View source for Japanese destroyer Sazanami (1931)

{{short description|Fubuki-class destroyer}}
{{Other ships|Japanese destroyer Sazanami}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= Sazanami II.jpg
|Ship caption= ''Sazanami'' on 15 April 1940
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Empire of Japan]]
|Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Empire of Japan|naval}}
|Ship name=''Sazanami'' 
|Ship namesake={{ship|Japanese destroyer|Sazanami|1899}}
|Ship ordered=1923 Fiscal Year
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Maizuru Naval Arsenal]]
|Ship yard number=''Destroyer No. 53''
|Ship laid down=21 March 1930
|Ship launched=6 June 1931
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=19 May 1932
|Ship struck=10 March 1944
|Ship fate=Sunk by [[USS Albacore (SS-218)|USS ''Albacore'']], 14 January 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Fubuki|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement = 
*{{convert|1750|LT|t|lk=in}} standard
*{{convert|2050|LT|t|lk=in}} re-built
|Ship length = 
*{{convert|111.96|m|ft|abbr=on}} [[Length between perpendiculars|pp]]
*{{convert|115.3|m|ft|abbr=on}} waterline
*{{convert|118.41|m|ft|abbr=on}} overall
|Ship beam = {{convert|10.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship draft = {{convert|3.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship propulsion = 
*4 × [[Imperial Japanese Navy Technical Department|Kampon]] type boilers
*2 × [[Imperial Japanese Navy Technical Department|Kampon]] Type ''Ro'' geared turbines
*2 × shafts at {{convert|50000|ihp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed = {{convert|38|kn|mph km/h}} 
|Ship range = {{convert|5000|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|14|kn|km/h}}

|Ship complement = 219

|Ship armament = 
*6 × [[Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval gun]]s (3×2)
*up to 22 × [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun]]s
*up to 10 × 13&nbsp;mm AA guns
*9 × [[Type 93 torpedo|610&nbsp;mm (24&nbsp;in) torpedo]] tubes
*36 × [[depth charge]]s
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label= 
|partof=
|codes=
|commanders=
|operations=*[[Second Sino-Japanese War]]
*[[Invasion of French Indochina]]
*[[Battle of Malaya]]
*[[Battle of Midway]]
*[[Indian Ocean raid]]
*[[Solomon Islands campaign]]
|victories=
|awards=
}}
|}
{{nihongo|'''''Sazanami'''''|漣|"Ripples"}}<ref>Nelson. ''Japanese-English Character Dictionary''. Page 563</ref> was the nineteenth of twenty-four {{sclass|Fubuki|destroyer}}s, built for the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] following [[World War I]]. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world.<ref>{{cite web| last = Globalsecurity.org| url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/fubuki-dd.htm| title = IJN Fubuki class destroyers}}</ref> They served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, and remained formidable weapons systems well into the [[Pacific War]].

==History==
Construction of the advanced ''Fubuki''-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's expansion program from fiscal 1923, intended to give Japan a qualitative edge with the world's most modern ships.<ref>Fitzsimons, ''Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare'' p.1040</ref> The ''Fubuki'' class had performance that was a quantum leap over previous destroyer designs, so much so that they were designated {{nihongo|''Special Type destroyers''|特型|Tokugata}}. The large size, powerful engines, high speed, large radius of action and unprecedented armament gave these destroyers the firepower similar to many [[light cruiser]]s in other navies.<ref>Peattie & Evans, ''Kaigun'' page 221-222.</ref> ''Sazanami'', built at the [[Maizuru]] was the seventh in an improved series, which incorporated a modified [[gun turret]] which could elevate her main battery of [[Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval gun]]s to 75° as opposed to the original 40°, thus permitting the guns to be used as [[dual purpose gun]]s against aircraft.<ref>F Fitzsimons, ''Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare'' (London: Phoebus, 1977), Volume 10, p.1040.</ref> ''Sazanami'' [[Keel laying|laid down]] on 21 February 1930, [[Ship launching|launched]] on 6 June 1931 and commissioned on 19 May 1932.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0423.htm | title= Fubuki class 1st class destroyers | last= Nishidah | first= Hiroshi | year= 2002 | work= Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy | access-date= 2009-03-09 | archive-url= https://archive.today/20120711190830/http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0423.htm | archive-date= 2012-07-11 | url-status= dead }}</ref> Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 53”, she was given the name ''Sazanami'' before her launch.

==Operational history==
On completion, ''Sazanami'' was assigned to the [[IJN 2nd Fleet]]. During the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], from 1937, ''Sazanami'' covered landing of Japanese forces in [[Shanghai]] and [[Hangzhou]]. From 1940, she was assigned to patrol and cover landings of Japanese forces in south China, and participated in the [[Invasion of French Indochina]].

===World War II history===
At the time of the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]], ''Sazanami'' was assigned to Destroyer Division 7 of the [[1st Air Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy|IJN 1st Air Fleet]], and had deployed from [[Tateyama Naval Air Station]] as part of the force which [[First Bombardment of Midway|bombarded]] [[Midway Atoll]] in the opening stages of the war.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.combinedfleet.com/sazana_t.htm  | title=  IJN ''Sazanami'': Tabular Record of Movement| last= Nevitt | first=  Allyn D.  | year= 1997 | work= Long Lancers | publisher= Combinedfleet.com |access-date=2016-07-24}}</ref>

''Sazanami'' was subsequently part of the escort for the [[aircraft carrier]]s {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Hiryū||2}} and {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Sōryū||2}} during air strikes against [[Battle of Ambon|Ambon]]. She was subsequently part of the escort for the [[cruiser]]s {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Nachi||2}} and {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Haguro||2}} during the Japanese invasion of the eastern [[Netherlands East Indies]]. On 2 March, at the [[Battle of the Java Sea]], ''Sazanami'' assisted in attacking the submarine {{USS|Perch|SS-176|6}}.<ref>Brown. ''Warship Losses of World War II''</ref> She returned to [[Yokosuka Naval Arsenal]] for repairs at the end of March.

