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.[2] The Fubuki class had performance that was a quantum leap over previous destroyer designs, so much so that they were designated Special Type destroyers (特型, Tokugata). 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.[3]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 127 mm (5.0 in)/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.[4]Amagiri was laid down on 28 November 1928, launched on 27 February 1930 and commissioned on 10 November 1930.[5] 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.
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.[8]
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 Mochizuki 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 USAAFB-17 Flying Fortress bomber, killing 10 crewmen. On 5–6 July, during the Battle of Kula GulfAmagiri 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 Niizuki, but was driven off by the American destroyers USS Nicholas and Radford and returned to Rabaul for repairs.
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 CommanderKohei Hanami [ja] – 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.[11]
Amagiri was struck from the Navy List on 10 June 1944.[12]
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.[13] Since then the Amagiri was illegally broken up and salvaged, and little if anything remains of the wreck.[14]
^Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 74.
^Nishidah, Hiroshi (2002). "Fubuki class destroyers". Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2009-03-08.