Wreck of HIJMS Shigure (時雨)

 Second World War 1939-1945, military, shipwreck, destroyer (ship)

HIJMS Shigure was the 5th member of the Shiratsuyu Class of Destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy, laid down at the Uraga Dock Company in December 1933 and commissioning into the Imperial Japanese Navy in September 1936. Assigned to Destroyer Division 27, Squadron 1 of the IJN 1st Fleet, Shigure operated primarily in Japanese home waters during the first years of her service, taking part in Fleet and Squadron exercises as well as conducting anti-submarine patrols through the outbreak of war with the United States.

Remaining on anti-submarine patrol through January 1942, the Shigure and her crew began making regular runs between Japan and the Japanese Naval Base at Truk Atoll, while also being present for both the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway though she took no direct part in either conflict. Continuing her escort work through September in the Truk area, Shigure was detached to Rabaul where she began regular operations as part of the “Tokyo Express” resupply fleet, making eight separate troop transport runs to the embattled island by the end of 1942. As Japan’s fortunes on Guadalcanal turned, Shigure changed her mission to screening the ships which evacuated the island through February 1943, after which she returned to Japan for overhaul and repairs.

Returning to her escort role between Japan and Truk for the first half of 1943, Shigure again returned to Rabaul and began operations against US Forces once again, engaging in direct battle with her American counterparts at the Battle of Vella Gulf in August , the Battle of Vella Lavella in October and again at Battle of Empress Augusta Bay in November. With American forces on the advance in the Solomon Islands through the closing months, Shigure and her crew were kept in a near-constant state of alert even while stationed at the once-secure Rabaul anchorage, which came under repeated air attack as 1943 ended and 1944 began. Shigure herself fell victim to an air raid in February 1944, in which she took a single hit from an American aircraft on her #2 turret which killed 21 of her crew and injured a further 45. Forced back to Japan for repairs, Shigure was out of action through May 1944.

Returning to the fray by escorting troop transports to the Philippines, East Indies and Singapore during the summer of 1944, Shigure was placed into an escort role for the elements of the Japanese Navy training off Lingga Roads and Brunei in October as part of the Japanese preparation to attack American forces in the Philippines. Assigned to a powerful grouping of two Battleships, a Heavy Cruiser three other Destroyers, Shigure sailed on October 22nd as part of the “Southern Force” of a three-pronged Japanese assault on the American landing beaches at Leyte, slated to make for the Surigao Strait under the cover of darkness. Almost from the outset, the plan began to come apart. After coming under air attack on the 24th, the entire Southern Force sailed into a well-executed trap set by Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf’s 7th Fleet, and with the exception of Shigure every Japanese ship was destroyed in the October 25th night action later known as the Battle of Surigao Strait. Shigure herself was severely damaged by shellfire of almost every caliber, and despite being nearly unnavigable managed to reach Brunei two days later. After initial repairs, she stood out for Japan in early November with the remnants of the Japanese force, arriving at Sasebo on the 16th for battle damage repairs that would last through mid-December.

After an abortive attempt to escort the Carrier HIJMS Unryu to reinforce Japanese troops on Manila ended with the Carriers torpedoing, Shigure returned to Japan with her survivors and stood out for Japan escorting a convoy of tankers bound for Singapore via Hong Kong. Assigned to screen the Tanker Sarawak Maru after their arrival at Hong Kong, the two ships departed on January 17th and made for their final destination. Seven days later the two ships were steaming through the Gulf of Siam off Khota Baru in the early morning hours of January 24th, 1945 when they appeared on the radar of the USS Blackfin (SS-322), a patrolling US Submarine. The Blackfin quickly sped ahead of the two ships and set herself into attack position on the smaller of the two radar blips; the Shigure.

As the two ships came into range, the Blackfin fired three torpedoes directly into the path of the Veteran Destroyer, and likely due to the darkness the lookouts aboard the Shigure never saw the inbound torpedoes before it was too late to avoid them. Struck twice in her forward boiler room, the Shigure lost all power aboard ship and slowed to a halt as her dazed crew moved to their damage control stations in an attempt to save their ship. After it became clear that her crew couldn’t contain the inrushing water that was pulling their ship onto her side, the order was passed to abandon the stricken Destroyer before she capsized. Staying afloat for ten minutes after she was attacked, the Shigure allowed all but 17 of her crew to escape before she rolled over and sank at this location on January 24th, 1945.


www.combinedfleet.com/shigur_t.htm