ISOKAZE (1945)

The Isokaze was a Japanese destroyer whose keel was laid in 1938, launched in June 1939, and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in November 1940. The length of the ship at the time of launching was 118.5 m, width 10.8 m, and the actual full displacement - 2,600 tons. Destroyer Isokaze had a maximum speed of 35 knots. The main armament at the time of the launch was 6 127 mm guns in three twin turrets, and the secondary armament was 4 25 mm cannons, depth charge launchers and eight 610 mm torpedo tubes with eight spare torpedoes. The Isokaze was the twelfth Kagero-class destroyer. Units of this type were created as part of the Japanese fleet expansion program of 1937 and 1939. They returned to the use of strong artillery (6 127 mm guns), which had already appeared on the Fubuki-class destroyers in the 1920s. The provisions of the disarmament treaties were also not respected, thanks to the czum the Japanese designers had complete freedom in designing. As a result, ships with strong artillery and torpedo armaments, good sea performance, and especially - unlike the previous Japanese destroyers - had no problems with stability and overall durability of the structure. The only drawback was the weak anti-aircraft armament, which, however, was systematically strengthened during the war in the Pacific. Destroyer Isokaze's combat career was very rich and began in World War II with supporting Japanese aircraft carriers during the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Later, in January-February 1942, he fought in the area of today's Indonesia and Malaysia, and in April of that year he took part in the famous rally of the Japanese fleet to the Indian Ocean. In June he took part in the Battle of Midway, and from August 1942 he served in the area of the islands of the Solomon Islands archipelago, fighting in the struggle for Guadalcanal. He was an important element there, the so-called Tokyo Express, i.e. the use of Japanese fast destroyers and light cruisers to transfer supplies to soldiers fighting in the Gudalcanal. In October 1942, he fought in the sea battle near the Santa Cruz Islands, where he took an active part. In February 1943 it was damaged, and as a result it was renovated for the next few months - it returned to the line in July 1943, fighting again in the area of the Solomon Islands. In June 1944, Isokaze took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and after that battle performed escort and convoy duties. Its last mission was Operation Ten-Go in April 1945. Destroyer Isokaze was self-sunk by the crew as a result of heavy damage on April 7, 1945.