World War II Database

Minegumo's first combat action was supporting the landing at Vigan in northwestern Luzon in the Philippine Islands on 11 Dec 1941. A month later, she supported landings at Tarakan, Borneo. During the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 Feb 1942, Minegumo delivered torpedo attacks and engaged the British destroyer Encounter in a close-range fight that caused little damage to either combatant. At the end of Mar 1942, she participated in the brief capture and occupation of Christmas Island.

In Jun 1942 Minegumo was part of the Covering Group during the Battle of Midway. In Aug 1942, she was involved in the campaigns around the Solomon Islands area. In late Aug 1942, she participated in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. On 5 Oct 1942, while on a supply mission to Guadalcanal, she was seriously damaged by air attack.

Minegumo's last mission ended in a brief, but intense night time Battle of Blackett Strait with a greatly superior force of eight American warships, cruisers and destroyers, on 6 Mar 1943, soon after she and the destroyer Murasame had delivered supplies to Vila, on Kolombangara. Caught in relative surprise, the Japanese could not pinpoint the locations of the American ships until American guns were trained on them and began firing. Minegumo and Murasame were able to return a few shots. Both Japanese ships were sunk, and only 49 men survived the dual-sinking. All survivors were of the crew of Minegumo, and it took the survivors about seven hours to swim to shore.

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