# Matsu-class destroyer

The Matsu-class destroyers (松型駆逐艦, Matsu-gata kuchikukan) were a class of destroyer built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late stages of World War II. The class was also designated the Type-D Destroyer (丁型駆逐艦, Tei-gata kuchikukan). Although sometimes termed Destroyer escorts, they were larger and more capable than contemporary United States Navy destroyer escorts or the Imperial Japanese Navy kaibōkan vessels.

## Background

Even by 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff realized that attrition of its destroyer force was not sustainable. There was a growing need for a simplified design which could be quickly mass-produced, and which could serve primarily as convoy escorts and as destroyer-transports in front-line locations, but would still be capable of working with the fleet if necessary. Emphasis was placed on anti-aircraft guns and anti-submarine weapons, and radar, as operations against surface targets was deemed unlikely. Forty-two vessels were ordered and work began in August 1943.
In the middle of 1944, the orders for twenty-four of these vessels were replaced with a further-simplified design, designated the Tachibana-class destroyer (橘型駆逐艦, Tachibana-gata kuchikukan) or Modified Type-D Destroyer (改丁型駆逐艦, Kai Tei-gata kuchikukan). The Tachibana-class had straight lines and a modular construction to facilitate mass-production. The Imperial Japanese Navy had plans to build another hundred and twelve Tachibana-class vessels, but only fourteen were completed before construction was cancelled, with resources diverted to "special-attack units".

## Design and description

Designed for ease of production, the Matsu class was smaller, slower and more lightly armed than previous destroyers as the IJN intended them for second-line duties like escorting convoys, releasing the larger ships for missions with the fleet. The ships measured 100 meters (328 ft 1 in) long overall, with a beam of 9.35 meters (30 ft 8 in) and a draft of 3.3 meters (10 ft 10 in). Their crew numbered 210 officers and enlisted men. They displaced 1,282 metric tons (1,262 long tons) at standard load and 1,554 metric tons (1,529 long tons) at deep load. The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 19,000 shaft horsepower (14,000 kW) for a speed of 27.8 knots (51.5 km/h; 32.0 mph). The Matsus had a range of 4,680 nautical miles (8,670 km; 5,390 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).
The main armament of the Matsu-class ships consisted of three 127-millimeter (5 in) Type 89 dual-purpose guns in one twin-gun mount aft and one single mount forward of the superstructure. The single mount was partially protected against spray by a gun shield. The accuracy of the Type 89 guns was severely reduced against aircraft because no high-angle gunnery director was fitted. The ships carried a total of 20 Type 96 25-millimeter (1 in) anti-aircraft guns in four triple and eight single mounts. The Matsus were equipped with a Type 22 surface-search radar. The ships were also armed with a single rotating quadruple mount amidships for 610-millimeter (24 in) torpedoes. They could deliver their 36 depth charges via two stern rails and two throwers.
The early ships of the class probably were not initially fitted with a Type 13 early-warning radar. The radar and five additional 25 mm guns on single mounts were generally installed in late 1944.
The Tachibana-class, entering service in 1945, had the same armament as the Matsu-class, but initially with 13 single-mount Type 96s instead of eight. This was later increased to as many as 19. Only one vessel, Take, was modified to launch a single kaiten manned torpedo from her stern, although there were plans to convert another 11 to this configuration just before the war came to an end.

## Operational history

Matsu-class destroyers were assigned to Destroyer Divisions 43, 52, and 53. Few Matsu-class units saw extensive service beyond Japanese home waters, and none of the Tachibana-class.

## Matsu and Tachibana classes comparison

Comparison of Matsu and Tachibana classes :
| Property | Matsu class | Tachibana class |
| Project number | F55 | F55B |
| Building method | Ordinary | Modular design |
| Main materials | High-Tensile Strength steel (upper deck only) and Carbon steel | Carbon steel only |
| Hull | Double bottom | Single bottom |
| Bow | Knuckle bow | Straight bow |
| Stern | Destroyer stern | Transom stern |
| Bilge Keel | Boxy (Solid) | Flat board |
| Active sonar | Type 93 | Type 3 |
| Hydrophone | Type 93 | Type 4 |
| Turbines | high-pressure, intermediate-pressure, low-pressure, and cruising | high-pressure and low-pressure |

