© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt

IJN Fumizuki: Tabular Record of Movement


Name Translation: “Seventh Month of Lunar Calendar” (July)

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Lieutenant Ebihara Taro [59]. Assigned to Desdiv 22 (NAGATSUKI, FUMIZUKI, MINAZUKI, SATSUKI), Desron 5, Third Fleet.

26-29 November 1941:

Desdiv 22 steamed with Desron 5 from Terashima Strait to Mako (Pescadores).

7-10 December:

Desdiv 22 departed Mako, then with Aparri (Philippines) invasion force.

22 December:

Desdiv 22 with Lingayen invasion force.

January-February 1942:

Desdiv 22 escorted troop convoys from Formosa to Malaya and Camranh Bay.

27 February:

Desdiv 22 with Western Java invasion force.

10 March:

Desron 5 deactivated; Desdiv 22 reassigned to Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Southwest Area Fleet.

10 April:

Desdiv 22 reassigned to 1st Surface Escort Division, Southwest Area Fleet; then Southwest Area convoy escort duties.

17 July-29 August:

Arrived Sasebo, then docked for refitting: improved underwater sound detection equipment installed.

4-9 September:

Escorted convoy from Moji to Mako.

16 September:
Heavy damage:
in collision with transport KACHIDOKI MARU in the Formosa Strait.

16 September-9 October:
At Mako for emergency repairs.

9-12 October:

Steamed from Mako to Sasebo, then docked for repairs.

12-30 October:
At Sasebo for maintenance and repairs.

30 October-28 December:
At Nagasaki for further maintenance and refitting.

1 November:

Lieutenant Ebihara promoted to Lieutenant Commander.

10 December:

Desdiv 22 deactivated; reassigned directly to 1st Surface Escort Division.

21-29 January 1943:

With SATSUKI and NAGATSUKI, escorted seaplane carrier KAMIKAWA MARU from Sasebo via Truk and Rabaul to the Shortlands.

1 February:

Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal (cover); towed disabled MAKINAMI back to Shortlands.

4 February:

Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal (cover).

7 February:

Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal.

12 February:

With SATSUKI, escorted NOJIMA to Kolombangara.

13-17 February:

With SATSUKI, escorted SENDAI from Shortlands to Palau.

22-26 February:

With SATSUKI and YUGURE, escorted troop convoy (4th section of Operation HEI No. 3: JUZAN MARU, SHINKYO MARU, and ARATAMA MARU lifting elements of 41st Division from Tsingtao) from Palau to Wewak; then with YUGURE to Truk on 2 March.

25 February:

Assigned to reactivated Desdiv 22 (NAGATSUKI, FUMIZUKI, MINAZUKI, SATSUKI), Desron 3, Eighth Fleet.

3-5 March:

With NAGATSUKI, escorted transport MOGAMIGAWA MARU from Truk to Rabaul.

6 March:

With MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

11 March:

With MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Rekata.

14 March:

With MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

19-23 March:
With NAGATSUKI, escorted convoy from Rabaul to Shortlands and back.

29-30 March:

With NAGATSUKI, MINAZUKI and SATSUKI, troop transport run from Kavieng to Finschhafen, aborted due to air attack. Minor damage: due to strafing.

2 April:

Light damage: in air attack near Kavieng due to near-miss: boiler room flooded.

21-25 April:

Possibly escorted SENDAI towing AOBA from Kavieng to Truk.

4 May:

Arrived in Yokosuka from Truk escorting submarine tender HEIAN MARU, then docked for repairs.

11 May-18 August:
At Sasebo for maintenance and refitting: included removal of aft torpedo mount and Nos. 2 and 4 main guns in favor of added 25mm machine-guns and replacement of single 7.7mm machine-guns abreast bridge by dual 13mm.

20 August-4 September:

Escorted convoys from Sasebo via Saipan and Truk to Rabaul.

28 September:

Troop evacuation run to Kolombangara.

2 October:

Troop evacuation run to Kolombangara.

6 October:
Troop evacuation run to Vella Lavella, aborted by Battle of Vella Lavella.

8 October:

Transport run to Buka. Minor damage: in air attack due to near-misses.

21 October:

With SATSUKI, troop transport run to Cape Dampier.

24 October:

With SATSUKI, troop transport run to Garove Island and Iboki.

29 October:

With UZUKI, troop transport run to Garove Island and Iboki.

1 November:

Lieutenant Commander Ebihara (to C.O. NOKAZE) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Nagakura Yoshiharu [60] (prev. C.O. SANAE). On same date, troop transport run to Bougainville, aborted due to strength of enemy forces offshore.

2 November:
Minor damage:
in U.S. air raid on Rabaul due to strafing; fuel tank holed, six dead, four injured.

6 November:

Cape Torokina counter-landing: troop transport run to Bougainville.

12-14 November:

Aircrew transport run from Rabaul via Kavieng to Truk, then emergency repairs.

20-21 November:

Transport run from Truk to Rabaul.

25 November:

With AKIKAZE and YUNAGI, troop transport run to Cape Dampier.

27 November:

With MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Iboki.

29 November:

With MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Iboki.

1 December:

With MINAZUKI and AKIKAZE, troop transport run to Iboki.

3-8 December:
With MINAZUKI, escorted YUBARI towing NAGANAMI from Rabaul to Truk.

17-19 December:

Steamed from Truk to Rabaul.

22 December:

With YUNAGI, troop transport run to Garove Island.

25 December:

With MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Garove Island.

29 December:

With SATSUKI, troop transport run to Qavuvu. Among nine destroyers to deliver total of 635 men and 380 tons of supplies there between 22-31 December.

3-4 January 1944:

Departed Rabaul, heading for Kavieng. Minor damage: in air raid near Kavieng due to near-misses and strafing: minor flooding, unknown number of casualties (total of 40 between FUMIZUKI and SATSUKI).

7-20 January:

Escorted convoys from Rabaul to Truk and back.

22 January:

With MATSUKAZE, troop transport run to Qavuvu.

24 January:

With MATSUKAZE, troop transport run to Qavuvu.

26 January:

With AKIKAZE, troop transport run to Qavuvu.

30 January-6 February:
Escorted convoy from Rabaul to Truk. Minor damage: in air attack near Los Negros due to strafing.

17-18 February:
Sunk:
in U.S. air raid on Truk (07-24 N, 151-44 E). Torpedo hit on 17 February caused gradual flooding which led to ship sinking on 18 February despite assistance from MATSUKAZE and HAKACHI. 29 killed; survivors included Comdesdiv 22 (Commander Oka Michio [50]) and Lieutenant Commander Nagakura (to C.O. HATSUHARU).

31 March 1944:
Removed from Navy List.


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