MUTSUKI destroyer 1926

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aukepalmhof
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

MUTSUKI destroyer 1926

Post by aukepalmhof » Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:21 pm

The Central African Republic issued in 2022 four stamps for the 80 anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea 4 – 8 August 1942.
One of the stamps shows us a destroyer from the Mutsuki class, only two of this class took part in the battle, the MUTSUKI, and UZUKI.
Most probably the MUTSUKE the lead ship of the class is depicted on the stamp.

Built as a destroyer by Sasebo Naval Arsenal, Sasebo, Japan, for the Imperial Japanese Navy
21 May 1924 laid down
23 July 1925 launched as the No 19. The lead ship of the Mutsuki Class destroyers of which 12 were built.
Displacement 1315 ton standard, 1800 ton full load. Dim. 103,2 x (bpp. 97.5m) x 9.1m., draught 3,00m.
Two × Kampon geared steam turbines, 38,500 shp (28,700 kW), Twin shafts, speed 37.25 knots (68.99 km/h; 42.87 mph)
Range 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).
Armament: 4 × 12 cm (4.7 in) Type 3 guns, 2 × triple 61 cm (24 in) torpedo tubes.
18 × depth charges, 16 × mines.
Complement 150.
25 March 1926 completed. After commission part of: Destroyer Division 30.

01 August 1928 renamed in MUTSUKI.

MUTSUKI, the name ship of a class of twelve 1315-ton first-class destroyers, was built at Sasebo, Japan. Completed as (Destroyer) Number 19 in March 1926, she was renamed MUTSUKI in 1928. Prior to World War II, she took part in the arduous exercises that helped prepare the Japanese Navy for war and were also present during combat operations in China. On 11 December 1942, a few days after Japan began the Pacific War, MUTSUKI participated in the initial attempt to capture Wake Island, an effort repulsed with heavy casualties by U.S. Marine Corps gunners and aviators. In May 1942, she was part of the Port Moresby Invasion Group during the Battle of the Coral Sea.
On 24 August 1942, as the Japanese made their first major attempt to recapture Guadalcanal, MUTSUKI briefly bombarded U.S. Marine Corps' positions at Henderson Field. The next day, she went alongside the disabled transport KINRYU MARU to rescue that ship's crew and troops. While so immobilized, a formation of U.S. B-17 bombers appeared. Aware of the poor accuracy of high-level bombing, the destroyer's captain elected to continue his rescue efforts. However, in a rare event, the bombers scored well and MUTSUKI was sunk. Her captain, hauled from the water with his ship's other surviving crewmen, is said to have remarked "even the B-17s could make a hit once in a while!".
41 Men of her crew were lost.

Source: Contributor: C. Peter Chen. Naval Historical Center
Central African Republic 2020 1000FCFA sg?, Scott?
Attachments
Mutsuki (2).jpg
Mutsuki (2).jpg (63.21 KiB) Viewed 2142 times
2022 Mutsuki-class-Destroyer-Mitsubishi-G3M (2).jpg
2022 Mutsuki-class-Destroyer-Mitsubishi-G3M (2).jpg (138.9 KiB) Viewed 2142 times

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