## Ships of the classes

Forty-two vessels were ordered in Fiscal Year 1943 under the Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Programme as #5481-#5522. Eighteen of these were completed to the original Matsu design, but the other twenty-four were altered to a modified (simplified) design which became known as the Tachibana class. Eight of this batch were completed to that design, while orders for sixteen were subsequently cancelled (of which eleven had not been laid down).
Another thirty-two vessels were authorised in Fiscal Year 1944 under the Wartime Naval Armaments Supplement Programme as #4801-#4832, all to the Tachibana design. Six of this batch were completed to that design, while another four were ordered and laid down but were subsequently cancelled on 17 April 1945; the remaining twenty-two were never ordered.
A further eighty vessels were projected in Fiscal Year 1945 to a further modification of the design, known as the Kai-Tachibana class, but no orders were placed before the end of the war brought an end to the programme.
Construction data :
| Ship name | Ship # | Kanji & translation | Class | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
| Matsu | 5481 | 松 (Pine tree) | Matsu | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 8 August 1943 | 3 February 1944 | 28 April 1944 | Sunk on 4 August 1944 by US Navy ships 50 miles northwest of Chichijima (Ogasawara Islands) |
| Take | 5482 | 竹 (Bamboo) | Matsu | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 15 October 1943 | 28 March 1944 | 16 June 1944 | Surrendered to United Kingdom on 16 July 1947 at Singapore, scrapped |
| Ume | 5483 | 梅 (Japanese apricot) | Matsu | Fujinagata Shipyards | 25 January 1944 | 24 April 1944 | 28 June 1944 | Sunk 31 January 1945 by US Army Air Force aircraft 20 miles south of Taiwan |
| Momo | 5484 | 桃 (Peach) | Matsu | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 5 November 1943 | 25 March 1944 | 10 June 1944 | Sunk 15 December 1944 by US Navy submarine USS Hawkbill 140 miles south-west of m.Bolinao (o-in Luzon) |
| Kuwa | 5485 | 桑 (Mulberry) | Matsu | Fujinagata Shipyards | 20 December 1943 | 25 May 1944 | 15 July 1944 | Sunk 3 December 1944 by US Navy destroyers during the Battle of Ormoc Bay (o-in Luzon) |
| Kiri | 5486 | 桐 (Paulownia) | Matsu | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 1 February 1944 | 27 May 1944 | 14 August 1944 | Delivered to Soviet Union on 29 July 1947 at Nakhodka, renamed Vozrozhdionny (Возрождённый), converted to target ship TsL-25 (1949) and depot ship PM-65 (1957), scrapped in 1969. |
| Sugi | 5487 | 杉 (Cedar) | Matsu | Fujinagata Shipyards | 25 February 1944 | 3 July 1944 | 25 August 1944 | Surrendered at Kure. Handed over to the Republic of China on 6 July 1947 in Shanghai, called ROCN Hui Yang. Removed from the ROC Navy list 11 November 1954 and scrapped. |
| Maki | 5488 | 槇 (Podocarpaceae) | Matsu | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 19 February 1944 | 10 June 1944 | 10 August 1944 | Surrendered to United Kingdom on 14 August 1947 at Singapore, scrapped 1947 |
| Momi | 5489 | 樅 (Abies firma) | Matsu | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 1 February 1944 | 16 June 1944 | 3 September 1944 | Sunk on 5 January 1945 by US Navy carrier aircraft 28 miles west-southwest of Manila |
| Kashi | 5490 | 樫 (Live oak) | Matsu | Fujinagata Shipyards | 5 May 1944 | 13 August 1944 | 30 September 1944 | Surrendered to United States on 7 August 1947 at Sasebo, scrapped 20 March 1948 |
| Yaezakura | 5491 | 八重櫻 (Prunus verecunda Antiqua) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 18 December 1944 | 17 March 1945 | — | Discontinued on 23 June 1945 (60%). Sunk 18 July 1945 |
| Kaya | 5492 | 榧 (Torreya nucifera) | Matsu | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 10 April 1944 | 30 July 1944 | 30 September 1944 | Transferred to the Soviet Union 5 July 1947 in Nakhodka, It was called "Volevoy", converted to target ship "TSL-23" (1949), then to the floating heater "OT-61" (1958); excluded from the lists of the fleet on 1 August 1959 and scrapped. |
| Nara | 5493 | 楢 (Oak) | Matsu | Fujinagata Shipyards | 10 June 1944 | 12 October 1944 | 26 November 1944 | Scrapped 1 July 1948 |
| Yadake | 5494 | 矢竹 (Arrow bamboo) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 2 January 1945 | 1 May 1945 | — | Construction stopped 17 April 1945. Launched to empty the dock. Converted to breakwater, 1948 |
