© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt

IJN Arashi: Tabular Record of Movement


Name Translation: "Gale"

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Commander Watanabe Yasumasa [49] (prev. C.O. OSHIO). Assigned to Desdiv 4 (ARASHI, HAGIKAZE, NOWAKI, MAIKAZE), Desron 4, Second Fleet. Flagship of Comdesdiv 4, Captain Aruga Kosaku [45] (prev. Comdesdiv 11).

29 November-2 December 1941:

Desdiv 4 steamed from Terashima Strait to Mako (Pescadores).

4 December 1941-11 January 1942:
Desdiv 4 escorted Admiral Kondo's Southern Force Main Body out of Mako as distant cover to Malaya and Philippine invasion forces; also briefly escorted Malaya troop convoys during this period.

14-18 January:
Desdiv 4 escorted Main Body from Mako to Palau, then operated out of that base as distant cover to Dutch East Indies invasion forces through 15 February.

18-21 February:
Desdiv 4 escorted Main Body from Palau to Staring Bay (Celebes).

23 February:
Departed Staring Bay, escorting Main Body in operations south of Java.

1 March:
Assisted NOWAKI in sinking Dutch motorship TORADJA and British minesweeper SCOTT HARLEY, then captured Dutch steamship BINTOEHAN.

2 March:
Assisted NOWAKI and MAYA in sinking destroyer HMS STRONGHOLD.

3 March:
Assisted NOWAKI in sinking USS ASHEVILLE (PG-21).

4 March:
Assisted ATAGO in sinking British tanker FRANCOL, then captured Dutch freighter TJISAROEA; then returned to Staring Bay on 7 March.

18 March-3 April:
With NOWAKI, escorted ATAGO from Staring Bay on inspection cruise via Tarakan, Balikpapan, Makassar and Singapore to Penang.

4-18 April:
With NOWAKI, escorted ATAGO from Penang via Camranh Bay to Yokosuka; then docked for repairs.

4-5 June: Battle of Midway:
Desdiv 4 escorted Admiral Nagumo's Striking Force.
0610: ARASHI was attacked by enemy submarine torpedo at about 312 degrees 150 nm bearing from Midway [this is the translation of the grid position HE-E-A37 in Nagumo Report] and counterattacked immediately with depth charges.
Afternoon: Assisted AKAGI: helped NOWAKI rescue survivors, then helped scuttle with torpedoes.


9 June-12 July:
Desdiv 4 escorted ZUIHO to reinforce Northern Area, then escorted fleet patrolling out of Ominato southwest of the Aleutians.

14 July:
Desdiv 4 reassigned to Desron 10, Third Fleet.

30 July-August 12:
With HAGIKAZE, escorted transports BOSTON MARU and DAIFUKU MARU from Saeki to Saipan (6-7 August) to pick up Ichiki Detachment, then to Truk.

16-18 August:
Troop transport run from Truk to Guadalcanal.

19-24 August:
Escorted damaged HAGIKAZE from Guadalcanal to Truk.

24-27 August:
Steamed from Truk to Rabaul.

28-31 August:
Troop transport run to Milne Bay.

1-4 September:
Troop transport run to Milne Bay.

5-8 September:
Troop evacuation run to Milne Bay (cover). On 6 September assisted TATSUTA in bombarding Gili Gili wharves and sinking British freighter ANSHUN.

13-14 September:
Escorted transport SADO MARU from Rabaul to Shortlands.

15 September:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

18 September:
Led troop transport run to Guadalcanal, aborted due to enemy presence off island.

23-25 September:
Steamed from Shortlands to Truk.

October:
Escorted fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomons.

26 October: Battle of Santa Cruz:
Escorted Admiral Nagumo's Striking Force. Transferred Admiral Nagumo from damaged SHOKAKU to ZUIKAKU.

2-6 November:
Escorted SHOKAKU from Truk to Kure, then docked for repairs.

15 November:
Commander Watanabe (to C.O. HATSUKAZE) relieved by Commander Sugioka Koshichi [49] (prev. C.O. SAGIRI).

23 November-1 December:
Escorted aircraft transport AKITSU MARU from Kure via Truk to Rabaul; then steamed to Shortlands on 2 December.

3 December:
Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal.

7 December:
Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal, aborted due to PT-boat attack. With ARIAKE, escorted NAGANAMI towing damaged NOWAKI back to Shortlands.

11 December:
Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal. Assisted sinking TERUZUKI and rescued 140 survivors.

13-18 December:
Escorted MAIKAZE towing damaged NOWAKI from Shortlands to Truk.

1-7 January 1943:
Steamed from Truk via Rabaul to Shortlands.

10 January:
Supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal. Escorted damaged HATSUKAZE back to Shortlands.

14 January:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal (cover). Light Damage: in air attacks on 15 January due to near-misses; rudder temporarily jammed.

17-19 January:
Steamed from Shortlands to Truk, then repairs.

31 January-9 February:
Escorted fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomons to cover the Guadalcanal evacuation.

15-20 February:
With ONAMI and SHIGURE, escorted KONGO, HARUNA, CHOKAI and NISSHIN from Truk to Yokosuka, then docked for repairs.

20 February:
Captain Aruga (to C.O. CHOKAI) relieved as Comdesdiv 4 by Captain Sugiura Kaju [46] (prev. Comdesdiv 17), who moved flag to HAGIKAZE.

February-June:
Assigned as plane guard to SHOKAKU while training new pilots in Inland Sea.

10-15 July:
Escorted fleet from Japan to Truk.

19-21 July:
Escorted NISSHIN, MOGAMI, OYODO and AGANO on troop transport mission from Truk to Rabaul.

21-22 July:
Accompanied NISSHIN on troop transport run to Shortlands; later helped rescue NISSHIN survivors.

27 July:
Led troop transport run from Rabaul to Rekata.

1 August:
Led troop transport run to Kolombangara.

6-7 August: Battle of Vella Gulf:
Led troop transport run to Kolombangara. Sunk: by gunfire and torpedoes of USS DUNLAP (DD-384), USS CRAVEN (DD-382) and USS MAURY (DD-401), between Kolombangara and Vella Lavella (07-50 S, 156-55 E). 178 killed, including Commander Sugioka. Number of survivors unknown (310 total from ARASHI, HAGIKAZE, KAWAKAZE and 900 troops).

15 October 1943:
Removed from Navy List.


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