Japanese destroyer Kawakaze (1936)
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| History | |
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 Empire of Japan
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| Name: | Kawakaze |
| Ordered: | 1933 FY |
| Builder: | Fujinagata Shipyards |
| Laid down: | 25 April 1935 |
| Launched: | 1 November 1936 |
| Commissioned: | 30 April 1937 |
| Struck: | 15 October 1943 |
| Fate: | Sunk 7 August 1943 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Shiratsuyu-class destroyer |
| Displacement: | 1,685 long tons (1,712 t) |
| Length: |
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| Beam: | 9.9 m (32 ft 6 in) |
| Draft: | 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion: | |
| Speed: | 34 knots (39 mph; 63 km/h) |
| Range: | 4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h) |
| Complement: | 226 |
| Armament: |
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| Service record | |
| Operations: |
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Kawakaze (江風 ”Bay Wind”?) was the ninth of ten Shiratsuyu-class destroyers, and the third to be built for the Imperial Japanese Navy under the Circle Two Program (Maru Ni Keikaku).
The Shiratsuyu-class destroyers were modified versions of the Hatsuharu class, and were designed to accompany the Japanese main striking force and to conduct both day and night torpedo attacks against the United States Navy as it advanced across the Pacific Ocean, according to Japanese naval strategic projections. Despite being one of the most powerful classes of destroyers in the world at the time of their completion, none survived the Pacific War.Kawakaze, built at the Fujinagata Shipyards was laid down on 25 April 1935, launched on 1 November 1936 and commissioned on 30 April 1937.
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Kawakaze was assigned to Destroyer Division 24 of Destroyer Squadron 4 of the IJN 2nd Fleet, and had sortied from Palau as part of the Philippine invasion force, covering landings at Legaspi and Lamon Bay. From January 1942, Kawakaze participated in operations in the Netherlands East Indies, including the invasions of Tarakan Island, Balikpapan and Makassar. After covering the invasion of Java, Kawakaze engaged a group of Allied destroyers during the Battle of the Java Sea, and was credited with assisting in the sinking of the American destroyer USS Pope, and the British cruiser HMS Exeter and destroyer HMS Encounter, rescuing 35 British survivors from both ships. In April, Kawakaze assisted in the invasion of Panay and Negros in the Philippines. From 10 May, Kawakaze was reassigned to the IJN 1st Fleet and returned to Sasebo Naval Arsenal for repairs at the end of the month.
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