Name Hayashimo Completed 20 February 1944 Construction started 20 October 1943 | Laid down 20 October 1943 Struck 10 January 1945 Length 119 m | |
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Fate Sunk in action, 26 October 1944 | ||
Hayashimo (早霜, "Early Frost") was a Yūgumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
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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). 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. 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).
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. 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. 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.
Construction and career
During the Battle of the Philippine Sea Hayashimo was assigned to Force B. In the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Hayashimo escorted the 1st Diversion Attack Force commanded by Admiral Kurita Takeo. She was damaged on 25 October 1944 during air attacks in the Battle off Samar. Falling behind the withdrawing fleet, she was escorted toward Coron by the destroyer Akishimo until 26 October, when the latter was ordered to rejoin the fleet. Hayashimo lost her bow to a torpedo in renewed air attacks on 26 October. She was grounded and sank in shallow water off Semirara Island, 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Mindoro (12°50′N 121°21′E). Salvage attempts and sporadic air attacks continued through 12 November, when the last of the crew finally abandoned ship.