Wreck of HIJMS Arare (霰)
Russia /
Chukotka /
Beringovskiy /
World
/ Russia
/ Chukotka
/ Beringovskiy
, 1256 km from center (Беринговский)
World
Second World War 1939-1945, military, navy, shipwreck, destroyer (ship)
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Laid down in March 1937 at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal as the final member of the Asashio Class of Destroyers, HIJMS Arare commissioned into Imperial Japanese Navy service in April 1939 as a member of Destroyer Division 18, Squadron 2, IJN Second Fleet.
Homeported at Etorofu in the Kurile Islands following her shakedown and training cruises, the Arare and her crews conducted routine operations until the late fall of 1941, when orders came for the Destroyer to form part of the escort for Admiral Nagumo's Carrier Strike Force upon its arrival in late November. Departing with the Pearl Harbor Strike Force under strict radio silence on November 26th, Arare was several days out of Etorofu when she was detached from the Carriers to screen the Tankers of the 2nd Supply Force, which she continued through the Attack on Pearl Harbor until the Fleet's return to Etorofu in late December. Assigned to Southern waters in January 1942, Arare and her crew steamed to the Solomon Islands, where she screened the invasions of Rabaul and Kavieng through February before escorting the ships of the 5th Carrier Division as they conducted air raids on British bases in the Indian Ocean through late April.
Following a yard period at Kure and rear-area actions in the waters off Saipan during the Battle of Midway, the Arare returned to Kure in late June and was assigned as an escort to the Aircraft Carrier HIJMS Chiyoda on a supply mission to the recently-captured Aleutian island of Kiska. Arriving at Kiska safely on July 4th, the Arare and her fellow Destroyers HIJMS Kasumi and HIJMS Shiranuhi began anti-submarine patrols in the waters surrounding the island and were so disposed the following morning when the three ships were sighted by the patrolling American Submarine USS Growler (SS-215). Finding himself in excellent position to attack, Growler's skipper made a submerged approach on the three Japanese Destroyers and fired a full spread of six torpedoes into their path at 0253hrs.
Though alert lookouts aboard Arare and her fellow Destroyers were able to sight the inbound torpedoes churning towards their vessels, not enough warning was given for evasive maneuvering and within short order all three ships were struck by Growler's torpedoes. Struck directly amidships beneath her #1 torpedo battery and ahead of her forward funnel at 0255, Arare's hull was decimated by the torpedo blast as it tore through her forward fireroom, blew out her hull and snapped her keel. Immediately beginning to jackknife as tons of seawater poured into her shattered hull, the Arare was rocked by a tremendous second detonation, likely from her boilers exploding as they came into contact with the cold waters of the Bering Sea which caused further damage to the ship and casualties among her crew. Within three minutes of the initial impact, HIJMS Arare broke in two and sank at this location, taking 104 of her crew with her to the bottom.
HIJMS Arare's wreckage was located in June 2007 and is now considered a war grave.
www.combinedfleet.com/arare_t.htm
Homeported at Etorofu in the Kurile Islands following her shakedown and training cruises, the Arare and her crews conducted routine operations until the late fall of 1941, when orders came for the Destroyer to form part of the escort for Admiral Nagumo's Carrier Strike Force upon its arrival in late November. Departing with the Pearl Harbor Strike Force under strict radio silence on November 26th, Arare was several days out of Etorofu when she was detached from the Carriers to screen the Tankers of the 2nd Supply Force, which she continued through the Attack on Pearl Harbor until the Fleet's return to Etorofu in late December. Assigned to Southern waters in January 1942, Arare and her crew steamed to the Solomon Islands, where she screened the invasions of Rabaul and Kavieng through February before escorting the ships of the 5th Carrier Division as they conducted air raids on British bases in the Indian Ocean through late April.
Following a yard period at Kure and rear-area actions in the waters off Saipan during the Battle of Midway, the Arare returned to Kure in late June and was assigned as an escort to the Aircraft Carrier HIJMS Chiyoda on a supply mission to the recently-captured Aleutian island of Kiska. Arriving at Kiska safely on July 4th, the Arare and her fellow Destroyers HIJMS Kasumi and HIJMS Shiranuhi began anti-submarine patrols in the waters surrounding the island and were so disposed the following morning when the three ships were sighted by the patrolling American Submarine USS Growler (SS-215). Finding himself in excellent position to attack, Growler's skipper made a submerged approach on the three Japanese Destroyers and fired a full spread of six torpedoes into their path at 0253hrs.
Though alert lookouts aboard Arare and her fellow Destroyers were able to sight the inbound torpedoes churning towards their vessels, not enough warning was given for evasive maneuvering and within short order all three ships were struck by Growler's torpedoes. Struck directly amidships beneath her #1 torpedo battery and ahead of her forward funnel at 0255, Arare's hull was decimated by the torpedo blast as it tore through her forward fireroom, blew out her hull and snapped her keel. Immediately beginning to jackknife as tons of seawater poured into her shattered hull, the Arare was rocked by a tremendous second detonation, likely from her boilers exploding as they came into contact with the cold waters of the Bering Sea which caused further damage to the ship and casualties among her crew. Within three minutes of the initial impact, HIJMS Arare broke in two and sank at this location, taking 104 of her crew with her to the bottom.
HIJMS Arare's wreckage was located in June 2007 and is now considered a war grave.
www.combinedfleet.com/arare_t.htm
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_destroyer_Arare
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 52°0'0"N 177°0'0"E
- Japanese Garrison on Kiska 30 km
- Shore Bombardment Craters 36 km
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA/PASY) 214 km
- Shemya Island 217 km
- Casco Cove CGS Airfield (PAAT/ATU) 278 km
- Former Attu Station / Casco Cove Coast Guard Station 278 km
- Bechevinskaya Bay 1173 km
- Tank testing ground 1234 km
- Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport 1260 km
- Sheromy Air Base 1281 km
- Kiska Island 30 km
- Kiska Volcano 43 km
- Segula Volcano 77 km
- Segula Island 78 km
- Buldir Island 84 km
- Rat Island 92 km
- Little Sitkin Island 104 km
- Amchitka Island 151 km
- Semisopochnoi Volcano 178 km
- Semisopochnoi Island 180 km