© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt

IJN Nagatsuki: Tabular Record of Movement

MUTSUKI-class (12 ships) profile (Ships of the World)


Name Translation: “Lengthy Moon,” “Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar” (September)

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Lieutenant Commander Shibayama Kazuo [52] (prev. C.O. SANAE). Torpedo Officer: Lt (j.g.) Takemasa Shizuo (66). Gunnery Officer: Special Duty Lt (j.g.) Ando Isao. Navigator: Reserve Lt (j.g.) (later Lt) Yoshie Tadao. Chief Engineer: Special Duty Lt (j.g.) (Eng.) Matsuo Noboru.
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. Light damage: in air attacks due to strafing: one dead, five injured.

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 VADM Takahashi Ibo [36] (former CinC Third Fleet) Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Southwest Area Fleet.

10 April:

Desdiv 22 reassigned to VADM Inoue Yasuo [38] (former CO of Hong Kong Base Force) 1st Surface Escort Division, Southwest Area Fleet; then Southwest Area convoy escort duties.

15 April:
Lieutenant Commander Shibayama (to C.O. SUZUKAZE) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Ninokata Kanehumi [59] (prev. C.O. SAWAKAZE).

5 July 1942:
Cdr (RAdm posthumously) Wakida Kiichiro (48) (former XO of Sasebo Defense Corps) is appointed ComDesDiv 22. Captain Sugino is later appointed ComDesDiv 11.


19 September-28 October:

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

1 November:

Departed Moji, then resumed Southwest Area convoy escort duties.
Lt Ninokata is promoted LtCdr. Torpedo Officer Lt (j.g.) Takemasa and Chief Engineer Lt (j.g.) Matsuo are promoted Lt.

18 November 1942:
Reserve Lt (j.g.) (LtCdr posthumously) Yuki Rinzo is appointed Navigator. Lt (j.g.) Yoshie is later appointed Navigator of KUROSHIO.

4 December 1942:
Lt (j.g.) (later Lt) Yabe Teruo (69) is appointed Torpedo Officer. Lt Takemasa is reassigned.


10 December:

Desdiv 22 deactivated; reassigned directly to 1st Surface Escort Division. ComDesDiv 22 Cdr Wakida is later appointed ComDesDiv 1.

14 January 1943:
VAdm Nakajima Torahiko (39) (former Chief-of-Staff, Kure Naval District) is appointed CO of 1st Surface Escort Division. VAdm Inoue is later appointed CinC Ominato Guard Guard District.


21-29 January 1943:

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

1 February:

Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal (cover).

4 February:

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

7 February:

Troop evacuation run to Russell Islands (cover). Assisted damaged ISOKAZE.

11-17 February:

Escorted convoys from Shortlands via Rabaul to Palau.

21-24 February:

With AKIGUMO and ISONAMI, escorted troop convoy (3rd section of HEI No. 3: KIYOKAWA MARU and YASUKUNI MARU, lifting elements of 41st Division from Tsingtao) from Palau to Wewak; then to Truk on 28 February.

25 February:

Assigned to reactivated Desdiv 22 (NAGATSUKI, FUMIZUKI, MINAZUKI, SATSUKI), Desron 3, Eighth Fleet. ComDesDiv 22 Cdr. Kanaoka Kunizo [48] (former ComDesDiv 5)

3-5 March:

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

8 March:

With ASAGUMO, YUKIKAZE, URANAMI and SHIKINAMI, troop transport run to Kolombangara.

13 March:

With ASAGUMO and YUKIKAZE, troop transport run to Kolombangara.

18 March:
NAGATSUKI and SATSUKI with auxliary net-layer KYOSEI MARU (557 tons) made transport mission to Munda, New George. Returned to Rabaul.

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

29-30 March:

With FUMIZUKI, MINAZUKI and SATSUKI, troop transport run from Kavieng to Finschhafen, aborted due to air attack.

8 April:

With SATSUKI and MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

10 April:
With SATSUKI and MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Tuluvu.

21-25 April:

Possibly escorted SENDAI towing AOBA from Kavieng to Truk.

1 May 1943:
ComDesDiv 22 Cdr Kanaoka is promoted Captain. Gunnery Officer Lt (j.g.) Ando and Navigator Lt (j.g.) Yuki are promoted Lt.


4 May:

With YUBARI, SATSUKI and MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

7-8 May:

With YUBARI, SATSUKI and MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

11 May:

With SATSUKI and MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

23 May:

With MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

28 May:

1600: Departed Buin. With SATSUKI and MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Kolombangara, aborted when soon after departure, both NAGATSUKI and SATSUKI grounded on reef southeast of Bougainville. MINAZUKI stood by as attempts made to free them.

29 May:
0400: After considerable effort both destroyers refloated. They then returned to Buin. Upon inspection it was concluded SATSUKI could not continue.
1600: NAGATSUKI and MINAZUKI departed Buin on another attempt but again aborted two hours later when sighted by enemy aircraft. Returned to Buka rather than Buin.

31 May-1 June:

1500: Departed. With MINAZUKI, troop transport run from Buka to Kolombangara. At 2330 arrived and landed SE Area Detachment HQ (General Sasaki Noboru) 159 soldiers, 100 tons of cargo and 49 drums of fuel. Embarked 421 military personnel. Returned next day to Buin.

