© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt

© Revised; Anthony Tully May 2023

IJN Murasame: Tabular Record of Movement

SHIRATSUYU-class (10 ships) profile (Ships of the World)


Name Translation: "Scattered Showers"

1 February 1934:
Laid down at Fujinagata Shipyards, Osaka, Japan.

20 June 1935:
Launched and named MURASAME ("Passing Shower").

22 July 1936:
LtCdr (RAdm posthumously) Wakida Kiichiro (48) (current CO of MOCHIZUKI) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer as an additional duty.
Lt (Cdr posthumously) Kanei Hiroshi (55), Lt (later Cdr) Cho Susumu (55) (former Division Officer, KINUGASA), and LtCdr (Eng.) (later Captain) Yasuda Tadakichi (Eng. 32) (former Chief Engineer, HOKAZE) are appointedEquipping Officers.

1 December 1936:
LtCdr Wakida assumes full-time duty as Chief Equipping Officer.
Lt (later Cdr) Naka Shigeo (52) (former Gunnery Officer, FUBUKI) is appointed an Equipping Officer.

7 January 1937:
Completed and placed in commission.
Initial Command Structure: Commanding Officer: LtCdr Wakida Kiichiro (48)
Torpedo Officer: Lt Kanei Hiroshi (55)
Gunnery Officer: Lt Naka Shigeo (52)
Navigator: Lt Cho Susumu (55)
Chief Engineer: LtCdr (Eng.) Yasuda Tadakichi (Eng. 32)

1 December 1937:
LtCdr (RAdm posthumously) Konno Nobuo (48) (former CO of NUMAKAZE) is appointed CO. LtCdr Wakida is appointed CO of ASASHIO. Lt (later Cdr) Kobayashi Keishiro (58) (former Division Officer, TAMA) is appointed Gunnery Officer. Lt Naka is promoted LtCdr and appointed a Division Officer of KONGO. Lt (later RAdm, JMSDF) TakigawaKouji (59) (former Navigator, SHIMAKAZE) is appointed Navigator. Lt Cho is appointed Navigator of KATSURIKI. LtCdr (Eng.) (later Cdr) Okabe Takeo (Eng. 32) (former Chief Engineer, OITE) is appointed Chief Engineer. LtCdr (Eng.) Yasuda is reassigned.

28 March 1938:br> Lt (later Cdr) Yamagata Koichi (57) (former Navigator, IKAZUCHI) is appointed Navigator. Lt Takigawa is reassigned.

1 June 1938:
Lt (Cdr posthumously) Takatsuka Minoru (56) (former Torpedo Officer, MIKAZUKI) is appointed Torpedo Officer. In a change-of-post swap, Lt Kanei is appointed Torpedo Officer of MIKAZUKI.

1 August 1938:
Assigned to Cdr (later RAdm) Komura Keizo (45) (former Chief-of-Staff, DesRon 2)’s DesDiv 2, DesRon 4, Third Fleet. Lt (later Cdr) Takeuchi Hitoshi (58) (former Torpedo Officer, SATSUKI) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Takatsuka is appointed Torpedo Officer of YUGIRI. Lt (j.g.) (Cdr posthumously) Kondo Fumitake (62) is appointed Gunnery Officer. Lt Kobayashi is appointed Gunnery Officer of HAKAZE.

15 November 1938: ComDesDiv 2 Cdr Komura is promoted Captain. LtCdr Konno is promoted Cdr.

15 December 1938:
LtCdr (later Captain) Minami Rokuemon (51) (former CO of HATSUKARI) is appointed CO. Cdr Konno is reassigned. Lt (Cdr posthumously) Imamura Masami (61) is appointed Gunnery Officer. Lt (j.g.) Kondo is appointed Navigator of I-61. Lt (Cdr posthumously) Shimezawa Haruo (58) (former Division Officer, HAGURO) is appointed Navigator. Lt Yamagata is appointed Navigator of OKINOSHIMA. LtCdr (Eng.) (Captain (Eng.) posthumously) Takahashi Takeshi (Eng. 31) (former Chief Engineer, SATSUKI) is appointed Chief Engineer. LtCdr (Eng.) Okabe is appointed Chief Engineer of DesDiv 5.

