Fujinami with a portrait of Captain Tatsuji Matsuzaki
History
Empire of Japan
NameFujinami
BuilderFujinagata Shipyards, Osaka
Laid down25 August 1942
Launched20 April 1943
Completed31 July 1943
Stricken10 December 1944
FateSunk in action, 27 October 1944
General characteristics
Class and typeYūgumo-class destroyer
Displacement2,520 long tons (2,560 t)
Length119.15 m (390 ft 11 in)
Beam10.8 m (35 ft 5 in)
Draught3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)
Speed35 knots (40 mph; 65 km/h)
Complement228
Armament

Fujinami (藤波) was a Yūgumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her name means "Purple Wave" or "Waves of Wisterias".[1]

Service

She was damaged by a dud aerial torpedo during an air raid at Rabaul on 5 November 1943, with one dead and nine wounded. The ship participated in the Battle of Philippine Sea.

In the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Fujinami escorted the 1st Diversion Attack Force, commanded by Admiral Kurita Takeo. She sustained minor damage from the air attacks on 24–25 October due to near-misses and strafing.

In the Battle off Samar on 25 October Fujinami was detached to assist Chōkai, then she removed survivors and scuttled the cruiser with a torpedo. Some US survivors of the escort carrier Gambier Bay have stated that the commanding officer Cmdr. Tatsuji Matsuzaki restrained his men from firing on them as they floated by Fujinami and was allegedly seen to salute the American sailors.

On 27 October, while steaming to assist the destroyer Hayashimo, Fujinami was sunk by aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS Essex, 80 miles (130 km) north of Iloilo (12°0′N 122°30′E / 12.000°N 122.500°E / 12.000; 122.500). She was lost with all hands, including the Chōkai survivors. The commanding officer was Cmdr. Tatsuji Matsuzaki from 31 July 1943 – 27 October 1944 (KIA).

References

  1. ↑ Destroyers. The word nami means "wave" (e.g. Tsunami); the word fuji means "wisteria", and can allude to the color purple, the color of wisteria flowers.
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