1 June:
Lieutenant Commander Ninokata (to C.O. WAKABA) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Furukawa Tameo [60] (former Torpedo Officer, MYOKO)

2 June:

0500: Arrived Buin.
1600: Departed with MINAZUKI, troop transport run to Kolombangara. That evening unloaded 473 men and 40 tons of fuel in 60 barrels there.

6 June:

With MOCHIZUKI, troop transport run from Rabaul to Tuluvu.

8 June:

With SATSUKI, troop transport run to Tuluvu.

28-29 June:

With MIKAZUKI and MINAZUKI, led troop transport run from Rabaul via Shortlands to Kolombangara, aborted due to heavy enemy air activity in region.

30 June:

Rendova bombardment mission with AMAGIRI, HATSUYUKI, MIKAZUKI and MINAZUKI, aborted due to weather.

2-3 July:

With YUBARI and eight other destroyers, Rendova bombardment mission.

4-5 July:

1600: Departed Buin. With NIIZUKI, SATSUKI and YUNAGI, troop transport run to Kolombangara, aborted when U.S. ships were encountered. Contributed torpedoes to spread that sank USS STRONG (DD-467).
Action:
- 2225 Arrived at entrance of Kula Gulf. At this point NIIZUKI's radar discovered an enemy force. Combat preparations were made.
- 2235 Fired torpedoes. But mission was aborted.[Japanese torpedoes sank USS STRONG with a hit starboard side amidships.]
- 2249 Returned to Buin.

5-6 July: Battle of Kula Gulf

Troop transport run to Kolombangara.

5 July 1943:
1730: Departed Shortlands.
Action::
- 2226 1st Transport Unit detached.
- 2343 2nd Transport Unit ordered to leave column as planned and proceed to Vila due to disembark troops there at 0300.
- 2352 Recalled by NIIZUKI "All groups to concentrate" to engage enemy surface force. Reversed course.

6 July 1943:
- 0018 2nd Transpot Unit joined the battle. Opened fire.
- 0034 2nd Transport Unit broke off action, laying smoke and ships headed south independently to resume transport mission. NAGATSUKI had sustained one 6-inch shell hit during battle. Proceeded toward Vila.
- 0049 However, while making too great a speed too close to shore due to error (or possibly to temporarily enter the harbor) [Note] NAGATSUKI ran aground on the shoals on the southern side of the entrance of Bambari Harbor (modern MBambare or Jack Harbor)
- 0350 After SATSUKI removed Comdesdiv 22 (Captain Kanaoka Kunizo [48]), and unsuccessfully attempted to pull her sister-ship free, the decision was made to evacuate both the troops and crew to avoid needless loss of life during the expected air attacks after sunrise. Some fourteen boatloads of men commenced ferrying the men ashore including Lt.Cdr Furukawa; and at this time were joined and assisted by Army barges arriving in Bambari Harbor.
- 0420 Disembarkation of all aboard completed; SATSUKI headed for Vila and original landing point.[She subsequently successfully escaped back to Buin. As did the rest of the 2nd Transport Unit. See Notes]
- 0650 Enemy B-24 heavy-bomber observed but it did not attack.

Sunk:
- 0810 The foreseen air attacks commenced after daybreak. First enemy carrier planes [11 SBDs, 10 TBDs and 14 F4Fs of U.S. Task Force 38] bombed the destroyer [They claimed four 500# bomb hits with explosions and fires. S.E.Morison said records show they shot down 4 of 7 defending Zekes.] Hits seriously damaged the destroyer aft.
- 1235 NAGATSUKI was further bombed by B-25s [of 42nd Bomb Group] But no one by then remained aboard. Reportedly it was the hits by the B-25s that started the fire that caused the forward magazines to blow up. Due to the prudent evacuation casualties were light: Eight dead and 13 injured. Survivors, including Lieutenant Commander Furukawa (to C.O. YUNAGI) and troops, later reached Vila on foot.

9 July 1943:
NAGATSUKI attacked again by B-25s and fighter escort of 42nd Bomb Group when they aborted a mission to Vella Lavella and selected the grounded destroyer as a fall-back target. The next day was strafed again by B-25s. Damage inflicted in these attacks unknown.(Subsequent attacks probably took place but are unknown. Damage from random attacks accumulated steadily as the campaign went on. (See discussion on excellent Pacific Wrecks.com website

1 August 1943:
This evening it was directed that surviving crew members of NAGATSUKI that had been staying with the garrison ashore be transferred to Buin embarked on fishing boats. They had been allocated to the Torpedo Units and Landing Barge Units on Bougainville. At the time survivors included 7 officers warrant and above including Cmdr Furukawa, the Chief Engineer, and Communications Officer.

2 August 1943:
Air Group # 938 was ordered when practical to fly Commander Furukawa from Kolombangara to Buin.

1 October 1943:
Removed from Navy List.

8 May 1944:
The light cruiser USS MONTPELIER (CL-57) inspected and took a series of pictures of the wrecked NAGATSUKI that showed her hard aground aground, with a port list yet main deck well clear of the water, but fore-section blown off forward of the bridge and No.2 stack missing. It is possible, but unknown, if this all damage was done in the air attack of 6 July 1943 that exploded her and left her burning or was damage accumulated over time. After inspection the wreck was left where it lay. For its further disposition see Notes.

Postscript: It appears most of NAGATSUKI has been removed but some of the wreck remains. See the Located/Surveyed Shipwrecks Page on this site for more.

Notes and Sources:


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

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5/20/2023;