24 December 1938:
LtCdr (Eng.) (later Cdr) Hoshi Tadao (Eng. 33) (former Chief Engineer, AMAGIRI) is appointed Chief Engineer. In a change-of-post swap, LtCdr (Eng.) Takahashi is appointed Chief Engineer of AMAGIRI.

15 October 1939:
LtCdr (Captain posthumously) HitomiToyoji (50) (former Torpedo Officer, FURUTAKA) is appointed CO. LtCdr Minami is reassigned.

1 November 1939:
Gunnery Officer Lt Imamura is reassigned and leaves the ship. A successor is not immediately appointed.

15 November 1939:
DesRon 4 reassigned to VAdm (Fleet Admiral posthumously) Koga Mineichi (34) (former Vice-Chief of the Naval General Staff)’s Second Fleet. Captain (VAdm posthumously) Hayakawa Mikio (44) (former ComDesDiv 28) is appointed ComDesDiv 2. Captain Komura is appointed Head of the Education Bureau’s Technical Affairs Department. Lt (later LtCdr) Sunada Shoji (60) (former Gunnery Officer, YUDACHI) is appointed Gunnery Officer. Lt (j.g.) (Cdr posthumously) OrikasaShigeyasu (64) is appointed Navigator. Lt Shimezawa is appointed Navigator of OKINOSHIMA. Lt (Eng.) (later Cdr) MatsuzoeShozo (Eng. 38) (former Division Officer, CHOGEI) is appointed Chief Engineer. LtCdr (Eng.) Hoshi is reassigned.

1 December 1939:
Lt (later RAdm, JMSDF) Tomita Toshihiko (59) (former Navigator, SHIRATSUYU) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Takeuchi is reassigned.

15 October 1940:
Captain (later RAdm) Tawara Yoshioki (43) (former ComDesDiv 29) is appointed ComDesDiv 2. Captain Hayakawa is appointed Chief Instructor of the Torpedo School. LtCdr Hitomi is appointed CO of SHIRAKUMO as an additional duty. Lt (later Cdr) Hiratsuka Koji (59) (former Gunnery Officer, NOKAZE) is appointed Gunnery Officer. Lt Sunada is appointed a Division Officer of MYOKO. Lt (j.g.) (later Lt) KurahashiTomojiro (65) (former Crew, KASHIMA) is appointed Navigator. Lt (j.g.) Orikasa is reassigned.

15 November 1940:
LtCdr (later Cdr) SuenagaNaoji (52) (former Torpedo Officer, NAKA) is appointed CO. LtCdr Hitomi is promoted Cdr and assumes full-time command of SHIRAKUMO. Lt (Cdr posthumously) Iino Tadao (60) (former Torpedo Officer, YUGIRI) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Tomita is appointed Torpedo Officer of ABUKUMA.

11 August 1941:
Captain Tachibana Masao (45) (former ComDesDiv 19) is appointed ComDesDiv 2. Captain Tawara is appointed CO of NAKA.

20 August 1941:
Lt (later LtCdr) Yoshimoto Kenichi (64) is appointed Gunnery Officer. Lt Hiratsuka is appointed Secondary Gunnery Officer of KAGA.

25 August 1941:
Lt (Eng.) (later LtCdr) Hamaguchi Genkichi (Eng. 45) (former Division Officer, FURUTAKA) is appointed Chief Engineer. Lt (Eng.) Matsuzoe is reassigned.

September 1941:
Flagship of Captain Tachibana’s DesDiv 2 (MURASAME, HARUSAME, YUDACHI, SAMIDARE), DesRon 4, Second Fleet.