| Kuzu or Madake | 5495 | 葛 (Kudzu) or 真竹 (Phyllostachys bambusoides) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 19 March 1945 | — | — | Discontinued on 17 April 1945. |
| Sakura | 5496 | 櫻 (Cherry blossom) | Matsu | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 2 June 1944 | 6 September 1944 | 25 November 1944 | Sunk by a mine in the port of Osaka 11 July 1945 |
| Yanagi | 5497 | 柳 (Willow) | Matsu | Fujinagata Shipyards | 20 August 1944 | 25 November 1944 | 8 January 1945 | Heavily damaged by aircraft and ran aground on 14 July 1945 at Ōminato, scrapped on 1 April 1947 |
| Tsubaki | 5498 | 椿 (Camellia) | Matsu | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 20 June 1944 | 30 September 1944 | 30 November 1944 | Scrapped 28 July 1948 |
| Kaki | 5499 | 柿 (Persimmon) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 5 October 1944 | 11 December 1944 | 5 March 1945 | Surrendered to United States on 4 July 1947 at Qingdao. Sunk as target off 35°29′N 123°35′E﻿ / ﻿35.483°N 123.583°E﻿ / 35.483; 123.583, 19 August 1947 |
| Kaba | 5500 | 樺 (Birch) | Tachibana | Fujinagata Shipyards | 15 October 1944 | 27 February 1945 | 29 May 1945 | Surrendered to United States on 4 August 1947 at Sasebo, scrapped 1 March 1948 |
| Hayaume | 5501 | 早梅 (early blooming Prunus mume ) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Hinoki | 5502 | 檜 (Chamaecyparis obtusa) | Matsu | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 4 March 1944 | 4 July 1944 | 30 September 1944 | Damaged 5 January by air attack while in company with the Momi, returned to Manila for repair and was sunk while leaving Manila Bay 7 January 1945 by US Navy destroyers |
| Katsura | 5503 | 桂 (Cercidiphyllum) | Tachibana | Fujinagata Shipyards | 30 November 1944 | 23 June 1945 | — | Construction stopped 23 June 1945. Converted to breakwater. |
| Tobiume | 5504 | 飛梅 (A sacred Prunus mume at Dazaifu Tenman-gū) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Kaede | 5505 | 楓 (Maple) | Matsu | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 4 March 1944 | 25 June 1944 | 30 October 1944 | Surrendered at Kure. Handed over to the Republic of China on 6 July 1947 in Shanghai, named ROCN Heng Yang. Removed from the ROC Navy list in 1950, then scrapped in 1962. |
| Fuji | 5506 | 藤 (Wisteria) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Wakazakura | 5507 | 若櫻 (Young cherry blossom) | Tachibana | Fujinagata Shipyards | 15 January 1945 | — | — | Discontinued on 11 May 1945, scrapped. |
| Keyaki | 5508 | 欅 (Zelkova serrata) | Matsu | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 22 June 1944 | 30 September 1944 | 15 December 1944 | Surrendered to United States on 5 July 1947 at Yokosuka, Sunk as target off 34°44′N 140°01′E﻿ / ﻿34.733°N 140.017°E﻿ / 34.733; 140.017, 29 October 1947 |
| Yamazakura | 5509 | 山櫻 (Cherry blossom at mountain) | Tachibana | Fujinagata Shipyards | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Ashi | 5510 | 葦 (Phragmites) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | — | — | — | Cancelled on 26 March 1945. |
| Tachibana | 5511 | 橘 (Citrus tachibana) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 8 July 1944 | 14 October 1944 | 20 January 1945 | Sunk on 14 July 1945 by US Navy carrier aircraft off Hakodate |
| Shinodake | 5512 | 篠竹 (Simon bamboo) | Tachibana | Fujinagata Shipyards | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Yomogi | 5513 | 蓬 (Artemisia princeps) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Tsuta | 5514 | 蔦 (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 31 July 1944 | 2 November 1944 | 8 February 1945 | Surrendered at Kure. Used to repatriate Japanese. Handed over to the Republic of China on 31 July 1947 in Shanghai. It was renamed ROCN Hua Yang, removed from the ROC Navy list on 11 November 1954. |
| Aoi | 5515 | 葵 (Malvaceae) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Shiraume | 5516 | 白梅 (White blossom of Prunus mume) | Tachibana | Fujinagata Shipyards | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Hagi | 5517 | 萩 (Lespedeza) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 11 September 1944 | 27 November 1944 | 1 March 1945 | Surrendered to United Kingdom on 16 July 1947 at Singapore, scrapped |
