Japanese destroyer Yūdachi (1936)

Yūdachi underway on 30 November 1936
History
Empire of Japan
Name:	Yūdachi
Ordered:	1931 FY
Builder:	Sasebo Naval Arsenal
Laid down:	16 October 1934
Launched:	21 June 1936
Commissioned:	7 January 1937
Struck:	15 December 1942
Fate:	Sunk 13 November 1942
General characteristics
Class and type:	Shiratsuyu-class destroyer
Displacement:	1,685 long tons (1,712 t)
Length:	103.5 m (340 ft) pp 107.5 m (352 ft 8 in) waterline
Beam:	9.9 m (32 ft 6 in)
Draft:	3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
Propulsion:	2 shaft Kampon geared turbines 3 boilers, 42,000 hp (31,000 kW)
Speed:	34 knots (39 mph; 63 km/h)
Range:	4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h)
Complement:	226
Armament:	5 × 12.7 cm/50 Type 3 naval guns (2×2, 1×1) 2 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) AA guns 8 × 24 in (610 mm) torpedo tubes 16 × Depth charges
Service record
Operations:	Battle of Tarakan (1942) Battle of the Java Sea (1942) Battle of Midway (1942) Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands (1942) First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (1942)

Yūdachi (夕立, "Evening Squall") was the fourth of ten Shiratsuyu-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy under the "Circle One" Program (Maru Ichi 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.Yūdachi, built at the Sasebo Naval Arsenal was laid down on 16 October 1934, launched on 21 June 1936 and commissioned on 7 January 1937.

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Yūdachi was assigned to Destroyer Division 2 of Destroyer Squadron 2 of the IJN 2nd Fleet together with her sister ships Murasame, Harusame, and Samidare, and had sortied from Mako Guard District as part of the "Operation M" (the invasion of the Philippines). From January 1942, Yūdachi participated in operations in the Netherlands East Indies, including the invasions of Tarakan, Balikpapan and eastern Java. During the Battle of the Java Sea, Yūdachi engaged a group of Allied destroyers and cruisers. Returning to Subic Bay in the Philippines on 16 March, Yūdachi assisted in the blockade of Manila Bay and the invasion of Cebu, returning to Yokosuka for repairs in early May. During the Battle of Midway on 4–6 June, Yūdachi was part of the Midway Occupation Force under the overall command of Admiral Nobutake Kondō.