10 September 1941:
Lt (later VAdm, JMSDF) Ishizuka Sakae (63) (former Gunnery Officer, ARARE) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Iino is appointed Torpedo Officer of SENDAI. Lt (j.g.) (later LtCdr) Hirayama Teruo (66) (former Navigator, HIBIKI) is appointed Navigator. Lt (j.g.) Kurahashi is appointed Gunnery Officer of HAGIKAZE.

Initial Wartime Assignment:
Ship's captain: Lieutenant Commander Suenaga Naoji [52]. Assigned to Desdiv 2 (MURASAME, HARUSAME, YUDACHI, SAMIDARE), Desron 4, Second Fleet. Flagship of Comdesdiv 2, Captain Tachibana Masao [45].

26-29 November 1941:

Desdiv 2 steamed with Desron 4 from Terashima Strait to Mako (Pescadores).

7-11 December:

Desdiv 2 departed Mako, then with Vigan (Philippines) invasion force.

22 December:

Desdiv 2 with Lingayen invasion force.

26 December:
Minor damage:
in collision with minesweeper W-20 at Takeo, Formosa; then repairs.

27 December 1941:
Gunnery Officer Lt Yoshimoto is appointed Gunnery Officer of YUDACHI and leaves the ship. A successor is not immediately appointed.

29 December 1941:
Lt Kayama Takeshi (65) (former Gunnery Officer, YUGUMO) is appointed Gunnery Officer.

12 January 1942:
Desdiv 2 with Tarakan invasion force.

23 January:

Desdiv 2 with Balikpapan invasion force.

27 February:

Desdiv 2 with Eastern Java invasion force.

27 February: Battle of the Java Sea:

Engaged Allied cruiser-destroyer group.

March-April:

Desdiv 2 arrived in Subic Bay from Tarakan on 16 March, then assisted in operations to secure the Philippines, including the blockade of Manila and occupation of Cebu.

1 May 1942:
Navigator Lt (j.g.) Hirayama is promoted Lt.

3-6 May:
Desdiv 2 steamed from Mako to Yokosuka, then docked for repairs.

4-6 June: Battle of Midway:

Desdiv 2 escorted Admiral Kondo's Occupation Force Main Body.

16-30 July:

Desdiv 2 steamed with Desron 3 from Kure via Singapore to Mergui (Burma) for Indian Ocean raiding operations, aborted due to Guadalcanal.

8-21 August:

Desdiv 2 steamed from Mergui via Balikpapan to Truk.

24 August: Battle of the Eastern Solomons:

Escorted MUTSU.

8-24 September:

Escorted seaplane carrier KUNIKAWA MARU out of Truk, searching Solomons-Santa Cruz Islands for potential seaplane base-sites; on 19 September scouted Ndeni Island, looking for U.S. seaplane base.

24-27 September:

Steamed from Truk to the Shortlands.

2 October:

Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

5 October:

Troop transport run to Guadalcanal. Minor damage: in air attack near Shortlands due to near-misses.

7-13 October:

Steamed from Shortlands to Truk for repairs, then returned.

13-16 October:

Escorted troop convoy from Shortlands to Guadalcanal and back.

17 October:

Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

25 October:

Gunfire support mission to Guadalcanal (Hyakutake offensive), aborted. Removed Comdesron 4 (Rear Admiral Takama Tamotsu [41]) from damaged AKIZUKI and helped rescue survivors from bombed YURA.

26 October: Battle of Santa Cruz:

Briefly joined Admiral Kurita's Support Force, then to the Shortlands same day.

1 November:
Lieutenant Commander Suenaga promoted to Commander.
Lt (LtCdr posthumously) FukamuraZenzaburo (Eng. 46) (former Division Officer, KINUGASA) is appointed Chief Engineer. Lt Hamaguchi is reassigned.

