Asashio Class, Japanese Destroyers

Photograph of Asashio-class destroyer

Tonnage	1961 tons standard displacement
Dimensions	388' by 34' by 12'1" 118.3m by 10.4m by 3.7m
Maximum speed	35 knots
Complement	200
Armament	3x2 4.7"/45 dual-purpose guns 4 25mm machine guns 2x4 Long Lance torpedo tubes 16 depth charges
Bunkerage	500 tons fuel oil
Range	5700 nautical miles (9200 km) at 10 knots
Modifications	1943-1944: 1 4.7" mount removed to increase the light antiaircraft battery to 15 25mm guns. 1944-6: Light antiarcraft increased to 28 25mm guns. Reload torpedoes removed. Four depth charge throwers added and depth charge loadout increased to 36 depth charges.

The Asashios were completed in 1937-39. They were loosely based on the Shiratsuyu class. As the first post-treaty Japanese destroyers, they predictably did not lack for firepower or strength. However, they had persistent engine and steering bugs. The rudder design was inefficient, yielding poor maneuverability, whicih was remedied in 1941 by altering the stern shape. The turbines pushed the limits of Japanese technology and were prone to blade stripping, and the root cause of this defect was not identified and corrected until 1943. Their cruising range was also unusually poor.

Units in the Pacific:

Arare	with Second Supply Force	Torpedoed 1942-7-5 off Kiska by Growler
Arashio	with Kondo's Distant Cover Force	Sunk by aircraft 1943-3-4 in the Bismarck Sea
Asagumo	with Nishimura's Second Surprise Attack Force	Sunk by gunfire and torpedoes 1944-10-25 at Surigao Strait
Asashio	with Kondo's Distant Cover Force	Sunk by aircraft 1943-3-3 in the Bismarck Sea
Kasumi	with First Supply Force	Sunk by aircraft 1945-4-7 while accompanying Yamato to Okinawa
Michishio	with Kondo's Distant Cover Force	Torpedoed 1944-10-25 at Surigao Strait
Minegumo	with Nishimura's Second Surprise Attack Force	Sunk by gunfire 1943-3-5 at Kula Gulf
Natsugumo	with Nishimura's Second Surprise Attack Force	Sunk by aircraft 1942-10-12 off Savo Island
Oshio	with Kondo's Distant Cover Force	Torpedoed 1943-2-10 off Manus Island by Albacore
Yamagumo	with Hirose' Third Surprise Attack Force	Torpedoed 1944-10-25 at Surigao Strait

References

CombinedFleet.com (accessed 2007-4-27)

Parrish (1978)

Whitley (1988)

Worth (2001)

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