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Photo # NH 100386:  Radarscope image of action between U.S. ships and Japanese destroyers Minegumo and Murasame, 6 March 1943

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- JAPANESE NAVY SHIPS --

Murasame (Destroyer, 1937-1943)

Murasame, a 1685-ton Shiratsuyu class destroyer built at Osaka, Japan, was completed in January 1937. During the Second World War she was employed in several campaigns, beginning with the invasion of the Philippines, during which she escorted transports that landed Japanese troops at Vigan, northwestern Luzon, on 11 December 1941. In January 1942 she participated in landings at Tarakan, Borneo, and was part of the force that defeated Allied warships in the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February. Murasame also participated in the June 1942 Battle of the Midway as part of Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo's Covering Group.

During the Guadalcanal Campaign Murasame played a supporting role in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in late August 1942, was damaged by air attack during a supply run on 5 October 1942, escorted transports to Guadalcanal on 14-15 October, rescued crewmen when the light cruiser Yura was sunk on 25 October and took part in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands a few days later. She directly engaged U.S. warships during the brutal night battle off Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942, receiving damage that put her forward boiler room out of action.

On 5-6 March 1943, less than a month after the Japanese had given up the fight for Guadalcanal, Murasame and the destroyer Minegumo took supplies to the Japanese base at Vila, on Kolombangara Island. While withdrawing after landing their cargo, the two ships encountered a greatly superior U.S. Navy cruiser-destroyer task force. In a brief battle, both Japanese ships were sunk. None of Murasame's crewmen survived her loss.

This page features the only views we have related to the Japanese destroyer Murasame (1937-1943).


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 100386

Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943


USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation at time 0100 ½, just before opening fire.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope, with other U.S. ships ahead, steaming SSW. The large white patch at left is Kolombangara and that at right is New Georgia. The large spot just off the Kolombangara shore is the Japanese destroyers Minegumo and Murasame, both of which were sunk in this action.

Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action Report, 1985

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 71KB; 615 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 100387

Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943


USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation at time 0105 ¾, as the U.S. force was firing on Japanese destroyers Minegumo and Murasame.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope, with other U.S. ships steaming SSW ahead of her. The large white patch at left is Kolombangara, with the two Japanese ships showing as spots just offshore. Murasame, dead in the water, is the smaller spot. Minegumo's movement makes her spot appear larger. The large white patch at right is New Georgia.
Both Japanese destroyers were sunk in this engagement.

Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action Report, 1985

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 50KB; 600 x 725 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 100388

Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943


USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation at time 0110, with the Japanese destroyer Murasame stopped and sinking. Her companion, Minegumo, has been hit but is still underway to the north of her.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope, with other U.S. ships ahead of her, steaming SSW. Kolombangara is the large white patch on the left, with the two Japanese ships showing as small spots just offshore. New Georgia is the large white patch on the right.
Both Japanese destroyers were sunk in this engagement.

Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action Report, 1985

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 52KB; 595 x 725 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 100389

Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943


USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation at time 0117, as the U.S. force begins to turn north after firing on the Japanese destroyers Murasame and Minegumo.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope, with USS Cleveland (CL-55) and USS Montpelier (CL-57) ahead of her, still heading SSW. USS Conway (DD-507) and USS Waller (DD-466) are further ahead, starting to turn north. Kolombangara is the large white patch at left, with one of the Japanese ships showing as a faint spot offshore in the upper left center. Arundel Island is in the lower left and New Georgia is on the right.
Both Japanese destroyers were sunk in this engagement.

Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action Report, 1985

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 53KB; 600 x 725 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 100390

Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943


USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation at time 0125, as the U.S. force completed its turn to the north while bombarding Vila. The Japanese destroyer Murasame has sunk and Minegumo is sinking. She is the small spot at the top of the scope.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope, with other the U.S. ships steaming in column ahead of her. Kolombangara is the large white patch at left, with Vila at its south end. Arundel Island is in the lower left, and New Georgia is at right.

Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action Report, 1985

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 64KB; 600 x 725 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 100391

Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943


USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation at time 0138, shortly before the U.S. force ceased its bombardment of Vila.
Denver is the bright spot in the scope center, with other the U.S. ships steaming north, ahead of her. The large white patch at left is Kolombangara, with Vila at its southern end. Very faint patches offshore, to the west of the U.S. ships, are the wreckage of Japanese destroyers Murasame and Minegumo, sunk earlier in the action. At the lower left is Arundel Island. New Georgia is in the lower right.

Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action Report, 1985

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 60KB; 600 x 725 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 100392

Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943


USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation at time 0145, as the U.S. force retired from Kula Gulf after shelling Vila and sinking the Japanese destroyers Murasame and Minegumo.
Denver is the bright spot in the scope center, with other the U.S. ships steaming to NNE ahead of her. Kolombangara Island is the large white patch on the left left, with Vila at its southern end. New Georgia is on the right. The spot above the main U.S. column is probably USS Waller (DD-466), steaming to the north.

Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action Report, 1985

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 56KB; 600 x 725 pixels

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 28 May 2002