User:JackTheBestBoss/Japanese destroyer Momo (1944)

Momo (桃) was a Matsu-class destroyer built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. It was in service from 10 June 1944 to 15 December 1944, when it was torpedoed by the submarine USS Hawkbill (SS-366) while escorting convoys near Luzon, in the Philippines.

Design and description
The Matsu-class ships were built late in the Pacific Theater of World War II in response to Japan's deterioriating strategic circumstances. These ships were lighter and smaller than previous Japanese destroyers, including different armament such as enhanced anti-aircraft guns and anti-submarine weapons, along with radar.

The Matsu-class ships were an attempt by the Imperial Japanese Navy to protect convoys delivering much needed supplies to Japan’s claimed territories in the Pacific. This design came too late to impact the war, as the Pacific War had turned in the Allies' favor. Convoys were repeatedly sunk in the East China Sea by US Navy submarines and the shipyards in Japan could not keep up with the IJN’s build orders or the United States warship production. (looking at the Late Pacific War background)

The Matsu-class ships were designed as cheap escort destroyers optimized for mass production. The ships measured 100 m overall, with a beam of 9.35 m and a draft of 3.3 m.[1] They displaced 1282 MT at standard load and 1554 MT at deep load.[2]

The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 19,000 shaft horsepower (14,000 kW) for a designed speed of 28 kn. They had a range of 4680 nmi at a speed of 16 kn.[3] The main armament of the Matsu class consisted of three Type 89 127 mm dual purpose guns in one twin-gun mount aft and one single mount forward of the superstructure. They carried a total of twenty-four Type 96 25 mm anti-aircraft guns in four triple and a dozen single mounts. The ships were also armed with four 610 mm torpedo tubes in a single quadruple traversing mount[4] and 36 depth charges.[1]

Operational history
Completed at Maizuru Naval Arsenal on 10 June 1944, Momo was assigned on the same date to Desron 11, Combined Fleet, for training. The ship's captain was Lieutenant Commander Yukitaka Masamitsu.(60) On 15 July, Momo was assigned to Desdiv 43, which included other Matsu-class ships, Ume, Take, and Matsu, to Desron 11, Combined Fleet. On 20 August, Desdiv 43 was reassigned to an active combat unit, Escort Squadron 31, which was part of the Fifth Fleet. Around 3 weeks later, on 9 September, Lieutenant Commander Yukitaka was relieved of command of Momo, and Lieutenant Commander Minagawa Yoshio(63) took command of the vessel.

From 25 October to 2 November, Momo escorted Ryuho and Kaiyo on a transport mission from Sasebo to Keelung, and then back to Kure. Later, over the period 14 to 18 November, Momo escorted Isuzu from Kure to Manila. A couple of days later, 19–22 November, Momo escorted Isuzu again, to Brunei, but this was cut short when Isuzu was torpedoed by an unknown US Navy submarine. Momo and other IJN warships protected shipping in the South China Sea, but that did not stop Japan from losing 214,506 tons of shipping in November. Momo escorted Isuzu to Singapore instead, due to damages in the hull. On 24–25 November, Momo was escorting Shimotuski (an Akizuki-class destroyer) from Singapore to Brunei when the latter was torpedoed and sunk by USS Cavalla (SS-244). Momo rescued and brought aboard survivors of the Shimotuski. The next month, between 5 and 8 December, Momo escorted troop convoy TA No. 8 from Manila to Ormac and back. Momo received minor damage when the hull scrapped a reef on 7 December. On 14 December, Momo departed Manila, for Moji, Japan, escorting Oryoku Maru in convoy, with CH-60, a No.60-class submarine chaser.(insert source number)

Oryoku Maru was carrying general goods and 3,511 evacuees including 1,619 Allied prisoners of war (POWs), most of whom were field grade officers. Japanese civilians occupied the passenger cabins. The POWs were crammed into three cargo holds.(insert source number) Later that morning, 7 miles south of Napo Point, at 6:50 am, the convoy was attacked by 6 to 13 Grumman TBF Avengers from Task Force 28's USS Hornet (CV-12), commanded by Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher. Oroyoku Maru was hit by bombs and her hull opened in many areas. She began to take on water. Momo and CH-60 escorted Oroyoku Maru to Subic Bay, Philippines, arriving there at 9:50 pm, after which the dead and passengers were offloaded. Oroyuku Maru continued to list and take on water. The convoy was dissolved and Momo and CH-60 turned north. Oroyoku Maru was later sunk by aerial attacks carried out by USS Hornet, the following day. At around 7 pm on December 15, 1944, 140 miles west-southwest of Cape Bolinao, Luzon, Momo and CH-60 were attacked by the submarine USS Hawkbill (SS-366), commanded by Lieutenant Commander Francis W. Scanland. Scanland fired three torpedoes by radar and hit Momo, fatally. Momo sank, taking down 92 of her crew, including her commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Minagawa Yoshio, and wounding 36 others. CH-60 escaped Hawkbill, and continued to serve Japan until 1946, when she was scrapped.