World War II Database

Under Lieutenant Commander Masao Kamiyama, Suzukaze sailed with Japanese Navy Destroyer Squadron 2 from Terashima Strait to Palau Islands in late Nov 1941 to prepare for the invasion of the Philippine Islands. In Dec 1941, she support invasion forces at Legaspi and Lamon Bay. On 12 Jan 1942, she supported the invasion force landing on Tarakan Island, Borneo. On 4 Feb, she was torpedoed by American submarine Sculpin at the mouth of Staring Bay, Celebes and suffered nine killed, but she was able to sail into the bay for temporary repairs. She was assigned to Lieutenant Commander Kazuo Shibayama on 15 Apr 1942 as repaired continued at Sasebo and Yokosuka, Japan. On 11 Aug, she escorted carrier Chitose to Truk, then sailed for Guadalcanal to perform troop transport duties. On 25 Aug, she participated in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons; she escorted the damaged light cruiser Jintsu back to Truk. After many runs transporting troops to Guadalcanal over the course of the following two months, she was engaged in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands on 26 Oct 1942 as a part of Admiral Nobutake Kondo's Advance Force. On 30 Nov, she participated in the Battle of Tassafaronga, narrowly escaping torpedoes from American destroyer Drayton. She continued to operate in a support role for the remainder of the Pacific War, conducting escort and transport duties. On 24 Jan, she departed Truk with a convoy for Eniwetok. En route, the convoy was found by American submarine Skipjack, which attacked. Suzukaze was sunk 260km north-northwest of Ponape on 26 Jan 1944. Only 22 of her crew survived, rescued by Submarine Chaser No. 33. Lieutenant Commander Masao Yamashita, who took command of the ship on 23 May 1943, was among those killed.

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