Minegumo

CountryJapan
Ship ClassAsashio-class Destroyer
BuilderFujinagata Shipbuilding, Osaka
Laid Down22 Mar 1937
Launched30 Apr 1938
Sunk6 Mar 1943
Displacement1,961 tons standard
Machinery2-shaft geared turbine, 3 boilers2-shaft geared turbine, 3 boilers
Bunkerageoil 500t
Power Output50,000 shaft horsepower
Speed35 knots
Range5700nm by 10kt, 960nm by 34kt
Crew200
Armament6-12.7cm/50cal gun (2x3), 4-25mm AA, 8-61cm TT (4x2), 16 DCs

Contributor:

ww2dbaseMinegumo'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.

ww2dbaseIn 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.

ww2dbaseMinegumo'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.

ww2dbaseSources: Interrogations of Japanese officials, Naval Historical Center

Last Major Revision: Mar 2007

Destroyer Minegumo Interactive Map

Maps

Track chart featuring the movements of USS Montpelier during the action in Kula Gulf, Solomon Islands on 6 Mar 1943 where Japanese destroyers Murasame and Minegumo were sunk.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Yuchen Liang says:
5 Mar 2024 04:05:43 PM

The account is somehow questionable since 53 officers and crew from the Murasame did survive the dual sinkings.

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Search WW2DB
More on Minegumo
Personnel:
» Tokuno, Hiroshi

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

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