Japanese Destroyer Momo (1944)

was one of 18 escort destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Completed in mid-1944, the ship spent her short career escorting troop and supply convoys. She played a minor role in the Battle of Ormoc Bay in early December, escorting a troop convoy in the Philippines. ''Momo'' was badly damaged by American aircraft while escorting a hell ship full of Japanese evacuees and Allied prisoners of war a week later from Manila, Philippines, to Japanese Taiwan. The destroyer was sunk by an American submarine on 15 December with the loss of 92 of 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 Type 96 anti-aircraft guns in 4 triple and 8 single mounts. The ''Matsu''s were equipped with a Type 22 surface- search radar.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.

''Momo'' probably was not initially fitted with a Type 13 early-warning radar. The radar and 5 additional 25 mm guns on single mounts may have been installed before her loss.

Construction and career

Authorized in the late 1942 Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Program,Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 152 ''Momo'' (peach) was laid down by the Maizuru Naval Arsenal on 5 November 1943 and launched on 25 March 1944. Upon her completion on 10 June 1944, ''Momo'' was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 11 of the Combined Fleet for training and then the 43rd Destroyer Division of Destroyer Squadron 11 on 15 July. The division was transferred to the 31st Escort Squadron of the 5th Fleet on 20 August.

Between 25 October and 2 November, together with her sister ships and , she escorted the aircraft carriers and on a transport mission from Sasebo to Keelung, Japanese Taiwan, then returned to Kure. ''Momi''s captain served as the commander of the destroyer division during the voyage. The division's next task was to escort the hybrid battleship/carriers and her sister as they ferried supplies to Manila, Philippines, on 9 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 the light cruiser , ''Momo'' and two other destroyers proceeded to Manila Bay. They docked in Manila on 18 November and departed for Brunei the next day. ''Isuzu'' was struck by a torpedo from the submarine en route. The cruiser was diverted to Singapore for temporary repairs, escorted by ''Momo'' and her sister .Nevitt

On 24 November, ''Momo'' and the destroyer ''Shimotsuki'' departed Singapore for Manila to support the "TA" resupply missions to Japanese positions in the Philippines. ''Shimotsuki'' was hit the following day by four torpedoes fired by the American submarine USS ''Cavalla'' that caused a magazine to explode. ''Momo'' made an unsuccessful search for the submarine, then rescued 46 survivors.

Battle of Ormoc Bay

The Battle of Ormoc Bay was a part of the larger Battle of Leyte. ''Momo'' was assigned to TA No. 8 along with ''Ume'', ''Sugi'', and the sub-chasers ''Ch.18'' and ''Ch.38''. They were escorting five troopships carrying the 4,000 men of the 68th Brigade to Ormoc and departed on 5 December. American forces began landing a few miles south of Ormoc on 7 December, and the convoy was spotted by American aircraft that morning. Their initial attack was ineffective, but the convoy was diverted to the fishing port of San Isidro after it received word that the Americans were landing near their destination. Shortly after the transports began unloading, they were attacked by Marine Vought F4U Corsair fighter-bombers of VMF-211. The initial attacks hit one transport and caused her to run aground for the loss of three Corsairs.Hammel, p. 513 The convoy commander then ordered his ships to beach themselves and continue to unload their troops and equipment, while the escorts withdrew northward. Further attacks that afternoon damaged ''Ume'' and ''Sugi'' and sank two of the transports, while only one was able to beach itself. All told, the convoy was attacked by a total of 24 Corsairs, 86 Republic P-47 Thunderbolts and 43 Curtiss P-40 Warhawks. ''Momo'' later returned to render assistance to the transports, but there was little to be done. While attempting to rendezvous with ''Ume'' and ''Sugi'' that night, the ship suffered minor damage after she accidentally hit a reef off Masabate Island. ''Momo'' aborted the rendezvous and returned to Manila on 8 December by herself.

After repairs at Cavite Navy Yard, ''Momo'' and sub-chaser ''Ch.60'' were assigned to escort the cargo liner ''ÅŒryoku Maru'' carrying 3,511 Japanese military personnel, civilians, and 1,619 Allied prisoners of war. The small convoy departed Manila on the morning of 14 December. Shortly after, they were attacked by planes from the aircraft carrier that severely damaged the ''ÅŒryoku Maru'', which was forced to beach herself in Subic Bay lest she be sunk. The two escorts continued out to sea and were repeatedly attacked by American carrier aircraft. ''Momo'' was hit twice by bombs that started a fire amidships, forcing her captain to order her torpedoes be ejected overboard to prevent them from exploding. Flooding and other damage from the attacks reduced the destroyer's speed to , but continuing American attacks prevented the ship from turning back for repairs, so the two ships proceeded towards Takao, Japanese Taiwan. On the evening of 15 December, the submarine attacked ''Momo''; one torpedo struck the ship in the aft boiler room, which caused her to lose power and sink west-southwest of the coast of Cape Bolinao, Luzon. ''Ch.60'' rescued the survivors, but 92 crewmen were killed and 36 wounded. ''Momo'' was stricken from the navy list on 10 February 1945.Rohwer, p. 376

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Momo (Type D)
Matsu-class destroyers
Ships built by Maizuru Naval Arsenal
World War II destroyers of Japan
1944 ships