Japanese destroyer Uranami

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The Uranami (浦波) was a Fubuki class destroyer in the Imperial Japanese Navy that saw service during World War II. She was initially launched on November 29th 1928, and commissioned on June 30th 1929 under the name Destroyer N°44. Later in 1935 she was christened Uranami. She was sunk by aircraft of the US Task Force 77 on October 26th 1944

Contents

1 World War II

1.1 Guadalcanal
1.2 Convoy TA 1 to Ormoc

2 The Shipwreck
3 References

World War II

During World War II, the Uranami was initially capitained by Lieutenant Commander Hagio Tsutomu (later promoted to Commander) and assigned to Destroyer Division 19, Squadron 3 of the first fleet.

On December 7 1941, the Uranami captured the Norwegian merchant ship D/S Hafthor.

On December 19 1941, the Uranami sank the Dutch submarine O-20 with assistance from her sister ships the Ayanami and the Yugiri and rescued 32 survivors.

On March 23 1942, Uranami provided close cover for the Invasion of the Andaman Islands.

On June 4 and June 5 1942, the Uranami participated in the Battle of Midway by escorting Admiral Yamamoto's Main Body.

Guadalcanal

On November 14 and November 15, the Uranami was involved in the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. She was attached to a scouting force under the command of Rear Admiral Hashimoto Sentaro in the light cruiser Sendai. When American Admiral Willis A. Lee's Task Force 64 was located and attacked near Savo Island, Uranami came to the assistance of Ayanami and the light cruiser Nagara.

Fire from Ayanami, Nagara, and the Uranami would sink two of the four American destroyers involved (the Preston and the Walke), mortally wound the Benham (which would be scuttled after the battle), and severely damage the Gwin, causing heavy American losses in the first phase of the battle.

Soon after, the Ayanami would be targeted and shelled by the battleship Washington dealing critical damage. Uranami evacuated the crippled destroyer (which would be scuttled after the battle).

On May 15 1943 Lieutenant Commander Tanaka Tomoo takes command of the Uranami as Commander Hagio leaves to command the Maikaze.

On April 15 1944 Lieutenant Commander Tanaka is replaced by Lieutenant Commander Sako Masuhide as Tanaka takes command of the Michishio.

Convoy TA 1 to Ormoc

The Uranami's final mission would be the first major coordinated troop movement to Leyte during the Battle of Leyte Gulf that began October 21 1944. The troops were to be taken from Manila via Mindanao to Ormoc. The ships involved in this mission made up Convoy TA 1, and included heavy cruiser Aoba, light cruiser Kinu, Uranami, three new T.1-class transports (T6, T.9, and T.10), and two new T.101-class transports, (T.101 and T.102). They were to be led by Rear Admiral Sakonju Naomasa in the Aoba.

Prior to the misson proper, on October 23 Aoba was torpedoed by the submarine Bream and disabled. Sakonju transferred to the Kinu and had Aoba towed to port for repairs. The next morning Uranami and Kinu, fighting for Mindanao, avoided three flights from Task Force 38 as the Battle of Leyte Gulf opened. The ships only took minor damage in the strafing runs, but 47 were killed abord Kinu and 25 on Uranami. Uranami also suffered a punctured fuel tank which left her leaking oil.

The actual mission began October 25 with the arrival of the transports. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was in full swing now and so the convoy largely escaped American intervention. The 41st Regiment was successfully delivered to Ormoc. Here, the two smaller T.101 transports broke off to pick up troops from a different location as Kinu, Uranami, and the three T.1's headed back to Manila.

On the morning of October 26, while crossing the Jintotolo Channel between Masbate and Panay, approximately 80 aircraft from four of the escort carriers of Task Force 77.4.2 "Taffy 2" (the Manila Bay, the Marcus Island, the Natoma Bay, and the Petrof Bay) began bombing, strafing, and rocketing the convoy. Uranami would take two bombs and several rockets killing 103 on board (including Lieutenant Commander Sako) before sinking around noon. Kinu would last longer, but with her rudder jammed, two additional waves of planes attacked. They landed a bomb in her engine-room which set the ship aflame. The three empty transports (which had lagged behind during the fight) arrived that afternoon to pick up survivors, including 94 from Uranami. Admiral Sakonju took transport T.10 as his flagship as Kinu finally went under about seven hours after the attack began.

Ironically, of all the ships the convoy started with, only the prematurely crippled Aoba and the three T.1 transports would survive the mission. The mission could, perhaps be called a success with 3,000 troops delivered, but only at the cost of the majority of the ships involved.

The Shipwreck

The shipwreck of the Uranami has not yet been found, although the Kinu's was discovered by divers from the Chanticleer on July 15 1945 in about 150 ft of water. The Uranami sank about 13 miles away at location [11°50′N 123°00′E], 12 miles SE of Masbate, and is probably at a similar depth which would place it within the reach of technical divers.

References

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