JDS Nagatsuki

For other ships with the same name, see Japanese destroyer Nagatsuki.

JDS Nagatsuki (DD-167) was the fourth ship of Takatsuki-class destroyerss. She was commissioned on 12 February 1970.

JDS Nagatsuki on 4 July 1986
History
Japan
Name	Nagatsuki (ながつき)
Namesake	Nagatsuki (1926)
Ordered	1965
Builder	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Laid down	2 March 1968
Launched	19 March 1969
Commissioned	12 February 1970
Decommissioned	19 March 1996
Homeport	Maizuru
Identification	DD-167
Fate	Sunk as target, 3 August 1997
General characteristics
Class and type	Takatsuki-class destroyer
Displacement	3,100 long tons (3,150 t) standard 4,500 long tons (4,572 t) full load
Length	136.0 m (446 ft 2 in) overall
Beam	13.4 m (44 ft 0 in)
Draft	4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Propulsion	60,000 shp (45 MW), 2 shafts 2 × Mitsubishi/WH reaction/impulse steam turbines 2 × Mitsubishi CE water tube boilers
Speed	32 knots (37 mph; 59 km/h)
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km) at 16 kn (18 mph; 30 km/h)
Complement	260-270
Sensors and processing systems	OPS-11B EWR, OPS-17 SSR, AN/SQS-23, AN/SQS-35(J), OPS-11C EWR
Electronic warfare & decoys	NOLR-1B, NOLQ-1
Armament	2 × 5"/54 caliber Mark 42 guns 1 × (VIII) ASROC 1 × (IV) Bofors 375 mm (15 in) ASW rocket launcher 2 × (III) Mk.32 ASW torpedo tubes 2 × QH-50D DASH anti-submarine drone helicopter

Construction and career

Nagatsuki was laid down on March 2, 1968, at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works as No. 2307, a 3,000-ton type A II guard ship planned for 1966 based on the Second Defense Build-up Plan, and was laid down in 1969. Launched on March 19, 1970, commissioned on February 12, 1970, it was incorporated into the 3rd Escort Group as a ship under direct control and deployed to Maizuru. Since then, the homeport has not changed from Maizuru.

In 1976, he participated in a practicing voyage to the ocean with the training vessel JDS Katori, and at that time, participated in the observing ceremony of the 200th anniversary of the founding of the United States in New York.

On June 15, 1982, a US-1 flying boat belonging to the 31st Fleet Air Group, which was undergoing water landing training off the coast of Cape Ashizuri, broke the left float at the time of landing and was unable to take off water and drifted, so it was being trained nearby. The ship was towed and returned to Iwakuni base.

On March 30, 1984, the 2nd Escort Corps was newly formed under the 3rd Escort Corps group and incorporated with JDS Mochizuki.

In 1986, he participated in a practicing voyage to the ocean, at which time he participated in the International Fleet Review Ceremony for the 100th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in New York.

On January 25, 1989, the 2nd Escort Corps was reorganized under the Maizuru District Force.

From June to November 1994, participated in a training voyage to North America with the escort vessels JDS Takatsuki, JDS Mochizuki, and JDS Shirayuki as the flagship of the training fleet. For this reason, a wood grain sheet was attached to the equipment of the salute (removed after the end) and the equipment panel of the officer's room.

Decommissioned on April 1, 1996.

On August 3, 1997, it was sunk on the training sea surface north of Wakasa Bay by bombardment by JS Hiei and JDS Takatsuki, and JS Natsushio.

The bell that was installed on this ship was the bell that was installed on the former Navy Mutsuki-class destroyer Nagatsuki that was stranded in the Bennett cove, Kolombangara Island. It was dismantled in Nagatsuki after the war, but the bells were kept by the locals at that time, and then the ones brought back to Japan were handed over to the Maritime Self-Defense Force by the efforts of the then general manager of the Kure district, Tatsuo Chikudo, in November 1970. It was equipped on the ship on 17 March.

After the ship's retirement, both the Nagatsuki's bell are both preserved at the Maizuru Navy Memorial Hall.

Gallery

• 
  JDS Nagatsuki at New York Harbor on 4 July 1986.
• 
  JDS Nagatsuki and JDS Katori at New York Harbor on 4 July 1986.

References

• 石橋孝夫『海上自衛隊全艦船 1952-2002』（並木書房、2002年）
• 『世界の艦船 増刊第66集 海上自衛隊全艦艇史』（海人社、2004年）
• 『世界の艦船 第750集』海人社、2011年11月号