View source for Japanese destroyer Tachibana (1944)

{{short description|WWII-era Japanese escort destroyer}}
{{Other ships|Japanese destroyer Tachibana}}
{{good article}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Fig of IJN DD Tachibana 1945.gif
|Ship caption=Right profile and plan drawing of ''Tachibana''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Empire of Japan]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Japan|naval}}
|Ship name=''Tachibana''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Yokosuka Naval Arsenal]]
|Ship laid down=8 July 1944
|Ship launched=14 October 1944
|Ship completed=20 January 1945
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship decommissioned= 
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service= 
|Ship struck=10 August 1945
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Sunk by US aircraft, 14 July 1945
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=''Tachibana'' sub-class of the {{sclass|Matsu|destroyer|0}} [[escort destroyer]]
|Ship displacement={{cvt|1309|t|LT|lk=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
|Ship length={{convert|100|m|ftin|abbr=on}} ([[o/a]])
|Ship beam={{convert|9.35|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|3.37|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=2 × [[water-tube boiler]]s; {{cvt|19000|shp|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts, 2 × geared [[steam turbines]]
|Ship speed={{convert|27.8|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|4680|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|16|kn}}
|Ship complement=
|Ship sensors=
*1 × [[List of Japanese World War II radar#Shipborne Radar|Type 22]] [[search radar]]
*1 × [[List of Japanese World War II radar#Land-based Radar|Type 13]] [[early-warning radar]]
|Ship armament=*1 × twin, 1 × single [[12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval gun|{{convert|127|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}]] [[DP gun]]s
*4 × triple, 13 × single [[Type 96 25&nbsp;mm AT/AA Gun|{{convert|25|mm|in|abbr=on|0}}]] [[AA gun]]s
*1 × quadruple {{convert|610|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
*2 × rails, 2 × throwers for 60 [[depth charge]]s
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
{{Nihongo|'''''Tachibana'''''|橘}} was the [[lead ship]] of her [[ship class|sub-class]] (also known as the "modified Type-D" class) of the {{sclass|Matsu|destroyer|0}} [[Destroyer#Later combat|escort destroyer]]s built for the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] during the final stages of [[World War II]]. Completed in early 1945, the ship was assigned to [[convoy]] escort duties in home waters. She was sunk on 14 July with the loss of 135 crewmen by American carrier aircraft attacking targets in southern [[Hokkaido]].

==Design and description==
The ''Tachibana'' sub-class was a simplified version of the preceding {{sclass|Matsu|destroyer|4}} to make them even more suited for mass production. The ships measured {{convert|100|m|ftin|sp=us}} long [[Length overall|overall]], with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|9.35|m|ftin|sp=us}} and a [[draft (ship)|draft]] of {{convert|3.37|m|ftin|sp=us}}.<ref name=g6>Sturton, p. 196</ref> They displaced {{convert|1309|t|LT|sp=us|lk=on}} at [[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]] load and {{convert|1554|t|LT|sp=us}} at deep load.<ref>Whitley, p. 208</ref> The ships had two [[Kampon]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]], using steam provided by two Kampon [[water-tube boiler]]s. The turbines were rated at a total of {{convert|19000|shp|lk=on}} for a speed of {{convert|27.8|kn|lk=in}}. The ''Tachibana''s had a range of {{convert|4680|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|16|kn}}.<ref name=j3>Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 153</ref>

The main armament of the ''Tachibana'' sub-class consisted of three [[12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval gun|Type 89 {{convert|127|mm|adj=on|0|sp=us}}]] [[dual-purpose gun]]s in one twin-gun mount aft and one single mount forward of the [[superstructure]]. The single mount was partially protected against [[spray (liquid drop)|spray]] by a [[gun shield]]. The accuracy of the Type 89 guns was severely reduced against aircraft because no high-angle gunnery [[director (military)|director]] was fitted. They carried a total of 25 [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 {{convert|25|mm|adj=on|0|sp=us}}]] [[anti-aircraft gun]]s in 4 triple and 13 single mounts. The ''Tachibana''s were equipped with [[List of Japanese World War II radar#Land-based Radar|Type 13]] [[early-warning radar|early-warning]] and [[List of Japanese World War II radar#Shipborne Radar|Type 22]] surface-[[search radar]]s.<ref name=s1>Stille, p. 41</ref> The ships were also armed with a single rotating quadruple mount [[amidships]] for {{convert|610|mm|in|adj=on|0|sp=us}} [[torpedo]]es. They could deliver their 60 [[depth charge]]s via two stern rails and two throwers.<ref name=g6/><ref name=s1/>

==Construction and career==
[[File:19450714-2駆逐艦「柳」教英戦死時（600dpi・モアレ除去）.jpg|thumb|A Japanese destroyer under attack off [[Fukushima, Hokkaido]], on 14 July 1945, probably either ''Tachibana'' or {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Yanagi|1944|2}} which was heavily damaged in the same area]]
''Tachibana'' ([[Mandarin Orange]])<ref name=ne/> was ordered in Fiscal Year 1943 under the [[Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Program]] as part of the ''Matsu'' class, but the design was simplified to facilitate production and the ship was one of those built to the modified design, lending her name to the sub-class.<ref name=j3/> She was [[laid down]] on 8 July 1944 by [[Yokosuka Naval Arsenal]], [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 14 October and completed on 20 January 1945.<ref>Stille, p. 40</ref> The ship was assigned to the [[Combined Fleet]] for [[Glossary of nautical terms (M-Z)#working up|working up]], and was briefly attached to the [[2nd Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)|Second Fleet]] on 1–20 April.<ref name=ne>Nevitt</ref> On 22 May ''Tachibana'' arrived at [[Ōminato Guard District|Ominato]] at the northern end of [[Honshu]] for escort and patrol duties. The destroyer was sunk on 14 July at {{Coord|41|48|N|141|41|E|display=inline,title}} by US aircraft from [[Task Force 38]] during their raids on [[Hakodate#20th century to present day|Hakodate Bay]], with 135 crewmen killed. The ship was stricken from the [[Navy List]] on 10 August.<ref name=j3/><ref name=ne/><ref>Herder, p. 58; Rohwer, p. 421, Stille, p. 45</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|20em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |last1=Herder |first1=Brian Lane |title=The Naval Siege of Japan 1945: War Plan Orange Triumphant |date=2020 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford, UK|series=Campaign|volume=348 |isbn=978-1-47284-036-3}}
*{{cite book| last = Jentschura| first = Hansgeorg| first2 = Dieter |last2=Jung|first3=Peter |last3=Mickel| year = 1977| title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945| publisher = United States Naval Institute| location = Annapolis, Maryland| isbn = 0-87021-893-X|name-list-style=amp}}
*{{cite web |last1=Nevitt |first1=Allyn D. |title=IJN Tachibana: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/tachib_t.htm |website=www.combinedfleet.com |access-date=22 June 2020 |date=1998}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
*{{cite book |last1=Stille |first1=Mark |title=Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers 1919–45 (2): Asahio to Tachibana Classes |date=2013 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Botley, UK |isbn=978-1-84908-987-6}}
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7|chapter=Japan|author-first=Ian|author-last=Sturton}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1 |location=Annapolis, Maryland |author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

{{Tachibana-class destroyer}}
{{July 1945 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tachibana (1944)}}
[[Category:Tachibana-class destroyers]]
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:Destroyers sunk by aircraft]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in July 1945]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by US aircraft]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of Japan]]
[[Category:Ships built by Yokosuka Naval Arsenal]]