© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt

IJN Shimakaze: Tabular Record of Movement


Name Translation: "Island Wind"

10 May 1943:
Completed at Maizuru; assigned same date to Desron 11, First Fleet, for training. Ship's captain: Commander Hirose Hiromu [51] (prev. C.O. OSHIO).

1-5 July:

Steamed from Kure to Paramushiro.

7-17 July:

Initial troop evacuation run to Kiska, aborted due to weather.

10 July:

Assigned to Desron 2, Second Fleet.

22 July-1 August:

Second troop evacuation run to Kiska (cover), successful on 29 July. With WAKABA, HATSUSHIMO, NAGANAMI and SAMIDARE, assigned to screening unit Served as flagship of screening force commander (Captain Amano Shigetaka [47], Comdesdiv 21) following collision damage to WAKABA on 26 July.

3-6 August:

Escorted MAYA from Paramushiro to Yokosuka, then docked for maintenance.

15-20 September:

Escorted CHOKAI and MAYA from Yokosuka to Truk.

21-26 September:

Escorted CHUYO and TAIYO from Truk to Yokosuka. (TAIYO torpedoed on 24 September, towed by CHUYO to Yokosuka.)

4-10 October:

With SAZANAMI, escorted CHUYO from Yokosuka to Truk.

5 October:
Commander Hirose relieved by Commander Uwai Hiroshi [51] (prev. C.O. HAMAKAZE).

17-26 October:

Escorted fleet from Truk to Eniwetok and back in anticipation of U.S. carrier raids.

2-5 November:

Escorted tankers AMATSU MARU and NICHIEI MARU from Truk to Rabaul, arriving after the U.S. air raid of 5 November. (Tanker NISSHO MARU bombed and turned-back en route.)

5-8 November:

Escorted SUZUYA and MOGAMI from Rabaul to Truk.

11-15 November:

Escorted ATAGO and TAKAO from Truk to Yokosuka.

26 November-1 December:
With AKIZUKI, TAMANAMI and TANIKAZE, escorted SHOKAKU and CHITOSE from Yokosuka to Truk.

December 1943-February 1944:

Escorted tankers between Truk, Saipan, Palau, Davao and Balikpapan.

8-17 January 1944:
With HAYANAMI, escorted tanker convoy from Balikpapan via Palau to Truk. En route lost two of three tankers (NIPPON MARU and KENYO MARU) to submarine attack.

4-14 March:

With IKAZUCHI, escorted AKITSUSHIMA from Palau via Saipan to Yokosuka.

17 March-12 April:

Docked at Kure for refitting.

20 April-1 May:

Escorted YAMATO and MAYA from Kure via Manila to Lingga.

12-15 May:

Escorted fleet from Lingga to Tawitawi.

10-12 June:

With NOSHIRO, OKINAMI, NOWAKI and YAMAGUMO, escorted YAMATO and MUSASHI from Tawitawi to Batjan to support Biak troop transport operations.

13 June:
Departed Batjan, escorting Admiral Ugaki's task force to join Admiral Ozawa's fleet in the Philippine Sea.

19-20 June: Battle of the Philippine Sea

Escorted Admiral Kurita's Van Force.

30 June:
When surveyed this date at Kure, armament additional to main guns and torpedoes included one single 13mm and four triple, two dual, and seven single 25mm machine gun mounts, and Types 13 and 22 radars.

8-16 July:

Escorted fleet on troop transport mission from Kure to Okinawa, then to Lingga.

18-20 October:

Escorted fleet from Lingga to Brunei.

23-25 October: Battle of Leyte Gulf

Escorted Admiral Kurita's 1st Diversion Attack Force. On 24 October removed MAYA survivors from sinking MUSASHI. In Battle off Samar on 25 October was at rear of fleet so played no role in battle. Minor damage: on 24-25 October in air attacks due to near-misses and strafing; also minor collision with AKISHIMO.

27-29 October:
Refueled at Coron, then to Brunei.

31 October:

Arrived in Manila from Brunei to assist in Leyte troop transport operations.

4 November:

Became flagship of Comdesron 2 (Rear Admiral Hayakawa Mikio [44]).

9-11 November:

Led escort of troop convoy TA No. 3 from Manila to Ormoc. Sunk: by aircraft of TF 38 on 11 November in Ormoc Bay, west of Leyte (10-50 N, 124-35 E). Disabled early in attack by near-misses and strafing, drifted burning all afternoon before exploding and sinking. Number of survivors uncertain (131 total from SHIMAKAZE and WAKATSUKI) but included an injured Commander Uwai; Admiral Hayakawa killed in action.

10 January 1945:

Removed from Navy List.


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