Arashio file photo [6263]

Arashio

CountryJapan
Ship ClassAsashio-class Destroyer
Commissioned20 Dec 1937
Sunk4 Mar 1943
Displacement2,370 tons full
Length388 feet
Beam34 feet
Draft12 feet
Power Output50,000 shaft horsepower
Speed35 knots
Crew200
Armament3x2x127mm dual purpose guns, up to 28x25mm AA guns, up to 4x13mm AA guns, 2x4x24in torpedo tubes, 36 depth charges

Contributor:

ww2dbaseArashio had been a member of Japanese Navy's Destroyer Division 8 since the opening of the Pacific War. Between 4 and 24 Dec 1941, she acted as distant cover for Admiral Nobutake Kondo's Southern Force Main Body during the invasion of Malaya and the Philippine Islands. Between 31 Dec 1941 and 5 Jan 1942, she escorted troop transports from Mako, Pescadores in the Taiwan Strait to Singora, Thailand, then put into Hong Kong. On 11 Jan, she escorted a troop convoy to Davao, Philippine Islands. From late Jan until late Feb, she served with Japanese forces among the Dutch East Indies, including participating in a very minor role in the Battle of Badung Strait. Returning to Yokosuka, Japan on 25 Mar, her division was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 4 of the Second Fleet on 10 Apr. Between 24 Apr and 18 May, she assisted in the blockade and attack on Corregidor, Luzon, the final American stronghold in the Philippine Islands. Between 22 and 26 May, she escorted Cruiser Division 7 from Kure, Japan to Guam, Mariana Islands.

ww2dbaseDuring the Battle of Midway, Arashio was a member of Admiral Takeo Kurita's Support Group. During that battle, while rescuing the survivors of Mikuma on 6 Jun 1942, she was strafed by American aircraft and hit by one bomb, killing 37 men and wounding Commander Ogawa Nobuki of Destroyer Division 8. American airman Clayton Fisher recalled that Arashio "did not put up any AA probably because of survivors exposed on the open deck". She was able to recover, escorting the wounded heavy cruiser Mogami to Truk in the Caroline Islands with 240 Mikuma survivors on board, arriving on 14 Jun. She was repaired at Truk and Sasebo, Japan until 20 Oct.

ww2dbaseReturning to Destroyer Division 8, Arashio sailed from Sasebo to Rabaul on 12 Nov. In the Solomon Islands region, she made several trips from Rabaul, delivering troops to Buna, New Guinea and delivering supplies to Guadalcanal. In early Feb 1943, she participated in the evacuation of Guadalcanal. On 20 Feb, she rescued survivors of Asashio-class sister ship Oshio, which had been torpedoed by American submarine USS Albacore near Manus, Admiralty Islands. On 25 Feb, Destroyer Division 8 was reassigned to Destroyer Squadron 3 of the Eighth Fleet.

ww2dbaseOn 3 Mar 1943, Arashio was a member of a 8-ship escort for 8 troop transports attempting to sail from Rabaul to Lae, New Guinea under the protection of foul weather. En route to New Guinea, she was engaged in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, where she was ravaged by skip-bombing (three hits) and strafing. In the heat of the battle, she rammed the special troop transport Nojima, which disabled her. Dead in the water, she was abandoned with 176 survivors, who were rescued by destroyer Yukikaze; American aircraft later returned to sink the hulk in the Dampier Strait about 55 miles southeast of Finschhafen. Her captain, Commander Hideo Kuboki, who had been in command since Sep 1941, was killed during this final battle.

ww2dbaseSources: Midway Dauntless Victory, Nihon Kaigun, Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Jul 2008

Destroyer Arashio Interactive Map

Photographs

Destroyer Arashio as seen in the United States Navy Department Division of Naval Intelligence A503 FM30-50 booklet for ship identification, date unknown

Arashio Operational Timeline

20 Dec 1937 Arashio was commissioned into service.
20 Feb 1942 At 0130 hours, a fresh ABDA force consisted of a Dutch cruiser and four US destroyers attempted to intercept a Japanese transport fleet in the Badung Strait in the Dutch East Indies for the second time. Dutch cruiser Tromp (10 killed) and American destroyer Stewart were damaged on the Allied side, while Japanese destroyers Asashio (4 killed) and Oshio (7 killed) also suffered damage. At 0220 hours, Japanese destroyers Arashio and Michishio joined in the action; Michishio became the target of all four American destroyers, suffering several hits and 13 killed, but was able to be towed away from battle. Elsewhere, at dawn, Japanese troops landed at Dili, Portuguese Timor and Koepang, Dutch Timor. Portuguese defenders at Dili was overrun and Portugal accepted the Japanese occupation for the duration of the war; Australian defenders at Koepang resisted, however. At 1045 hours, 323 Japanese paratroops were delivered to Koepang airfield, but most of them did not land in the drop zone, and 245 of them were killed by the Australians.
26 Dec 1942 Yugure, Urakaze, Tanikaze, Isonami, Inazuma, and Arashio departed Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands to transport 600 troops and supplies to occupy Wickham Anchorage, Vangunu, New Georgia, Solomon Islands.
27 Dec 1942 Yugure, Urakaze, Tanikaze, Isonami, Inazuma, and Arashio briefly stopped at Shortland Islands, Solomon Islands at 1335 hours, and then arrived at Wickham Anchorage, Vangunu, Solomon Islands at 2125 hours. The ships unloaded the 600 troops and supplies and departed at 2240.
28 Dec 1942 Yugure, Urakaze, Tanikaze, Isonami, Inazuma, and Arashio arrived at Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands.
7 Jan 1943 Zuikaku, Mutsu, and Suzuya departed Truk, Caroline Islands, escorted by Yugure, Inazuma, Isonami, Asashio, and Ariake.
12 Jan 1943 Zuikaku, Mutsu, and Suzuya arrived at Kure, Japan, escorted by Yugure, Inazuma, Isonami, Asashio, and Ariake.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. manel says:
4 Feb 2013 09:46:09 AM

Ens. Wesley F. Osmus of VT-3 downded during the attack was picked up by destroyer ARASHI, and after interrogation was brutally executed.
Taken to the stern of the ship,Ens.Osmus was thrown overboard. As he managed to grab the chain railing a fire axe was used to complete the murder of this young pilot whose body fell into the sea

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More on Arashio
Event(s) Participated:
» Invasion of the Philippine Islands
» Dutch East Indies Campaign, Java
» Battle of Midway and the Aleutian Islands
» Guadalcanal Campaign
» Solomon Islands Campaign

Destroyer Arashio Photo Gallery
Destroyer Arashio as seen in the United States Navy Department Division of Naval Intelligence A503 FM30-50 booklet for ship identification, date unknown


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