At the end of April, ''Sazanami'' escorted the aircraft carrier {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Shōhō||2}} to [[Chuuk Lagoon|Truk]], and subsequently joined Admiral [[Takeo Takagi]]’s force at the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]].<ref>Morison. ''Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, May 1942-August 1942''.</ref> At the end the battle, she rescued 225 survivors, and returned to Yokosuka via [[Saipan]], and was subsequently based at [[Ōminato Guard District]] for patrols of northern waters until mid-July.

On 14 July, ''Sazanami'' was reassigned to the [[Combined Fleet]], and escorted the battleship {{ship|Japanese battleship|Yamato||2}} and aircraft carrier {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Taiyō||2}} at the [[Battle of the Eastern Solomons]] on 24 August. Throughout the month of September, ''Sazanami'' was assigned to numerous "[[Tokyo Express]]" transport missions to various locations in the [[Solomon Islands]].<ref>D’Albas. ''Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II''.</ref> In early October, ''Sazanami'' escorted the damaged ''Taiyō'' to [[Kure Naval Arsenal]] for repairs, and went into [[dry dock]] at [[Yokosuka Naval Arsenal]] herself. She returned to active duty as escort for ''Taiyō'' on 1 November, and continued to escort ''Taiyō'' and {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Unyō||2}} from October to February 1943. Through the rest of 1943, ''Sazanami'' continued to serve as an escort for ''Unyō'', and ''Taiyō'' between Yokosuka and Truk and [[Kavieng]] through August. ''Sazanami'' was [[flagship]] for Rear Admiral [[Matsuji Ijuin]] during the [[Battle off Horaniu]], where she covered landings of troops on [[Vella Lavella]]. After helping evacuate surviving Japanese forces from [[Santa Isabel Island|Rekata]] at the end of the month, ''Sazanami'' resumed her former role as escort to various aircraft carriers through the end of the year.

On 1 January 1944, ''Sazanami'' was reassigned to the [[IJN 5th Fleet]]. On 12 January, ''Sazanami'' departed [[Rabaul]] to join a [[tanker (ship)|tanker]] [[convoy]] en route from [[Palau]] to Truk. She was torpedoed by the submarine {{USS|Albacore|SS-218|6}}, sinking {{convert|300|nmi|km}} southeast of [[Yap]] at position {{coord|05|15|N|141|15|E |scale:10000000|display=inline,title}}. Of her crew, 153 died; 89 survivors were rescued by her [[sister ship]] {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Akebono|1930|2}}.

On 10 March 1944, ''Sazanami'' was removed from the [[navy list]].<ref>{{cite web | url= http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0423.htm | title= Fubuki class destroyers | last= Nishidah | first= Hiroshi | year= 2002 | work= Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy | access-date= 2009-03-09 | archive-url= https://archive.today/20120711190830/http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0423.htm | archive-date= 2012-07-11 | url-status= dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book | last = D'Albas | first = Andrieu| year = 1965 | title = Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II | publisher = Devin-Adair Pub| isbn = 0-8159-5302-X}}
*{{cite book | last = Brown | first = David| year = 1990 | title = Warship Losses of World War Two| publisher = Naval Institute Press| isbn = 1-55750-914-X}}
*{{cite book | last = Howarth| first = Stephen | year = 1983 | title = The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895–1945 | publisher = Atheneum | isbn = 0-689-11402-8}}
*{{cite book | last = Jentsura | first = Hansgeorg | year = 1976 | title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945 | publisher = US Naval Institute Press  | isbn = 0-87021-893-X }}
*{{cite book | last = Nelson | first = Andrew N. | year = 1967 | title = Japanese–English Character Dictionary | publisher = Tuttle | isbn = 0-8048-0408-7 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/modernreadersjap00nels }}
*{{cite book | last = Watts | first = Anthony J  | year = 1967 | title = Japanese Warships of World War II | publisher = Doubleday | isbn =  978-0-3850-9189-3}}
*{{cite book | last = Whitley | first = M J | title = Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia | publisher = Arms and Armour Press | year = 2000 | location = London | isbn = 1-85409-521-8 }}

==External links==
*{{cite web
 | url= http://www.combinedfleet.com/sazana_t.htm | title=  IJN ''Sazanami'': Tabular Record of Movement | last= Nevitt | first=  Allyn D. | year= 1997 | work= Long Lancers | publisher= Combinedfleet.com}}
*{{cite web | url= http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0423.htm | title= Fubuki class destroyers | last= Nishidah | first= Hiroshi | year= 2002 | work= Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy | access-date= 2009-03-09 | archive-url= https://archive.today/20120711190830/http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0423.htm | archive-date= 2012-07-11 | url-status= dead }}
*{{cite web| last = Globalsecurity.org| url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/fubuki-dd.htm| title = IJN Fubuki class destroyers}}

{{Fubuki class destroyer}}
{{January 1944 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sazanami (1931)}}
[[Category:Fubuki-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Ships built by Maizuru Naval Arsenal]]
[[Category:1931 ships]]
[[Category:Second Sino-Japanese War naval ships of Japan]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of Japan]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by American submarines]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Philippine Sea]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in January 1944]]