troop transport run to [[Guadalcanal]] the next day. ''Arashi'' attempted to do the same thing on the 18th, but enroute was attacked by aircraft from [[Henderson Field (Guadalcanal)|Henderson Field]]. During the action, ''Arashi'' was almost torpedoed, but the torpedo landed too deep and passed below the ship. However, this encounter was still enough of a scare for the troop transport run to be aborted and for ''Arashi'' to return to Truk.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Throughout most of October, ''Arashi'' patrolled outside of the Solomon Islands, then escorted aircraft carriers at the [[Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands|battle of Santa Cruz]] on the 26th, then she was drydocked for most of November for refit, then escorted troop ships to Rabaul. Throughout December, ''Arashi'' took part on troop transport missions to Guadalcanal, and on one such mission her consort, the destroyer ''[[Japanese destroyer Teruzuki (1941)|Teruzuki]]'' was sunk to PT-boat attacks, prompting ''Arashi'' to rescue 140 survivors. ''Arashi'' started off 1943 by escorting her badly damaged sistership ''Hatsukaze'', which had managed to help to sink the torpedo boats ''PT-44'' and ''PT-112'', but not before ''PT-112'' hit her with a torpedo, making sure she made it to the Shortlands where she began repairs. Afterwards she covered a troop transport mission to Guadalcanal where she was damaged by bomb near misses from US aircraft, forcing her to undergo repairs for 2 days. In early February, she covered the [[Operation Ke|evacuations of Guadalcanal]], then escorted several major warships from Truk to Yokosuka, where she was drydocked for repairs on February 20.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:Shokaku-19430318-1.png|thumb|''Arashi'' with the carrier ''[[Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku|Shōkaku]]'' on training duties, March 17 1943]]
After repairs were completed in May, ''Arashi'' was delegated to escorting the aircraft carrier ''[[Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku|Shōkaku]]'' on training missions for new air crews, before escorting the main fleet from Japan to Truk, then spent nearly the rest of July escorting the seaplane tender ''[[Japanese seaplane carrier Nisshin|Nisshin]]'' to several bases''.'' At the end of July, ''Arashi'' reassigned to troop transport missions, engaging in such a mission on the 27th. ''Arashi'' took part in yet another troop transport mission through the [[Vella Gulf]] on August 1-2, and it was on this mission that the lead ship of the division, the destroyer ''[[Japanese destroyer Amagiri (1930)|Amagiri]]'', rammed and sank the American torpedo boat ''[[Patrol torpedo boat PT-109|PT-109]]'', commanded by future US president [[John F. Kennedy|John F Kennedy]].<ref name=":1" />

=== Battle of Vella Gulf ===
''Main Article: [[Battle of Vella Gulf]]''

On August 6 1943, ''Arashi'' again departed in an attempt to land reinforcements through a troop transport mission along with the destroyers ''Hagikaze'', ''[[Japanese destroyer Kawakaze (1936)|Kawakaze]]'', and ''[[Japanese destroyer Shigure (1935)|Shigure]]'' transiting through [[Kolombangara]]. Underway, heavy fog blinded the force to the port side, limiting visibility to 200 yards. It was in the night that the worst case scenario happened, three American destroyers, [[USS Dunlap|USS ''Dunlap'']]'', [[USS Craven (DD-382)|Craven]]'', and ''[[USS Maury (DD-401)|Maury]]'', detected the Japanese destroyers on radar and took advantage of the limited visibility to close to firing range, which enabled them to fire 24 torpedoes. ''Arashi's'' crew watched in horror as a torpedo hit and blew up ''Kawakaze's'' engine room and sank her. However, to even more horror ''Arashi'' was hit by two more torpedoes, took on water, and began to sink to rapid flooding. ''Hagikaze'' was then hit by two torpedoes, bursting into flames and sinking immediately. ''Arashi'' was sinking by the stern when the enemy destroyers opened fire. ''Arashi'' could only fire her machine guns in a desperate attempt to do anything, which was for nothing as the resulting shell hits ignited ''Arashi's'' magazines, finishing her off and sending her crashing into the ocean floor immediately.<ref name=":1" />

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
* {{cite book| last1 = Jentschura| first1 = Hansgeorg| first2 = Dieter |last2=Jung|first3=Peter |last3=Mickel| year = 1977| title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945| publisher = United States Naval Institute| location = Annapolis, Maryland| isbn = 0-87021-893-X|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War 2|publisher=Naval Institute Press|date=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland}}

==External links==
* [http://www.combinedfleet.com/kagero_c.htm  CombinedFleet.com: ''Kagero''-class destroyers]
* [http://www.combinedfleet.com/arashi_t.htm  CombinedFleet.com: ''Arashi'' history]

{{Kagerō-class destroyer}}
{{August 1943 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arashi}}
[[Category:Kagerō-class destroyers]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of Japan]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the Solomon Sea]]
[[Category:1940 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in August 1943]]
[[Category:Ships built by Maizuru Naval Arsenal]]
[[Category:Ships of the Battle of Midway]]