| Kiku | 5518 | 菊 (Chrysanthemum) | Tachibana | Fujinagata Shipyards | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Kashiwa | 5519 | 柏 (Daimyo oak) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | — | — | — | Cancelled in 1945. |
| Sumire | 5520 | 菫 (Viola) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 21 October 1944 | 27 December 1944 | 26 March 1945 | Surrendered to United Kingdom on 23 August 1947 at Hong Kong, sunk as target 1947 |
| Kusunoki | 5521 | 楠 (Cinnamomum camphora) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 9 November 1944 | 8 January 1945 | 28 April 1945 | Surrendered to United Kingdom on 1947 |
| Hatsuzakura | 5522 | 初櫻 (Year's first cherry blossom) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 4 December 1944 | 10 February 1945 | 18 May 1945 | Delivered to Soviet Union on 29 July 1947 at Nakhodka, renamed Vetrenny and soon Vyrazitel'ny (Выразительный), converted to target ship TSL-26 (1949), scrapped in 1958. |
| Kigiku | 4801 | 黄菊 (Yellow chrysanthemum) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Hatsugiku | 4802 | 初菊 (Year's first chrysanthemum) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Akane | 4803 | 茜 (Madder) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Shiragiku | 4804 | 白菊 (White Chrysanthemum) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Chigusa | 4805 | 千草 (Grass) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Wakakusa | 4806 | 若草 (Spring grass) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Natsugusa | 4807 | 夏草 (Summer grass) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Akikusa | 4808 | 秋草 (Autumn grass) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Nire | 4809 | 楡 (Elm) | Tachibana | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 14 August 1944 | 25 November 1944 | 31 January 1945 | Scrapped April 1948 |
| Nashi | 4810 | 梨 (Pyrus pyrifolia) | Tachibana | Kawasaki Dockyard Co. | 1 September 1944 | 17 January 1945 | 15 March 1945 | Sunk 28 July 1945 at Kure by US aircraft. Salvaged on 30 September 1954, Transferred to JDS Wakaba on 31 May 1956. Refitted in 1958 as a radar trials ship; sonar added in 1960. Struck on 31 March 1971 and scrapped 1972–1973. |
| Shii | 4811 | 椎 (Castanopsis) | Tachibana | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 18 September 1944 | 13 January 1945 | 13 March 1945 | Delivered to Soviet Union on 5 July 1947 at Nakhodka, renamed Vol'ny (Вольный), converted to target ship TSL-24 (1949), scrapped in 1960. |
| Enoki | 4812 | 榎 (Japanese Hackberry) | Tachibana | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 14 October 1944 | 27 January 1945 | 31 March 1945 | Sunk 26 June 1945 sunk in shallow water by contact mine at Obama, Fukui, raised and scrapped 1948. |
| Azusa | 4813 | 梓 (Catalpa) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 29 December 1944 | — | — | Discontinued on 17 April 1945. |
| Odake | 4814 | 雄竹 (Great Bamboo) | Tachibana | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 5 November 1944 | 10 March 1945 | 15 May 1945 | Surrendered to United States on 14 July 1947 at Qingdao. Sunk as target off 35°29′N 122°52′E﻿ / ﻿35.483°N 122.867°E﻿ / 35.483; 122.867, 17 September 1947 |
| Hatsuume | 4815 | 初梅 (Year's first Prunus mume) | Tachibana | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 8 December 1944 | 25 April 1945 | 18 June 1945 | Surrendered at Maizuru. Handed over to the Republic of China on 6 July 1947 in Shanghai, called ROCN Xin Yang. Removed from the ROC Navy list and scrapped 1961. |
| Tochi | 4816 | 栃 (Aesculus) | Tachibana | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 23 January 1945 | (28 May 1945) | — | Discontinued on 18 May 1945. Converted to breakwater. |
| Hishi | 4817 | 菱 (Water caltrop) | Tachibana | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 10 February 1945 | — | — | Discontinued on 17 April 1945. |
| Susuki | 4818 | 薄 (Miscanthus sinensis) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Nogiku | 4819 | 野菊 (Aster) | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | Cancelled in March 1945. |
| Sakaki | 4820 | 榊 (Sakaki) | Tachibana | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | 29 December 1944 | — | — | Discontinued on 17 April 1945. |
| — | 4821–4832 | — | Tachibana | — | — | — | — | (12 destroyers) Cancelled in March 1945. |
| — | — | — | Kai-Tachibana | — | — | — | — | (80 destroyers) Cancelled on 30 June 1945. |