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inazuma (kantai collection) drawn by plus9
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    Japanese Destroyer Inazuma

    Inazma was the last of the 4 Akatsuki-subclass destroyers of the 24 Fubuki-class. She was laid down at Fujinagata Shipyard on March 7, 1930. She was launched on February 25, 1932 and was commissioned on November 15, 1932. Her initial displacement is 1,750 tons, after the Fourth Fleet Incident, she was rebuilt from 1935-1937 which raised her standard displacement to 2,050 tons. She is equipped with three enhanced Kampon Type boilers and two Kampon Type geared turbines with two shafts capable of producing 50,000 horsepower. Her speed is 38 knots. Her initial armaments are three twin 12.7 cm (5 inch) 50 cal. 3rd Year Type 'Type-B' naval guns, twenty-two 25mm Type-96 anti-aircraft gins, and three triple 24 inch torpedo tubes. She could carry from 18 to 36 depth charges for anti-submarine warfare.

    During a fleet maneuver practice on June 29, 1934, she collided with destroyer Miyuki within Strait of Korea, south of Cheju Island (Jeju-do). The collision sunk Miyuki and severed Inazuma's bow, Inazuma was towed by heavy cruiser Nachi to Sasebo Naval Arsenal and undergone extensive repairs for three months. After her repair she was assigned to DesDiv 6, part of DesRon 1, 1st Fleet, she was together with her sisters, Akatsuki, Hibiki and Ikazuchi. She undergone further repairs from the month of August to November of 1941.

    DesDiv 6 steamed within Terashima Strait to Mako Guard District. She departed from Mako and provided support for the invasion of Hong Kong. She assisted light cruiser Isuzu for sinking 2 British gunboats and secured Hong Kong Harbor. Inazuma departed Hong Kong afterwards, she escorted heavy cruiser Ashigara from Formosa to Davao Gulf, she provided cover for invasion force during the Battle of Manado in Dutch East Indies. On January 20, 1942, she collided with transport ship Sendai Maru within Davao Gulf, she suffered medium damage, she undergone emergency repairs by Repair Ship Akashi. She proceed back to Mako Guard District afterwards for complete repairs.

    On February 21, 1942, she escorted heavy cruiser Myoukou from Formosa to Makassar. She participated in the Second Battle of Java Sea together with 4 heavy cruisers, and 4 destroyers, they engaged ABDA fleet composed of 1 heavy cruiser, and 2 destroyers. She claimed two torpedo hits at heavy cruiser HMS Exeter, which sunk afterwards, and she also assisted sinking destroyers HMS Encounter and USS Pope DD-225, during the battle Inazuma rescued 376 survivors from Exeter. Few days after the battle, Inazuma together with Ikazuchi returned to the scene of the engagement, the destroyers discovered several survivors from Encounter and Pope floating miserably on waters. The destroyers rescued the survivors, Inazuma rescued another 151 survivors from Pope. On the following day, the destroyers handed the survivors to the Dutch hospital ship Op Ten Noort docked at Bandjermasin.

    On March 12, 1942, she arrived at Subic Bay to assist invasion forces in the Philippines, she conducted naval blockade from Manila. She escorted a convoy from Subic Bay to Kure, she was docked at Yokosuka Naval Yard for maintenance afterwards. She escorted Takao and Maya from Kure to Ominato. During the Battle of Midway, she escorted Admiral Hosogaya's Northern Force Main Body, then she participated in the Aleutian Campaign on June 3, 1942. She patrolled and provided escort duties within the area between Kiska and Attu islands. On July 5, 1942, she rescued 36 survivors from destroyer Nenohi during one of her anti-submarine patrols. On July 15, 1942, she was docked at Yokosuka for maintenance, resumed patrolling and providing escort duties within the Northern Pacific waters afterwards. She escorted a transport run from Paramushiro to Kiska and towed a damaged Shiranui from Kiska to Shimushu. She returned at Kure and trained with carriers Hiyou and Jun'you within inland waters.

    On October 4, 1942, she escorted Hiyou and Jun'you from Seiki and arrives at Truk on October 9, 1942. She joined other ships that are patrolling the area between Truk and Northern Solomon Islands. She escorted a disabled Hiyou to Truk.

    She participated in the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal during the night of November 12 to 13, 1942. She escorted battleship Vice Admiral Abe's bombardment force which composed of Hiei and Kirishima of BatDiv 11, together light cruiser Nagara and 10 destroyers. They engaged USN fleet composed of 2 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, and 8 destroyers. During the fight, Inazuma together with Nagara and Ikazuchi fired torpedoes which disabled USS Atlanta CL-51, then she scored several hits on USS San Francisco CA-38 along with Kirishima, Nagara and Ikazuchi, and she torpedoed USS Portland CA-33. After 40 minutes of brutal close-quarter combat, the IJN lost 2 destroyers and 1 battleship while USN lost 2 light cruisers and 4 destroyers, Inazuma somehow took little damage from the engagement.

