Japanese destroyer Yūgiri (1930)
History. Construction of the advanced "Fubuki"-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's expansion program from fiscal 1923, intended to give Japan a qualitative edge with the world's most modern ships. The "Fubuki" class had performance that was a quantum leap over previous destroyer designs, so much so that they were designated . The large size, powerful engines, high speed, large radius of action and unprecedented armament gave these destroyers the firepower similar to many light cruisers in other navies. "Yūgiri", built at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal was the fourth in an  improved series, which incorporated a modified gun turret which could elevate her main battery of Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns to 75° as opposed to the original 40°, thus permitting the guns to be used as dual purpose guns against aircraft. "Yūgiri" was laid down on 1 April 1929, launched on 12 May 1930 and commissioned on 3 December 1930. Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 48”, she was named "Yūgiri" before her launch. Operational history. In 1932, after the First Shanghai Incident, "Yūgiri" was assigned to patrols of the Yangtze River. In 1935, after  the Fourth Fleet Incident, in which a large number of ships were damaged by a typhoon and "Yūgiri"s bow was torn off, "Yūgiri", along with her sister ships, were modified with stronger hulls and increased displacement. From 1937, "Yūgiri" covered landing of Japanese forces in Shanghai and Hangzhou in the Second Sino-Japanese War. From 1940, she was assigned to patrol and cover landings of Japanese forces in south China, and subsequently participated in the Invasion of French Indochina. World War II history. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, "Yūgiri" was assigned to Destroyer Division 20 of  Desron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet, and had deployed from Kure Naval District to the port of Samah on Hainan Island, escorting Japanese troopships for landing operations in the Battle of Malaya. On 19 December, "Yūgiri" sank the Dutch submarine with assistance from her sister ships and . On 27 January, "Yūgiri" and her convoy were attacked by the destroyers and approximately north of Singapore in the Battle off Endau, and her torpedoes are credited with helping sink "Thanet". "Yūgiri" subsequently was part of the escort for the heavy cruisers , , and in support of "Operation L", the invasion of Banka , Palembang and the Anambas Islands in the Netherlands East Indies. At the end of February, "Yūgiri" covered minesweeping operations around Singapore and Johore. In March, "Yūgiri" joined "Operation T", the invasion of northern Sumatra, and the "Operation D", the invasion of the Andaman Islands. During the Indian Ocean raids, "Yugiri", together with and and aircraft carrier is credited with sinking six merchant vessels. From 13–22 April "Yūgiri" returned via Singapore and Camranh Bay to Kure Naval Arsenal, for maintenance. On 4–5 June, "Yūgiri" participated in the Battle of Midway as was part of the diversionary Aleutian Invasion force.　In July  1942, "Yūgiri" sailed from Amami-Ōshima to Mako Guard District, Singapore, Sabang and Mergui for a projected second Indian Ocean raid. The operation was cancelled due to the Guadalcanal campaign, and "Yūgiri" was ordered to Truk instead, arriving in late August. After the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on 24 August, "Yūgiri" took on troops from transport ships while at sea, and sailed on to Guadalcanal. During this operation, she was struck by a direct hit near her bridge by a bomb from a United States Marine Corps SBD Dauntless dive bomber from Henderson Field, killing 32 crewmen, including the  commander of Destroyer Division 20, Captain Yamada Yuji. After emergency repairs at Truk, "Yūgiri" returned to Kure Naval Arsenal in early October for repairs which took to the end of 1942. From 25 January 1943, "Yūgiri" was reassigned to the IJN 8th Fleet. She returned to Rabaul at the end of April and was assigned to numerous "Tokyo Express" transport missions to various locations in the Solomon Islands in May. On 16 May, she was torpedoed by the American submarine northwest of Kavieng, killing nine crewmen, and had to be towed back to Rabaul by "Amagiri". She was sent back  to Japan for repairs at the end of July. "Yūgiri" returned to the Solomon Islands in mid November. On 24 November, "Yūgiri" was one of five destroyers on a troop transport/evacuation run to Buka. In the Battle of Cape St. George on 26 November 1943, she was sunk by gunfire of the destroyers , and approximately east of Cape St. George at position . The Japanese submarine rescued 278 survivors and rescued 11 more; however, "Yūgiri"’s captain, Lieutenant Commander Shuichi Otsuji, went down with his ship. On 15 December 1943, "Yūgiri" was removed from the navy list. Japanese destroyer Yūgiri