Tachikaze (太刀風, Sword Wind)[1] was a Minekaze-classdestroyer, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy immediately following World War I. Advanced for their time, these ships served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, but were considered obsolescent by the start of the Pacific War.
Construction of the large-sized Minekaze-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 8-4 Fleet Program from fiscal 1917–1920, as an accompaniment to the medium-sized Momi class with which they shared many common design characteristics.[2] Equipped with powerful engines, these vessels were capable of high speeds and were intended as escorts for the projected Amagi-classbattlecruisers, which were ultimately never built.[3]Tachikaze, built at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal, was the eleventh ship of this class. The destroyer was laid down on 18 August 1920, launched on 31 March 1921 and commissioned on 5 December 1921.[4]
From 27 February to the end of March 1942, Tachikaze was based at Staring-baai, escorting shipping between Sulawesi and Singapore. The destroyer assisted in the Invasion of the Andaman Islands in April, returning to Maizuru for repairs at the end of the month. From June to the end of 1942, Tachikaze was based at Jaluit AtollorRabaul, escorting transports in the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands. The ship was heavily damaged in an air raid on 27 December at Rabaul, during which, Lieutenant Commander Yasumi Hirasata, commander of Tachikaze was killed.[6]
In early 1943, after emergency repairs by the repair ship Yamabiko Maru, Tachikaze returned to Maizuru, which were completed by 10 March. Tachikaze returned to Rabaul to resume patrols. She was lightly damaged by an air raid on Wewak on 15 April. She returned again to Maizuru for repairs in May, remaining until September. From October until the end of the year, Tachikaze was based at Truk, with her patrol area extending from Palau towards Rabaul.[7]
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