JAPANESE DESTROYER SHIRATSUYU

Shiratsuyu (Japanese: Shining Rosa) was a Japanese destroyer whose keel was laid in 1933, launched in April 1935, and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in September 1936. The length of the ship at the time of launching was 107.5 m, width 9.9 m, and the actual full displacement - 1,700 tons. Destroyer Shiratsuyu's top speed was up to 34 knots. The main armament at the time of the launch was 5 127 mm guns in two twin and one single turret, and the secondary armament was two 13 mm machine guns, depth charge launchers and eight 610 mm torpedo tubes. with eight spare torpedoes. Shiratsuyu was the first type destroyer with the same name - ie Shiratsuyu. Units of this type were created respecting the displacement limits imposed on the government in Tokyo by international disarmament treaties, especially the London Treaty of 1930. This type of ships was in fact a modification of the Hatsuharu-class ships - at the same time, it meant the temporary withdrawal of the Japanese fleet from building large destroyers like the Fubuki class. Compared to the Hatsuharu type, the Shiratsuyu type units differed in significantly improved stability, narrower hull and lower displacement. The same artillery armament was retained, but the torpedo armament was reinforced. The Achilles heel turned out to be very weak anti-aircraft weapons, which were constantly modernized and strengthened during the war in the Pacific. The destroyer Shiratsuyu started its combat route during World War II in an unimpressive way: in December 1941 it served as a cover for Japanese cable ships in the home waters, and in early 1942, it escorted convoys between Japan and Taiwan. However, already in May of this year - 1942 - he took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea, and in June - in the Battle of Midway. In both cases, it was part of the protection of Japanese aircraft carriers. Then, in the period from August 1942 to February 1943, he took part in the fighting in the Guadalcanal area, being part of the so-called Tokyo Express. In November 1943, he fought in the Battle of the Gulf of Empress Augusta, where he was damaged in a collision with the destroyer Samidare. Shiratsuyu sank on June 15, 1944 as a result of a collision with the supplier "Seiyo Maru".