Japanese destroyer Amagiri (1930)

was the 15th of 24 s, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world. They served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, and remained formidable weapons systems well into the Pacific War. She is most famous for ramming the ''PT-109'' commanded by Lieutenant John F. Kennedy, who would later become the 35th President of the United States.

History

Construction of the advanced ''Fubuki''-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's expansion program from fiscal 1923, intended to give Japan a qualitative edge with the world's most modern ships. The ''Fubuki'' class had performance that was a quantum leap over previous destroyer designs, so much so that they were designated . The large size, powerful engines, high speed, large radius of action and unprecedented armament gave these destroyers the firepower similar to many light cruisers in other navies. ''Amagiri'', built at the Ishikawajima Shipyards in Tokyo was the fifth in an improved series, which incorporated a modified gun turret which could elevate her main battery of /50 cal Type 3 naval guns to 75° as opposed to the original 40°, thus permitting the guns to be used as dual purpose guns against aircraft. ''Amagiri'' was laid down on 28 November 1928, launched on 27 February 1930 and commissioned on 10 November 1930. Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 49”, she was designated ''Amagiri'' before her launch.

Inter-war period

In 1935, after the Fourth Fleet Incident, in which a large number of ships were damaged by a typhoon, ''Amagiri'', along with her sister ships, were modified with stronger hulls and increased displacement. In 1937, ''Amagiri'' covered landing of Japanese forces in Shanghai and Hangzhou during the Second Sino-Japanese War. In 1940, she was assigned to patrol and cover landings of Japanese forces in south China, and subsequently participated in the Invasion of French Indochina.

World War II

Early operations

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, ''Amagiri'' was assigned to Destroyer Division 20 of Desron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet, and had deployed from Kure Naval District to the port of Samah on Hainan Island. From 4 December 1941, to the end of the year, ''Amagiri'' covered the landings of Japanese troops in Malaya, and was part of the escort in support of "Operation L" (the invasion of Banka and Palembang in the Netherlands East Indies. At the end of February, ''Amagiri'' covered minesweeping operations around Singapore and Johore. In March, ''Amagiri'' was assigned to "Operation T" (the invasion of northern Sumatra) and "Operation D" (the invasion of the Andaman Islands). During the Indian Ocean raids, ''Amagiri'' — together with the heavy cruisers and sank the British passenger ship ''Dardanus'', Steamship ''Gandara'' and Merchant ship ''Indora''. From 13–22 April, ''Amagiri'' returned via Singapore and Camranh Bay to Kure Naval Arsenal, for maintenance.

On 4–5 June, ''Amagiri'' participated in the Battle of Midway as part of the Aleutian Invasion force and was subsequently based at Amami-Ōshima for patrols of southern waters until mid-July. In July 1942, ''Amagiri'' sailed from Amami-Ōshima to Mako Guard District, Singapore, Sabang and Mergui for a projected second Indian Ocean raid. The operation was cancelled due to the Guadalcanal campaign, and ''Amagiri'' was ordered to Truk instead, arriving in late August.

After the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on 24 August, ''Amagiri'' took on troops from transport ships while at sea, and sailed on to Guadalcanal. During this operation, she was attacked north-northeast of Savo Island by United States Marine Corps SBD Dauntless dive bombers from Henderson Field, which sank her sister ship and severely damaged . After rescuing the ''Asagiri'' survivors, she towed ''Shirakumo'' to Shortland Island. ''Amagiri'' continued to be used on numerous "Tokyo Express" transport missions to various locations in the Solomon Islands in September.

Although reassigned to the IJN 8th Fleet in October, ''Amagiri'' continued to be used for "Tokyo Express" missions through the end of the year. After the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal from 13–15 November, she assisted destroyer in the rescue of 1,500 survivors of the merchant vessels ''Canberra Maru'' and ''Nagara Maru'', and escorted the damaged ''Sado Maru'' to the Shortlands. She returned to Kure Naval Arsenal for repairs by mid-January 1943.

''Amagiri'' returned to Rabaul by March 1943, and resumed its missions as a high speed transport. On 7 April, she was strafed by a USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, killing 10 crewmen. On 5–6 July, during the Battle of Kula Gulf ''Amagiri'' was engaged by United States Navy destroyers and cruisers while attempting a troop transport mission to Kolombangara. She took five shell hits, which killed 10 crewmen. After the battle she attempted to rescue the survivors of the destroyer , but was driven off by the American destroyers and and returned to Rabaul for repairs.

John F. Kennedy and ''PT-109''

On 2 August, while returning from another "Tokyo Express" night reinforcement fast transport mission to Vila, ''Amagiri'' rammed and sank the US torpedo boat ''PT-109'', commanded by Lieutenant, junior grade (and future US president) John F. Kennedy. It is widely believed that those aboard ''Amagiri'' were not even aware of ''PT-109'', which was difficult to see because of its small size and lack of lights. However, Robert J. Donovan in his book ''PT 109: John F. Kennedy in WWII'', after interviewing many of the crew, concludes that it was not an accident, and he talked to the man at the wheel who was ordered to steer for a collision course. ''Amagiri'' also engaged other PT boats in the Blackett Strait south of Kolombangara. Lieutenant Commander – who commanded ''Amagiri'' at that time – attended President Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.

The incident would be publicized in several books, a movie, and a hit song by Jimmy Dean, as "the Jap destroyer in the night, cut the 109 in two", making it probably the only Japanese ship to ever be mentioned in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts.

Subsequent career

''Amagiri'' continued to be used on "Tokyo Express" missions through the end of 1943. She engaged United States Navy destroyers in combat at the Battle of Cape St. George in late November, and escaped pursuing American destroyers led by Captain Arleigh Burke. On 7 December, she collided near Kavieng with the destroyer , which sheared off her bow. Sent back to Kure Naval Arsenal for repairs in January 1944, she was reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet in March and was based in Singapore to provide escort for transport missions in the western Netherlands East Indies. On 23 April, after departing Singapore with heavy cruiser and light cruiser bound for Davao, ''Amagiri'' struck a naval mine in Makassar Strait south of Balikpapan at position (). As she took over two hours to sink, there were few casualties.

''Amagiri'' was struck from the Navy List on 10 June 1944.

Wreck

''Amagiri'' was located in October 2003 by Vidar Skoglie and the MV ''Empress''. She lies in 28m/98 feet of water on her starboard side and was heavily collapsing and split open due to apparent illegal dynamite fishing near the wreck. One dynamite fisher apparently detonated the forward magazine, as no detonation was noted during her sinking. This resulted in much of the forward part of the ship being heavily damaged. The bow of the ship was relatively intact and still sat vertically. Live torpedoes were scattered around the wreck as well as depth charges, making it a hazardous dive. Since then the ''Amagiri'' was illegally broken up and salvaged, and little if anything remains of the wreck.

References

Bibliography

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Further reading

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*Duane T. Hove, ''American Warriors: Five Presidents in the Pacific Theater of World War II'' (2003)
* Robert J. Donovan, ''PT 109: John F. Kennedy in WWII'' (1961) Donovan interviewed much of the original crew in Japan.

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amagiri
Fubuki-class destroyers
Ships built by IHI Corporation
1930 ships
Second Sino-Japanese War naval ships of Japan
World War II destroyers of Japan
Maritime incidents in April 1944
Ships sunk by mines
Shipwrecks in the Makassar Strait
World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean