Japanese destroyer Akishimo

Akishimo (秋霜) was a Yūgumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Design and description
The Yūgumo class was a repeat of the preceding Kagerō-class destroyer with minor improvements that increased their anti-aircraft capabilities. Their crew numbered 228 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 119.17 m overall, with a beam of 10.8 m and a draft of 3.76 m. They displaced 2110 t at standard load and 2560 t 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 52000 shp for a designed speed of 35 kn.

The main armament of the Yūgumo class consisted of six Type 3 127 mm 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 mm 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 mm 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
She was at the Battle of Leyte Gulf of 23–26 October 1944, assigned to the 1st Diversion Attack Force. On 23 October, she rescued 769 survivors of the cruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Maya. On 24 October, she assisted the torpedoed cruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Myōkō. The next day she suffered minor damage in a collision with the destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Shimakaze. On 26 October she rescued 328 survivors from the cruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Noshiro.

On 10 November 1944, Akishimo was escorting troop convoy TA No. 4 from Manila to Ormoc, Philippines. She suffered heavy damage in an air attack by U.S. Army B-25 Mitchells during the withdrawal; the ship took a direct bomb hit and lost her bow with 20 killed and 35 injured. The destroyer returned to Manila at 16 kn, then to Cavite Navy Yard on 11 November for repairs.

On 13 November, a U.S. air raid on Manila struck Akishimo, then alongside the destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Akebono at Cavite pier (14.58333°N, 120.91667°W). Direct bomb hits set both ships ablaze. The following day a large explosion on Akishimo further damaged both ships; Akishimo rolled over onto her starboard side. There were 170 survivors, 15 crewmen killed and 25 wounded.