Japanese destroyer Hamanami

Yūgumo-class destroyer

Hamanami underway on 10 October 1943

History
Empire of Japan
Name| Hamanami
Builder| Maizuru Naval Arsenal
Launched| 18 April 1943
Completed| 15 October 1943
Stricken| 10 January 1945
Fate| Sunk in action, 11 November 1944
General characteristics
Class and type| Yūgumo-class destroyer
Displacement| 2,520 long tons (2,560 t)
Length| 119.15 m (390 ft 11 in)
Beam| 10.8 m (35 ft 5 in)
Draught| 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)
Speed| 35 knots (40 mph; 65 km/h)
Complement| 228
Armament|

* 6 × 127 mm (5.0 in)/50 caliber DP guns
* up to 28 × Type 96 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns
* up to 4 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) AA guns
* 8 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes for Type 93 torpedoes
* 36 depth charges

Hamanami (浜波, "Beach Waves") was a Yūgumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

## Design and description[edit]

The Yūgumo class was a repeat of the preceding Kagerō class with minor improvements that increased their anti-aircraft capabilities. Their crew numbered 228 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 119.17 meters (391 ft 0 in) overall, with a beam of 10.8 meters (35 ft 5 in) and a draft of 3.76 meters (12 ft 4 in).[1] They displaced 2,110 metric tons (2,080 long tons) at standard load and 2,560 metric tons (2,520 long tons) at deep load.[2] The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 52,000 shaft horsepower (39,000 kW) for a designed speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph).[3]

The main armament of the Yūgumo class consisted of six Type 3 127-millimeter (5.0 in) guns in three twin-gun turrets, one superfiring pair aft and one turret forward of the superstructure.[2] The guns were able to elevate up to 75° to increase their ability against aircraft, but their slow rate of fire, slow traversing speed, and the lack of any sort of high-angle fire-control system meant that they were virtually useless as anti-aircraft guns.[4] They were built with four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts, but more of these guns were added over the course of the war. The ships were also armed with eight 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in a two quadruple traversing mounts; one reload was carried for each tube. Their anti-submarine weapons comprised two depth charge throwers for which 36 depth charges were carried.[2]

## Construction and career[edit]

Hamanami participated in the battles of the Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf and Samar. She was assigned to 1st Diversion Task Force. On 26 October the destroyer assisted in the sinking of the cruiser Noshiro.

On 11 November 1944, Hamanami was escorting troop convoy TA No. 3 from Manila, Philippines to Ormoc. She was sunk by aircraft of Task Force 38 in Ormoc Bay, west of Leyte (10°50′N 124°35′E﻿ / ﻿10.833°N 124.583°E﻿ / 10.833; 124.583), with 63 killed and 42 injured. The destroyer Asashimo rescued 167 survivors, including ComDesDiv 32 (Captain Oshima Ichitaro) and Commander Motokura. Three transports and their escorts, Shimakaze, Wakatsuki and Naganami, all went down with Hamanami.

## Wreck[edit]

On 20 January 2018, Hamanami was located by the research ship RV Petrel at a depth of 325 meters (1,066 ft) in Ormoc Bay. She was positively identified as a Yūgumo-class destroyer with her configuration of 127 mm guns and torpedo launchers. From the action reports by the US planes that sank her, Hamanami's bow was blown off before sinking. At the bottom, her whole bow section was missing.

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Sturton, p. 195
2. ^ a b c Whitley, p. 203
3. ^ Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 150
4. ^ Campbell, p. 192

## References[edit]

* Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
* Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
* Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
* Sturton, Ian (1980). "Japan". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 167–217. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
* Whitley, M. J. (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.

## External links[edit]

* CombinedFleet.com: Yūgumo-class destroyers
* CombinedFleet.com: Hamanami history

* v
* t
* e

Yūgumo-class destroyers

Completed|

* Yūgumo
* Makigumo
* Kazagumo
* Naganami
* Makinami
* Takanami
* Ōnami
* Kiyonami
* Tamanami
* Suzunami
* Fujinami
* Hayanami
* Hamanami
* Okinami
* Kishinami
* Asashimo
* Hayashimo
* Akishimo
* Kiyoshimo

Cancelled|

* Umigiri
* Yamagiri
* Tanigiri
* Kawagiri
* Taekaze
* Kiyokaze
* Satokaze
* Murakaze
* Yamasame
* Akisame
* Natsusame
* Hayasame
* Takashio
* Akishio
* Harushio
* Wakashio

* Preceded by: Kagerō class
* Followed by: Akizuki class

* List of destroyers of Japan

* v
* t
* e

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1944

Shipwrecks|

* 1 Nov: USS Abner Read, TA20, HMS Whitaker
* 2 Nov: Fort Lee
* 3 Nov: Akikaze
* 5 Nov: Kiebitz, Nachi, PB-107, TA21
* 7 Nov: USS Albacore, HM LST-420
* 8 Nov: USS Growler
* 9 Nov: U-537
* 10 Nov: Gokoku Maru, USS Mount Hood
* 11 Nov: Hamanami, Naganami, USS Scamp, Shimakaze, U-771, U-1200, Wakatsuki
* 12 Nov: HMAS Marlean, Tirpitz
* 13 Nov: Akebono, Akishimo, Hatsuharu, Hatsu Maru, I-12, I-38, Kiso, Okinami
* 17 Nov: USS LST-6, Mayasan Maru, NKI 01, Shin'yō (ex-Scharnhorst)
* 18 Nov: I-41, Seisho Maru
* 20 Nov: USS Mississinewa, HMAS ML 827
* 21 Nov: Kongō, Urakaze
* 22 Nov: Hokkai Maru, HMS Stratagem
* 24 Nov: Hansa
* 25 Nov: Kumano, HMCS Shawinigan, Shimotsuki, Sumida, U-482, Yasoshima
* 27 Nov: Rigel
* 28 Nov: U-80, PB-105, Yu 2
* 29 Nov: Fushimi, I-365, Shinano
* Unknown date: Mogador, U-479, U-1020

Other incidents|

* 10 Nov: USS Abarenda, USS Alhena, USS Argonne, USS Aries, USS Cacapon, USS Cebu, HMS Hydra, USS Kyne, USS Lyman, USS Mindanao, USS Oberrender, USS Petrof Bay, USS Piedmont, USS Potawatomi, USS Preserver, USS Saginaw Bay, USS Talbot, USS Walter C. Wann, USS YMS-238, USS Young
* 13 Nov: U-1052
* 17 Nov: HMAS ML 827, Seisho Maru
* 23 Nov: Gus W. Darnell
* 27 Nov: USS Gar
* 28 Nov: USS Spearfish
* 30 Nov: HMS Duff

1943 1944 1945
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