    She was also present in the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal during the night of November 13 to 14, 1942. She escorted Vice Admiral Kondo's emergency bombardment force which composed of battleship Kirishima, and cruisers, Takao, Atago, Nagara, and Sendai with other 8 destroyers. They engaged the USN fleet composed of 2 battleships, 1 heavy cruiser and 1 light cruiser with 10 destroyers. Inazuma assisted sinking USN destroyers USS Benham DD-397, USS Walke DD-416, and USS Pretson DD-379 and damaged USN destroyer USS Gwin DD-433, the IJN lost 1 destroyer and 1 battleship. Inazuma didn't took any damage from this engagement.

    After the battles, she steamed back to Rabaul. On December 1, 1942, she condcuted a transport run to Buma, she conducted another but aborted due to aerial attacks, then she proceeds to Admiralty Islands to avoid aerial attacks. She sortied with light cruiser Tenryuu together with destroyers Arashio, Suzukaze and Isonami from Rabaul on December 16, 1942, they escorted two auxiliary ships to Medang. Tenryuu was sunk during this mission. She escorted another troop transport from Rabaul to New Georgia via Shortland Islands. She participated a supply-drum transport mission to Guadalcanal on January 2, 1943, though she was detached from the group and escorted a damaged Suzukaze back to Shortland. She steamed back from Rabaul to Truk afterwards.

    She escorted carrier Zuikaku, battleship Mutsu, and heavy cruiser Suzuya from Truk to Yokosuka together with destroyers Isonami, Ariake, Yuugure and Asashio. On January 12, 1943, she was docked for maintenance, they installed additional five twin 13mm Type-93 anti-aircraft guns on bandstand forward of bridge. On February 5, 1943, she escorted a convoy from Yokosuka to Ominato, then she patrolled the northern waters afterwards.

    She was present during the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, she was escorting 2 transport ships together with Ikazuchi when they were attacked by a USN fleet composed of 1 heavy cruiser, 1 light cruiser, and 4 destroyers. The Northern Force group which composed of Nachi, Maya and Tama engaged the USN fleet, Nachi was heavily damaged from the engagement while Maya took light damage, the USN suffered 1 heavy cruiser severely damaged and 2 destroyers damaged. Because of this engagement was tactically inconclusive, though the IJN aborted their resupply mission between Kiska and Attu Islands.

    One April 1, 1943, DesDiv 6 was transferred to DesRon 11. She escorted light cruiser Abukuma from Paramushiro to Yokosuka and was docked at Yokosuka for maintenance afterwards. On May 5, 1943, she escorted light cruiser Katori from Yokosuka to Truk, and starting from May 14, 1943, she escorted a total of six convoys traveling between Yokosuka and Truk unti October 6, 1943, she was docked for maintenance afterwards. She resumed escorting convoys on November 1, 1943. On December 4, 1943, she rescued survivors from transport ship Hiyoshi Maru. On December 21, 1943, she sortied from Truk to rescue survivors from oil tanker Terukawa Maru.

    On December 27, 1943, she escorted carriers Hiyou and Ryuuhou together with Hibiki from Truk to Kure, then they escorted carrier Kaiyou from Kure to various places until they returned to Kure. She escorted carrier Chiyoda to various places together with Hibiki from March 1, 1944 until they returned to Kure on April 10, 1944, she was docked for maintenance afterwards. They removed one of her turrets and add two triple 25mm Type-96 anti-aircraft guns, her modification was completed on April 30, 1944. On May 3, 1944, she escorted a tanker convoy from Moji to Manila together with destroyers Hibiki and Asagao, and escort carrier Taiyo on May 3, 1944, the arrived at Manila on May 9, 1944.

    One May 11, 1944, Inazuma together with Hibiki escorted 3 tankers departing from Manila to Balikpapan. On May 14, 1944 while at Celebes Sea, the convoy was attacked by USN submarine USS Bonefish SS-223, Bonefish fires her torpedoes which hit Inazuma, Inazuma exploded and sunk afterwards. Hibiki managed to rescue 125 survivors of her crew while 161 went down with her including Commander of DesDiv 6, CO Tomura, and CO Tokiwa, her captain.

    Inazuma sunk on May 14, 1944, within Celebes Sea, near Tawi-Tawi Island.

    Updated by Lunatic6

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