Asashio-class destroyer

The Asashio-class destroyers (朝潮型駆逐艦) were a class of ten destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy in service before and during World War II. The overall layout of the class proved successful in service and created a powerful ship that served as the basis for the design of the following two classes of destroyers.

Background
The Imperial Japanese Navy was not entirely satisfied with the performance of the Shiratsuyu-class destroyer, particularly in terms of operational range and speed. However, given the limitations of the 1930 London Naval Treaty, it was considered impossible to modify these vessels any further to improve their specifications. This obstacle was removed after the Japanese government decided to allow the treaty to expire without renewal. The final four vessels of a projected 14 destroyers in the Shiratsuyu class were cancelled, and the larger new Asashio-class vessels were approved under the Maru-2 Supplementary Naval Expansion Budget of 1934, with construction spanning 1937-1939 as the treaty did not officially expire until December 31, 1936. All ten vessels were lost in the Pacific War.

Design
The Asashio-class was the first Japanese destroyer class to exceed 2,000 tons displacement and the first to be equipped with sonar. The hull was 30 feet longer than the Shiratsuyu-class and displacement was increased by 300 tons.

The Asashio-class was powered by two steam turbine engines with two shafts, powered by three boilers, which operated at higher temperatures than the Shiratsuyu-class. The rated output of these engines was 50000 hp, which gave the class a top speed of 35 kn and a range of 5,700 nmi at 15 kn or 960 nmi at 34 kn. The Asashio-class was thus one knot faster than the Shiratsuyu-class despite the larger size and displacement of the vessels. However, during sea trials, early critical issues were discovered, especially with the reliability of the new steam turbines. Another issue was with design of the rudder, which initially led to problems with the ship's turning radius. These issues were addressed by the start of the Pacific War with a modified stern and rudder.

Armament
In terms of armament, the Asashio class reverted to the previous Fubuki-class destroyer main battery layout of 3 twin mount 12.7 cm/50 Type 3 naval guns, instead of the 5-gun design of the more recent Shiratsuyu-class destroyer and Hatsuharu-class destroyer classes that were constructed under treaty limitations. There was one twin turret forward of the bridge and a superfiring pair of twin turrets aft. The guns were capable of 55-degree elevation. Also, the position of the "X" turret at the shelter deck level forward of the quarterdeck "Y" turret, gave the Asashio class a different silhouette than the Shiratsuyu class, where both turrets were at quarterdeck level.

The torpedo armament eight Type 93 torpedo in two quadruple launchers as on the Shiratsuyu-class was retained, with eight reloads stored in a deckhouse on the centerline of the ship. At the start of the war, the Asashio-class was also equipped with 16 depth charges, while previous classes carried 18. Later in the war, the number of depth charges was increased to 36, and to compensate for the weight, one set of four torpedo reloads was removed.

In terms of anti-aircraft capability, initially two twin-mount Type 96 AA guns were placed forward of the second smokestack. The Asashio-class was the first destroyers to receive this type of gun. As the war progressed, the number of Type 96 guns was gradually increased. In 1942-1943, the twin-mounts were replaced by triple-mounts, and another twin-mount was added forward of the bridge. From 1943-1944, on surviving vessels the superfiring "X" turret was removed and replaced by two more triple-mounts. After 1944, surviving vessels were fitted with between eight and twelve additional single-mounts, and JAPANESE DESTROYER Kasumi received also two Type 93 13mm machine guns. In late 1944, the final four survivors (Kasumi, JAPANESE DESTROYER Michishio, JAPANESE DESTROYER Asagumo, and JAPANESE DESTROYER Yamagumo) received a Type 22 and a Type 13 radar.

Operational history
Ten ships were built. Two ships of the class, Arare and Kasumi escorted the Kido Butai as they attacked Pearl Harbor, December 7th 1941. The class would see a large variety of typical service in the war, mostly convoy and carrier escorting duties with the occasional shore bombardment and supply run. At least one ship of the class escorted aircraft carriers during the major carrier battles of Midway, Eastern Solomans, Santa Cruz, and Philippine Sea.

Alongside this, the Asashio class would take part in a number of major surface battles, arguably seeing the highlight of their careers at the battle of the Badung Strait, February 19, 1942, where four ships of the class chased off a larger allied cruiser task force from attacking a troop convoy. During the action, Asashio herself torpedoed and sank the Dutch destroyer Piet Hien before badly damaging the light cruiser Tromp with eleven shell hits from her 12.7 cm (5 in) guns. Both Asashio and Ōshio then combined fire to damage the destroyer USS Stewart so badly she could not be repaired before the fall of the Dutch East Indies, leading to her being scuttled in harbor. In exchange, Michishio was crippled by shell hits from US destroyers that left her dead in the water and under tow, Ōshio took a 15 cm (5.9 in) shell from Tromp which miraculously did not set off the magazines and sink her in a fiery explosion, while Asashio took a 76 mm (3 in) shell from Tromp that took out a searchlight.

On February 27th, the battle of the Java Sea, Asagumo engaged in a point-blank range gunnery duel with the destroyer HMS Electra. Sources heavily differ on whether Asagumo directly sank Electra or sank her with the aid of the light cruiser Jintsu, but either way took shell hits that forced her to temporarily stop for repairs. After the fall of the Dutch East Indies, on March 8th, Arashio overpowered and sank the minesweeper Jan Van Amstel.

On July 5, 1942, the class suffered its first loss as Arare was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Growler. On October 11th, Natsugumo served in the battle of Cape Esperance, accomplishing little of note, but in its aftermath the next day was sunk by aircraft from Henderson Field. The class rounded out 1942 with Asagumo's role in the naval battle of Guadalcanal. On November 13th, Asagumo operated alongside the Shiratsuyu class destroyers Murasame and Samidare, and together they blasted the destroyer USS Monssen at point blank range, sinking her with some 39 hits, then charged the light cruiser USS Helena, damaging her with six hits. On the 15th, Asagumo rescued survivors from the battleship Kirishima, which was sunk by the battleship USS Washington.

With the start of 1943, the class would suffer more losses. On February 20th, Ōshio was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Albacore. Meanwhile, on March 4th, Asashio and Arashio were both sunk by US air force bombers at the battle of the Bismarck Sea. The next day, Minegumo assisted in sinking the submarine USS Grampus, but later that night was caught at the battle of Blackett Strait and sunk by the combined gunfire of the light cruisers USS Denver and USS Montpelier. On November 19, 1943, Yamagumo depth charged and sank the submarine USS Sculpin.

A variety of escorting missions ensued in 1944, but little of note occurred. In October, the remaining four ships of the class departed to take part in the battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history. On the early morning of the 25th, the class were caught in the battle of the Surigao Strait. In an amazing feat of success, the destroyer USS McDermut managed to launch a torpedo salvo that hit every ship of the class besides Kasumi. Yamagumo immediately exploded and sank. Both Michishio and Asagumo were dead in the water and later met by US surface warships. Michishio was finished off by the destroyer USS Hutchins, while Asagumo was finished off by the light cruisers Denver and USS Columbia. Kasumi survived for several more months, but met her end on April 7, 1945, escorting battleship Yamato during Operation Ten-Go. Enroute, the force was met by 386 carrier aircraft, and Kasumi was destroyed by at least two bomb hits and several near misses.