Japanese Destroyer Kuwa (1944)

was one of 18 escort destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Completed in mid-1944, the ship played a minor role in the Battle off Cape Engaño in October and began escorting convoys the following month. She was sunk by American destroyers during the Battle of Ormoc Bay on 3 December. ''Kuwa'' probably sank one of the American ships with torpedoes before being sunk herself with the loss of about half her crew.

Design and description

Designed for ease of production, the ''Matsu'' class was smaller, slower and more lightly armed than previous destroyers as the IJN intended them for second-line duties like escorting convoys, releasing the larger ships for missions with the fleet. The ships measured long overall, with a beam of and a draft of .Sturton, p. 196 Their crew numbered 210 officers and enlisted men. They displaced at standard load and at deep load. The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of for a speed of . The ''Matsu''s had a range of at .Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 151

The main armament of the ''Matsu''-class ships consisted of three Type 89 dual-purpose guns in one twin-gun mount aft and one single mount forward of the superstructure. The single mount was partially protected against spray by a gun shield. The accuracy of the Type 89 guns was severely reduced against aircraft because no high-angle gunnery director was fitted. The ships carried a total of twenty-five Type 96 anti-aircraft guns in 4 triple and 13 single mounts. The ''Matsu''s were equipped with and Type 22 surface- search radars.Stille, p. 41 The ships were also armed with a single rotating quadruple mount amidships for torpedoes. They could deliver their 36 depth charges via two stern rails and two throwers.

''Kuwa'' may not have been initially fitted with a Type 13 early-warning radar and may also have been equipped with only eight single mounts for Type 96 AA guns when completed. Before the end of 1944, the radar and the additional 25 mm guns had been installed.

Construction and career

Authorized in the late 1942 Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Program,Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 152 ''Kuwa'' was laid down by Fujinagata Shipyards on 20 December 1943 in its Osaka facility and launched on 25 May 1944. Upon her completion on 25 July 1944, ''Kuwa'' was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 11 of the Combined Fleet for training. The ship was assigned to Destroyer Division 43 on 18 October and participated in the Battle off Cape Engaño on 25 October as part of Vice-admiral Jisaburō Ozawa's Northern Force. She escorted the aircraft carriers and during the battle. ''Kuwa'' rescued hundreds of survivors from Zuihō and only stopped when she could fit no more. The ship was attacked by 10 American aircraft as she steamed for Okinawa, but was only lightly damaged. She arrived at Nakagusuku Bay the following day and was able to transfer 310 survivors to the light cruiser . The destroyer rendezvoused with the fleet at Amami Ōshima on 27 October and transferred the remaining survivors to the hybrid battleship/carrier . The fleet arrived at Kure Naval Arsenal two days later and ''Kuwa''s repairs began.Nevitt

While under repairs that lasted until 8 November, the destroyer was transferred to Escort Squadron 31 which was tasked to escort ''Hyūga'' and her sister ship as they ferried supplies to Manila at the beginning of November. American air raids deterred the battleships from completing the journey and the ships were diverted to the Spratly Islands; the battleships' cargo was transferred to fast transports on 15–16 November, while ''Isuzu'', ''Kuwa'' and two other destroyers proceeded to Manila Bay. ''Kuwa'' had been transferred to the newly organized Destroyer Division 52 during this time and was now assigned to the 5th Fleet. She was enroute to Brunei to help build a new seaplane base when ''Isuzu'' was torpedoed on 19 November. The cruiser was ordered to Singapore for repairs and ''Kuwa'' was ordered to return to Manila.

The destroyer's final operation was to escort the third echelon of Convoy TA-7 from Manila to Ormoc Bay. Arriving there on the night of 2/3 December, ''Kuwa'' took up a patrol position seaward of the unloading convoy, while her sister loaded survivors from a previous convoy. The convoy had been spotted enroute by American aircraft and three destroyers had been ordered to intercept them. Their radar spotted the Japanese ships at a range of at 23:55 and the Americans opened fire at 00:08; ''Kuwa'' was engaged by at a range of and by at while the third ship targeted either ''Take'' or the transports. The American gunfire was accurate and ''Kuwa'' began taking hits three minutes after they opened fire. The ship was able to fire her torpedoes before she was crippled and set on fire by American shells by 00:20. One torpedo, probably fired by ''Kuwa'', struck ''Cooper'' and broke her in half at 00:13. ''Kuwa'' drifted for an hour or two before sinking at with the loss of about half her crew; as the convoy departed at 03:30, one transport rescued eight survivors. A few other survivors were rescued when the Americans returned to rescue ''Cooper''s survivors; the disposition of the other survivors is uncertain. The ship was struck from the navy list on 10 February 1945.Rohwer, p. 376Tully, Destroyer ''Kuwa''

''Kuwa''s wreck was discovered in 2002 and explored by an expedition in December 2005. The wreck is upright at a depth of , but the ship's superstructure has mostly collapsed and the bridge area has been destroyed. The torpedo tube mount is relatively intact and its tubes are empty.

Notes

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External links

Short video of ''Kuwa''s wreck

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuwa (Type D)
Matsu-class destroyers
Ships built by Fujinagata Shipyards
World War II destroyers of Japan
1944 ships