IJN
Mutsuki Class Destroyer
Built
April 30, 1927
Tokyo, Japan
Tons
1,315
Ship History
Originally named Destroy Number 30, the ship was renamed Nagatsuki
in 1928.
Wartime History
At the start of the war, this destroyer
supported the initial Japanese landings in Aparri on northern Luzon,
Philippines. Lightly
damaged by air attack during the main invasion of Luzon and repaired.
In 1942, she landed troops in western Java and in April 1942 assisted
cruiser
Naka after it was torpedoed. In February 1943, she evacuated troops from
western Guadalcanal.
Sinking History
During the central Solomons campaign, she served
as a fast transport, part of the "Tokyo Express". Lightly
damaged during the night of July 5-6, during the Battle of
Kula Gulf, when she ran aground off Kolombangara
Island and was bombed by
American planes twice on July 6, 1943 and abandoned.
Shipwreck
Most of the wreck was salvaged for scrap metal after the war. Only small
pieces of wreckage break the surface of the water.
Gareth Colman adds:
"Rumor has it it was used for target practice which makes
sense as it has been pancaked and there is not much left. There
a couple of boilers and bits and pieces but not much to make
it distinguishable as a destroyer."