2 November:

Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

5 November:

Troop transport run to Guadalcanal (cover).

8 November:

Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

11 November:

Departed Shortlands to join Admiral Abe's Bombardment Force.

12-13 November: First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal:

Escorted Admiral Abe's Bombardment Force. Entered fighting late, but assisted in sinking of USS MONSSEN (DD-436) and damaging USS HELENA (CL-50); also may have torpedoed USS JUNEAU (CL-52). Minor damage: due to shell hit in forward boiler room; best speed temporarily reduced to 21 knots. After assisting crippled YUDACHI, joined KIRISHIMA. Later joined Admiral Kurita's Support Force, then to Truk on 18 November for repairs.

25 November 1942:
Lt (LtCdr posthumously) Koinuma Kazuo (65) (former Torpedo Officer, SATSUKI) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Ishizuka is appointed Torpedo Officer of KITAKAMI.

29 November-4 December:
Steamed from Truk to Rabaul and back; then patrol/escort duties out of Truk.

15 December:
Commander Suenaga (to Naval Technical Dept.) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Tanegashima Youji [53] (prev. C.O. SHIOKAZE).

11 January 1943:
Reserve Lt (j.g.) (later Lt) Senda Yusaku (former Navigator, YUZUKI) is appointed Navigator. Lt Hirayama is reassigned.

14-20 January 1943:

With URANAMI, escorted CHUYO from Truk to Yokosuka, then docked for repairs.

7-12 February:

With URANAMI, escorted CHUYO from Yokosuka to Truk.

28 February-2 March:

Steamed from Truk to Rabaul.

4 March:

1600: Departed Rabaul via the Shortlands on transport run carrying drums of food and munitions to Kolombangara. Flag of ComDesDiv 2 Captain Tachibana Masao in MURASAME as before.

5 March:
0830: Arrived at Buin.
1600: Departed for Vila, Kolombangara.

6 March:
Engaged by U.S. cruiser-destroyer force using radar-directed gunfire. Also report ten "B-17s" attacking. [Note ]
Action:
- 2130 Arrived at Vila, Kolombangara via Blackett Strait. Swiftly disembarked cargo.
- 2230 Unloading completed. Departed for return home. Elected to use the east route through Kula Gulf.
- 2303 MINEGUMO (? detected)
- 2309 MURASAME and MINEGUMO opened fire. Enemy shells hitting both continously. Radio communications on both destroyers out of commission.
- 2315 MINEGUMO sank; Flagship continued northward but fires spreading.[Note ]
- 2316 Fires in all boiler rooms and in the engine room; speed decreasing.
- 2325 MURASAME became unnavigable.
- 2330 Abandon Ship was ordered.

Sunk:
- 2342 Ship sank; 128 killed, including DesDiv 2 Surgeon Lt/S (LtCdr/S posthumously) Yamamoto Shozo (1940) (former Surgeon, 42nd Specially Established Minesweeper Division) and Chief Engineer Lt (LtCdr posthumously) Fukamura; 53 survivors, including ComDesDiv 2 Captain Tachibana, LtCdr Tanegashima, Torpedo Officer Lt Koinuma, Gunnery Officer Lt Kayama, and Navigator Lt (j.g.) Senda later reached Japanese lines

7 March:
0958: Telegram from ComDesdiv 22 [2?] summarized the action and indicated that MINEGUMO sank first before the flagship, then MURASAME. At that moment the details of losses unknown but roughly estimated to be: MURASAME: 8 officers and 120 men lost and MINEGUMO 2 officers and 44 enlisted men.[Note ]

[LtCdr Tanegashima is later appointed ComTransportDiv 1. Lt Koinuma is later appointed Torpedo Officer of KIYONAMI.]


1 April 1943:

Removed from Navy List.

Notes and Sources:


Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Anthony Tully, Bill Somerville, and Matthew Jones for contributing to this TROM.

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Lmd: 2/27/2012;5/15/2023;