Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Imperial Japanese Navy — Destroyer 1944

Japanese destroyer Keyaki (1944)

Matsu-class destroyer escort destroyer

Japanese destroyer Keyaki (1944)
Presumed official IJN or USN photographer — http://musashinonavalarsenal.web.fc2.com/products/take.html — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate — 1944 Keyagi (欅, "Japanese Elm") was one of 18 Matsu-class escort destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Completed in late 1944, little is known about her activities during the rest of the war. The ship was surrendered to the Allies at the end of the war and used to repatriate Japanese troops until 1947. Mid-year the destroyer was turned over to the United States and

Service

  1. Imperial Japanese Navy as Keyaki? — 5 October 19452,193 days of the war
Matsu-class destroyer escort destroyer Particulars
Name
Keyaki
Pennant / hull number
1944
Namesake
Japanese elm
Builder
Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
Laid down
22 June 1944
Launched
30 September 1944
Struck
5 October 1945
Fate
Sunk as a target, 1947 (1947)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, standard
1,262 long tons (1,282 t)
Length
100 m (328.1 ft) OA
Beam
9.35 m (30.7 ft)
Draught
3.3 m (10.8 ft)
Speed
27.8 knots (51.5 km/h, 32 mph)
Range
4,680 nmi (8,667 km)
Complement
210
Main gun
127 mm (5 in)

Keyaki was a Matsu-class destroyer escort destroyer in service with the Imperial Japanese Navy. She carried the pennant number 1944. The ship was named after Japanese elm. Yokosuka Naval Arsenal laid her keel on 22 June 1944. She was launched on 30 September 1944.

Her class ran to 18 ships. The class followed the Ōtori-class torpedo boat.

Displacement was 1,262 long tons. She measured 100 m (328 ft) long with a beam of 9.3 m (31 ft). Her designed speed was 27.8 knots, and she carried a complement of 210.

Her main battery was one 127 mm (5 in) guns. Her machinery developed 19,000 shp through two shafts.

She was in commission for 2,193 days of the Second World War. She was struck from the register on 5 October 1945.

She was expended as a target in 1947. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts, 2 × geared steam turbines
Power
  • 2 × water-tube boilers; 19000 shp
Armament
  • 1 × twin, 1 × single 127 mm DP guns
  • 4 × triple, 13 × single 25 mm AA guns
  • 1 × quadruple 610 mm torpedo tubes
  • 2 × rails, 2 × throwers for 36 depth charges

Sister ships

Sources

  • Facts harvested from Japanese destroyer Keyaki (1944) on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: Presumed official IJN or USN photographer — http://musashinonavalarsenal.web.fc2.com/products/take.html — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons