Japanese destroyer Hanazuki of the Imperial Navy at sea during factory sea trials. Pacific Theater of Operations, World War II.
The Japanese destroyer Hanazuki photo source: Kure Maritime Museum, Japanese Naval Warship Photo Album: Destroyers, edited by Kazushige Todaka, p. 123.
Location: Pacific Ocean
Time of photo taken: December 18, 1944
Author: Shizuo Fukui / 福井静夫
Japanese destroyer Hanazuki (花月, “Blooming Moon“) was a destroyer of the Imperial Navy during World War II. The first and only representative of the third subtype of the Akizuki-class destroyer series to enter service.
Construction of the hull of the Japanese destroyer Hanazuki began on February 10, 1944 at the Naval Arsenal shipyard in Maizuru, and was launched on October 10, 1944. The ship entered service on December 26, 1944, thus having the shortest construction time among all Akizuki-class destroyers.
After entering service, the ship became part of the 11th division of destroyers. He arrived in Kure on January 21, 1945, and until spring he made only training trips in the Inland Sea.
On March 15, the destroyer BFL was appointed flagship of the 31st escort squadron; on April 6, together with the destroyers Kaya and Maki, it accompanied the battleship Yamato on its last voyage from Tokuyama to the Bungo Strait.
From April to August, the Japanese destroyer Hanazuki was in the Inland Sea, and was able to safely avoid all American air raids without receiving any damage.
The Japanese destroyer Hanazuki was removed from the Japanese Navy list on October 5, 1945. In June 1947, it was transferred to the United States for reparations, and after study, it was sunk as a target ship.